Epistula CXXVIII, St. Jerome to Pacatula (and her father Gaudentius)
Commentary by Nate Carney, revised by Jacques Bailly

Introduction
Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus, known as Jerome (c. 347-420), priest, theologian, historian, Saint, and Doctor of the Church (Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Lutheran, Anglican) is known today mostly for his work on the Vulgate Bible. His Latin translation became the standard when it was published and was reaffirmed at the Council of Trent in the aftermath of the Protestant Reformation, more than 1100 years after Jerome's death. 113 letters written by Jerome survive (many having to do with his bible translation), along with 31 written to him. The current letter, as its last sentence says, responds to a request for counsel from the parent, Gaudentius, but is addressed to the young girl, Pacatula, who is to be dedicated as a virgin (as cum futuram virginem spoponderint near the beginning of the letter implies). Jerome worked closely with Christian women, giving encouragement and advice about how to live a holy life.

In this letter, in addition to considerations about how to raise a little girl who is to be devoted to the religious life, Jerome has a long digression that is inappropriate to Pacatula at her current age: the digression concerns mainly male reactions to relations with women. This obviously loomed large in Jerome's life: cf. Letter XXII to Eustochium for a much larger dose of this sort of material. Clearly the letter is intended for her to read later, when she can read, and so perhaps the digression is a warning to her about such things even later, when they may be relevant to her. But the letter may also be intended for a larger audience, certainly including Gaudentius.

The letter is said to have been written in 413 CE.

Text

CAUSA difficilis parvulae scribere, quae non intellegat quid loquaris, cuius animum nescias, de cuius periculose voluntate promittas, ut secundum praeclari oratoris exordium, spes magis in ea laudanda quam res sit. Quid enim horteris ad continentiam, quae placentas desiderat, quae in sinu matris garrula voce balbuttit, cui dulciora sunt mella quam verba? Audiat profunda apostoli, quae anilibus magis fabulis delectatur? Prophetarum αἰνίγματα sentiat, quam tristior gerulae vultus exagitat? Evangelii intellegat maiestatem, ad cuius fulgura omnis mortalium hebetatur sensus? Ut parenti subiciatur, horter, quae manu tenera ridentem verberat matrem? Itaque Pacatula nostra hoc epistulium post lectura suscipiat; interim modo litterularum elementa cognoscat, iungat syllabas, discat nomina, verba consociet, atque, ut voce tinnula ista meditetur, proponatur ei crustula mulsi praemia et, quicquid gustu suave est, quod vernat in floribus, quod rutilat in gemmis, quod blanditur in pupis, acceptura festinet; interim et tenero temptet pollice fila deducere, rumpat saepe stamina, ut aliquando non rumpat, post laborem lusibus gestiat, de matris pendeat collo, rapiat oscula propinquorum, psalmos mercede decantet, amet, quod cogitur dicere, ut non opus sit, sed delectatio, non necessitas, sed voluntas. Solent quaedam, cum futuram virginem spoponderint, pulla tunica eam induere et furvo operire palliolo, auferre linteamina, nihil in collo, nihil in capite auri sinere re vera bono consilio, ne habere discat in tenero, quod postea deponere conpellatur. Aliis contra videtur. ‘Quid enim,’ aiunt, ‘si ipsa non habuerit, habentes alias non videbit? Φιλόκοσμον genus femineum est multasque etiam insignis pudicitiae, quamvis nulli virorum, tamen sibi scimus libenter ornari. Quin potius habendo satietur et cernat laudari alias, quae ista non habeant. Meliusque est, ut satiata contemnat, quam non habendo habere desideret.’ Tale quid et Israheletico fecisse dominum populo, ut cupientibus Aegyptias carnes usque ad nauseam et vomitum praeberet examina coturnicum, multosque saeculi prius homines facilius carere experta corporis voluptate quam eos, qui a pueritia libidinem nesciant; ab aliis enim nota calcari, ab aliis ignota appeti, illos vitare paenitendo suavitatis insidias, quas fugerunt, hos carnis inlecebris et dulci titillatione corporis blandientis, dum mella putant venena noxia reperire; mel enim distillare labiis meretricis mulieris, quod ad tempus inpinguet vescentium fauces et postea amarius felle inveniatur. Unde et in domini mel sacrificiis non offerri ceraque contempta, quae mellis hospitium est, oleum accendi in templo Dei, quod de amaritudine exprimitur olivarum, pascha quoque cum amaritudinibus comedi in ‘azymis sinceritatis et veritatis,’ quos qui habuerit, in saeculo persecutionem sustinebit. Unde et propheta mystice cantat: ‘Solus sedebam, quia amaritudine repletus sum.’ Quid igitur? Luxuriandum est in adulescentia, ut postea luxuria fortius contemnatur? Absit, inquiunt; ‘Unusquisque,’ enim, ‘in qua vocatione vocatus est, in ea permaneat.’ ‘Circumcisus quis,’ id est virgo, ‘vocatus est: non adducat praeputium,’ hoc est non quaerat pellicias tunicas nuptiarum, quibus Adam eiectus de paradiso virginitatis indutus est. ‘In praeputio quis vocatus est,’ hoc est habens uxorem et matrimonio pelle circumdatus: non quaerat virginitatis et aeternae pudicitiae nuditatem, quam semel habere desivit, sed utatur vase suo in sanctificatione et pudicitia bibatque de fontibus suis et non quaerat cisternas lupanarium dissipatas, quae purissimas aquas pudicitiae continere non possunt. Unde et idem Paulus in eodem capitulo de virginitate et nuptiis disputans servos carnis vocat in matrimonio constitutos, liberos eos, qui absque ullo nuptiarum iugo tota domino serviunt libertate. Quod loquimur, non in universum loquimur, sed in parte tractamus, nec de omnibus, sed de quibusdam dicimus. Ad utrumque sexum, non solum ad vas infirmius, noster sermo dirigitur. Virgo es: quid te mulieris delectat societas? Quid fragilem et sutilem ratem magnis committis fluctibus et grande periculum navigationis incertae securus ascendis? Nescis, quid desideres, et tamen sic ei iungeris, quasi aut ante desideraveris aut—ut levissime dicam—postea desideraturus sis. ‘Sed ad ministerium iste sexus est aptior.’ Elige ergo anum, elige deformem, elige probatae in domino continentiae. Quid te adulescentia, quid pulchra, quid luxuriosa delectat? Uteris balneis, cute nitida, rubicundus incedis, carnibus vesceris, affluis divitiis, pretiosa veste circumdaris et iuxta serpentem mortiferum securum dormire te credis? An non habitas in eodem hospitio, in nocte dumtaxat? Ceterum totos dies in huiusce modi confabulatione consumens quare solus cum sola et non cum arbitris sedes? Cum etiam ipse non pecces, aliis peccare videaris, ut exemplo sis miseris, qui nominis tui auctoritate delinquant. Tu quoque, virgo vel vidua, cur tam longo viri sermone retineris? Cur cum solo relicta non metuis? Saltim alvi te et vesicae cogat necessitas, ut exeas foras, ut deseras in hac re, cum quo licentius quam cum germano, multo verecundius egisti cum marito. Sed de scripturis sanctis aliquid interrogas: interroga publice; audiant pedisequae, audiant comites tuae. ‘Omne, quod manifestatur, lux est.’ Bonus sermo secreta non quaerit, quin potius delectatur laudibus suis et testimonio plurimorum. Magister egregius contemnit viros, fratres despicit et in unius mulierculae secreta eruditione desudat. Declinavi parumper de via occasione aliorum [disputatione] et, dum infantem Pacatulam instituo, immo enutrio, multarum subito male mihi pacatarum bella suscepi.
Revertar ad propositum. Sexus femineus suo iungatur sexui; nesciat, immo timeat cum pueris ludere. Nullum inpudicum verbum noverit et, si forte in tumultu familiae discurrentis aliquid turpe audierit, non intellegat. Matris nutum pro verbis ac monitum pro imperio habeat. Amet ut parentem, subiciatur ut dominae, timeat ut magistram. Cum autem virgunculam et rudem edentulam septimus aetatis annus exceperit et coeperit erubescere, scire, quid taceat, dubitare, quid dicat, discat memoriter psalterium et usque ad annos pubertatis libros Salomonis, evangelia, apostolos ac prophetas sui cordis thesaurum faciat. Nec liberius procedat ad publicum nec semper ecclesiarum quaerat celebritatem. In cubiculo suo totas delicias habeat. Numquam iuvenculos, numquam cincinnatos videat vocis dulcedine per aures animam vulnerantes. Puellarum quoque lascivia repellatur, quae quanto licentius adeunt, tanto difficilius evitantur et, quod didicerunt, secreto docent inclusamque Danaen vulgi sermonibus violant. Sit ei magistra comes, paedagoga custos non multo vino dedita, non iuxta apostolum otiosa ac verbosa,
sed sobria, gravis, lanifica et ea tantum loquens, quae animum puellarum ad virtutem instituant. Ut enim aqua in areola digitum sequitur praecedentem, ita aetas mollis et tenera in utramque partem flexibilis est et, quocumque duxeris, trahitur. Solent lascivi et comptuli iuvenes blandimentis, affabilitate, munusculis aditum sibi per nutrices ad alumnas quaerere et, cum clementer intraverint, de scintillis incendia concitare paulatimque proficere ad inpudentiam et nequaquam posse prohiberi illo in se versiculo conprobato: ‘Aegre reprehendas, quod sinas consuescere.’ Pudet dicere et tamen dicendum est: nobiles feminae nobiliores habiturae procos vilissimae condicionis hominibus et servulis copulantur ac sub nomine religionis et umbra continentiae interdum deserunt viros. Helenae sequuntur Alexandros nec Menelaos pertimescunt. Videntur haec, planguntur et non vindicantur, quia multitudo peccantium peccandi licentiam subministrat. Pro nefas, orbis terrarum ruit et in nobis peccata non coruunt. Urbs inclita et Romani imperii caput uno hausta est incendio. Nulla regio, quae non exules eius habeat. In cineres ac favillas sacrae quondam ecclesiae conciderunt et tamen studemus avaritiae. Vivimus quasi altera die morituri et aedificamus quasi semper in hoc victuri saeculo. Auro parietes, auro laquearia, auro fulgent capita columnarum et nudus atque esuriens ante fores nostras in paupere Christus moritur. Legimus Aaron pontificem isse obviam furentibus flammis et accenso turibulo Dei iram cohibuisse; stetit inter mortem et vitam sacerdos maximus nec ultra vestigia eius ignis procedere ausus est. Moysi loquitur Deus: ‘Dimitte me et delebo populum istum.’ Quando dicit ‘dimitte me,’ ostendit se teneri, ne faciat, quod minatus est; Dei enim potentiam servi preces inpediebant. Quis, putas, ille sub caelo est, qui nunc irae Dei possit occurrere, qui obviare flammis et iuxta apostolum dicere: ‘Optabam ego anathema esse pro fratribus meis?’ Pereunt cum pastoribus greges, quia, sicut populus, sic sacerdos. Moyses conpassionis loquebatur affectu: ‘Si dimittis populo huic, dimitte; sin autem, dele me de libro tuo.’ Vult perire cum pereuntibus nec propria salute contentus est. ‘Gloria ’ quippe ‘regis multitudo populi.’ His Pacatula est nata temporibus, inter haec crepundia primam carpit aetatem ante lacrimas scitura quam risum, prius fletum sensura quam gaudium. Necdum introitus, iam exitus; talem semper fuisse putat mundum. Nescit praeterita, fugit praesentia, futura desiderat. Quae ut tumultuario sermone dictarem et post neces amicorum luctumque perpetuum infanti senex longo postliminio scriberem, tua me, Gaudenti frater, inpulit caritas; maluique parum quam nihil omnino poscenti dare, quia in altero voluntas oppressa luctu, in altero amicitiae dissimulatio est.

Commentary
The difficulty in giving advice about a girl not yet fully developed intellectually and emotionally, whose personality is unknown to the advisor.

Causa difficilis parvulae scribere quae non intellegat quid loquaris, cuius animum nescias, de cuius periculose voluntate promittas, ut, secundum praeclari oratoris exordium, spes magis in ea laudanda quam res sit.

Subordination map:

• Causa difficilis parvulae scribere (sc. est) (main clause)
  
• quae non intellegat (rel. clause of characteristic: antecedent is parvulae)
  
• quid loquaris (indirect question dependent on intellegat)
  
• cuius animum nescias (rel. clause of characteristic: antecedent is parvulae)
• de cuius periculose voluntate promittas (rel. clause of characteristic: antecedent is parvulae)
• ut, secundum praeclari oratoris exordium, spes magis in ea laudanda (sc. sit) (result clause)
  
• quam res (sc. laudanda) sit. (comparative clause)
  

parvulae scribere: scribere is the subject of an understood est: causa difficilis is predicate nominative. parvulae is dative indirect object of scribere. | intellegat ... nescias ... promittas: subjunctive is the norm in relative clauses of characteristic. Compare the next sentence, where the relative clauses have the indicative. | loquaris: subj., ind. question dependent on intellegat. | periculose: adverb modifying promittas. | secundum ... exordium: parenthetical prepositional phrase. | oratoris exordium: the exordium referred to is Cicero, De Republica, fr. 5: Fanni, causa difficilis laudare puerum; non enim res laudanda, sed spes est (quoted by Servius in his commentary on Aeneid at VI.877). | in ea laudanda: ea ablative, laudanda nominative in agreement with spes. | res: 'the facts' regarding the girl now, as opposed to the hopes held for her. | sit: subjunctive in a comparative clause within a result clause. Comparative clauses are rarely completed with a verb of their own: alternatively, sit may be construed with spes, which would leave quam res (sc. laudanda sit) as a truncated comparative clause.

There is no need to urge abstinence or discuss scripture and doctrine with her; little girls care about sweets, not reasoning, and that is fine.
On a stylistic note: rhetorical questions most often expect the answer "no" and so can often be read as negative claims.

Quid enim horteris ad continentiam, quae placentas desiderat, quae in sinu matris garrula voce balbuttit, cui dulciora sunt mella quam verba? Audiat profunda apostoli, quae anilibus magis fabulis delectatur? Prophetarum αἰνίγματα sentiat, quam tristior gerulae vultus exagitat? Evangelii intellegat maiestatem, ad cuius fulgura omnis mortalium hebetatur sensus? Ut parenti subiciatur, horter, quae manu tenera ridentem verberat matrem?

horteris: deliberative subjunctive: A&G §443. | quae ... quae ... cui ... quae ... quam ... quae: all refer to the little girl as antecedent: the antecedent of the first 3 (quae ... quae ... cui) is an understood eam or the like after horteris. The remaining 3 have antecedents that are the subjects of their main verbs. | garrula voce: abl. of manner or means. | cui: dative of person concerned. | mella: 'sweets' were a bit less sweet back then: Arabs brought sugar to Europe later. | audiat, sentiat, intellegat: deliberative subjunctives ('is she to...' or 'should she...'). These verbs of perception move from the more corporeal to the purely intellectual. | apostoli: Paul. | anilibus fabulis: compare English 'old wives' tales'. | Prophetarum: the prophets of the Old Testament. | αἰνίγματα: Greek for 'enigmas,' 'mysteries,' 'riddles': Latin aenigma is used by Cicero and many who follow: it is not clear why use Greek here. | tristior: 'quite sad.' | gerulae: possessive gen. with vultus. | evangelii: the gospel (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, as a unit). | cuius: antecedent is evangelii. | parenti: dative with compound verb subiciatur, dative of beneficiary. | subiciatur: subj. in indirect command; subject is Pacatula '...that she be subject to (obey)...'. | horter: deliberative subjunctive, introducing purpose clause ut horter which precedes the verb. | manu tenera: abl. of instrument.

Jerome begins his actual recommendations. Jerome clearly believes that what would be called a rather progressive/permissive education is not incompatible with a life destined for austerity: amet, quod cogitur dicere "may she love what she is made to say" sums up his idea here. Compare these recommendations with Rousseau's education style in Emile.  Note the use of diminutives epistulium, litterularum, crustula, which would be thematically suited to talking to a child (i.e. Jerome's vocabulary is embodying the advice he is giving: make her work and training "fun").

Itaque Pacatula nostra hoc epistulium post lectura suscipiat; interim modo litterularum elementa cognoscat, iungat syllabas, discat nomina, verba consociet, atque, ut voce tinnula ista meditetur, proponantur ei crustula mulsi praemia et, quicquid gustu suave est, quod vernat in floribus, quod rutilat in gemmis, quod blanditur in pupis, acceptura festinet; interim et tenero temptet pollice fila deducere, rumpat saepe stamina, ut aliquando non rumpat, post laborem lusibus gestiat, de matris pendeat collo, rapiat oscula propinquorum, psalmos mercede decantet, amet, quod cogitur dicere, ut non opus sit, sed delectatio, non necessitas, sed voluntas.

hoc epistulium and litterularum: diminutives. epistulium is a diminutive of epistula, found earlier in Catullus 68a (Catullus has many unique diminutives: spelled epistolium in most editions), but not otherwise in Classical Latin until Apuleius. litterularum, a diminutive of littera, is found in Cicero's letters used of grammatical knowledge. | post lectura suscipiat: post adverbial. lectura, nominative future participle, perhaps to be translated as a circumstantial participle as "later, when she reads, let her take up...," but more likely expressing purpose, as becomes more common in later writers (A&G 499.2): "later, let her take up this letter to read it" (compare acceptura festinet, which follows soon after).  | suscipiat (and the 13 main clause verbs that follow, all in asyndeton, namely cognoscat, iungat, discat, consociet, proponatur, festinet, temptet, rumpat, gestiat, pendeat, rapiat, decantet, amet: jussive subjunctive; compare English 'have someone do something' or German lassen. | voce tinnula: abl. of manner / instrument. | meditetur: subj. purpose clause, deponent. | crustula mulsi: honey-cakes, to which praemia is in apposition. | gustu suave: gustu is supine, similar to mirabile visu. | acceptura: nominative future participle expressing purpose (cf. earlier lectura suscipiat). | rumpat (2nd instance): subj. purpose clause. | lusibus: gestiat takes abl. | de matris pendeat collo: unusual placement of pendeat: by default a preposition and its object phrase occur as a unit with nothing inserted. | mercede: abl. of price/value. | sit: subj. in purpose clause introduced by ut; sit is also understood with delectatio, necessitas, and voluntas.

Various courses taken by the educators of young women dedicated as virgins. Some deprive them of blandishments from a young age, because they will have to do without them later.

Solent quaedam, cum futuram virginem spoponderint, pulla tunica eam induere et furvo operire palliolo, auferre linteamina, nihil in collo, nihil in capite auri sinere, re vera bono consilio, ne habere discat in tenero, quod postea deponere conpellatur.

cum ... spoponderint: perfect subj., primary sequence: cum referring to the past usually takes subjunctive. | pulla tunica, furvo palliolo: abl. of instrument. | induere, operire, auferre, sinere: complementary infinitives dependent on solent. | auri: partitive genitive with nihil, as is common. | re vera: adverbial. | bono consilio: ablative of manner adverbially modifying the preceding infinitives. | ne ... discat: negative purpose clause, primary sequence, adverbially modifying consilio. | in tenero: some noun meaning "age" must be understood here. | quod ... conpellatur: relative clause of characteristic: antecedent is omitted, but would have been the object of habere.

But won't these girls see others with costly and pretty garments and adornments? Women like to dress up, and even those who have no sexual aims beautify themselves for the sake of looking nice. It is better to let her have her fill of these luxuries and see that other women who do not have these accoutrements are praised for higher reasons than trivialities such as jewelry.

Aliis contra videtur. ‘Quid enim,’ aiunt, ‘si ipsa non habuerit, habentes alias non videbit? Φιλόκοσμον genus femineum est multasque etiam insignis pudicitiae, quamvis nulli virorum, tamen sibi scimus libenter ornari. Quin potius habendo satietur et cernat laudari alias, quae ista non habeant. Meliusque est, ut satiata contemnat, quam non habendo habere desideret.’

aliis: dative with videtur, an impersonal verb: aliis contrasts with quaedam of previous section. | quid enim: 'what then...?' no verb finishes this interrogative: quid enim? is often used in this way to introduce rhetorical questions, as here. | habuerit: fut. perfect protasis of future more vivid conditional. | habentes: an 'absolute' use of habeo: cf. English "the haves and the have-nots." | Φιλόκοσμον: 'adornment-loving,' a Hellenistic and later Greek word that occurs mostly in Christian authors speaking of luxuries: cf. The Letter of Jeremiah 8.1, which speaks of a παρθένῳ φιλοκόσμῳ "girl who loves ornaments." It is not clear why Jerome cites a Greek word here. Another use of the word is at Johannes Chrysostomus Homily on Ephesians 13, near the end, which says that the feminine sex may be φιλόκοσμον, but men's pride in their women's ornaments exceeds the pride of women. | multas ornari: acc. subject and infinitive in indirect speech dependent on scimus. | insignis pudicitiae: gen. of description. | nulli virorum, tamen sibi: nulli and sibi are indirect object datives dependent on ornari. | quin potius: 'nay, rather,' used in corrections, as it will be used again later in this letter (and in several other letters of Jerome). | habendo and later, non habendo: gerund, ablative of instrument. | satietur, cernat: jussive subjunctives. | laudari alias: inf. in indirect speech after cernat. | habeant: subjunctive is the norm in a subordinate clause in indirect speech: translate as an ordinary relative clause. | ut satiata contemnat: this nominal ut clause is the subject of est. | quam ... desideret: comparative clause: desideret is parallel to contemnat, and hence subjunctive too.

A concatenation of almost a dozen biblical citations begins here: they are a mix of paraphrase and quotation, and their source is not clear (Jerome's Vulgate was complete by 413, the date usually given for this letter, but the citations do not adhere to it). Analyzing each one carefully would distort the compendious nature of this commentary. Readers who desire should consult the Vulgate, the Septuagint, and the Tanakh among others as well as associated secondary literature.
First, the story of the quails (coturnicum) from Numbers 11: its application? perhaps Pacatula should be exposed now to some luxury so that she doesn't glut on it later out of pent up desire. Perhaps somehow she should be given so much luxury that it disgusts her, like the Israelites who became disgusted by quails.
Next comes Proverbs 5.3-4, which likely indicates that she should be helped to see that immediately attractive things can be undesirable in the longer term. This passage is often used for that. And yet, the example of prostitution is extreme, more appropriate to an adult male than a young girl, and foreshadows the male-centered digression to come. Male-centered perspectives were the default: no surprise that they appear even here in a letter about a little girl.
Note the switch to indirect speech accusatives with infinitives without an introductory verb of saying.

Tale quid et Israheletico fecisse dominum populo, ut cupientibus Aegyptias carnes usque ad nauseam et vomitum praeberet examina coturnicum, multosque saeculi prius homines facilius carere experta corporis voluptate quam eos, qui a pueritia libidinem nesciant; ab aliis enim nota calcari, ab aliis ignota appeti; illos vitare paenitendo suavitatis insidias quas fugerunt, hos, carnis inlecebris et dulci titillatione corporis blandientis, dum mella putant venena, noxia reperire; mel enim distillare labiis meretricis mulieris, quod ad tempus inpinguet vescentium fauces et postea amarius felle inveniatur (Prov. 5.).

Sentence structure:

• Tale quid et Israheletico fecisse dominum populo, (1st acc. + inf. indirect speech clause)
  
• ut cupientibus Aegyptias carnes usque ad nauseam et vomitum praeberet examina coturnicum, (result clause, secondary sequence)
• multosque saeculi prius homines facilius carere experta corporis voluptate (2nd
  acc. + inf. indirect speech clause)
• quam eos qui a pueritia libidinem nesciant; (eos comparative and hence parallel to homines, plus a restrictive relative clause defining it)
  
• ab aliis enim nota calcari, (3rd acc. + inf. indirect speech clause)
• ab aliis ignota appeti; (4th acc. + inf. indirect speech clause)
• illos vitare paenitendo suavitatis insidias (5th acc. + inf. indirect speech clause)
• quas fugerunt,
  
• hos, carnis inlecebris et dulci titillatione corporis blandientis, ... (start of 6th acc. + inf. indirect speech clause)
• dum mella putant venena,
  
• ... noxia reperire; (finish 6th acc. + inf. indirect speech clause)
• mel enim distillare labiis meretricis mulieris, (7th acc. + inf. indirect speech clause)
• quod ad tempus inpinguet vescentium fauces
  
• et postea amarius felle inveniatur.
  

tale quid: 'such a thing,' a not uncommon phrase in Latin: cf. English "some such thing." Direct object of fecisse. | cupientibus: plural referring to the same people as singular populo, a collective noun: indirect object of praeberet. | usque ad nauseam et vomitum: adverbial phrase modifying praeberet: Jahweh says in Numbers 11:18-20, 'I will give you flesh, and ye shall eat. Ye shall not eat one day, nor two days, ... But even a whole month, until it come out at your nostrils, and it be loathsome unto you' (et vertatur in nausiam). | examina coturnicum: direct obj. of praeberet: coturnicum is genitive of material (A&G 344). | saeculi: in ecclesiastical Latin, 'of the world', ' of non-Christians,' whence English 'secular.' | experta voluptate: abl. with carere. corporis possessive genitive with voluptate. | nesciant: subjunctive in relative clause in indirect speech. Note that this relative clause is a "restrictive clause," one that is typically not set off by commas in English, because it cannot be omitted without distorting or losing the meaning of the rest of the sentence. Contrast "The books, which are on the table, are mine" (my books just happen to be on the table) with "The books which are on the table are mine" (being on the table indicates that they are mine). | ab aliis...ab aliis: 'by some (the one group)...by others (the other group)'. | illos...hos: 'the former...the latter.' | carnis inlecebris et dulci titillatione corporis blandientis: chiastic gen. + abl. / abl. + gen. structure; ablatives of cause. | dum mella putant venena: sc. esse. dum usually takes indicative when it refers to mere temporal conjunction of two events (A&G 555): here Jerome adds it as his own thought, as the indicative indicates: if it were a part of the indirect speech, it would be subjunctive. | labiis: abl. of separation. | ad tempus: 'for a time', 'for the moment'. | inpinguet, inveniatur: subjunctives in relative clause in indirect speech. | felle: abl. of comparison.

The next 4 biblical citations are more distant from Pacatula and more symbolic in general but continue the theme of things attractive or pleasurable to the senses versus things not attractive or pleasurable to the senses as they relate to morality and truth and behavioral disposition.

Unde et in domini sacrificiis mel non offerri, ceraque contempta, quae mellis hospitium est, oleum accendi in templo Dei (Levit. 2), quod de amaritudine exprimitur olivarum, pascha quoque cum amaritudinibus comedi (Exod. 12) in ‘azymis sinceritatis et veritatis (1. Cor. 5. 8),’ quas qui habuerit, in saeculo persecutionem sustinebit. Unde et propheta mystice cantat: ‘Solus sedebam, quia amaritudine repletus sum (Jerem. 15. 17).’

in domini sacrificiis: domini possessive genitive dependent on sacrificiis. | mel non offerri, ... oleum accendi, ... pascha comedi: parallel accusative + inf. indirect speech clauses. | ceraque contempta: ablative absolute. | mellis hospitium: the honeycomb. | pascha: the Passover meal, a commemoration of the death of Egypt's firstborn sons and the flight of the Jews from Egypt. | azymis: sc. panibus. Unleavened bread for the Passover holiday (pascha); Paul uses it metaphorically in 1 Cor. 5 to refer to Christian society untainted by the 'leaven' of fornicators, etc., which would spread throughout and affect the whole 'dough'. | quas: refers to sinceritatis et veritatis; at least one edition has quos (refers to bread, presumably). Since bread represents sinceritas et veritas, it amounts to the same thing. | habuerit ... sustinebit: equivalent to a future more vivid conditional. Here, J. resumes speaking in his own person, i.e. not representing others' views.

 Jerome's metaphorical reading in this section pays no attention to more straightforward interpretations of Paul, perhaps because in Paul's world, the status of Jewish vs. non-Jewish Christians was a pressing issue, but in Jerome's world that issue had faded as Christians were in the majority.
"People" (inquiunt) reject the idea that the young should be indulged in order to inure them against later enticements.
Pacatula is indulged and enticed with cakes and baubles, but Jerome now expands his scope to speak of another kind of enticement, sex, leaving Pacatula well behind, as J. will eventually admit. This digression about celibacy and sex is a thoroughly male-centered discussion (foreskins of penises, Adam with no mention of Eve, male-gendered forms). Broadly, it advocates that virgins remain virgins, and that people who have had sex be married and continue to have sex with their spouse exclusively.
5 more biblical passages are brought to bear, and Jerome constructs a metaphorical reading, as follows. Being circumcised/circumcision = virginity and the pre-lapsarian paradisiacal naked state; not being circumcised = having had sex and the post-lapsarian clothed state. A consequence is that having a foreskin =  having sex, not being a virgin, and having a wife (who is a foreskin): lacking a foreskin = not having had sex, being celibate. The metaphor sits uneasily when it comes to Pacatula, in other words, who is destined either to be a 'foreskin' for a man or ... it is not clear what, because surely she is not a circumcision or circumcised penis or an absence of a foreskin.
A reading of Corinthians 1, however, that is more straightforward than Jerome's is that Paul is explicitly giving newly-called Christians a list of things that do not matter for being a Christian: virgin or married, circumcised or not, married to a non-Christian or a Christian, servant, slave, or free -- all should remain so after being called to Christianity. Namely, in Corinthians 1.2-4 he speaks of married versus unmarried (he does say being a virgin is better, but advocates for remaining married and marital fidelity if one is married). In 18-19 he says that on being called to Christianity, one need neither be circumcised nor undergo a decircumcision operation. In 20 and 24 he repeats that one should abide in the state in which one was before the call to Christianity, with a call to remain a servant, slave, or free person if one is such. A straightforward reading of Thessalonians 1.3-5 is simply that it says that one ought to have sex only within marriage.
Genesis 3.21 reports simply that god made clothing out of hides for Adam and Eve (eating from the tree made them realize they were nude: they had devised fig leaf clothing and something like aprons), and has nothing obviously conducive to Jerome's metaphorical reading, although the common association of nudity with sexual activity gives a shove in that direction. Presumably Jerome's talk of clothing v. nudity (pellicias tunicas, nuditatem, indutus est, pelle circumdatus) comes from Genesis too.
Proverbs 5 encourages marital fidelity and praises one's wife in exuberant terms. 

Quid igitur? Luxuriandum est in adulescentia, ut postea luxuria fortius contemnatur? Absit, inquiunt; ‘Unusquisque,’ enim, ‘in qua vocatione vocatus est, in ea permaneat.’ (1. Cor. 7. 20, 24) ‘Circumcisus quis,’ id est virgo, ‘vocatus est: non adducat praeputium' (1. Cor. 7.18), hoc est non quaerat pellicias tunicas nuptiarum, quibus Adam eiectus de paradiso virginitatis indutus est (Gen. 3:21). ‘In praeputio quis vocatus est,’ (1. Cor. 7.18) hoc est habens uxorem et matrimonio pelle circumdatus: non quaerat virginitatis et aeternae pudicitiae nuditatem, quam semel habere desivit, sed 'utatur vase suo in sanctificatione et pudicitia' (1. Thess. 4. 4) bibatque de fontibus suis et non quaerat cisternas lupanarium dissipatas, quae purissimas aquas pudicitiae continere non possunt (Prov. 5).

quid igitur?: 'quid igitur ... absit' perhaps reminiscent of Paul's epistles: for example, Romans 6:1: Τί οὖν ἐροῦμεν; ἐπιμένωμεν τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ, ἵνα ἡ χάρις πλεονάσῃ; μὴ γένοιτο. The formula here (quid igitur? + rhetorical question + very short negative answer) is not uncommon in the church fathers, however: it is but an expansion and adornment of a rhetorical question, serving to set it off. quid igitur in itself marks a transition, often to a conclusion or a recap. | luxuriandum est: impersonal gerundive. | fortius: comparative adverb. | contemnatur: purpose clause, primary sequence. | absit: jussive subjunctive. absit is not used in Classical Latin as a one-word sentence, but it is not uncommon in the Latin church fathers. | inquiunt: generic subject, as in 'they say' or 'people say.' | absit..., permaneat..., non adducat..., non quaerat..., non quaerat..., utatur..., bibat...,  and non quaerat...: independent subjunctives of the will ('optative' or 'jussive'): in Classical Latin, the negative is usually ne (A&G 439f.). | non adducat praeputium: Paul refers to a sort of "reverse circumcision" procedure, an early reconstructive aesthetic surgery ( ἐπισπάω, 'de-circumcise,' a medical procedure): for more information, see Sander Gilman's article cited below. | id est, hoc est: explaining metaphors, cf. i.e. in English. | quibus Adam: quibus instrumental dative dependent on indutus est, referring to tunicas. | de paradiso virginitatis: virginitatis is genitive of material (A&G 344) with paradiso, 'from the paradise of virginity,' i.e. the pre-lapsarian state. | virginitatis et aeternae pudicitiae nuditatem: again, the pre-lapsarian state. virginitatis et aeternae pudicitiae is again genitive of material (A&G 344), this time dependent on nuditatem. | semel habere desivit: semel means 'once and for all' here. | vase suo: ablative with utatur; vase suo and fontibus suis refer to a wife.

Next, Jerome claims that he is speaking not fully generally, but about a part, and not about everyone, but certain ones, as well as that he is speaking to both sexes, not just women and girls. For the moment he continues to speak only to sexually mature males, however. He will turn to mature females later, and also back to Pacatula. First, in his hetero-normative way, he considers the case of a hypothetical virgin man (Virgo es), who enjoys female company (mulieris delectat societas): Jerome suggests a metaphor of someone who wants to sail the seas but has no idea of the danger.
Jerome claims the 'same chapter' calls married people 'servants of the flesh' and unmarried people 'free.' And yet, nothing at Corinthians 1.7 straightforwardly means that: the references to 'free' and 'servant' in 7.20-24 apparently refer to social or civil status, don't occur in conjunction with flesh or sex, and indicate that one can be a servant on earth but free as a Christian. Jerome must therefore be interpreting, in light of the overall tenor of 1 Cor. 7, perhaps especially 32-35, which indicates that marriage is a distraction from attention to god. Jerome probably imports ideas about slavery, freedom, and flesh from elsewhere (e.g. Colossians 3.22 speaks of "slaves" of "masters according to the flesh": other passages, such as Romans 7.14f. use "flesh" for worldly, including sexual, concerns; Romans 6.22 speaks of being slaves of god and freed of sin).

Unde et idem Paulus in eodem capitulo de virginitate et nuptiis disputans 'servos carnis' vocat in matrimonio constitutos, 'liberos' eos, qui absque ullo nuptiarum iugo tota domino serviunt libertate. Quod loquimur, non in universum loquimur, sed in parte tractamus, nec de omnibus, sed de quibusdam dicimus. Ad utrumque sexum, non solum ad vas infirmius, noster sermo dirigitur. Virgo es: quid te mulieris delectat societas? Quid fragilem et sutilem ratem magnis committis fluctibus et grande periculum navigationis incertae securus ascendis? Nescis, quid desideres, et tamen sic ei iungeris, quasi aut ante desideraveris aut—ut levissime dicam—postea desideraturus sis.

eodem capitulo: 1 Cor. 7. | servos carnis ... constitutos: servos is predicate accusative agreeing with constitutos dependent on vocat, whence quotation marks around servos carnis; the same applies to the pred. acc. liberos in agreement with eos, with which understand vocat again (anaphora). | absque: a form of ab used in Classical Latin early (Cato, Plautus, once by Sallust) and late (Quintilian, Apuleius, etc.), but not by the likes of Cicero or Caesar. | tota ... libertate: ablative of manner. | domino serviunt: servio takes dat. | vas infirmius: refers to females; vas parallels vase suo in the previous paragraph. | sutilem: do not confuse with subtilem. | magnis fluctibus: dative with committis. | navigationis incertae: notoriously risky, seafaring is a good metaphor for moral peril. | securus: "free from care" as in "negligent" or as in "cheerful":  | grande periculum ... ascendis: periculum metonymical for 'sea.' | nescis: not having experienced female companionship, he doesn't 'know' it, but thinks he will want it once he does, or so claims Jerome. | desideres: subjunctive in indirect question, primary sequence.  | iungeris: iungo could mean marriage, but could be used for other alliances (even quite innocent ones: see iungatur below). | quasi aut ante desideraveris aut quasi postea desideraturus sis: quasi introduces a conditional clause of comparison, whose apodosis is sic ei iungeris (AG 512 and 524): desideraveris is perfect subjunctive and desideraturus sis is a future periphrastic subjunctive, both primary sequence. | dicam: subj. in parenthetical purpose clause.

The next section seems to have the hypothetical male virgin say "(Even if I grant that you are right, I still need a servant:) women are better at serving," Jerome replies that an unattractive or old woman will do. The hypothetical virgin is now fleshed out into a rich dandy who believes he can sleep next to a serpent and suffer no harm (now women are serpents). It is interesting that Jerome has no shyness about foreskins and such earlier, but here doesn't make clear the nature of the association and how sex, marriage, etc. might figure into it. The unmistakable misogyny is particularly interesting in a charitable letter for a little girl.
Cf. Jerome's lengthy advice about women to a clergy member in Letter 52 (to Nepotian) §5: it can be summed up as 'never be alone with a woman, but if you are, let her be one to whom you would not be attracted.'

‘Sed ad ministerium iste sexus est aptior.’ Elige ergo anum, elige deformem, elige probatae in domino continentiae. Quid te adulescentia, quid pulchra, quid luxuriosa delectat? Uteris balneis, cute nitida, rubicundus incedis, carnibus vesceris, affluis divitiis, pretiosa veste circumdaris et iuxta serpentem mortiferum securum dormire te credis?

iste sexus: = women. | probatae continentiae: gen. of quality dependent on understood mulierem or the like. | in domino: a common Christian phrase, employing a sense of in which is hard to define, perhaps "towards" or "in relation to." Cf. in praeputio above, another difficult-to-define sense of in. | uteris: utor takes the ablative (balneis). | cute nitida: ablatives of quality are the norm for physical attributes and are modified by an adjective (A&G 415). | rubicundus: perhaps implies makeup. | vesceris: vescor usually takes ablative. | affluis: affluo meaning 'abound in' takes ablative. | circumdaris: 'middle' voice, 'wrap yourself in'. | securum dormire...te: acc. subject and infinitive in indirect speech after credis. | securum: modifies te. See note on securus in previous section.

A chaste man who merely spends his waking moments with a woman, often alone, thereby lends encouragement to others to sin. Next, Jerome turns to a hypothetical virgin or widowed female, specifically a shameless virgin/widow who is infatuated and constantly with a man. Jerome suggests that she should use the excuse of "intestinal necessity" or the like to get away from being alone with the man (presumably, he means the excuse to involve more than just a few minutes in the bathroom for normal bodily needs).
The church fathers have no single policy about whether widows should remarry or not, and Paul seems ambivalent. In his Letters 38 and 54, however, Jerome clearly says a widow should not remarry.

An non habitas in eodem hospitio, in nocte dumtaxat? Ceterum totos dies in huiusce modi confabulatione consumens quare solus cum sola et non cum arbitris sedes? Cum etiam ipse non pecces, aliis peccare videaris, ut exemplo sis miseris, qui nominis tui auctoritate delinquant. Tu quoque, virgo vel vidua, cur tam longo viri sermone retineris? Cur cum solo relicta non metuis? Saltim alvi te et vesicae cogat necessitas, ut exeas foras, ut deseras in hac re, cum quo licentius quam cum germano, multo verecundius egisti cum marito.

An: introduces an alternative direct question: the next sentence confirms that the virgin protests that he is not co-habiting with the woman. | Ceterum: adverbial, = 'but.' | totos die: accusative of duration of time. | huiusce: a more emphatic than huius (-ce can be added to many forms of hic, haec, hoc). | pecces: concessive cum etiam (cf. 'even though' in English) takes subjunctive: the structure of the sentence is the same as that of a future-more-vivid conditional. | videaris: potential subj. | exemplo sis miseris: result clause; double dative exemplo predicate dative + miseris dative dependent on exemplo: 'you serve as an example to the wretched.' | auctoritate: abl. of cause. | delinquant: subj. in relative clause of characteristic, probably expressing result. | saltim: alt. form of saltem. | cogat: hortatory subjunctive; J. suggests she should claim to need to go to the bathroom to avoid being alone with the man. | exeas, deseras: object clauses of result which are the objects of cogat. | deseras: sc. eum as direct object and antecedent to the following quo. | in hac re: perhaps 'in that instance' or 'situation' or 'occasion'. | licentius quam ... verecundius egisti: the thought more fully expressed would be: cum quo licentius egisti quam egisti/egeris cum germano, et cum quo multo verecundius egisti quam egisti/egeris cum marito. | multo: ablative of degree of difference. | multo verecundius egisti cum marito: verecundius here must mean "shamefully" as in "shamelessly" and there must be an understood quam with cum marito.

Jerome imagines these sinners claiming as an excuse for being together that they are discussing scripture.  The last sentence only really makes best sense as sarcasm, because egregius has nothing but positive senses, which are inappropriate here.
The quotation from Paul Ephesians 5.13 is apt, for it is used in a similarly general fashion there. In full, verse 13 is 'All things that are put right are revealed by light; for everything that reveals is light.'

Sed de scripturis sanctis aliquid interrogas: interroga publice; audiant pedisequae, audiant comites tuae. ‘Omne, quod manifestatur lux est. (Ephes. 5. 13)’ Bonus sermo secreta non quaerit, quin potius delectatur laudibus suis et testimonio plurimorum. Magister egregius contemnit viros, fratres despicit et in unius mulierculae secreta eruditione desudat.

audiant: jussive subj. | sermo: metonymy for people who converse. Also note the pithy formulation of Bonus sermo secreta non quaerit. | quin potius: used in correction as "nay, rather," as earlier in this letter. | laudibus suis et testimonio: ablatives with delectatur. | eruditione: ablative object of in.

Jerome now returns to the subject of Pacatula, the almost forgotten little girl who was the occasion for the letter. It is unclear what the multarum male pacatarum are: perhaps rerum or perhaps he is imagining women who took offense at his recent words.

Declinavi parumper de via occasione aliorum et, dum infantem Pacatulam instituo, immo enutrio, multarum subito male mihi pacatarum bella suscepi. Revertar ad propositum.

parumper: this 'brief' digression takes a fifth of the letter. | occasione aliorum: ablative of cause, loosely 'because of other opportunties.' | et: notice that et does not join two different things, but rather the second makes the first more specific (i.e. this et means i.e.). | immo: used in corrections, "nay, rather" to intensify or augment something previous: it differs from quin potius, which corrects by rejecting. | mihi: dative of agent, common with perfect passive participles used as adjectives (A&G 375). | multarum subito male pacatarum: gen. of possession dependent on bella. subito = "unexpectedly." male means something like "unsuccessfully" or "with difficulty." | bella: contrasts starkly with pacatarum, a pun on the name of the girl, Pacatula. | revertar: future.

Now J. begins giving clear instructions to the guardians of Pacatula. The first thing is to keep her separated from boys. She should be kept away from and not understand lewd talk. She ought to love, respect and fear her mother. When she reaches a certain age she should begin studying and memorizing the scriptures.

Sexus femineus suo iungatur sexui; nesciat, immo timeat cum pueris ludere. Nullum inpudicum verbum noverit et, si forte in tumultu familiae discurrentis aliquid turpe audierit, non intellegat. Matris nutum pro verbis ac monitum pro imperio habeat. Amet ut parentem, subiciatur ut dominae, timeat ut magistram. Cum autem virgunculam et rudem edentulam septimus aetatis annus exceperit et coeperit erubescere, scire, quid taceat, dubitare, quid dicat, discat memoriter psalterium et usque ad annos pubertatis libros Salomonis, evangelia, apostolos ac prophetas sui cordis thesaurum faciat.

iungatur, nesciat, timeat, noverit, intellegat, habeat, amet, subiciatur, timeat, discat, faciat: jussive subjunctives. | immo: cf. use of immo in previous section. | noverit: perfect subjunctive: note both that perfect subjunctives are used for prohibitions (nullum here makes this prohibitive: see also A&G 439 and 450) and that the perfect system of nosco has present meaning "know." | audierit: perfect subjunctive presenting something that has happened in a future-less-vivid protasis (A&G 516c): taken in isolation, the sentence could be future-more-vivid (i.e. noverit and audierit could be future perfect indicatives), but the context of a string of jussives makes the future-less-vivid more likely. | pro verbis and pro imperio: pro 'in place of,' 'as.' | nutum pro verbis ac monitum pro imperio habeat: habeo te pro amico means "I take you for a friend," "I consider you a friend." | monitum: 'suggestion.' | amet ... subiciatur ... timeat ... : fully expressed, this would be amet matrem ut parentem, subiciatur matri ut dominae, timeat matrem ut magistram. Here, ut = "as." Note the rhetorical repetitive structure. | cum virgunculam ... septimus ... annus exceperit: the meaning is clear, but excipio  is not a standard way to express the age of people. | exceperit, coeperit: cum circumstantial relating action before main verb usually takes subjunctive; here, primary sequence referring to an action when it has happened (i.e. perfective aspect); subject of exceperit is annus, subject of coeperit is Pacatula. | erubescere, scire, dubitare: complementary infinitives with coeperit; coeperit erubescere is metonymical: blushing stands for a sense of self, a self-consciousness, a moral sense. | taceat and dicat: subjunctives in indirect question. | psalterium: the Psalms of the Old Testament. | usque ad annos pubertatis: in about 5 years, she is to memorize a large part of scripture. Not all books are accounted for: J. leaves out the Mosaic books and the historical books of the Old Testament, prioritizing the poetic and prophetic writings. The evangelia (gospels) and apostles represent a natural division among the New Testament books, with the four gospels being accounts of the life and teachings of Jesus and the rest of the Testament being composed of epistles written by the apostles to various churches or individuals. J. leaves out the Apocalypse of John. | libros Salomonis: Solomon was considered the author of Proverbs, Wisdom, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, all from the Old Testament. | apostolos: authors of New Testament writings; Paul, John, Luke, etc. | evangelia, prophetas: cf. earlier note. | sui cordis thesaurum: in letter XXII§30, Jerome speaks of a treasure of writings in his heart, which notably includes the pagan author Cicero, and quotes Matthew 6.21 ubi thesaurus tuus, ibi et cor tuum.

Jerome recommends isolation from peers of both sexes: curly-headed sweet-voiced boys as well as girls will teach her whatever they know and so harm this innocent Danae, confined to her cubiculum.  Jerome is not necessarily recommending isolation for all girls: Pacatula has been dedicated as a Christian virgin. Note that by now he clearly rejects the suggestion at the start that she should be exposed to temptations in order to be able to resist them.
The phrase from Timothy 5.13 is taken out of a different context, about widows, and says "They learn idleness, going around their houses; and not only idleness, but also foolish talk and meddlesomeness, prattling on about inappropriate things."

Nec liberius procedat ad publicum nec semper ecclesiarum quaerat celebritatem. In cubiculo suo totas delicias habeat. Numquam iuvenculos, numquam cincinnatos videat vocis dulcedine per aures animam vulnerantes. Puellarum quoque lascivia repellatur, quae quanto licentius adeunt, tanto difficilius evitantur et, quod didicerunt, secreto docent inclusamque Danaen vulgi sermonibus violant. Sit ei magistra comes, paedagoga custos non multo vino dedita, non iuxta apostolum 'otiosa ac verbosa' (1 Timothy 5:13), sed sobria, gravis, lanifica et ea tantum loquens, quae animum puellarum ad virtutem instituant.

procedat, quaerat, habeat, videat, repellatur, sit: more jussive subjunctives. | dulcedine: ablative of means dependent on vulnerantes and governing genitive vocis. | vulnerantes: agrees with iuvenculos and cincinnatos, and takes animam (sc. Pacatulae) as direct object. | quanto...tanto: correlative ablatives of degree of difference modifying comparative adverbs licentius and difficilius. | quod didicerunt: Jerome hints at perils without specifying. | secreto: adverbial. | inclusam Danaen: Jerome's virgin is compared to Danae, who was sealed off from all outside contact by her father. Perhaps not as good a comparison as Jerome needs, because Zeus nevertheless found a way to make her pregnant with Perseus. | magistra comes ... loquens: magistra is the subject, and the rest consists of a large predicate nominative phrase. | non multo vino dedita: dedita governs datives. | iuxta: 'according to,' like secundum, L&S s.v. iuxta II.B.5. | tantum: adverbial. | quae: antecedent is the unexpressed object of loquens. | instituant: subjunctive in relative clause of characteristic.

Young girls are easily influenced and so must be protected: young men persevere and gain access to the girls they like and then proceed by increments to 'shamelessness.' Indeed, Danae was perhaps the wrong person to compare to Pacatula, for Zeus found his way into her chamber.
The saying is #180 from the sayings of Publilius Syrius, a 1st century-BC Syrian slave in Rome, who was freed and became a public performer.
 
Ut enim aqua in areola digitum sequitur praecedentem, ita aetas mollis et tenera in utramque partem flexibilis est et, quocumque duxeris, trahitur. Solent lascivi et comptuli iuvenes blandimentis, affabilitate, munusculis aditum sibi per nutrices ad alumnas quaerere et, cum clementer intraverint, de scintillis incendia concitare paulatimque proficere ad inpudentiam et nequaquam posse prohiberi illo in se versiculo conprobato: ‘Aegre reprehendas, quod sinas consuescere.'

aqua in areola digitum sequitur praecedentem: the idea is clearly that water follows flexibly where one leads it. | ut ... ita: correlatives, "Just as ..., so ...." | in utramque partem: i.e. for good or for ill. | quocumque: quo 'where' + -cumque '-ever.' | duxeris: future perfect. | blandimentis, affabilitate, munusculis: ablatives of instrument. | intraverint: perf. subj. with circumstantial cum, primary sequence. | quaerere, concitare, proficere, posse: complementary infinitives after solent. | prohiberi: complementary infinitive dependent on posse: the thing prevented is the impudentia referred to in the previous clause. | illo in se versiculo conprobato: ablative absolute. in se refers to the saying itself (i.e. it is a direct reflexive: A&G 300.1).  | reprehendas, quod sinas: 2nd person generalizing potential. The antecedent of quod is the unexpressed object of reprehendas.

A passage of unclear purpose in the letter: a generic misogynistic rant. Jerome claims that women commonly form attachments to men of lower social positions, using virtue and holiness as an excuse, and sometimes leaving their husbands. He compares them to the pagan mythological Helen, who left her husband King Menelaus to go with Alexander, as found in the Trojan War stories (Iliad, Odyssey, tragedies, etc.).

Pudet dicere et tamen dicendum est: nobiles feminae nobiliores habiturae procos vilissimae condicionis hominibus et servulis copulantur ac sub nomine religionis et umbra continentiae interdum deserunt viros. Helenae sequuntur Alexandros nec Menelaos pertimescunt. Videntur haec, planguntur et non vindicantur, quia multitudo peccantium peccandi licentiam subministrat.

pudet: called 'semi-impersonal,' although technically the infinitive dicere is the subject of pudet. | dicendum est: gerundive, notion of necessity. | nobiliores: accusative with procos, which is direct object of habiturae. | vilissimae condicionis: gen. of description, modifying hominibus et servulis, which are governed by copulantur. | Helenae, Alexandros, Menelaos: plurals of proper names are used to generalize, and hence refer to anyone who is like Menelaus, Alexander, or Helen. | peccandi: genitive gerund dependent on licentiam.

Another passage of unclear purpose with generic content. The Visigoths had just sacked Rome in 410; churches lay in ashes, and the city was burned, but the people continued their sin, greed and selfishness. Note the contrast between rich and poor (with esuriens et nudus Christus Jerome must be equating Christ with "the least of his brethren" and fores nostras must be metaphorical for the gates of the whole Roman Empire).

Pro nefas, orbis terrarum ruit et in nobis peccata non coruunt. Urbs inclita et Romani imperii caput uno hausta est incendio. Nulla regio, quae non exules eius habeat. In cineres ac favillas sacrae quondam ecclesiae conciderunt et tamen studemus avaritiae. Vivimus quasi altera die morituri et aedificamus quasi semper in hoc victuri saeculo. Auro parietes, auro laquearia, auro fulgent capita columnarum et nudus atque esuriens ante fores nostras in paupere Christus moritur.

pro nefas: exclamatory, 'For shame!', 'The horror!' | orbis terrarum: standard Latin for "the world" when referring to the countries and lands of the world. | Urbs inclita et Romani imperii caput: caput is nominative in apposition to urbs (the subject of hausta est). | uno incendio: ablative of means (instrument) – refers to Visigothic sacking of Rome in 410. | nulla regio: sc. est. | habeat: subjunctive in relative clause of characteristic. | sacrae quondam: quondam modifies sacrae. | avaritiae: studemus takes dative. | altera die: abl. of time at which; means 'tomorrow'; reminds of 1 Corinthians 15:32 Φάγωμεν καὶ πίωμεν, αὔριον γὰρ ἀποθνῄσκομεν "let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die." | aedificamus quasi ... : explained in next sentence. | auro: abl. of means with fulgent. | ante fores nostras: Jesus' crucifixion took place in Judaea, but perhaps J. simply means that it took place within Roman jurisdiction; he is thinking of Rome not as the city, but as the empire.

J. transitions from the lamentable state of the world to parallels from the Old Testament: dire situations, in which humans interceded with god. First, a paraphrase of Numbers 16:46-48, where the high priest Aaron interceded with god to stop a plague. Next, Exodus 32.10, where god was held back by Moses' prayers from punishing his people. Then Romans 9.3, where Paul wishes that he could be an offering for his brother humans, which Jerome interprets to mean that the shepherd perishes with the flock. Finally, he returns to Moses and Expodus 32 and adds on Proverbs 14.

Legimus Aaron pontificem isse obviam furentibus flammis et accenso turibulo Dei iram cohibuisse; stetit inter mortem et vitam sacerdos maximus nec ultra vestigia eius ignis procedere ausus est. Moysi loquitur Deus: ‘Dimitte me et delebo populum istum (Exod. 32. 10).’ Quando dicit ‘dimitte me,’ ostendit se teneri, ne faciat, quod minatus est; Dei enim potentiam servi preces inpediebant. Quis, putas, ille sub caelo est, qui nunc irae Dei possit occurrere, qui obviare flammis et iuxta apostolum dicere: ‘Optabam ego anathema esse pro fratribus meis (Rom. 9. 3)?’ Pereunt cum pastoribus greges, quia, sicut populus, sic sacerdos. Moyses conpassionis loquebatur affectu: ‘Si dimittis populo huic, dimitte; sin autem, dele me de libro tuo (Exod. 32. 31. 32).’ Vult perire cum pereuntibus nec propria salute contentus est. ‘Gloria ’ quippe ‘regis multitudo populi (Proverbs 14:28).’

legimus: in Numbers 16:46. | Aaron pontificem isse, cohibuisse: acc. subj. and infinitives in indirect speech after legimus. | isse obviam furentibus flammis: obviam is an adverbial from of obvius, -a, -um that 1) takes the dative (here furentibus flammis) and 2) occurs with verbs, often of motion (here isse, short form of ivisse): it involves meanings such as "meeting," "being in the way of," etc. | accenso turibulo: abl. of instrument (means by which ira cohibita est). | ignis: personified (fire can't 'dare', even if it seems alive). | Moysi: dative. | loquitur: a shift from past tenses (isse, cohibuisse, stetis, auses est) to historical present AG 469. | populum istum: i.e. the Jews, Moses' and Jahweh's people: iste is often said to be "second person" because it is in reference to the person spoken to, and hence can be translated sometimes as "your," "of yours." | se teneri: acc. subj. and infinitive in indirect speech after ostendit. | faciat: subj. in negative clause of hindering: AG 558b. | servi preces: i.e. the prayers of Moses. | possit: subj. in relative clause of characteristic. | qui obviare ... dicere: understand possit here. | sicut...sic: correlatives: understand a form of the most recent verb again with each of these clauses. | affectu: abl. of manner. | Si dimittis populo huic, dimitte: there is a direct object with this sentiment in Exodus 32.31.32, namely peccatum, noxam or the like, so that it means "If you dismiss this people's sin, dismiss it." | de libro tuo: there is a Christian notion of a 'book of life', referenced, e.g., in the Apocalypse of John, which contains the names of the saved; what Moses refers to is perhaps merely a figure of speech, meaning 'take me out of your protection, abandon me, forsake me', or may be meant literally. | propria salute: abl. with contentus. | multitudo: predicate nominative, upon which populi depends; nominal sentence (i.e. understand est).

J. returns to discussing Pacatula, her entrance into the world during such times. Jerome concludes by saying Gaudentius' love has torn him away from his grief for a while in order to write to a little girl as an old man: the little he has tried to offer is preferable to nothing.
This concluding section has an epigrammatic, Senecan feel to it.

His Pacatula est nata temporibus, inter haec crepundia primam carpit aetatem ante lacrimas scitura quam risum, prius fletum sensura quam gaudium. Necdum introitus, iam exitus; talem semper fuisse putat mundum. Nescit praeterita, fugit praesentia, futura desiderat. Quae ut tumultuario sermone dictarem et post neces amicorum luctumque perpetuum infanti senex longo postliminio scriberem, tua me, Gaudenti fratri, inpulit caritas; maluique parum quam nihil omnino poscenti dare, quia in altero voluntas oppressa luctu, in altero amicitiae dissimulatio est.

his temporibus: abl. of time at which: Jerome has been describing "the times" since pro nefas several sentences ago. | haec crepundia: figuratively speaking. | ante lacrimas scitura quam risum, prius fletum sensura quam gaudium: note the repetitive rhetorical structure: scitura and sensura modify Pacatula as predicate terms (like nata), and are periphrastic forms of the future indicative (est is understood) with direct objects lacrimas and fletum). ante ... quam and prius ... quam (both sometimes written as two words, sometimes as one) modify scitura and sensura. Fully spelled out, the end of the sentence would read: Pacatula scitura est lacrimas antequam scitura est risum et fletum sensura est priusquam gaudium sensura est. | necdum introitus, iam exitus: sc. est with both. | tumultuario sermone: abl. of manner. | dictarem, scriberem: subjunctive in result clause of result dependent on inpulit in the next clause: secondary sequence. | neces, luctum: probably referring to the losses incurred after the recent sack of the city. | infanti: dat. indirect obj. of scriberem. | longo postliminio: ablative of circumstances with senex, referring to recovery from the grief just mentioned. | Gaudenti frater: vocative. | in altero ... in altero: correlatives, first referring to parum, second with nihil omnino. | oppressa luctu: sc. est: hence Jerome could only offer parum and not more. | amicitiae dissimulatio est: had he not written at all, he would not be fulfilling the duty of friendship.

References:
Gilman, Sander L. “Decircumcision: The First Aesthetic Surgery.” Modern Judaism, vol. 17, no. 3, 1997, pp. 201–210. JSTOR, JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/1396657.

Text taken from CSEL 56 (Corpus Scriptorum Ecclesiasticorum Latinorum series).

A&G: Allen and Greenough, New Latin Grammar.
L&S: Lewis & Short's dictionary.
Woodcock: A New Latin Syntax, Bristol Classical Press, 1985 (orig. Methuen & Co. Ltd., 1959)

Wright's Loeb volume Select Letters of St. Jerome identified the Biblical passages and other texts in the commentary in notes.


Vocabulary
absque: without
absum, abesse, afui: be absent, away
accendo, accendere, accendi, accensum: ignite
accipio, accipere, accepi, acceptum: accept, receive
adduco, adducere, adduxi, adductum: lead to, draw to
adeo, adire, adii, aditum: go to, approach
aditus, us, m: entrance, access
adulescentia, ae, f: adolescence; young man/woman
aegre: with difficulty
Aegyptius, a, um: Egyptian
aetas, atis, f: age, period of life, life
aeternus, a, um: eternal
affabilitas, atis, f: affability, friendliness
affluo, affluere, affluxi, affluxum: abound in
ago, agere, egi, actum: act
αἴνιγμα, ατος, τό: enigma, riddle [form in letter is acc. plural]
aio, aiere: say
aliquando: at some (other) time
alumna, ae, f: female ward, pupil, foster-child
alvus, i, f: stomach, bowels
amaritudo, inis, f: bitterness
amarus, a, um: bitter
amo, amare, amavi, amatum: love
anima, ae, f: soul, spirit
anathema, atis, n: a doomed or cursed thing, offering
anilis, e: of an old woman
animus, i, m: mind, spirit
annus, i, m: year
anus, us, f: old woman
apostolus, i, m: apostle
appeto, appetere, appetivi, appetitum: seek/strive after
aptus, a, um: apt, fit, suited
arbitra, -ae, f., female witness
areola, ae, f: little place or garden
ascendo, ascendere, ascendi, ascensum: ascend, climb on, 'take on'
aqua, ae, f: water
arbiter, arbitri, m: spectator, hearer, witness
auris, is, f: ear
azymus, a, um: unleavened
auctoritas, atis, f: authority
audio, audire, audivi, auditum: hear, listen to
aufero, auferre, abstuli, ablatum: take off
aurum, i, n: gold
balbuttio, balbuttire, balbutivi: stammer, stutter, babble
balneum, i, n: bath
bellum, i, n: war
bibo, bibere, bibi, bibitum: drink
blandimentum, i, m: flattery, nicety
blandior, blandiri, blanditus sum: please, flatter, be agreeable, entice
bonus, bona, bonum: good
calco, calcare, calcavi, calcatum: stamp, tread underfoot
canto, cantare, cantavi, cantatum: sing
capitulum, i, n: chapter, section
caput, itis, n: head
careo, carere, carui, caritum: lack, be without
caro, carnis, f: flesh
causa, ae, f: affair, matter, subject
celebritas, atis, f: congregation, multitude
cera, ae, f: wax
cerno, cernere, crevi, cretum: discern, understand
ceterum: but, furthermore (adding new thought)
cincinnatus: with curled hair (young man with curled or treated hair)
circumcisus, a, um: circumcised
circumdo, circumdare, circumdedi, circumdatum: put, place around
cisterna, ae, f: cistern
clementer: calmly, casually; gradually
coepio, coepere, coepi, coeptum: begin
cogo, cogere, coegi, coactum: force, compel
cognosco, cognoscere, cognovi, cognitum: cognize, come to know, learn
collum, i, n: neck
comedo, comedere, comedi, comesum: eat, consume (entirely)
comes, comitis, m/f: companion
committo, committere, commisi, commissum: commit
comptulus, a, um: dressed up, luxuriously adorned
concito, concitare, concitavi, concitatum: incite
condicio, onis, f: condition
confabulatio, onis, f: conversation
conpello, conpellere, conpuli, conpulsum: compel, force
conprobo, conprobare, conprobavi, conprobatum: prove, attest, prove credible, demonstrate
consilium, i, n: counsel
consocio, consociare, consociavi, consociatum: join together
constituo, constituere, constitui, constitutum: set up, establish, confirm
consuesco, consuescere, consuevi, consuetum: habituate, accustom
consumo, consumere, consumpsi, consumptum: consume, spend, squander
contemno, contemnere, contempsi, contemptum: contemn
continentia, ae, f: continence, chastity
contineo, continere, continui, contentum: contain
contra: the opposite
copulo, copulare, copulavi, copulatum: couple, copulate
corpus, oris, n: body
cor, cordis, n: heart
coruo, coruere, corui, corutum, co + ruo go to ruin with
coturnix, icis, f: quail
credo, credere, credidi, creditum: believe
crepundia, orum, n: child's toy rattle
crustulum, i, n: small pastry, confectionery
cubiculum, i, n: bedroom
cupio, cupere, cupivi, cupitum: want, desire (involuntary passion)
custos, custodis, m: guardian
cutis, is, f: skin
decanto, decantare, decantavi, decantatum: sing, proclaim
declino, declinare, declinavi, declinatum: lean/bend away, deviate
dedo, dedere, dedidi, deditum: give over to
deduco, deducere, deduxi, deductum: draw out
deformis, e: deformed, ugly
delectatio, onis, f: delight, pleasure
delecto, delectare, delectavi, delectatum: delight, charm, please
delicia, ae, f: pleasantry, delight
delinquo, delinquere, deliqui, delictum: fail in duty, be wanting, transgress
depono, deponere, deposui, depositum: put down, put off, give up
desero, deserere, deserui, desertum: desert, abandon
desidero, desiderare, desideravi, desideratum: desire, want
desino, desinere, desivi, desitum: cease
despicio, despicere, despexi, despectum: look down on, despise
desudo, desudare, desudavi, desudatum: work up a sweat
deus, dei, m: god, God
dico, dicere, dixi, dictum: say, speak
dies, ei, m: day
difficilis, e: difficult
digitus, i, m: digit, unit of length (inch)
diligo, diligere, dilexi, dilectum: esteem, have regard for
dimitto, dimittere, dimisi, dimissum, discharge, dismiss
disco, discere, didici, discitum: learn
discuneo, discuneare, discuneavi, discuneatus: be split, wedged, 'feuding' [not in L&S]
disputo, disputare, disputavi, disputatum: dispute
dissimulatio, onis, f: negligence
dissipo, dissipare, dissipavi, dissipatum: dissipate, scatter, disperse
distillo, distillare, distillavi, distillatum: drip
divitiae, arum, f: wealth
doceo, docere, docui, doctum: teach
domina, ae, f: mistress
dominus, i, m: (the) lord
dormio, dormire, dormivi, dormitum: sleep
dubito, dubitare, dubitavi, dubitatum: doubt
dulcedo, dulcedinis, f: sweetness
dulcis, e: sweet
dumtaxat: at any rate, at least
ecclesia, ae, f: church, assembly
edentulus, a, um: toothless
egregius, a, um: distinguished, excellent
eicio, eicere, eieci, eiectum: eject, throw out
elementum, i, n: element, alphabet
eligo, eligere, elegi, electum: choose, elect
enim: for (postpositive)
enutrio, enutrire, enutrivi, enutritum: nurture, rear
epistulium, i, n.: little letter
erubesco, erubescere, erubui: blush
eruditio, onis, f: erudition, knowledge
evangelium, i, n: gospel
exagito, exagitare, exagitavi, exagitatum: stir, rouse, disturb
evito, evitare, evitavi, evitatum: avoid
examen, inis, n: flock, swarm
excipio, excipere, excepi, exceptum: take out, receive, rescue
exemplum, i, n: example
exeo, exire, exii, exitum: leave, go out
exitus, -us, m., end, exit; death
exordium, i, n: exordium, introduction, writing
expertus, a, um: experienced, tried
exprimo, exprimere, expressi, expressum: press out
fabula, ae, f: tale
facilis, e: easy
facio, facere, feci, factum: do, make
familia, ae, f: family
fauces, ium, f: gullet, throat
fel, fellis, n: gall
femineus, a, um: feminine
festino, festinare, festinavi, festinatum: hurry
filum, i, n: thread
flexibilis, e: flexible
flos, floris, m: flower
fluctus, us, m: wave
fons, fontis, m: fount, spring
foras: outdoors
foris, foris, f., door, gate
forte: by chance
fortis, e: strong
fragilis, e: breakable, fragile
frater, fratris, m: brother
fugio, fugere, fugi, fugitum: flee
fulgur, uris, n: fulgor, splendor, lightning
furvus, a, um: dark, dusky, gloomy
futurus, a, um: destined to be, about to be, prospective, presumptive
garrulus, a, um: garrulous, talkative, babbling
gaudeo, gaudere, gaudi, – , gavisus sum: take joy
gemma, ae, f: bud
genus, eris, n: genus, type, sort, race
germanus, i, m: brother
gerula, ae, f: female bearer, carrier
gestio, gestire, gestivi, gestitum: be eager, exult in
gravis, e: stern, strict
gustus, us, m: taste
habeo, habere, habui, habitum: have
hebeo, hebere: be dull, be amazed (stupefied)
homo, inis, m: man
hortor, hortari, hortatus sum: advise, encourage
hospitium, i, n: lodging
idem: same
igitur: then, therefore
ignotus, a, um: unknown, unfamiliar
immo: nay, rather
imperium, i, n: decree, order, command
impinguo, see inpinguo
incedo, incedere, incessi, incessum: go about
incendium, i, n: fire
incertus, a, um: uncertain
inclusus, a, um: closed in, locked in
induo, induere, indui, indutum: clothe, put on
infans, antis: infant
infirmis, e: infirm, weak
inlecebra, ae, f: enticement, inducement
inpinguo, inpinguare, inpinguavi, inpinguatum: fatten
inpudicus, a, um: shameless, immodest
inquam, inquii: say
insidiae, arum, f: trap, ambush
insignis, e: distinguished, remarkable
instituo, instituere, institui, institutum: build up
intellego, intellegere, intellexi, intellectum: understand
interdum: occasionally
interim: in the meantime
interrogo, interrogare, interrogavi, interrogatum: ask about
intro, intrare, intravi, intratum: enter
introitus, -us, m., entrance, beginning
invenio, invenire, inveni, inventum: find out, invent
Israheleticus, a, um: Israelitish, Jewish
ita: thus
iugum, i, n: yoke
iungo, iungere, iunxi, iunctum: join, yoke
iuvenis, is, m/f: young person (between 20-40)
iuvenculus, i, m: young man
iuxta: next to; according to
labium, i, n: lip
labor, oris, m: work, labor
lanificus, a, um: wool-working
laquear, aris, n: panelled or fretted ceiling
lascivia, ae, f: playfulness (in bad sense, lasciviousness, flirtatiousness, lewdness)
lascivus, a, um: lascivious, etc.
laudo, laudare, laudavi, laudatum: praise
laus, laudis, f: praise
lectura
levis, e: light
libenter: gladly, with pleasure
liber, era, erum: free
libertas, atis, f: freedom
libido, inis, f: longing, desire, lust
liber, i, m: book
licens, licentis: bold, presumptuous, unrestrained
licentia, ae, f: presumptuousness, lack of restraint, license
linteamen, inis, n: linen
litterulae, arum, f: little letter; note
longus, a, um: long
loquor, loqui, locutus sum: speak
luctus, us, m: grief
ludo, ludere, lusi, lusum: play
lupanar, aris, n: brothel
lusus, us, m: game, play
lux, lucis, f/m: light
luxuria, ae, f: luxury
luxurio, luxuriare, luxuriavi, luxuriatum: to have in excess, to abound in
luxuriosus, a, um: luxurious
male: badly, wrongly
mel, mellis, n: honey, sweet things
magis: greater, more so
magister, magistri, m: master, teacher, chief, head
magistra, ae, f: directress, etc. [feminine of above]
magnus, a, um: great, large
maiestas, atis, f: majesty
manifesto, manifestare, manifestavi, manifestatum: manifest, make appear
manus, us, f: hand
mater, matris, f: mother
matrimonium, i, n: marriage, wedlock
maritus, i, m: husband
meditor, meditari, meditatus sum: contemplate
melius: better
memoriter: by heart
meretrix, icis, f: harlot
merces, edis, f: pay, wages
metuo, metuere, metui, metutum: fear
ministerium, i, n: ministry, service, attendance, busy work
miser, misera, miserum: miserable, pitiable
modus, i, m: mode, way
modo: only, just; now
mollis, e: soft
monitum, i, n: admonition, advice, counsel
mortalis, e: mortal
mortiferus, a, um: mortal, deadly
mulier, eris, f: woman
muliercula, ae, f: little woman
mulsus, a, um: mixed with honey
mulsus, i, n: honey-wine
multitudo, multitudinis, f: multitude
multus, a, um: many, multiple, much
munusculum, i, n: little gift
mystice: mystically
nausea, ae, f: sickness, nausea
navigatio, onis, f: navigation, sailing
necessitas, atis, f: necessity
nefas: unspeakable deed, offense
nequaquam: in no way
nescio, nescire, nescivi, nescitum: not know
nitidus, a, um: clear, shining
nobilis, e: noble
nomen, inis, n: name, noun
nosco, noscere, novi, notum: know, recognize, be aquainted with
notus, a, um: known, familiar
nox, noctis, f: night
noxius, a, um: harmful, injurious
nuditas, atis, f: nudity
numquam: never
nuptiae, arum, f: marriage, intercourse
nutrex, nutricis, f: nurse
nutus, us, m: nod
occasio, onis, f: occasion, opportunity, favorable moment; pretext
offero, offere, obtuli, oblatum: offer
oleum, i, n: oil
oliva, ae, f: olives
omnis, e: all
operio, operire, operui, opertum: cover
opprimo, opprimere, oppressi, oppressus: stifle, oppress
opus, eris, n: work, task
orator, oris, m: orator
orbis, is, m: orb, globe, circle
orno, ornare, ornavi, ornatum: decorate, embellish, adorn
osculum, i, n: kiss
otiosus, a, um: otiose, lazy
pacatus, a, um: peaceful
paco (1), pacify, soothe, calm, subdue
paedagoga, ae, f: governess
paeniteo, paenitere, paenitui: regret
palliolum, i, n: shawl, mantle, cloak
paradisus, i, m: paradise, garden
parens, parentis: parent
paries, etis, m: wall
pars, partis, f: part
parumper: briefly, a little while
parvula, ae, f: little girl
pascha, atis, n: Passover feast
paulatim: little by little
peccatum, i, n: sin
pecco, peccare, peccavi, peccatum: sin
pedisequa, ae, f: handmaiden, attendant
pellis, is, f: skin, hide
pellicius, a, um: made of skins
pendeo, pendere, pependi, – : hang
periculose: dangerously, hazardously
periculum, i, n: danger
permaneo, permanere, permansi, permansum: hold out, endure, persist, live by
persecutio, onis, f: persecution
pertimesco, pertimescere, pertimui: become very frightened
φιλόκοσμος, ον: loving ornament, wanting to look good, be decked out
placenta, ae, f: cake
plango, plangere, planxi, planctum: bemoan, lament
plurimus, a, um: very much, very many
pollex, icis, m: thumb
populus, i, m: people, nation
possum, posse, potui: be able, can
postea: afterwards
postliminium, i, n: a return to one's old condition, return
praebeo, praebere, praebui, praebitum: hold forth, offer
praecedo, praecedere, praecessi, praecessum: go before
praeclarus, a, um: famous
praemium, i, n: prize, reward
praeputium, i, n: foreskin
pretiosus, a, um: costly, precious
prius: earlier, previously, in former times
probatus, a, um: tried, tested, proven
procedo, procedere, processi, processum: advance, appear
procus, i, m: suitor
proficio, proficere, profeci, profectum: advance, progress
profundus, a, um: deep
prohibeo, prohibere, prohibui, prohibitum: prohibit, prevent
promitto, promittere, promisi, promissum: foretell, predict; promise
propheta, ae, m: prophet
propinquus, a, um: close, kindred
propono, proponere, proposui, propositum: set before
propositum, i, n: the goal, the point, intention
psalmus, i, m: psalm
psalterium, i, n: the Psalms
pubertas, atis, f: puberty
publice: in public
publicum, i, n: the public (place)
pudet, pudere, puduit: it is shameful
pudicitia, ae, f: shame, modesty
puella, ae, f: girl
puer, pueris, m: boy
pueritia, ae, f: boyhood, childhood
pulcher, pulchra, pulchrum: beautiful
pullus, a, um: dark, grey, dim
pupa, ae, f: doll
purus, a, um: pure
puto, putare, putavi, putatum: think, consider
quaero, quaerere, quaesivi, quaesitum: seek
quam: than
quamvis: although, albeit
quantus, a, um: how great, how many, how much
quare: why
quasi: as if
quia: because
quin potius: rather, on the contrary
quocumque: whithersoever
quoque: also
rapio, rapere, rapui, raptum: seize, take
ratis, is, f: raft, bark
religio, onis, f: religion
relinquo, relinquere, reliqui, relictum: abandon, leave
repello, repellere, reppuli, repulsum: repel, push away, reject
reperio, reperire, repperi, repertum: get, obtain
repleo, replere, replevi, repletum: refill, fill, fill up, complete
reprehendo, reprehendere, reprehendi, reprehensum: reprehend, hold back
res, rei, fs: fact, situation, thing
retineo, retinere, retinui, retentum: keep, maintain, preserve
revertor, reverti, reversus sum: return, turn back
rideo, ridere, risi, risum; laugh
rubicundus, a, um: ruddy
rudis, e: rude, crude, green, unwrought
rumpo, rumpere, rupi, ruptum: break, tear
ruo, ruere, rui, rutum: fall, collapse, go to ruin
rutilo, rutilare, rutilavi, rutilatum: be red
sacrificium, i, n: sacrifice
saeculum, i, n: age, era
saepe: often
saltim: except as, save for
sanctificatio, onis, f: sanctification
sanctus, a, um: holy
satio, satiare, satiavi, satiatum: fill, satisfy, sate
scintilla, ae, f: spark
scio, scire, scivi, scitum: know
scribo, scribere, scripsi, scriptum: write
scriptura, ae, f: scripture
secundum: according to
secretus, a, um: secret, apart; hidden places/things [neut. pl.]
securus, a, um: untroubled, unconcerned, insouciant; secure, not prone to harm
sedeo, sedere, sedi, sessum: sit
semel: once and for all, in a single go
semper: always
sensus, us, m: perception, feeling, sensation, mind
sentio, sentire, sensi, sensum: to feel, perceive, discern by senses
septimus, a, um: seventh
sequor, sequi, secutus sum: follow
sermo, onis, m: speech, discourse, sermon
serpens, entis, f: serpent
servio, servire, servivi, servitum: serve, be a slave to
servulus, a, um: slave-like
servus, i, m: slave
sexus, us, m: sex, gender
sinceritas, atis, f: sincerity, honesty, integrity, purity
sino, sinere, sivi, situm: allow, permit
sinus, us, m: bosom
sobrius, sobria, sobrium: sober
societas, atis, f: society, company
soleo, solere, – , solitus sum: be wont
solus, sola, solum: only, alone
spes, spei, f: hope
spondeo, spondere, spopondi, sponsum: dedicate, pledge, vow
stamen, inis, n: thread, cloth
suavis, e: pleasant, agreeable
suavitas, atis, f: sweetness, pleasantness, agreeableness
subicio, subicere, subieci, subiectum: submit
subito: suddenly, unexpectedly, on the spur of the moment
subministro, subministrare, subministravi, subministratum: furnish, supply
subtilis, e: subtle, thin
sum, esse, fui: be
suscipio, suscipere, suscepi, susceptum: take up, receive
sustineo, sustinere, sustenui, sustentum: sustain
sutilis, e: sewn together
syllaba, ae, f: syllable
taceo, tacere, tacui, tacitum: be silent, leave unsaid
tale quid: some such thing
tam: so
tamen: yet
tantus, a, um: so great, so much, so many
tantum: only so much
templum, i, n: temple
tempto, temptare, temptavi, temptatum: touch, feel, try
tempus, oris, n: time
teneo, tenere, tenui, tentum: have, hold
tener, era, erum: soft, tender
terra, ae, f: land, earth
testimonium, i, n: testimony, witness
thesaurus, i, m: treasure, store
timeo, timere, timui: fear, be afraid
tinnulus, a, um: shrill
titillatio, onis, f: titillation, tickling
totus, a, um: total, complete
tracto, tractare, tractavi, tractatum: treat, drag
traho, trahere, traxi, tractum: drag
tristis, e: sad
tumultus, us, m: tumult, bustle
tŭmultŭārĭus, a, um: that is done or happens in a hurry, hurried, hasty, sudden, confused, irregular
tunica, ae, f: tunic
turibulum, i, n: censer, vessel to burn incense in
turpis, e: dirty, foul
ullus, a, um: any
umbra, ae, f: shadow
unde: whence
universus, a, um: collective, general, universal
unusquisque: each one
usque: until, up to
utor, uti, usus sum: use
uterque, utraque, utrumque: either, each
uxor, oris, f: wife
vas, vasis, n: vessel
vel: or
venenum, i, n: potion, drug, venom
verbero, verberare, verberavi, verberatum: strike
verbosus, a, um: verbose, wordy, garrulous
verbum, i, n: word
verecundus, a, um: shameful, modest
veritas, atis, f: truth
verno, vernare, vernati, vernatum: flourish, bloom
versiculus, i, m: short verse, line
verus, a, um: true
vescor, vesci: eat, make use of
vesica, ae, f: bladder
vestis, is, f: clothing
via, ae, f: road
video, videre, visi, visum: see; seem (sc. 'good') [passive]
vidua, ae, f: widow
vilis, e: vile, base
vindico, vindicare, vindicavi, vindicatum: avenge
vinum, i, n: wine
violo, violare, violavi, violatum: violate, profane, defile
vir, viri, m: man
virginitas, atis, f: virginity
virgo, inis, f: virgin
virguncula, ae, f: little maid, young girl
virtus, virtutis, f: virtue
vito, vitare, vitavi, vitatum: avoid
vocatio, onis, f: calling, vocation
voco, vocare, vocavi, vocatum: call
voluntas, atis, f: will
voluptas, atis, f: pleasure, satisfaction, enjoyment
vomitus, us, m: vomiting
vox, vocis, f: voice
vulgus, i, m: crowd, common people
vulnero, vulnerare, vulneravi, vulneratum: harm, wound
vultus, us, m: expression, countenance