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Transcription by Danny Smith .

Sortes apostolite ad explanandum | An Explanation of Divination Through the Apostles

Source Information

Sortes apostolite ad explanandum | An Explanation of Divination Through the Apostles

by Anonymous

Text Source:

Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin - Preußischer Kulturbesitz, MS Ham. 390 f.26v

Responsibility Statement:
  • Transcription by Danny Smith
  • Translation by Danny Smith
  • Encoded in TEI P5 XML by Danny Smith
Editorial Principles:

Transcriptions and translations are encoded in XML conforming to TEI (P5) guidelines. The original-language text is contained within <lem> tags and translations within <rdg> tags.

Texts are translated into modern American English with maximum fidelity to the original text, except where it would impair comprehension or good style. Archaisms are preserved where they do not conflict with the aesthetic of the original text. Scribal errors and creative translation choices are marked and discussed in the critical notes.

Pilcrows, punctuation, and linebreaks follow the manuscript.

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Published by The Global Medieval Sourcebook.

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Transcription
Sortes apostolite ad explanandum An Explanation of Divination Through the Apostles
Si de aliqua re sire uolueris hoc modo sire poteris. If you would like to know of any thing, you will be able to in this way. Inprimis cantent
c
Critical note:

Rendered as cantēt

unum psalmum
c
Critical note:

Rendered as psalmū

cum
c
Critical note:

Rendered as cū

oratione dominica.
c
Critical note:

Rendered as dnīca

 First a psalm is to be sung as a prayer to the Lord. deuota mente. Ut dominus
c
Critical note:

Dominus here is endered as ds with a macron. In a printed edition of this text Adolf Tobler transcribes this as "deus" but given that elsewhere in the MS a macron represents a missing M "dominus" seems like a more accurate transcription. See Adolf Tober, Die altvenezianische Übersetzung der Sprüche des Dionysius Cato. Abhandlungen der königlichen Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Berlin aus dem Jahre 1883. Philosophisch-historische Classe 1, Berlin, 1883, 86

manifestet ei quod querit. The mind having thus been dedicated, the Lord reveals what you ask. Postea aperiat psalterium. et prima litera que tibi aparuerit
c
Critical note:

Abbreviated aperueīt but likely a misspelling of apparuerit.

cognosce eam. et videbis quod queris: Afterward, open a psalter and consider the first letter that will appear to you and you will see what you seek: ¶ .A. significat uitam siue potestatem: ¶ .A. signifies alternatively life or power: ¶ .B. significat potestatem in populo: ¶ .B. signifies power over people: ¶ .C. significat mortem uiri: ¶ .C. signifies a man’s death: ¶ .D. significat conturbacionem vel mortem: ¶ .D. signifies sickness or death: ¶ .E. significat letitiam: ¶ .E. signifies joy: ¶ .F. significat nobilitatem: ¶ .F. signifies renown: ¶ .G significat unius hominis occisionis: ¶ .G. signifies the murder of a man:
c
Critical note:

Literally one man

 ¶ .H. significat femine occisionis: ¶ .H. signifies a murdered woman: ¶ .I. significat bonam
c
Critical note:

Rendered as bonā

uitam: ¶ .I. signifies good life: ¶ K. significat iamnem
c
Critical note:

Likely a misspelling of inanem

literarum: ¶ .K. signifies vain
c
Critical note:

Literally empty

scholarship: ¶ .L. significat gaudium: ¶ .L. signifies delight: ¶ .M. significat medio: ¶ .M. signifies division:
c
Critical note:

In other mantic alphabets M often signifies something “mediocrem” or moderate.

 ¶ .N. significat reuisitacionem: ¶ .N. signifies a reappearance: ¶ .O. significat dure potestatem: ¶ .O. signifes harsh power: ¶ .P. significat omnem salutem: ¶ .P. signifies complete health: ¶ .Q. significat vitam uel cautelam:
c
Critical note:

Rendered cautelā

 ¶ .Q. signifies life or caution. ¶ .R. significat restitutum uel uulneratum: ¶ .R. signifies recovery or injury: ¶ .S. significat anum
c
Critical note:

Likely a misspelling of annum.

sanitatem: ¶ .S. signifies a healthy year:
c
Critical note:

Presumably this is a healthy year, as written it reads literally “.S. signifies a healthy anus:”

 ¶ .T. significat iracundiam uel munitionem: ¶ .T. signifies temper or defensiveness: ¶ .V. significat mortem:
c
Critical note:

Here readers have scratched away the word "mortem"

 ¶ .V. signifies death: ¶ .X. significat parentes obliuionem: ¶ .X. signifies forgiving parents:
Quicquid tibi volueris ut eunte pecunie augmentum. Thus whatever you would want, like having more money, has come about.
Translation
Sortes apostolite ad explanandum An Explanation of Divination Through the Apostles
Si de aliqua re sire uolueris hoc modo sire poteris. If you would like to know of any thing, you will be able to in this way. Inprimis cantent
c
Critical note:

Rendered as cantēt

unum psalmum
c
Critical note:

Rendered as psalmū

cum
c
Critical note:

Rendered as cū

oratione dominica.
c
Critical note:

Rendered as dnīca

 First a psalm is to be sung as a prayer to the Lord. deuota mente. Ut dominus
c
Critical note:

Dominus here is endered as ds with a macron. In a printed edition of this text Adolf Tobler transcribes this as "deus" but given that elsewhere in the MS a macron represents a missing M "dominus" seems like a more accurate transcription. See Adolf Tober, Die altvenezianische Übersetzung der Sprüche des Dionysius Cato. Abhandlungen der königlichen Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Berlin aus dem Jahre 1883. Philosophisch-historische Classe 1, Berlin, 1883, 86

manifestet ei quod querit. The mind having thus been dedicated, the Lord reveals what you ask. Postea aperiat psalterium. et prima litera que tibi aparuerit
c
Critical note:

Abbreviated aperueīt but likely a misspelling of apparuerit.

cognosce eam. et videbis quod queris: Afterward, open a psalter and consider the first letter that will appear to you and you will see what you seek: ¶ .A. significat uitam siue potestatem: ¶ .A. signifies alternatively life or power: ¶ .B. significat potestatem in populo: ¶ .B. signifies power over people: ¶ .C. significat mortem uiri: ¶ .C. signifies a man’s death: ¶ .D. significat conturbacionem vel mortem: ¶ .D. signifies sickness or death: ¶ .E. significat letitiam: ¶ .E. signifies joy: ¶ .F. significat nobilitatem: ¶ .F. signifies renown: ¶ .G significat unius hominis occisionis: ¶ .G. signifies the murder of a man:
c
Critical note:

Literally one man

 ¶ .H. significat femine occisionis: ¶ .H. signifies a murdered woman: ¶ .I. significat bonam
c
Critical note:

Rendered as bonā

uitam: ¶ .I. signifies good life: ¶ K. significat iamnem
c
Critical note:

Likely a misspelling of inanem

literarum: ¶ .K. signifies vain
c
Critical note:

Literally empty

scholarship: ¶ .L. significat gaudium: ¶ .L. signifies delight: ¶ .M. significat medio: ¶ .M. signifies division:
c
Critical note:

In other mantic alphabets M often signifies something “mediocrem” or moderate.

 ¶ .N. significat reuisitacionem: ¶ .N. signifies a reappearance: ¶ .O. significat dure potestatem: ¶ .O. signifes harsh power: ¶ .P. significat omnem salutem: ¶ .P. signifies complete health: ¶ .Q. significat vitam uel cautelam:
c
Critical note:

Rendered cautelā

 ¶ .Q. signifies life or caution. ¶ .R. significat restitutum uel uulneratum: ¶ .R. signifies recovery or injury: ¶ .S. significat anum
c
Critical note:

Likely a misspelling of annum.

sanitatem: ¶ .S. signifies a healthy year:
c
Critical note:

Presumably this is a healthy year, as written it reads literally “.S. signifies a healthy anus:”

 ¶ .T. significat iracundiam uel munitionem: ¶ .T. signifies temper or defensiveness: ¶ .V. significat mortem:
c
Critical note:

Here readers have scratched away the word "mortem"

 ¶ .V. signifies death: ¶ .X. significat parentes obliuionem: ¶ .X. signifies forgiving parents:
Quicquid tibi volueris ut eunte pecunie augmentum. Thus whatever you would want, like having more money, has come about.
Critical Notes
Transcription
Highlight prose section
Critical note:

Rendered as cantēt

Transcription
Highlight prose section
Critical note:

Rendered as psalmū

Transcription
Highlight prose section
Critical note:

Rendered as cū

Transcription
Highlight prose section
Critical note:

Rendered as dnīca

Transcription
Highlight prose section
Critical note:

Dominus here is endered as ds with a macron. In a printed edition of this text Adolf Tobler transcribes this as "deus" but given that elsewhere in the MS a macron represents a missing M "dominus" seems like a more accurate transcription. See Adolf Tober, Die altvenezianische Übersetzung der Sprüche des Dionysius Cato. Abhandlungen der königlichen Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Berlin aus dem Jahre 1883. Philosophisch-historische Classe 1, Berlin, 1883, 86

Transcription
Highlight prose section
Critical note:

Abbreviated aperueīt but likely a misspelling of apparuerit.

Translation
Highlight prose section
Critical note:

Literally one man

Transcription
Highlight prose section
Critical note:

Rendered as bonā

Transcription
Highlight prose section
Critical note:

Likely a misspelling of inanem

Translation
Highlight prose section
Critical note:

Literally empty

Translation
Highlight prose section
Critical note:

In other mantic alphabets M often signifies something “mediocrem” or moderate.

Transcription
Highlight prose section
Critical note:

Rendered cautelā

Transcription
Highlight prose section
Critical note:

Likely a misspelling of annum.

Translation
Highlight prose section
Critical note:

Presumably this is a healthy year, as written it reads literally “.S. signifies a healthy anus:”

Transcription
Highlight prose section
Critical note:

Here readers have scratched away the word "mortem"

Sorry, but there are no notes associated with any currently displayed witness.