204. crucior: cruciare, to torture, torment, a powerful word involving the crux, the cross, as an instrument of death.
205. recordare: recordari, to recollect.
quia recepisti: IND. STATE.
206. consolatur: usually deponent but here passive.
207. vos: i.e., you (sinners).
208. chaos: n. nom., vast empty space.
“Return of the Prodigal Son” Guercino 17th century Galleria Borghese Rome, Italy
Scala/Art Resource, NY.
The brother’s jealousy and the father’s reply.
180 Erat autem filius eius senior in agro; et cum veniret et appropinquaret domui, audivit symphoniam et chorum, et vocavit unum de servis et interrogavit quae haec essent. Isque dixit illi, “Frater tuus venit, et occidit pater tuus vitulum saginatum, quia salvum illum recepit.” Indignatus est autem et nolebat introire. 185 Pater ergo illius egressus, coepit rogare illum. At ille, respondens, dixit patri suo, “Ecce tot annis servio tibi et numquam mandatum tuum praeterii, et numquam dedisti mihi haedum ut cum amicis meis epularer; sed postquam filius tuus hic, qui devoravit substantiam suam cum meretricibus, venit, occidisti 190 illi vitulum saginatum.” At ipse dixit illi, “Fili, tu semper mecum es, et omnia mea tua sunt; epulari autem et gaudere oportebat, quia frater tuus hic mortuus erat et revixit, perierat et inventus est.” (Luke 15.11–32)
The Rich Man and the Beggar Lazarus
Homo quidam erat dives, et induebatur purpura et bysso, et 195 epulabatur cotidie splendide. Et erat quidam mendicus, nomine Lazarus, qui iacebat ad ianuam eius, ulceribus plenus, cupiens saturari de micis quae cadebant de mensa divitis; sed et canes veniebant et lingebant ulcera eius. Factum est autem ut moreretur mendicus et portaretur ab angelis in sinum Abrahae. Mortuus 200 est autem et dives, et sepultus est in inferno. Elevans autem oculos suos, cum esset in tormentis, videbat Abraham a longe et Lazarum in sinu eius; et ipse, clamans, dixit, “Pater Abraham, miserere mei et mitte Lazarum ut intinguat extremum digiti sui in aquam ut refrigeret linguam meam, quia crucior in hac 205 flamma.” Et dixit illi Abraham, “Filli, recordare quia recepisti bona in vita tua, et Lazarus similiter mala; nunc autem hic consolatur, tu vero cruciaris. Et in his omnibus, inter nos et vos chaos magnum firmatum est ut hi qui volunt hinc transire ad vos non possint, neque inde huc transmeare.” Et ait, “Rogo ergo 210 te, pater, ut mittas eum in domum patris mei—habeo enim quinque fratres—ut testetur illis, ne et ipsi veniant in locum hunc tormentorum.” Et ait illi Abraham, “Habent Mosen et prophetas; audiant illos.” At ille dixit, “Non, pater Abraham: sed si quis ex mortuis ierit ad eos, paenitentiam agent.” Ait 215 autem illi, “Si Mosen et prophetas non audiunt, neque, si quis ex mortuis resurrexerit, credent.” (Luke 16.19–31)
209. inde: adv, thence, from there.
huc: adv., to this place.
transmeare:to cross over.
212. Mosen: acc. of Moses, the Hebrew prophet and lawgiver who led the Israelites from Egypt.
215. neque: here, not even.
218. iusti: here, righteous, in their observance of religious ritual.
aspernabantur: aspernari,to despise.
parabolam: parabola,comparison, parable.
219. Pharisaeus: a Pharisee; the Pharisees, a Jewish sect that insisted on a strict interpretation and observation of the law of Moses, were sometimes condemned for their self-righteous attitudes and disdain of those outside their sect.
220. publicanus: a tax-collector, here a native agent of a Roman company collecting taxes for Rome; because of their association with outsiders and their often extortionate practices, the publicani were commonly despised.
221. raptores: snatchers = robbers.
222. velut: conj., as, just as, as if.
ieiuno: ieiunare,to fast.
223. decimas: sc. partes, tenth parts, tithes.
224. nec: the double negative, with nolebat, is emphatic, was not even willing.
percutiebat: percutere,to strike.
225. propitius: gracious, kind.
226. iustificatus: justified, i.e., forgiven.
ab illo:rather than that man.
exaltat: exaltare,to raise on high, exalt; late and eccl. Lat.
227. humiliabitur: humiliare, to humble, humiliate; late Lat.
“The Story of Moses”
Raphael, 16th century
Logge, Vatican Palace, Vatican State
Scala/Art Resource, NY.
Hypocrisy and Sincerity
