Vetus Latina

The Vetus Latina ("Old Latin"), denoted by the siglum 𝔏, are the Latin translations of biblical texts (both Old Testament and New Testament) that preceded the Vulgate. The term Vetus Itala ("Old Italic") may be used synonymously, but Augustine of Hippo introduced the term for a particular Latin text stream. Modern scholarship often distinguishes the Vetus Afra ("Old African") text forms. Quotes thumb|And upon the beast, there were strong wooden towers which covered every one of them: and engines upon them, and upon every one thirty-two valiant men, who fought from above: and an Indian to rule the beast. Et surrexit rex ante lucem, et concitavit exercitus in impetum contra viam Bethzacharam: et comparaverunt se exercitus in praelium, et tubis cecinerunt: et elephantis ostenderunt sanguinem uvae et mori, ad acuendos eos in praelium. Et diviserunt bestias per legiones: et astiterunt singulis elephantis mille viri in loricis concatenatis, et galeae aereae in capitibus eorum, et quingenti equites ordinati unicuique bestiae electi erant. Hi ante tempus ubicunque erat bestia, ibi erant: et quocunque ibat, ibant, et non discedebant ab ea. Sed et turres ligneae super eos firmae protegentes super singulas bestias: et super eas machinae et super singulas viri virtutis triginta duo, qui pugnabant desuper: et intus magister bestiae. Et residuum equitatum hinc et inde statuit in duas partes tubis exercitum commovere et perurgere constipatos in legionibus ejus. Et ut refulsit sol in clipeos aureos et aereos, resplenduerunt montes ab eis, et resplenduerunt sicut lampades ignis. Et distincta est pars exercitus regis per montes excelsos, et alia per loca humilia: et ibant caute et ordinate. Et commovebantur omnes inhabitantes terram a voce multitudinis eorum et incessu turbae et collisione armorum; erat enim exercitus magnus valde et fortis. Et appropiavit Judas et exercitus ejus in praelium: et ceciderunt de exercitu regis sexcenti viri. Et vidit Eleazar filius Saura unam de bestiis loricatam loricis regis, et erat eminens super ceteras bestias, et visum est ei quia in ea esset rex: et dedit se ut liberaret populum suum et acquireret sibi nomen aeternum. Et cucurrit ad eam audacter in medio legionis interficiens a dextris et a sinistris, et cadebant ab eo huc atque illuc. Et ivit sub pedes elephantis et supposuit se ei, et occidit eum: et cecidit in terram super ipsum, et mortuus est illic. And the king rose before it was light, and made his troops march on fiercely towards the way of Bethzacharam: and the armies made themselves ready for the battle, and they sounded the trumpets: And they shewed the elephants the blood of grapes, and mulberries, to provoke them to fight. And they distributed the beasts by the legions: and there stood by every elephant a thousand men in coats of mail, and with helmets of brass on their heads: and five hundred horsemen set in order were chosen for every beast. These before the time wheresoever the beast was they were there: and whithersoever it went, they went, and they departed not from it. And upon the beast, there were strong wooden towers which covered every one of them: and engines upon them, and upon every one thirty-two valiant men, who fought from above: and an Indian [someone inside] to rule the beast. And the rest of the horsemen he placed on this side and on that side, at the two wings, with trumpets to stir up the army, and to hasten them forward that stood thick together in the legions thereof. Now when the sun shone upon the shields of gold, and of brass, the mountains glittered therewith, and they shone like lamps of fire. And part of the king's army was distinguished by the high mountains, and the other part by the low places: and they marched on warily and orderly. And all the inhabitants of the land were moved at the noise of their multitude, and the marching of the company, and the rattling of the armour, for the army was exceeding great and strong. And Judas and his army drew near for battle: and there fell of the king's army six hundred men. And Eleazar, the son of Saura, saw one of the beasts harnessed with the king's harness: and it was higher than the other beasts; and it seemed to him that the king was on it: And he exposed himself to deliver his people, and to get himself an everlasting name. And he ran up to it boldly in the midst of the legion, killing on the right hand, and on the left, and they fell by him on this side and that side. And he went between the feet of the elephant, and put himself under it: and slew it, and it fell to the ground upon him, and he died there. 1 Maccabees 6:33–46 (Douay–Rheims). Variant: 'intus' corrected into 'Indus'. Source: Stephen Gaselee, ed., An Anthology of Medieval Latin (London: Macmillan & Co., 1925), pp. 10–13 External links Category:Bible translations