Gesta Romanorum 64 (56) de dominica incarnatione

Quidam rex regnavit qui tres virtutes habebat. Primo erat fortior omnibus hominibus in
corpore, secundo sapientior, tertio pulchrior, qui diu sine uxore vixit. Tandem venerunt amici
eius ad eum et dixerunt, Domine, bonum est uxorem ducere et prolem generare, quia non est
bonum sine uxore stare.
At ille !arissimi, vobis constat quod satis dives et potens sum, ideo divitiis non
indigeo" ite ergo per regna et castra et mihi virginem speciosam ac prudentem quaerite, et si ista
duo in aliqua inveneritis, licet paupercula, eam in uxorem habebo.
Perrexerunt illi per regna et castra et tandem puellam nimis pulchram ac prudentem
invenerunt de sanguine regum, et eius virtutes regi denuntiaverunt. #ex volebat eius sapientiam
experiri, praeconem vocavit et ait ei, !arissime, tibi trado pannum lineum habentem in
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dnunti .$/ 0 to declare
gener .$/ 0 to beget, produce
indige, re, u 0 to lac1, desire
lneus, a, um 0 adj 0 flaxen, of flax
pannus, 0 m 0 piece of cloth
praec, nis 0 m 0 to2n crier, auctioneer
prls, is 0 m 0 offspring, child
prudns, entis 0 adj 0 prudent
quod 0 conj 0 that
rgn .$/ 0 to rule
secundus, a, um 0 adj 0 second
specisus, a, um 0 adj 0 good3loo1ing, handsome
$. Pr4m5 0 6irst" this is the adverb form of prmus and is in
free variation 2ith prmum.
omnibus hominibus 0 ablative of comparison
$0%. fortior7sapientior7 pulchrior7 qu4 0 all refer to the
qu4dam r8x in the first sentence.
&. bonum 0 neuter to agree 2ith uxrem dcere and prlem
generre" infinitives are neuter.
'. bonum 0 neuter for the same reason as in line &.
(. At ille 0 the 1ing is spea1ing
v5b4s c5nstat 0 it fits .agrees/ 2ith 9ou" the 1ing is sa9ing he
agrees, but is being ver9 indirect.
quod 0 that" explains 2h9 his friends are right.
). indige5 0 ta1es its complement 2ith ablative, dvitis.
4te7 quaerite 0 note ho2 the imperatives stand on either
side of the commands.
ista duo 0 these t2o things" beaut9 and prudence.
*. licet paupercula 0 even if a bit poor" licet is used li1e a
con:unciton here meaning something li1e though.
Also, paupercula is diminuative.
inv8neritis7 hab8b5 0 future more vivid condition.
,. d8 sanguine r8gum 0 from the blood of 1ings" she;s ro9al.
$-. habentem in longit<dine tr8s pollic8s 0 three thumbs in
2idth" the participle haentem isn;t quite required in
=nglish.
longitudine tres pollices. >ade ad puellam et ex parte mei eam saluta et trade ei istum pannum,
de quo secundum sapientiam suam faciat mihi satis longam et latam camisiam pro corpore
meo, et si hoc fecerit coniunx mea erit.
Perrexit nuntius ad virginem et eam ex parte regis salutavit dixitque ei, =cce pannus
lineus habens tantum in longitudine et latitudine tres pollices. ?i camisiam sufficientem de isto
panno pro corpore eius poteris operari, te in uxorem habebit.
At illa Quomodo fiet istud, ex quo non sunt nisi tres pollices in longitudine et
latitudine et inde camisiam ei facere est impossibile" verumtamen mihi vas concedat, in quo
operari potero, et camisiam satis longam ei promitto.
@untius est reversus denuntiansque regi de virginis responsione, statim rex vas debitum
et pretiosum ei misit, illa vero de tam parva quantitate in eodem vase operata est camisiam satis
sufficientem pro corpore suo. Alle hoc videns statim eam in uxorem duxit.
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camisia, ae 0 ! 0 .linen/ shirt
dbitus, a, um 0 adj 0 fitting, becoming
dnunti .$/ 0 to declare
impossibilis, e 0 adj 0 impossible
ltitd, inis 0 ! 0 2idth
lneus, a, um 0 adj 0 flaxen, of flax
longitd, inis 0 ! 0 length
nuntius, 0 m 0 messenger
operor .$/ 0 to 2or1, labor, devote oneself
pannus, 0 m 0 piece of cloth
pollex, icis 0 m 0 thumb
pretisus, a, um 0 adj 0 valuable, costl9
quantits, ttis 0 ! 0 siBe, amount, quantit9
respnsi, nis 0 ! 0 response, ans2er
salt .$/ 0 to greet
suffici, ere, fc, fectum 0 to meet the need, suffice
vad, ere, vs 0 to go, advance, rush
vs, vsis 0 n 0 vase, dish, container
vrumtamen 0 adv 0 nevertheless, ho2ever
$. pollic8s 0 a pollex .thumb/ 2as approximatel9 an inch or
%.( cm.
ex parte me4 0 on m9 behalf.
e4 0 to her.
istum 0 that" does not sho2 contempt, but rather that the
messenger has it.
%. secundum 0 according to" this one is the preposition not
the ad:ective.
&. f8cerit7 erit 0 future more vivid.
'. ex parte r8gis 0 on the 1ing;s behalf.
e4 0 to her.
hab8ns 0 see note about haentem on previous page, line $-.
(. d8 ist5 0 from that" again :ust sho2ing that the 9oung
2oman has the cloth.
). 8ius 0 his
*. At illa 0 a 2a9 to indroduce speech.
istud 0 that" she;s sho2ing contempt.
n5n sunt nisi 0 there isn;t an9thing except" =nglish uses
singular, but Catin 2ants the plural because of the tr"s
pollic"s.
+. e4 0 for him, the 1ing.
,. e4 0 for him" again it;s the 1ing.
$$. e4 0 to her, the 9oung 2oman.
d8 0 fromDout of" note that the d" has changed meanings.
operEta est camisiam 0 she 2or1ed on Fma1ingG a shirt" :ust
roll 2ith itHshe;s doing something magic.
$%. Alle 0 someho2 the 1ing :ust sa2 the shirt.
eam in ux5rem duxit 0 he married her" the idiom for a man
marr9ing a 2oman.