St. Francis and Birds

"Giotto, St. Francis of Assisi Receiving the Stigmata, c. 1295-1300 with detail of Francis and the birds" by profzucker is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.

St Francis and the Birds

Pre-reading

Jack Wintz, “Saint Francis and the Birds.” Franciscan Spirit blog.

Pairs: explain how the verb on the left is related to the word on the right.

soleo insolitus

sollicito sollicite

Matching: match the words in the left column with the right.

accedo appropinquo

avis cura

gaudeo gestio

itaque igitur

sollicitudo volucer

Ablative absolute: What do these ablative phrases mean?

inclinatibus capitibus

licentia data

omnibus se convertentibus

omnibus vera expectantibus

signo crucis facto

Idioms: What do these idioms mean? Create 1-2 more phrases with modo.

fervore mirando

insolito modo

modo mirabili

Hint: avis is feminine, so assume that nearly every time you see a pronoun or adjective in the feminine plural, it probably refers to the birds.

Vocabula

Bevanium town in Umbria (modern Bevagna)

approprinquaret = accederet

quas = aves

sanctus Dei the holy one of God, the saint of God

alacriter = celeriter

velut rationis participes as if sharers of reason

in arbustis = in silva

inclinatibus lean in, bend, turn

insolito modo in an unusual way

intenderent they stretch toward, direct their attention

*usque up to

sollicite = magna cura

induit clothed

tribuit = dedit

puritatem concessit aeris granted cleanness or purity of air

sine vestra sollicitudine without worry or concern on your part

gubernat guide (cf. gubernator = helmsman, pilot)

gestientes = gaudentes

cum spiritus fervore mirando with amazing fervor/excitement of spirit

nec . . . aliqua mota nor was there any movement

licentia data with permission granted

cum benedictione viri Dei with the blessing of the man of God

contuebantur = spectabant

simplex -icis simple, unsophisticated

pro eo quod hactenus because up to that time

praedicaverat had preached

inculpare to blame

Fabula

Written by St Bonaventure (text from A. W. Godfrey, ed. Medieval Mosaic. Wauconda, IL: Bolchazy-Carducci, 2003. 199-200).

Cum igitur appropinquaret Bevanio, ad quondam locum devenit in quo diversi generis avium maxima multitudo convenerat; quas cum sanctus Dei vidisset, alacriter cucurrit ad locum et eas velut rationis participes salutavit. Omnibus vera expectantibus et convertentibus se ad eum, ita ut quae in arbustis erant, inclinantibus capitibus, cum appropinquaret ad eas, insolito modo in ipsum intenderent, usque ad eas accessit et omnes ut verbum Dei audirent sollicite admonuit, dicens “Fratres mei volucres, multum debetis laudare creatorem vestrum, qui plumis vos induit, et pennas tribuit ad volandum, puritatem concessit aeris, et sine vestra sollicitudine vos gubernat. Cum autem eis haec et his similia loqueretur, aviculae modo mirabili gestientes coeperunt extendere colla, protendere alas, aperire rostra, et illum attente respicere. Ipse vero cum spiritus fervore mirando per medium ipsarum transiens, tunica contingebat easdem; nec tamen de loco aliqua mota est donec, signo crucis facto et licentia data, cum benedictione viri Dei omnes simul avolarunt. Haec omnia contuebantur socii, expectantes in via. Ad quos reversus vir simplex et purus, pro eo quod hactenus avibus non praedicaverat coepit se de neglegentia inculpare.

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