Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Cessatio Miraculorum

Here is today's distich by John Owen, with an English translation by Thomas Harvey, 3:132. Note that Owen is hedging his bets here: the first question is if miracles have ceased or not (siquidem), and, if they have, then we can ask about whether it is God's hand or own faith that is diminished.

Cessatio Miraculorum
Abbreviata Dei, siquidem miracula cessant,
Est manus? An potius nostra minuta fides?


THE CEASING OF MIRACLES
Sith Miracles are ceas’d (what shall I speak?)
Is Gods hand shorter? or our faith more weak?

Here is the vocabulary:

cessatio - end, cessatio
miraculum - miracle
abbreviatus - shortened
deus - god
siquidem - if indeed; even supposing
cesso - leave off, cease
sum - be, exist
manus - hand
an - question particle; can it be...?
potius - rather
noster - our, ours
minutus - small, petty
fides - faith