“temperate” (sobrius): Some of the attributes desired in the cellarer are drawn from the list of qualities to be sought in bishops in 1 Tim 3:2-4. The general tone of the chapter is very like that of chs. 2 and 64 on the abbot. See specifically 2.36 timentibus eum, 64.2 sapientia, 64.9 sobrium, 64.16 non turbulentus, besides the striking sicut pater referred to in the preceding note.
31.10 (English / Latin) “sacred vessels” (vasa sacrata): See Zech 14:20-21.
31.19 (English / Latin) “the house of God” (domo Dei): See Thematic Index: HOUSE OF GOD.
32.3 (English / Latin) “what he hands out” (quid dat): See Sir 42:7.
32.4 (English / Latin) “clean” (sordide): The Latin means literally, “if anyone handles the things of the monastery dirtily or carelessly.”
33.1 (English / Latin) “evil practice” (vitium): St. Benedict calls private possession of goods a vice or an evil, for it is a manifestation of one’s own will and an act of disobedience. The monk looks to the abbot for all his needs. See Thematic Index: COMMUNITY, sharing all things in common, Antithesis: personal ownership.
33.6 (English / Latin) “as it is written” (ut scriptum est): The slightly adapted quotation from Acts 4:32 indicates that St. Benedict envisions the church of Jerusalem, especially in its free dispossession of property and its sharing of goods according to need, as a model of cenobitic monasticism. This is a common theme of early monastic literature. See note to Prol.50 above and Patristic references.
34.2 (English / Latin) “favoritism—God forbid” (personarum—quod absit—acceptio): The reference is to Rom 2:11 (non est acceptio personarum apud Deum [Vulgate]). Cf. RB 2.20.
34.5 (English / Latin) “all the members” (omnia membra): See 1 Cor 12:12-30.
35.8 (English / Latin) “He is to wash” (lavent): Literally, “they are to wash.” The plural seems to come from the succession of weekly servers; the singular seems to follow from the directions given in v.7.
35.12 (English / Latin) “An hour before mealtime” (ante unam horam refectionis): Despite the interesting suggestion of B. Steidle “Ante unam horam refectionis” StA 42 (1957) 73–104 and “Ante unam horam refectionis...Zur neuen Deutung von Kapitel 35, 12-14 der Regel St. Benedikts” EA 41 (1965) 387–394, that the true meaning is “before the single mealtime,” a brachylogy for “before the meal on days when there is only one meal,” it seems better to keep the traditional translation. Unus can mean ‘single,’ ‘unique,’ etc., and this yields good sense, but ante with an accusative of the time and a genitive of the event is a regular late-Latin idiom for “so much time before so-and-so.” There are also limitations on the use of unus in Steidle’s sense, which in any case is less likely in late-Latin, and no parallel example has been adduced of unus in a simple attributive position, as here, being used in the sense required by Steidle. See Lewis and Short, A Latin Dictionary, s.vv. ante II.B.1.c and unus I.B.3; A. Blaise, Dictionnaire Latin-Français, s.vv. ante II.3 and unus; and J. B. Hofmann, Lateinische Umgangssprache, 2nd ed. (Heidelberg: Winter 1939) pp. 101–102.
The Master does not seem to allow this mitigation at all, for immediately after the servers receive Communion, the abbot is to warn them not to take any food or drink before the common prayer at table (RM 21.8).
35.14 (English / Latin) “until after the dismissal” (usque ad missas): It is uncertain whether the dismissal in question is that at the end of Mass or that at the end of the meal. It is quite possible that it refers to Mass here, since it is a question of solemn feasts. See Appendix 3, pp. 410–412. In this case the reason for having the servers wait would be the Eucharistic fast, a practice that was developing at the time. This assumes also that the meal took place immediately after Mass. RM 21-23 prescribes that the meal is to take place after that office which includes a Communion rite. See Appendix 3, pp. 410–411. Steidle holds (see note on 35.12) that missas refers to the end of the meal. The reason would then be that there was no reason for taking food ahead of time, since there would be two meals on feast days, one taken at midday (prandium) and one taken in the evening (cena). On ordinary days there would have been only one meal later in the day.
35.15 (English / Latin) “a profound bow...before all” (omnibus genibus provolvantur): The action prescribed seems to be a profound bow to the level of the knees rather than a kneeling down. The Oxford MS reads omnium: “to (or at) the knees of all.” After the Council of Nicaea (325), it was Church practice not to kneel on Sundays during the formal liturgical services. See A. Mundó “À propos des rituels du Maître et de saint Benoît: La ‘Provolutio’” SM 4 (1962) 177–191.
37.1 (English / Latin) “the young” (infantum): Although the term infans can be used for anyone under legal age, it seems likely that a lower age is envisioned here. In comparable situations in RM 27.41 and 28.24, the age of twelve is set, but in RM 14.78 and RB 70.4, where it is a question of the kind of punishment to be administered, the differentiating age is set at fifteen.
37.3 (English / Latin) “allowed to eat before the regular hours” (praeveniant horas canonicas): See C. Gindele “Praeveniant Horas Canonicas. Die Ordnung der Mahlzeiten für die Kinder und Greise in der Regel St. Benedikts, Kapitel 37,3” StA 44 (1959) 129–135. He maintains that this anticipation of the regular hour of the meals takes place about six hours before the meal and only on fast days, days on which only one meal is eaten.
38.2 (English / Latin) “Mass and Communion” (missas et communionem): See Appendix 3, pp. 410–412.
38.8 (English / Latin) “lest occasion he given [to the devil]” (ne detur occasio): The bracketed words, though not actually in the Latin text, seem to be required for sense. See the similar constructions in 43.8 (maligno) and 54.4 (diabolo). Despite these parallels, Steidle interprets it to mean “occasion for speaking,” an interpretation that may be more complementary than contradictory in view of RB 6.4.
38.10 (English / Latin) “Because of holy Communion” (propter communionem sanctam): Comparison with RM 24.14 (propter sputum sacramenti) indicates that the wine acts as a mouth rinse for the reader, a precaution against spitting out the Sacrament in the act of reading. See Appendix 3, p. 411.
38.11 (English / Latin) “the attendants” (servitoribus): It is not clear whether these are attendants of the sick (36.7,10) or assistants of kitchen workers (35.3), or both.
39.4 (English / Latin) “A generous pound of bread” (Panis libra una propensa): The Roman pound in imperial times was twelve ounces.
39.11 (English / Latin) “the meat of four-footed animals” (Carnium...quadrupedum): Although the ancient monastic tradition was unanimously opposed to the use of the meat of four-footed animals, there was some fluctuation on the subject of fish and fowl. St. Jerome was opposed to fowl (Hier, epist. 79,7). For additional material on the distinction between pullos and carnes, see de Vogüé 6.1105–07. On the origin of, and the motives involved in, abstention from meat as well as fasting generally, see H. Musurillo “The Problem of Ascetical Fasting in the Greek Patristic Writers” Traditio 12 (1956) 1–64.
40.3 (English / Latin) “a half bottle” (heminam): Hemina is a Greek word taken into Latin. It was originally a measure used in Sicily, equivalent to the Greek kotulë. In classical Rome, the hemina was half a sextarius, and so contained 0.273 litres, or about half a pint. See The Oxford Classical Dictionary, ed. N.G.L. Hammond and H. H. Scullard, 2nd ed. (Oxford: The Clarendon Press 1970) s.v. measures.
Abbot Salvatore Marsili states that in his youth Sabine shepherds used a measure of about 0.75 litres, which they called a mina, but the word seems to have fallen into desuetude: de Vogüé 2.677 and 6.1142–69, esp. notes 431–434 and 490. It is perhaps legitimate to conclude the RB’s hemina may have been larger than the classical one. For examples of early medieval concern and research in the matter, see J. Mabillon, Annales ordinis S. Benedicti (Lucca: L. Venturini 1739) Tome II, Lib. XXV, n. 70, p. 264 and Lib. XXVIII, n. 61, p. 405.
Our translation reflects both the hemi- (half) of hemina and our ignorance of th
e exact amount.
40.4 (English / Latin) “own reward” (propriam...mercedem): See 1 Cor 3:8.
40.6 (English / Latin) “We read” (legamus): The reference seems to be Vitae patr. 5,4,31: “Some brothers told Abba Poemen of a brother who did not drink wine. He said, ‘Wine is not for monks.’”
41.6 (English / Latin) “thirteenth” (idus...Septembres): See the note on 8.1 above for an explanation of the Roman computation of dates.
42.2 (English / Latin) “fast days or...ordinary days” (ieiunii sive prandii): On fast days (ieiunii) there is only one meal, either in midafternoon or in the evening. On ordinary days (prandii) there are both dinner and supper.
43.13 (English / Latin) “the verse” (versu): There is no indication in RB what this verse is.
44.1 (English / Latin) “serious faults” (gravibus culpis): Cf. RB 25.
44.3 (English / Latin) “satisfaction” (satisfactum): For the idea of “satisfaction” in chs. 44–15, see Appendix 4, p. 435. For a comparison of the rites in RM and RB, see C. Gindele “Zum grossen Rekonziliationsritus nach der Magister- und Benediktusregel” RBén 80 (1970) 153–156.
44.9 (English / Latin) “less serious faults” (levibus culpis): Cf. RB 24.3-7.
46.1 (English / Latin) “in serving” (in ministerio): Some translators have taken this word to refer to a place (e.g., “pantry”) as do the other items in the list. Some MSS read in monasterio, a variation that suggests uncertainty over the meaning of the phrase at an early date.
46.5 (English / Latin) “only to the abbot” (tantum abbati): Cf. RB 7.44.
46.6 (English / Latin) “who know” (sciat): Although the verb form is singular, St. Benedict seems to include both abbot and seniors.
48.t “The Daily Manual Labor” (De opera manuum cotidiana): Although only manual labor is mentioned in the title, the chapter also deals with the horarium, the use of time, and reading.
48.1 (English / Latin) “prayerful reading” (lectione divina): A literal rendering of the phrase lectio divina is “divine reading.” The adjective “divine” refers in the first instance to the nature or quality of the text being read rather than to the action of reading or the reader. Cf. note to Prol.9. This activity has been understood traditionally as a meditative, reflective reading of the Bible, the Fathers of the Church, or some other spiritual writing. For further discussion, see J. Leclercq, The Love of Learning and the Desire for God, pp. 16–22 and passim; D. Rees, Consider Your Call (London: SPCK 1978) pp. 261–273; and especially D. Gorce, La Lectio Divina (Paris: Picard 1925). See Thematic Index: SCRIPTURE, to be read.
48.3 (English / Latin) “first” (kalendas): See note on RB 8.1 on the Roman computation of time, “after Prime” (a prima): This translation understands prima to refer to the office of Prime. It could also be understood to refer to the first hour of the morning: “going out to work at the first hour of the morning.”
48.5 (English / Latin) “without disturbing the others” (ut alium non inquietet): Normally the monks, like the ancients generally, pronounced what they read in an audible fashion. If this reading took place in the common dormitory, the monks who chose to read would disturb the monks who preferred to sleep. Augustine (Aug. conf. 6,2) notes with some amazement that Ambrose read silently.
48.7 (English / Latin) “poverty” (paupertas): The word paupertas occurs only once in the Rule. The local conditions mentioned in this verse are precisely those of economic poverty and are not related to a vow (see Appendix 5, pp. 457–458). By contrast, RM 86 forbids work in the fields, since such labor is not compatible with a regular schedule of prayer and fasting.
48.8 (English / Latin) “our fathers and the apostles” (patres nostri et apostoli): See Ps 127 (128):2; Acts 18:3; 1 Cor 4:12; 2 Thess 3:10-12. By “our fathers” is meant, presumably, the monastic fathers (cf. RB 18.25). For a list of possible references, see the Indexes of Patristic and Ancient Works.
48.13 (English / Latin) “to their reading” (lectionibus suis): The Latin form is actually plural, as it is in the identical phrase (vacent lectionibus suis) in the following verse. In v.13 the use of the plural “readings” in conjunction with the psalms suggests that St. Benedict may have in mind preparation of the readings to be used in the office or even the memorization of some of them. Cf. RB 8.3 for the coupling of psalms and readings, and 10.2 for recitation from memory. See also Appendix 5, p. 446.
48.15 (English / Latin) “book from the library” (codices de bibliotheca): A. Mundó suggests that Benedict has in mind nine sections (codices) of the Bible. See “Bibliotheca, Bible et lecture de carême d’après S. Benoît” RBén 60 (1950) 65–92. De Vogüé finds the matter unclear (2.602–603, n.15).
48.16 (English / Latin) “the beginning of Lent” (caput quadragesimae): This might be the first Sunday of Lent. See Appendix 3, p. 409.
48.18 (English / Latin) “apathetic” (acediosus): This state of mind is not to be confused with the state described by Evagrius of Pontus as apatheia (see Introduction, pp. 39–40) but refers rather to one of the eight principal logismoi (see note on RB 1.5). Evagrius identified akédia with the “noonday devil” (Evagr. pract. 12). Cassian treated of it extensively (Cassian. inst. 10). It is essentially lack of interest in spiritual things and boredom with the monastic life. See also G. Bardy “Acedia” DS 1.166–169.
48.20 (English / Latin) “as a warning to others” (ut ceteri timeant): This is an allusion to 1 Tim 5:20 (ut et ceteri timorem habeant [Vulgate]), which is also cited explicitly in RB 70.3 (ut ceteri metum habeant).
49.2 (English / Latin) “the entire community” (omnes pariter): This phrase occurs in RB 20.5, and pariter in 53.4 and 72.12. M. Larmann “The Meaning of omnes pariter” ABR 29 (1978) 153–165 has argued that the phrase should be construed with custodire rather than neglegentias, and hence means “as a community.” Others place the comma after custodire in v.2 and take omnes with neglegentias (de Vogüé 2.605–606). Advocates of both views acknowledge the influence on this chapter of St. Leo’s Sermons 39–50 on Lent. See de Vogüé 6.1217–33. It is significant, too, that RM has a community form of Lenten observance.
49.7 (English / Latin) “Easter” (Pascha): See Thematic Index: PASCHAL MYSTERY.
52.1 (English / Latin) “what it is called” (quod dicitur): The word “oratory” (oratorium) stems from the Latin verb orare: ‘to pray.’ See Thematic Index; HOUSE OF GOD, Embodied in: oratory.
52.3 (English / Latin) “insensitivity” (improbitate): See note to RB 2.28.
53.0 The first section of the chapter (1-15) advocates a warm and open reception of guests. The second section (16-23) provides practical directions for the accommodation of the guest, directions that prevent the guests from disturbing the common life of the monastery. In RM more extensive directions are given for putting guests to work after two days, or if they are unwilling, suggesting that they depart, and for protecting the goods of the monastery from less spiritually minded guests (RM 78–79). Palladius reports that at Nitria guests were allowed a week of leisure before being put to work in the garden, bakery or kitchen (Pallad. hist.laus. 7). See Thematic Index: GUESTS.
53.2 (English / Latin) “to all” (omnibus): Cf. RB 4.8, to which St. Benedict is probably alluding here and therefore to 1 Pet 2:17 as well. RB 4.8 should then be understood as a maxim of hospitality. See note on 4.t and A. de Vogüé “Honorer tous les hommes” RAM 40 (1964) 129–138, who argues persuasively that the insistence on “all” in 53.1,2,6,13 reflects the concern that guests be given honor in light of their relationship to Christ rather than in terms of their rank in society. The “proper honor” (congruus honor) would mean, then, not that all receive the same honor, but that those in whom Christ is more readily recognized should receive more honor. See also the following notes.
“those who share our faith” (domesticis fidei): The phrase appears at first sight to contrast Christians and non-Christians, and therefore to single out fellow Christians for special treatment, as it certainly does in Gal 6:10. Despite the insistent
use of “all” in this chapter (see previous note), the pre-ecumenical temper of the sixth century militates strongly against this interpretation, as was pointed out by Linderbauer, S. Benedicti Regula Monachorum, p. 346. It is quite unlikely that heretics (chiefly Arians in sixth-century Italy) and non-Christians would have been received at all (cf. Hier. apol. adv. libr. Ruf. 3,17; Vita Anton. 68-69; Vita sa5 123), and orthodox Christians would certainly not have agreed to pray with them as vv.4-5 direct (cf. Vita bo 185). The suggestion that the phrase is a scribal error for domestici Dei (Eph 2:19), which could more readily be understood as referring specifically to clerics and monks, has no manuscript support. Nevertheless, in view of the probable exclusion of heretics and non-Christians, the phrase probably should be taken in a narrower sense to refer to clerics and monks, an interpretation to be found already in Smarag. expos. in reg. 53.2. The Rule of Pachomius directs explicitly that clerics and monks are to be received with greater honor (Pachom. reg. 51). De Vogüé (loc. cit. 135) argues that the phrase includes these and also pious laymen — in fact, all who are connected with the house of God (monastery) “by a certain connaturality with its religious ideal and the type of life led there.”
“pilgrims” (peregrinis): This term can mean either ‘pilgrim’ or ‘visiting,’ ‘strange,’ ‘foreign,’ etc. The context seems to favor the more technical meaning of ‘pilgrim’ in this chapter. The pilgrims could possibly be understood as a subdivision of the domestici fidei. See G. Morin RBén 34 (1922) 128. In v.15, the fact that people were on a holy journey could single them out for special attention. Although pilgrimage as a form of popular spiritual exercise peaked after St. Benedict’s time (see J. Leclercq et al., The Spirituality of the Middle Ages [London: Burns and Oates 1968] esp. pp. 42–43, 58–60), there is good evidence before his time for pilgrimage to the tombs of the martyrs and saints, especially at Rome, and to the Holy Places. See M. C. McCarthy “Pilgrimages: Early Christian” New Catholic Encyclopedia (1967) 11.364; F. X. Murphy “Pilgrimages, Roman” ibid., 372–373; H. Leclercq “Pélerinage à Rome” DACL 14.40–48; and “Pélerinage aux lieux saints” ibid. 65–124. De Vogüé (loc. cit. 136) points out, however, that in v.15 the peregrini are associated with the poor in contrast to the rich. This suggests that they should be considered to be socially disadvantaged by being far from their own land and should therefore be the objects of special concern. Such an interpretation could include pilgrims in the more technical sense. Smaragdus also defines peregrini as those far from their own land.
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