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The following is a plaque in commemoration of the 700th anniversary of the birth of John Duns Scotus:

An inscription

(Source of image here)

In text (missing some details like interpuncts and ligatures):

IOANNES DVNS SCOTVS OFM
QVI IN LECTVRIS OXONIENSIBVS
REPRAESENTATVIT DAVIDICUM ILLVD
DOMINVS ILLVMINATIO MEA
HOC LAPIDE A FRATRIBVS SVIS
POSITO POST ANNOS SEPTINGENTOS
COMMEMORATUR A D MCMLXVI

My attempt to translate it:

John Duns Scotus O.F.M [Fransican friar], whom in lecturing oxonians represented David [that?] // The Lord is my light // this tombstone [?] from his brothers [fransiscan friars] placed in commemoration of 700 years // year of the Lord 1966

That just does not sound right. Not sure how to put David in there. Lapide is almost literal in Spanish (lapida) but not sure what is best for English. And the last bit is also strange. Not sure how to fit commemoratur as it does not state in commemoration of what. But, of course, many other things could be wrong!

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  • English: Who represented David, rather than whom represented...
    – Figulus
    Commented Jul 21 at 1:49

1 Answer 1

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Here is a literal translation:

John Duns Scotus, OFM, who in his Oxford lectures represented that famous line of David, "the Lord is my light," is commemorated by this stone placed by his brothers after seven hundred years in AD 1966.

  • OFM is the abbreviation (still used today) for Ordo Fratrum Minorum, "the order of friars minor," i.e. Franciscans.
  • Illud is often used alone to refer to a famous saying. In this case, Illud Davidicum literally means "that famous Davidic saying."
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    Oh, I was far off. Thanks. Some points. Do you mean "who in his..."? Also, why is oxoniensibus translated as just Oxford? That is the dative, plural? So, in effect, the stone does not state why the commemoration. Maybe they run out of space and though it fairly obvious?
    – luchonacho
    Commented Jul 27, 2017 at 17:12
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    @luchonacho ononiensibus is an adjective agreeing with lecturis: it literally means "Oxonian lectures." As for the "why," the relative clause with qui seems representative enough, no?
    – brianpck
    Commented Jul 27, 2017 at 18:54
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    I think OFM should be read in genitive here: ordinis, John Duns Scotus, of the order of the lesser brothers, who...
    – Rafael
    Commented Jul 27, 2017 at 19:11

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