9

I am a historian, and I came across a text from Bauldric of Dol, a medieval historian. This text is about the crusades. I have been unable to translate the following passage. Could someone here help me out?

sicut heri et nudiustertius, seriatim procedere, nec eorum clitellariis dabatur saltem repere posse

in Bladricus Dolensis (c.1050–1130), Historia Hierosolymitana, liber II

Improve this question
0

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
13

This quote is from the Historia Ierusalem Baldrici Dolensis Archiepiscopi, Book 2 (pg. 1092 of Migne, Patrologia Latina, CLXVI).

Your quote is only a fragment of the relevant sentence, which is likely why you are not able to make any sense of it. Here is the full sentence:

Iter enim aggressi, gradiebantur rependo per montana, nimis aspera et scopulosa, per quae nec eorum phalanges poterant, sicut heri et nudiustertius, seriatim procedere, nec eorum clitellariis dabatur saltem repere posse, sed miserrime hi et illi praegravabantur, neque siquidem illis in angusto positis, aliud erat aliunde diverticulum.

Here is my translation: I have purposely separated the long sentence into shorter ones that are better adapted to English syntax.

Having begun the journey, they advanced, crawling through the mountainous area, which was exceedingly perilous and craggy. Their battalions could not, like yesterday and the day before, proceed in a file, nor was it possible for their pack animals even to crawl forward through this area. Rather, they both were miserably encumbered, and there was not even an alternate route starting from elsewhere, since they were in a narrow area.

Two minor doubts on my part (comments welcome):

  1. phalanges can be a "battalion" or also a "pole for carrying burdens" or "rollers for transporting war machinery" (see L&S). It's very possible that the latter is intended.
  2. I'm not entirely certain why siquidem is used: I am translating it as if it were quidem.
Improve this answer
4
  • Thank you so much brianpck. I have a question about clitellariis. is it clitellariis means in English "bearing a pack-saddle" ? or is it pack animals true ? thank you
    – turuncu
    Commented Nov 16, 2016 at 14:45
  • 1
    @user992 Yes, clitellae, -arum is a (plural) word for a pack saddle, and clitellarius means "bearing a pack-saddle." Here, the adjective is used as a noun, so "pack animals" would be the best translation: I guess you could call it metonymy.
    – brianpck
    Commented Nov 16, 2016 at 14:51
  • thank you thank you so much for your help. it is very good translation.
    – turuncu
    Commented Nov 16, 2016 at 14:56
  • 1
    @user992, if you think an answer (or a question) is good, please click the little up arrow to give a vote. I liked this answer and I voted for it, and I did the same for your question. Since you have asked this question yourself, you can choose your favorite answer by clicking the v-like button under the arrows. Voting in all forms is always useful.
    – Joonas Ilmavirta ♦
    Commented Nov 16, 2016 at 15:10

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge you have read our privacy policy.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.