1120-1186 AD
Trans RMBullard
Latin (Medieval Era)
WILLIAM OF TYRE
HISTORIA RERUM IN PARTIBUS TRANSMARINIS GESTARUM
PROLOGUS.
WILLELMUS, Dei patientia sanctae Tyrensis Ecclesiae minister indignus, venerabilibus in Christo fratribus, ad quos praesens opus pervenerit, aeternam in Domino salutem.
[William, the minister of Tyre's holy church and man not worthy of God's patience, seeks eternal salvation in God and Christ alongside the friars to whom the current work reaches.]
Periculosum esse et grandi plenum alea regum gesta describere, virorum prudentium nemo est qui dubitet.
[And it is a dangerous, risky task to describe the accomplishments of kings--no prudent man would doubt it.]
Nam, ut laborem, juge studium, perennes vigilias, quibus hujusmodi solent indigere negotia, penitus omittamus, duplex historiographis certum est imminere praecipitium:
[You see, I must especially pass over the difficulty, the perpetual concentration, the perennially sleepless nights, through which works of this type usually come about, and certain doom looms doubly for writers of history.]
quorum vix est, ut alter utrum declinare valeant.
[Hardly should these men endeavor for a result that leaves every other man able to escape.]
Effugientes enim Charybdim, Scyllam incurrunt, quae succincta canibus, non minus novit procurare naufragia.
[You see, these are men who flee Charybdis, and dash toward Scylla, that monster surrounded by hounds who no less knews how to tend to the wreckage of ships.]
Aut enim rerum gestarum veritatem prosequentes, multorum in se conflabunt invidiam;
[you see, either these men, who search for the truth of acts performed will heavy in the envy of many upon themselves;]
aut indignationis gratia leniendae, rerum occultabunt seriem in quo certum est non deesse delictum.
[or thanks to an grudge yet to be reconciled, they will hide the sequence of events in which one can be certain that some fault is missing.]
Nam rerum veritatem studiose praeterire, et occultare de industria, contra eorum officium esse dignoscitur.
[To be specific, it seems worthy thing to pass over the truth of things, eagerly, and hide from hard work, to be opposed to the obligations of men like these.]
Ab officio autem cadere, procul omni dubio, culpa est;
[In any event, to fall from one's obligations, far from any kind of doubt, is a flaw;]
si tamen vere dicitur officium, congruus actus uniuscujusque personae, secundum mores et instituta patriae.
[if however it is truly called an "obligation", the act is agreeable for each and every person, according the the customs and establishments of his own country.]
Rerum autem incontaminatam prosequi gestarum seriem, et veritatis regulam non deserere,
[In any event, to follow an unblemished sequence of accomplishments, and not abandon the rule of truth,]
res est quae indignationem solet saepius excitare,
[it is a matte which more often is accustomed to provoke indignation,]
juxta illud quod vetere proverbio dici solet:
[on that idea that can be described an old proverb:]
Obsequium amicos, veritas odium parit.
[Obsequiousness gets you friends, while the truth begets you hatred.]
Aut igitur a suae professionis cadent officio,
[Otherwise, let them therefore fall from the office of their own profession,]
obsequium praestantes indebitum;
[that is, men who excel in giving obediance that is undeserved;]
aut rei veritatem prosequentes,
[or men attack the truth of an idea,]
odium, cujus ipsa mater est, eos oportebit sustinere.
[hatred, who is its mother, will need sustain them.]
Haec nimirum frequentius ita sibi solent adversari,
[These things of excess more frequently needs to be opposed thsuly to itself,]
et se mutua importunitate reddere molesta.
[and with mutual misfortune, the vexsome things manifested themselves.]
Nam juxta Ciceronis nostri sententiam:
[you see, Cicero's statement is parallel to my own:]
Molesta est veritas,
[The truth is bothersome,]
siquidem ex ea nascitur odium,
[whenever it incurs hatred from itself,]
quod est amicitiae venenum;
[something which poison to one's friendship;]
molestius tamen obsequium,
[and yet, obsequiousness is even more troublesome,]
quod vitiis indulgens, amicum sinit ire praecipitem:
[for it is something that is lenient to vice; it allows a friend to go too far:]
quod in se videtur implere,
[it is something which seems to fulfill itself,]
qui obsequii gratia, contra officii debitum supprimit veritatem.
[whoever, by reward for his obsequiousness, suppresses the truth contrary to what is owed to one's duty.]
Nam eorum qui adulationis studio rerum gestarum articulis involvunt impudenter mendacia,
[You see, of these people who impudently tie their lying nature to the items of their accomplishments, using the zeal of their adulation,]
tam detestabile factum creditur,
[their action is thought to be so detestable,]
ut nec scriptorum numero debeant sociari.
[that they ought not be associated in the total number of writers.]
Nam rerum veritatem studiose praeterire, et occultare de industria, contra eorum officium esse dignoscitur.
[To be specific, it seems worthy thing to pass over the truth of things, eagerly, and hide from hard work, to be opposed to the obligations of men like these.]
Ab officio autem cadere, procul omni dubio, culpa est;
[In any event, to fall from one's obligations, far from any kind of doubt, is a flaw;]
si tamen vere dicitur officium, congruus actus uniuscujusque personae, secundum mores et instituta patriae.
[if however it is truly called an "obligation", the act is agreeable for each and every person, according the the customs and establishments of his own country.]
Rerum autem incontaminatam prosequi gestarum seriem, et veritatis regulam non deserere,
[In any event, to follow an unblemished sequence of accomplishments, and not abandon the rule of truth,]
res est quae indignationem solet saepius excitare,
[it is a matte which more often is accustomed to provoke indignation,]
juxta illud quod vetere proverbio dici solet:
[on that idea that can be described an old proverb:]
Obsequium amicos, veritas odium parit.
[Obsequiousness gets you friends, while the truth begets you hatred.]
Aut igitur a suae professionis cadent officio,
[Otherwise, let them therefore fall from the office of their own profession,]
obsequium praestantes indebitum;
[that is, men who excel in giving obediance that is undeserved;]
aut rei veritatem prosequentes,
[or men attack the truth of an idea,]
odium, cujus ipsa mater est, eos oportebit sustinere.
[hatred, who is its mother, will need sustain them.]
Haec nimirum frequentius ita sibi solent adversari,
[These things of excess more frequently needs to be opposed thsuly to itself,]
et se mutua importunitate reddere molesta.
[and with mutual misfortune, the vexsome things manifested themselves.]
Nam juxta Ciceronis nostri sententiam:
[you see, Cicero's statement is parallel to my own:]
Molesta est veritas,
[The truth is bothersome,]
siquidem ex ea nascitur odium,
[whenever it incurs hatred from itself,]
quod est amicitiae venenum;
[something which poison to one's friendship;]
molestius tamen obsequium,
[and yet, obsequiousness is even more troublesome,]
quod vitiis indulgens, amicum sinit ire praecipitem:
[for it is something that is lenient to vice; it allows a friend to go too far:]
quod in se videtur implere,
[it is something which seems to fulfill itself,]
qui obsequii gratia, contra officii debitum supprimit veritatem.
[whoever, by reward for his obsequiousness, suppresses the truth contrary to what is owed to one's duty.]
Nam eorum qui adulationis studio rerum gestarum articulis involvunt impudenter mendacia,
[You see, of these people who impudently tie their lying nature to the items of their accomplishments, using the zeal of their adulation,]
tam detestabile factum creditur,
[their action is thought to be so detestable,]
ut nec scriptorum numero debeant sociari.
[that they ought not be associated in the total number of writers.]
