Jacobus de Voragine/Giacomo da Varazze [de Voragine]
1230-1298 AD
Trans RMBullard
Latin (Medieval Era)
IACOBUS DE VORAGINE
HISTORIA DE VIRGINE QUIDAM ANTIOCHENA
Virgo quaedam fuit Antiochiae, cuius historiam Ambrosius in secundo libro
De Virginibus recitat in haec verba:
[There was once a maiden from Antioch, whose life Ambrosius recites in the second book of his work "Maidens", in the following words:]
Antiochiae nuper virgo quaedam fuit,
[there was recently one particular maiden from Antioch,]
fugitans publici visus ostentationem.
[who fled the showiness of the public's eey.]
Sed quo magis vitabat oculos,
[But the more she fled people's eyes,]
incendebat affectus eo amplius impudicos.
[the more she set aflame the lusts of unchaste men.]
Pulchritudo enim audita nec visa plus desideratur duobus stimulis cupiditatum amoris et cognitionis,
[You see, her beauty, which was heard of but never seen, was desired more by the twin goads of desire, passion and fulfilment,]
dum et nihil occurrit,
[so long as nothing happens,]
quod minus placeat,
[the less pleasure is gain,]
et plus putatur esse, quod placeat;
[and that which is the cause of pleasure, is actually esteemed more highly.]
quod non index oculus explorat,
[that is, something which the eye cannot explore as our guide,]
sed animus amator exoptat.
[but a lover still completely desires in his mind.]
Itaque sancta virgo, ne diutius aleretur potiendae spes cupiditatis,
[And so, the holy maiden, in order to prevent any hope or desire that she could be won over from being encouraged any longer,]
integritatem pudoris professa,
[after professing her chastity to be intact,]
sic restrinxit improborum facies,
[thusly rejected any malfactors who appeared in her sight,]
ut iam non amaretur, sed proderetur.
[not because she could not be loved, but because she could not be betrayed.]
Ecce persecutio.
[And thus you see the cause of her persecution.]
Puella fugere nescia, aetate pavida.
[The girl did not know to flee, in her frightened young age.]
Ne incideret in insidiatores pudoris,
[To prevent herself from falling to the hands of people who would rob her of her chastity,]
animam ad virtutem paravit,
[she prepared a courage mindset for herself,]
tam religiosa, ut mortem non timeret,
[she was so religious that she did not fear death,]
tam pudica, ut mortem exspectaret.
[and so chaste that she began to expect it.]
Venit enim coronae dies.
[So came the day of her wedding crown.]
Maxima omnium exspectatio.
[The expectation of all was at its highest point.]
Producitur puella duplex professa certamen:
[A girl professed that she was in a two-sided struggle:]
