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Leander of Seville

Works & Councils of Toledo 120

Latin original · 21 verses · some words can be tapped for a gloss

120:1

Imperator Caesar Flavius Justinianus, Alemanicus, Gothicus, Germanicus, Francicus, Anticus, Alanicus, Vandalicus, Africanus, pius, felix, inclytus, victor ac triumphator, semper Augustus, Archelao Praefecto prætorio Africæ. Quas gratias, aut quas laudes Domino Deo nostro Jesu Christo exhibere debeamus, nec mens nostra potest concipere, nec lingua proferre. Multas quidem et antea a Deo meruimus largitates, et innumerabilia circa nos cjus beneficia confitemur, pro quibus nihil dignum nos egisse cognoscimus.

The Emperor Caesar Flavius Justinianus, conqueror of the Alemanni, the Goths, the Germans, the Franks, the Antae, the Alans, the Vandals, the Africans, pious, fortunate, renowned, victor and triumpher, ever Augustus, to Archelaus, praetorian prefect of Africa. What thanks, or what praises, we ought to render to our Lord God Jesus Christ, neither can our mind conceive nor our tongue utter. Many bounties indeed we have merited from God even before, and we confess His innumerable benefits toward us, for which we know we have done nothing worthy.

皇帝凱撒弗拉維烏斯·查士丁尼努斯，征服阿勒曼尼人、哥特人、日耳曼人、法蘭克人、安特人、阿蘭人、汪達爾人、非洲人者，虔敬、幸運、顯赫、得勝而凱旋者，永久的奧古斯都，致非洲禁衛軍長官阿爾凱勞斯。我們當向我們的主上帝耶穌基督獻上何等的感謝、何等的讚美，我們的心智無法構想，我們的舌頭無法言表。誠然，我們先前已從上帝領受了許多恩賜，並承認祂向我們所施無數的恩惠，而我們深知自己未曾做過任何配得這些恩惠之事。

120:2

Prae omnibus tamen hoc, quod nunc omnipotens Deus per nos pro sua laude, et pro suo nomine demonstrare diguatus est, excedit omnia mirabilia opera, quæ in sæculo contigerunt, ut Africa per nos tam brevi tempore reciperet libertatem, antea nonaginta quinque annos a Vandalis captivata, qui animarum fuerant simul hostes et corporum: nam animas quidem diversa tormenta atque su pplicia non ferentes, rebaptizando ad suam perfidiam transferebant; corpora vero liberis natalibus clara, jugo b arbarico durissime subjugabant. Ipsas quoque Dei sacrosanctas ecclesias suis perlidiis maculabaut, aliquas vero ex eis stabula fecerunt.

Yet above all this is that which now the almighty God, for His own praise and for His own name, has deigned to display through us: it surpasses all the wondrous works that have come to pass in the age, namely that Africa through us in so short a time should recover its liberty, after being held captive for ninety-five years by the Vandals, who were enemies at once of souls and of bodies. For the souls, since they could not endure the various torments and punishments, they were transferring to their own false belief by rebaptizing them; while the bodies, distinguished by free birth, they were subjecting most harshly to a barbarian yoke. The very sacrosanct churches of God they were defiling with their perfidies, and some of them they even turned into stables.

然而超乎這一切的，乃是如今全能的上帝為了自己的讚美、為了自己的名，俯允藉我們所彰顯之事：它超越了世間所發生的一切奇妙作為，即非洲藉我們在如此短的時間內竟得以恢復其自由——它先前被汪達爾人擄掠了九十五年之久，那些人既是靈魂的仇敵，也是身體的仇敵。對於靈魂，他們因人不堪忍受種種酷刑與懲罰，便藉重新施洗將其轉入自己的異端邪信；對於身體，凡以自由出身著稱者，他們便以最殘酷的方式加上蠻族的軛。他們甚至以其背信之行玷污上帝至聖的眾教會，其中有些更被他們改作馬廄。

120:3

Vidimus venerabiles viros qui absci-eis radicitus linguis suas poenas miserabiliter loquebantur, alii vero post diversa tormenta per diversas dispersi provincias vitam in exsilio leregerunt. Quo ergo sermone, aut quibus operibus dignas Deo gratias agere v;tleamus, qui per me ultimum servum silum, Ecclesiae suae injurias vindicare dignatus est, et tantarum provinciarum populos a jugo servitutis cripere? Quod beneficium Dei antecessores nostri non meruerunt, quibus non solum Africam liberare non licuit, sed et ipsam Romam viderunt ab eisdem Vandalis captam, et omnia imperialia ornamenta in Africam exinde translata.

We have seen venerable men who, with their tongues torn out by the roots, miserably told of their sufferings; others, after various torments, were scattered through various provinces and dragged out their lives in exile. With what speech, then, or by what works could we render worthy thanks to God, who has deigned through me, His lowest servant, to avenge the injuries done to His Church and to snatch the peoples of so many provinces from the yoke of servitude? This benefit of God our predecessors did not merit, to whom it was not only not permitted to liberate Africa, but they even saw Rome itself taken by those same Vandals, and all the imperial ornaments thence carried off into Africa.

我們曾見過一些可敬的人，他們的舌頭被連根拔除，悲慘地述說自己所受的苦楚；另一些人在受過種種酷刑之後，被分散到各省，在流放中熬度餘生。那麼，我們當以何等的言語、或以何等的作為，向上帝獻上配得的感謝呢？祂俯允藉著我——祂最卑微的僕人，為祂教會所受的傷害伸冤，並將如此眾多省份的子民從奴役的軛下救拔出來。上帝這一恩惠，我們的前任們並未配得；他們不僅不獲准解放非洲，反倒眼睜睜看著羅馬城本身被那同一批汪達爾人攻陷，一切帝國的飾物都從那裏被擄往非洲。

120:4

Nunc vero Deus per suam misericordiam non solum Africam, et omnes ejus provincias nobis tradidit, sed et ipsa imperialia ornamenta, quae capta Roma fuerant ablata nobis restituis. Ergo post tanta beneficia, quae nobis Divinilas contulit, hoc de Domini Dei nostri misericordia postulamus, ut provincias quas nobis restituere dignatus est firmas et illæsas custodiat. et faciat nos eas secundum voluntatem suam ac placitum gubernare, ut universa Africa sentiat [omnipotentis] Dei misericordiam, et cognoscant ejus habitatores a quam durissima captivitate et jugo barbarico liberali, in quanta libertate sub felicissimo nostro imperio degere meruerunt.

But now God by His mercy has handed over to us not only Africa and all its provinces, but has also restored to us the very imperial ornaments which had been carried off when Rome was captured. Therefore after such great benefits as the Divinity has conferred upon us, this we ask concerning the mercy of our Lord God, that He may keep firm and unharmed the provinces which He has deigned to restore to us, and may make us govern them according to His will and good pleasure, so that all Africa may perceive the mercy of [the almighty] God, and its inhabitants may know from how harsh a captivity and barbarian yoke they have been freed, and in how great a liberty they have been found worthy to live under our most fortunate rule.

但如今上帝藉其憐憫，不僅將非洲及其一切省份交付給我們，更將羅馬被攻陷時被擄去的那些帝國飾物歸還給我們。故此，在神明賜予我們如此重大的恩惠之後，我們就主上帝的憐憫所祈求的乃是：願祂使其俯允歸還我們的諸省堅固無損，並使我們按祂的旨意和喜悅治理它們，好叫全非洲都領悟〔全能的〕上帝的憐憫，並使其居民知曉自己是從何等殘酷的擄掠與蠻族的軛中得了釋放，又在我們最幸運的統治下配得了何等大的自由而得以安居。

120:5

Huc etiam deprecantes exoramus sanctae et gloriosae semper virginis et Dei genitricis Mariae precibus, ut quidquid minus est reipublicæ nostrae per nos ultimos servos suos restituat in suo nomine Deus, et dignos nos faciat servitium ejus adimplere. § 1. Deo itaque auxiliante, pro felicitate reipublicæ nostræ, per hanc divinam legem sancimus, ut omnis Africa, quam nobis Deus praestitit, per ipsius misericordiam optimum suscipiat ordinem, et propriam habeat praefecturam: ut sicut Oriens, atque Illyricum, ita et Africa praetoriana maxima potestate specialiter a nostra clementia decoretur.

To this also we make our supplication, entreating by the prayers of the holy and glorious ever-virgin and Mother of God, Mary, that whatever is lacking to our commonwealth, God may restore in His own name through us, His lowest servants, and may make us worthy to fulfil His service. (§1) With God therefore helping, for the felicity of our commonwealth, by this divine law we ordain that all Africa, which God has granted to us, may through His mercy receive the best order and have its own prefecture: so that, just as the East and Illyricum, so also Africa may be specially adorned by our clemency with a praetorian power of the highest rank.

為此我們也獻上懇求，藉著神聖榮耀、終身童貞的上帝之母馬利亞的祈禱，求上帝奉自己的名，藉我們這些最卑微的僕人，補足我們共和國一切的缺乏，並使我們配得成全祂的事奉。（第一節）故此，靠上帝相助，為我們共和國的福祉，我們藉此神聖的法律頒令：願上帝所賜予我們的全非洲，藉祂的憐憫領受最佳的秩序，並擁有其自己的長官轄區：使非洲一如東方與伊利里亞，特別蒙我們的仁慈賦予最高等級的禁衛長官權力，以為尊榮。

120:6

Cujus sedem jubemus esse Carthaginem, et in præfatione publicarum chartarum praefecturis aliis ejus nomen adjungi, quam nunc tuam excellentiam gubernare decernimus. § 2. Et ab ea (auxiliante Deo) septem provincie cum suis judicibus disponantur: quarum Tingi et quae Proconsularis antea vocabatur, Carthago et Byza cium ac Tripolis rectores habeant cons:'lares; reliquæ vero, id est, Numidia et Mauritania, et Sardinia a præsidibus cum Dei auxilio gubernentur. — § 3. Et in officio quidem tuae magnitudinis, necnon pro tempore viri magnifici praefecti prætorio Africæ trecentos nonaginla sex viros per diversa scrinia et officia militare decernimus.

We command that its seat be Carthage, and that in the preamble of public documents its name be joined to the other prefectures—the prefecture which we now decree your Excellency shall govern. (§2) And from it (God helping) let seven provinces with their judges be arranged: of which let Tingi and that which was formerly called Proconsularis, Carthage, and Byzacium and Tripolis have governors of consular rank; but the rest, that is, Numidia and Mauretania and Sardinia, let them be governed by presidents with God's help. (§3) And in the office of your Greatness, as well as of the magnificent praetorian prefect of Africa for the time being, we decree that three hundred and ninety-six men perform service through the various bureaus and offices.

我們命令其治所設於迦太基，並在公文的序言中將其名與其他長官轄區並列——此轄區我們如今頒令由閣下治理。（第二節）並由此（靠上帝相助）安排七個省份及其法官：其中廷吉、舊稱「總督省」（Proconsularis）者、迦太基、比扎凱乌姆與的黎波里，當設執政級長官；其餘者，即努米底亞、毛里塔尼亞與撒丁島，則靠上帝相助由總督（praesides）治理。（第三節）至於閣下衙署，以及當時非洲禁衛軍長官閣下衙署之中，我們頒令當有三百九十六人在各局署與衙署中任職。

120:7

In officiis vero consutarium ac praesidum quinquaginta homines per singula officia esse sancimns. I 4. Quae vero emolumenta, sive magniOcentia tua, sive consulares, et praesides, et quod unusquisque ex officio eorum de publico consequi debeat, notitia subter annexa declarat. § 5. Optamus ergo ut omnes judices nostri secundum voluntatem et timorem Dei, et nostram electionem atque ordinationem sic suas administra tiones gubernare studeant; ut nullus eorum aucupiditati sit deditus, aut violentias aliquas vel ipse inferat, vel judicibus aut officiis eorum, aut quibuscunque aliis collatoribus inferre permittat.

In the offices of the consulars and presidents we ordain that there be fifty men in each office. (§4) But what emoluments either your Magnificence, or the consulars and presidents, and what each man from their office ought to obtain from the public treasury, the schedule annexed below declares. (§5) We desire therefore that all our judges, according to the will and fear of God, and our choice and ordinance, strive so to govern their administrations that none of them be given over to greed, or himself inflict any acts of violence, or permit them to be inflicted upon the judges or their officials, or upon any other taxpayers whatsoever.

在執政級長官與總督的衙署中，我們頒令每一衙署當有五十人。（第四節）至於閣下、執政級長官與總督所應得之薪俸，以及其衙署中每人應從公庫所得者，下附之清單予以說明。（第五節）故此我們願我們所有的法官，按上帝的旨意與敬畏，並按我們的揀選與任命，如此竭力治理其行政事務：使他們中無一人沉溺於貪婪，或自己施行任何暴行，或容許對法官、其屬員，或任何其他納稅人施行暴行。

120:8

Licet enim per omnes provincias nostras ( Deo juvanic) festinemus, ut illasos habeant collatores, maxime tamen tributariis dioeceseos Africanae consulimus, qui post tantorum temporum captivitatem meruerunt ( Deo juvante ) per nos lumen libertatis aspicere. Ergo jubemus omnes violentias et omnem avaritiam cessare, et justitiam atque veritatem circa omnes nostros tributarios reservari. Sic enim et Deus placabitur, et ipsi possunt celerius, sicut collatores alii nostrae reipublicae, relevari atque florere. — § 6.

For although throughout all our provinces (with God's aid) we are anxious that the taxpayers be kept unharmed, yet most of all we have regard for the tributaries of the African diocese, who after a captivity of such long duration have merited (with God's aid) through us to behold the light of liberty. We command therefore that all acts of violence and all avarice cease, and that justice and truth be preserved toward all our tributaries. For thus both will God be appeased, and they themselves can the more quickly, like the other taxpayers of our commonwealth, be relieved and flourish. (§6)

因為雖然在我們所有的省份中（靠上帝相助），我們皆切望納稅人不受傷害，但我們最為顧念非洲教區的納稅人，他們在如此長久的擄掠之後，配得（靠上帝相助）藉我們得見自由的光。故此我們命令一切暴行與一切貪婪止息，並向我們所有的納稅人持守公義與真理。因為如此，上帝既得安撫，他們自己也能像我們共和國其他納稅人一樣，更快得著紓解而興盛。（第六節）

120:9

Sportulas etiam ab officio tam viri magnifici, praefecti [ praetorio' Africani, quam reliquorum judicum sic exigi jubemus, quomodo in nostris legibus est dispositum, et ab omni rtpublica nostra custoditur, ut nullus audeat quocunque tempore, vel quocunque modo, earum excedere quantitatem. — § 7. Hoc etiam praesenti sanctione credimus ordinandum, ut non multa dispendia pro completione chartarum, vel codicillorum, vel in nostro laterculo, vel in scriniis praefecti prætorio per Africam judices sustinere videantur, quia si ipsi dispendiis laesi non fuerint, nullam habebunt necessitatem ejusdem nostræ Africae tributarios praegravandi.

We command also that the fees (sportulae) be exacted by the office both of the magnificent prefect of the African praetorium and of the rest of the judges in the same manner as is laid down in our laws and is observed throughout all our commonwealth, so that none may dare at any time or in any way to exceed their fixed amount. (§7) This too we believe must be ordained by the present sanction, that the judges may not be seen to suffer many expenses for the drawing up of documents, or of codicils, or in our registry, or in the bureaus of the praetorian prefect throughout Africa; for if they themselves are not damaged by expenses, they will have no necessity of burdening the tributaries of this our Africa.

我們也命令，無論是非洲禁衛長官閣下的衙署，還是其餘法官的衙署，所收取的規費（sportulae）皆當按我們法律所定、並為我們全共和國所遵行的方式徵收，使無人膽敢在任何時候、以任何方式逾越其定額。（第七節）我們也認為當藉本敕令予以規定：使眾法官不致為製作公文、附錄遺囑（codicilli）、或在我們的登記處、或在全非洲禁衛長官各局署中，被視為承受諸多花費；因為他們自己若不受花費之損，便毫無加重我們這非洲納稅人負擔的必要。