Losing Half of My Soul: A Medieval Portrayal of David and Jonathan, Abelard Lamentations 6

 

Name: Peter Abelard Date:    1079 – 1142 CE Region:   [modern France] Citation:   Planctus 6: Planctus David Super Saul et Jonathan 45-48; 53-56; 61-64; 69-92  [Lamentation on the Death of King Saul and Jonathan]

Jonathan, more than a brother to me, Who shared my soul, What sins, what crimes have destroyed my flesh! ... Oh God, the earth is drenched In the slaughter of kings! Oh my Jonathan, why did an impious hand slay you? ... Now, my Jonathan, I’ll mourn you over everyone else I’ve lost, All of my joys Will forever be mixed with tears ... Oh God! What terrible advice did I follow That I didn’t join you in battle To protect you? Or I could have died happily Slain by your side, Since it would be an act of love— Nothing greater exists than this. And it is literal death To outlive you  And keep on living With only half a soul. I should have been there At the moment of crisis To prove myself Sharing in your victory Or supporting you in your downfall,  So I could rescue you from danger Or I could die with you, sacrificing the life you saved so many times and giving my life for yours,  so death can join us instead of separate us.

Plus fratre mihi Jonatha, in una mecum anima, quae peccata, quae scelera, nos ciderunt viscera! ... Vae, vae tibi madida tellus caede regia! quare te, mi Jonatha, manus stravit impia? ... Tu mihi nunc Jonatha, Flendus super omnia, inter cuncta gaudia perpes erit lacrima. ... Heu! Cur consilio acquievi pessimo, ut tibi praesidio non essem in praelio? Vel confossus pariter morier feliciter quum, quod amor faciat, maius hoc non habeat. et me post te vivere mori sit assidue, nec ad vitam anima satis est dimidia. vicem amicitiae vel unam me reddere, oportebat tempore summae tunc angustiae; triumphi participem vel ruinae comitem, ut te vel eriperem vel tecum occumberem vitam pro te finiens quam salvasti totiens ut et mors nos iungeret magis quam disiungeret.

How Many Genders? Aelius Donatus, Parts of Speech

 

Name: Aelius Donatus Date: 4th century CE   Region:   [Unknown] Citation:   Parts of Speech

How many genders are there? Four. Which? ·         Masculine, like magister [“teacher,”]; ·         Feminine, like musa [‘Muse,’]; ·         Neuter, like scamnum [“bench”]; and ·         Common, like sacerdos [“priest”]. There is another beyond the three genders, which is called All-Inclusive [omne], like how the word ‘felix’ [“blessed, lucky”] can describe masculine, feminine or neuter words. It is unisex, for any gender, like passer [“sparrow”] or aquila [“eagle”].

genera nominum quot sunt? quattuor. quae? masculinum, ut hic magister, femininum, ut haec Musa, neutrum, ut hoc scamnum, commune, ut hic et haec sacerdos. est praeterea trium generum, quod omne dicitur, ut hic et haec et hoc felix; est epicoenon, id est promiscuum, ut passer aquila.