Re: Latin gravestone inscription, Massachusetts, 1804
Ed Cryer
"RJO" <rjoha...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:32a030bf-54fc-4b3b...@o28g2000yqh.googlegroups.com...
> I'm studying an early Massachusetts cemetery that has one large
> tablestone for the town's first minister, and as was fitting for his
> learned calling, the inscription is in Latin. I can patch together a
> translation of bits of it, but have no confidence in the accuracy of
> the result. Anyone care to give it a try? The surface of the stone is
> a bit eroded, so while the letters are fairly clear, the punctuation
> is not; and it's important to remember that the stone carver probably
> didn't know any Latin himself, and so the spelling may be irregular
> (as it is in nearby English stones, too). This is the text as I can
> make it out:
>
> Sub hoc Tumulo / Reliquiae / Rev. Johannis Payson, A.M. / Jacent. /
> Olim Ecclesiae Fitchburgensis / Pastor. Qui die Maii XXIII / Anno
> Domini MDCCCIV / mortuus est, / Anno Aetatis LIX / Annoque sui
> Sacerdotii XXXVI. / Praestantissimo Vir ingenio, / benevolentissimoque
> animo / scientia praeditus, mandatoque divino fidelis / studio
> exercitioque Theologiae, / amico monito factisque charitatis datus. /
> potius quam contentioni inani / persecutionibusque avaritiae sordidis.
>
> Here's a very rough translation:
>
> Under this mound the remains of the Rev. John Payson, A.M., lie. Once
> pastor of the Fitchburg church. Who died May 23, A.D. 1804 in the 59th
> year of his age and the 36th year of his pastorate. A man of
> exceptional ability and of a most benevolent spirit, endowed with
> learning, faithful to his divine mission, devoted to the study and
> practice of theology and to deeds of charity for the admonished friend
> rather than useless strife and the sordid pursuit of avrice.
>
> Can any readers suggest corrections or improvements?
>
> Many thanks.
>
> RJO
amico monito factisque charitatis datus.
That seems to me to mean "devoted to an instructed friend and deeds of
charity".
"Monito" seems peculiar there. I'm not sure just what an "amicus
monitus" is. I'd go for "proven" but that would be straining the word a
bit.
Ed
Evertjan.
>
> "RJO" <rjoha...@gmail.com> wrote in message
> news:32a030bf-54fc-4b3b-babd-6cf4be4af1a9
"devoted to [his?] deeds of charity to [his?] admonished friend"
or perhaps?
"given for [his?] deeds of charity by [his?] admonished friend"
with help from a 2007 discussion:
<http://www.librarything.com/topic/19741>
--
Evertjan.
The Netherlands.
(Please change the x'es to dots in my emailaddress)
Hartmut Gastens
> Ed Cryer wrote on 27 dec 2009 in alt.language.latin:
>
>> "RJO" <rjoha...@gmail.com> wrote in message
>>> and it's important to remember that the stone carver probably
>>> didn't know any Latin himself, and so the spelling may be irregular
>>> (as it is in nearby English stones, too).
!!!!
>>> Sub hoc Tumulo / Reliquiae / Rev. Johannis Payson, A.M. / Jacent. /
>>> Olim Ecclesiae Fitchburgensis / Pastor. Qui die Maii XXIII / Anno
>>> Domini MDCCCIV / mortuus est, / Anno Aetatis LIX / Annoque sui
>>> Sacerdotii XXXVI. / Praestantissimo Vir ingenio, / benevolentissimoque
>>> animo / scientia praeditus, mandatoque divino fidelis / studio
>>> exercitioque Theologiae, / amico monito factisque charitatis datus. /
>>> potius quam contentioni inani / persecutionibusque avaritiae sordidis.
maybe: monit_u_ amico = friendly admonition
greetinx
--- news://freenews.netfront.net/ - complaints: ne...@netfront.net ---
Ed Cryer
"Evertjan." <exjxw.ha...@interxnl.net> wrote in message
news:Xns9CEE9E86...@194.109.133.242...
Ah, so AM = Artium Magister (Master of Arts). We say MA in the UK. Can
someone confirm that it's AM in USA.
Ed
RJO
but accurate translation (repeating the original for reference):
Sub hoc Tumulo / Reliquiae / Rev. Johannis Payson, A.M. / Jacent. /
Olim Ecclesiae Fitchburgensis / Pastor. Qui die Maii XXIII / Anno
Domini MDCCCIV / mortuus est, / Anno Aetatis LIX / Annoque sui
Sacerdotii XXXVI. / Praestantissimo Vir ingenio, / benevolentissimoque
animo / scientia praeditus, mandatoque divino fidelis / studio
exercitioque Theologiae, / amico monito factisque charitatis datus. /
potius quam contentioni inani / persecutionibusque avaritiae sordidis.
In this grave lie the remains of the Rev. John Payson, A.M., once
pastor of the Fitchburg church, who died May 23, A.D. 1804, in the
59th year of his age and the 36th year of his priesthood. A man of
exceptional ability and a most benevolent spirit, endowed with
learning, faithful to his divine mission, devoted to the study and
practice of theology and to deeds of charity and friendly admonition
rather than useless strife and the sordid pursuit of avarice.
> Ah, so AM = Artium Magister (Master of Arts). We say MA in the UK. Can
> someone confirm that it's AM in USA.
>
> Ed
Yes, A.M. = M.A. Usage varies from university to university in the
U.S. I believe. Most places use M.A.; Harvard uses A.M., and the Rev.
Mr. Payson was Harvard College 1764. (His 1804 death was in fact a
suicide, something not mentioned on the stone of course.)
RJO
John W Kennedy
> Ah, so AM = Artium Magister (Master of Arts). We say MA in the UK. Can
> someone confirm that it's AM in USA.
I can't swear to AM, but I know that AB is (or used to be) fairly common.
--
John W. Kennedy
"The blind rulers of Logres
Nourished the land on a fallacy of rational virtue."
-- Charles Williams. "Taliessin through Logres: Prelude"
Hartmut Gastens
> I thank you all very much. So in summary, how would this be as a free
> but accurate translation (repeating the original for reference):
>
> Sub hoc Tumulo / Reliquiae / Rev. Johannis Payson, A.M. / Jacent. /
> Olim Ecclesiae Fitchburgensis / Pastor. Qui die Maii XXIII / Anno
> Domini MDCCCIV / mortuus est, / Anno Aetatis LIX / Annoque sui
> Sacerdotii XXXVI. / Praestantissimo Vir ingenio, / benevolentissimoque
> animo / scientia praeditus, mandatoque divino fidelis / studio
> exercitioque Theologiae, / amico monito factisque charitatis datus. /
> potius quam contentioni inani / persecutionibusque avaritiae sordidis.
>
> In this grave lie the remains of the Rev. John Payson, A.M., once
> pastor of the Fitchburg church, who died May 23, A.D. 1804, in the
> 59th year of his age and the 36th year of his priesthood. A man of
> exceptional ability and a most benevolent spirit, endowed with
> learning, faithful to his divine mission, devoted to the study and
> practice of theology and to deeds of charity and friendly admonition
> rather than useless strife and the sordid pursuit of avarice.
>
scientia =knowledge
"learning" would be "studium"
John W Kennedy
No, "learning" is better English here. It has two meanings: the process
of acquiring knowledge, and the sort of knowledge that is acquired by study.
C. S. Lewis remarks that, just as vocational training is the enemy of
education, education is the enemy of learning.
--
John W. Kennedy
"Sweet, was Christ crucified to create this chat?"
-- Charles Williams. "Judgement at Chelmsford"
Hartmut Gastens
>
> No, "learning" is better English here. It has two meanings: the process
> of acquiring knowledge, and the sort of knowledge that is acquired by
> study.
ah, scientia linguae Latinae me prohibere, ne in linguam Anglicam
peccarem, non potuit!