13.07.25: the Bayeux tapestry [2]

[11] HIC VVILLELM[US] DEDIT HAROLDO ARMA

Hīc ¦ Willelmus ¦ dedit ¦ Haroldō arma

Here ¦ William ¦ gave ¦ arms to Harold

[12] / [13] HIE* VVILLELM[US] VENIT BAGIAS / VBI HAROLD SACRAMENTVM FECIT VVILLELMO DUCI

*Hie: an odd mistake given that it had been sewn so many times before! The tapestry was certainly created by a group of needleworkers. It should be hīc (here).

Hīc ¦ Willelmus ¦ vēnit ¦ Bagias / Ubi ¦ Harold sacrāmentum fēcit ¦ Willelmō dūcī

Here ¦ William ¦ came ¦ to Bayeux / Where Harold made an oath ¦ to Duke William

There is some discussion as to the use of Bagias for Bayeux; that the text is saying ‘to Bayeux’ would suggest it is an accusative (used without prepositions to indicate ‘to’ a named town / city e.g. Rōmam │ to Rome). That would make the name Bagiae ( > Bagiās: to Bayeux). Some notes on it here (p126, p135), a lengthy book but very detailed:

https://ia801609.us.archive.org/7/items/bayeuxtapestry00fowk/bayeuxtapestry00fowk.pdf

Also:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bayeux

Both links discuss the origin of the name.

[14] They know their deponent verbs …

HIC HAROLD DVX REVERSVS EST AD ANGLICAM TERRAM

Hīc Harold dux reversus est ad Anglicam terram

Here Duke Harold has returned to English territory

revertor, revertī, reversus sum: return

[15] … and the passive verbs …

HIC PORTATUR CORPVS EADWARDI REGIS AD ECCLESIAM S[AN]C[T]I PETRI AP[OSTO]LI

Hīc portātur corpus Eadwardī rēgis ad ecclēsiam Sānctī Petrī Apostolī

Here the body of King Edward is being carried to the church of St. Peter the Apostle

[16] / [17] HIC EADVVARDVS REX IN LECTO ALLOQVIT[UR] FIDELES / ET HIC DEFVNCTVS EST

Hīc Eadwardus rēx in lectō alloquitur fidēlēs / Et hīc dēfūnctus est

Here Edward in bed speaks to / addresses his faithful (followers) / And here he has died

alloquor (adloquor), alloquī, allocutus sum [3/deponent]: address

dēfungor, dēfungī, dēfunctus sum [3/deponent]: (here) die

Interesting to note the different ways in which the name Edward is sewn, suggesting different needleworkers: [15] CORPVS EADWARDI (Vs intertwined) [16] HIC EDVVARDVS (VV); the early beginnings of the separate W

[18] ISTI MIRANT[UR] STELLA[M]

Istī ¦ mīrantur ¦ stēllam

These (people / men)¦ marvel at ¦ the star

In Classical Latin iste, ista, istud (that [one / man / woman]; pl: those [people]) was often used negatively. However, that pejorative sense was gradually lost and it was used no differently from the other demonstratives ille and hic. Latin iste = Spanish este (this).

mīror, mīrārī, mīrātus sum [1/deponent]: wonder / marvel at; admire

The ‘star’ being referred to is generally identified as Halley’s Comet:

https://www.nasa.gov/history/955-years-ago-halleys-comet-and-the-battle-of-hastings/

[19] HIC WILLELM[US] DVX IVSSIT NAVES [A]EDIFICARE

Hīc ¦ Willelmus dux ¦ iussit ¦ nāvēs aedificāre

Here ¦ Duke William ¦ has given the order ¦ to build ships

iubeō, -ēre, iussī [2]: order; command

Note the writing of the Latin diphthong /ae/ as /e/ i.e. aedificare > edificare; this is reflecting a pronunciation change evident in the Mediaeval manuscripts where /ae/ is commonly written as /e/