# unda fluxit



## river

Could someone offer a word-for-word translation of the following:

Cujus latus perforatum, unda fluxit sanguine; Esto nobis praegustatum in mortis examine.

Especially "unda" and "mortis examine".

Thanks


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## jazyk

Did you see this?


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## river

Thank you Jazyk, but your reference is not an exact translation. "Lance," for example, is not in the text. A more accurate attempt, I think: Whose side pierced, flowed blood (still not sure about "unda"); Be for us a foretaste in death's trial.


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## jazyk

Unda means wave.


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## lacrimae

river said:


> Could someone offer a word-for-word translation of the following:
> 
> Cujus latus perforatum, unda fluxit sanguine; Esto nobis praegustatum in mortis examine.
> 
> Especially "unda" and "mortis examine".
> 
> Thanks


 According to my opinion unda is the subject of fluxit; esto could be 3ª pers. not 2º, imperative and praegustatum would be related to latus.

En español yo traduciría
De cuyo costado atravesado mana el agua junto con la sangre; Séanos dado a gustar en el suceso de la muerte


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## radagasty

jazyk said:


> Unda means wave.


 
Yes, the basic meaning of _unda_ is 'wave', but that is not appropriate here. Consider the context: a meditation of the real presence of Christ in the eucharistic species. We know that when Christ's side was pierced upon the cross, water and blood flowed. The appropriate translation of _unda_ is therefore 'water'. This used of _unda_ is by no means rare, but rather is common even in classical literature. (Etymologically speaking, it is ultimately related to the English 'water'.)



lacrimae said:


> According to my opinion unda is the subject of fluxit; esto could be 3ª pers. not 2º, imperative and praegustatum would be related to latus.


 
The subject of _fluxit_ is _latus. Unda_ and _sanguine_ are both ablatives.

_cujus latus perforatum unda fluxit et sanguine_
whose pierced side flowed with water and blood

_Esto_ could be a 3rd person imperative rather than 2nd person, but the distinction is immaterial here, since it scarcely changes the meaning. The entire meditation is addressed to the true body, beginning _ave verum corpus_, so 2nd person is also a possibility. This latter option is more likely, in my opinion, since both the syntax and meaning suggest that _prægustatum_ refers to _corpus_ and not _latus_.



river said:


> especially ... "mortis examine"


 
The meaning of _in mortis examine_ is not altogether clear. As written, it seems to mean 'in the weighing of death', perhaps a reference to the (particular or last) judgement. It has also been suggested, however, that the text is corrupt and should in fact read differently, although I am not familiar with the debate on its textual history.


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## Basso Rotondo

"Unda fluxit et sanguine" is a strange phrase.  It would appear that "unda" (wave) is being used as a synonym of "aqua" (water).  I believe that both are in the ablative singular denoting means or instrument.  Thus, "unda fluxit et sanguine" would mean "gushed forth with water and blood."  But I believe there is a figure of speech (I forget what it's called) that uses "et" (and) to connect words that are more logically expressed by the genitive case.  Thus, "unda et sanguine" could mean "a wave of blood" and the expression would mean "gushed forth with a wave of blood."  "Fluxit aqua et sanguine" is much more direct and much better Latin, and is probably how the original text of the prayer "Ave verum corpus" read.


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## Basso Rotondo

"Esto nobis praegustatum in mortis examine" is also problematic.  I do not believe that Pope Innocent VI, to whom the prayer "Ave verum corpus" is attributed, intended for it to mean that the passion and death of Christ would be a foretaste ("praegustatum") of our own death.  Rather, I believe that he is referring to the sacrament of the Eucharist itself, which Catholics believe is the true body ("verum corpus") of Christ under the appearance of bread.  I think that "mortis examine" refers to the moment of death, at which we stand before God in judgment ("examine"), and I think the assumption is that God will admit us to the Heavenly Banquet rather than send us to, um, the other place.  And so the prayer is that the Eucharist that we consume at communion may be a foretaste of our eternal enjoyment of the presence of God in heaven after we have passed the test of death ("mortis examine") before God.


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