VII. De abiete. Abies, ut dicit Ysidorus, arbor est sic dicta, quod pre ceteris arboribus longe eat et in excelsum promineat. Cuius natura expers est terreni humoris, ac proinde habilis atque levis habetur et sine nodositate exorta. Hec difficillime cedit putredini, vermibus vero nunquam.
- Translation
- Vocabulary
- Notes
VII. About the silver fir. The silver fir, as Isidore states, is thus called a tree, because it goes far in front of other trees and stands tall. The nature of this tree is free from the moisture of the earth, and therefore is considered easily handled and light, having grown up without knottiness. This tree only yields to rot with the utmost difficulty and in fact never yields to pests.
abiēs, abietis f. fir tree; silver fir
excellō, excellere, excellui, excelsus 3 elevate oneself; rise up; surpass
exorior, exorīrī, exortus sum 4 (also 3) spring up; rise; come out
expers, expertis adj. without; free from; having no share (of)
habilis, is, e adj. easily handled; manageable; suitable
nōdōsitas, nōdōsitātis f. knottiness; nodosity
prae prep. (+abl.) before; in front of
proindē adv. therefore; likewise; accordingly
prōmīneo, prōmīnēre, prōmīnui 2 stand out; extend; jut out
putrēdō, putrēdinis f. putrefaction; rotting; festering
terrēnus, a, um adj. of the earth; earthly; terrestrial
ūmor, ūmōris m. moisture; fluid; liquid
vermis, is m. worm; grub; maggot
Ysidorus: the scholar and archbishop Isidore of Seville.
pre: equivalent to prae, since ae was commonly shortened to e.
quod … promineat: both verbs are subjunctive because the author cannot be sure why Isidore calls it a tree.
in excelsum: excelsum means height as a substantive participle (i.e., stands tall).
Cuius: taken as a demonstrative pronoun (e.g., huius) in English.
expers: taken with genitive terreni humoris to show lacking of.
humoris: equivalent to umoris.
habilis atque levis: both adjectives modify arbor or natura.
habetur: “is considered” rather than “is had.”
sine nodositate: Knots are the places where branches connect to the trunk in planks of wood. Less knotty wood is often considered easier to work with.
Hec: equivalent to haec, since ae was commonly shortened to e.
difficillime: superlative adverbial form of difficilis.
cedit putredini, vermibus: cedit describes how the tree yields to both putredini and vermibus, which are datives.
nunquam: equivalent to numquam.