[Bell Historians] Gloucester

[Anne Willis]

________________________________________
From: bellhistorians at yahoogroups.com [mailto:bellhistorians at yahoogroups.com]
On Behalf Of David Cawley
Sent: 15 April 2007 21:32
To: bellhistorians at yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [Bell Historians] Gloucester

If the original was
 
MISSI DE CELIS HABEO NOMEN NOMEN GABRIELIS
 
Then the translation would be 
 
I HAVE THE NAME OF GABRIEL SENT FROM HEAVEN
 
Which is also correct 'ecclesiastical' Latin, even if not pure classical. My
guess is that the composer of the rhyming hexameter put the 'is' [which is
2nd declension ablative plural in any gender]  to ryme with the genitive
Gabrielis, which is a 3rd declension name. The classic form [allowing for
the fact that they had no Gabiels around at the time] would be
 
DE CELO MISSUS NOMEN GABRIEL HABEO
 
Much less fun! 
 
LUDO*
 
*An Easter egg prize awaits the one who can swork that out. No list member
won last year's!


Ludo:	to play, sport, frisk, frolic.

At least, that's how my father's Latin dictionary defines it.

Anne