Any latin students here? Need a translation

[Crepusculum]

Good evening all, am not convinced I put this in the right place, so apologies in advance - this from a magisterial document rather than sacred scripture, but it does at least come from a chapter entitled “The meaning of inspired scripture”. The quote is:

“Littera gesta docet, quid credas allegoria,
moralis quid agas, quid speras anagogia.”

Any ideas? Usually they translate whatever is of another language shortly after quoting it, but in this instance they didn’t. I checked it with a friend who took a latin module as part of his economics degree, but he was only able to make sense of a couple of the words, and not the flow of its meaning.

Thanks for any light you are able to cast on this, have even called upon Saint Jerome, patron of translators, to pray for a good clear answer.

 

[Todd_Easton]

The Letter speaks of deeds; Allegory to faith;
The Moral how to act; Anagogy our destiny. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 118)

 

[Crepusculum]

The Letter speaks of deeds; Allegory to faith;
The Moral how to act; Anagogy our destiny. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 118)

Wow, that was quick! Thank you so much.

I do notice though, that the one in the footnote off Catechism 118 ends “Quo tendas anagogia” instead of the “quid speras anagogia”, how does that affect the translation?

 

[Todd_Easton]

I don’t know Latin but I suspect “quid speras anagogia” could be translated “Anagogy to hope.”

 

[Contarini]

Good evening all, am not convinced I put this in the right place, so apologies in advance - this from a magisterial document rather than sacred scripture, but it does at least come from a chapter entitled “The meaning of inspired scripture”. The quote is:

“Littera gesta docet, quid credas allegoria,
moralis quid agas, quid speras anagogia.”

I’d translate it as:

“The letter teaches deeds, allegory teaches what you should believe, the moral sense what you should do, and anagogy what you hope for.” I’d translate “quo tendas” as “where you are heading.”

If you want the meaning of this explained in great detail (which you probably don’t. . . . ), I recommend the four-volume *Medieval Exegesis *by Henri de Lubac. The first two volumes (at least–I haven’t checked recently) are in English, the others only in the original French.

Edwin

 

[Crepusculum]

Thanks, excellent answers