Stelle Aquilonales autem, qui ob situm reg...; (Gesta Swenomagni regis et filiorum eius et passio gloriossisimi Canuti regis et martyris (1111 - 1113), 1 (p. 83)) [4869]

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ID 4869
Text Gesta Swenomagni regis et filiorum eius et passio gloriossisimi Canuti regis et martyris (1111 - 1113) Ailnoth of Canterbury
Quotation Aquilonales autem, qui ob situm regionum Normanni dicuntur, et Isonii, (p. 84) qui etiam ob hiemis ibidem uehementiam et longeuioris glaciei seriem Glaciales tam patria quam et Danica et Normannica lingua nuncupantur, ritum quidem christianę religionis obseruant, sed pro terrę infertilitate uictusque exiguitate eandem fidei religionem tam sollempnibus ieiuniorum deibus quam et quadragesimali tempore illicitorum esu ciborum commaculant. Ab aquilone enim, ut per prophetam dominus commemorat, pandetur malum super faciem uniuersę terrę. Iccirco nationes istę, quas commemorauimus, antiquę infidelitatis obstrictę frigoribus uix umquam ita feruore succensę fidei stabilitate solidantur, ut infidelitatis nexibus penitus absoluantur, dum conantur rationibus perstringere legesque suas dei iusticię preponere et ab antiquis sese ritibus siue religiosis seu irreligiosis diuini respectu timoris pudori deputant abstrahere.
Translation And the northerners (Aquilonales), who on account of the position of their lands are called Northmen (Normanni), and the Icelanders (Isonii), (p. 84) who on account of the severity of their winters and the expanse of permanent ice there are also called Glaciales, both in their own and in the Danish and Norwegian languages, observe the rites of the Christian religion, but because of the infertility of their land and their poverty in the necessities of life they stain that same religion with the eating of illicit foods both on solemn days of fasting and Lent. For from the north, as the Lord said through a prophet, evil shall spread forth over the face of the entire world. Therefore these nations we have named, still bound in the chills of their ancient infidelity, have scarcely ever been made firm in the stability by the warmth of kindled faith so as to fully loosen them from the fetters of unbelief, as long as they attempt – something mortals cannot do – to dull the sacraments of faith for human reasons and prefer their laws to the justice of God, and consider it shameful to drag themselves away from their ancient customs, whether religious or otherwise, for fear of the divine. (Translation: Laura Gazzoli)
Summary The Norwegians and Icelanders live in harsh, inhospitable climes, the biblical source of evil, which hinders them in the proper observance of Christianity.
Quotation source 1 (p. 83)
Temporal Coverage 1111 - 1113
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Spatial Coverage Objects
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