SECVNDA AETAS

SECOND AGE

12. Diluvium maximum fit

Postquam Noemus ipse ingressus est in arcam cum coniuge, tribus filiis et totidem nuribus, aqua maris et omnium fontium eruperunt. Simul pluvia ingens cecidit per quadraginta dies et totidem noctes. Aqua operuit universam terram, ita ut superaret quindecim cubitis altissimos montes. Omnia absumpta sunt diluvio; arca autem sublevata aquis fluitabat in alto.

12. The flood becomes great

After Noah himself went into the ark with his wife, three sons and the same number of daughters-in-law, the water of the sea and all the fountains burst forth. At the same time a huge rain fell for forty days and just as many nights. Water covered the whole land, in such a way that it surpassed by fifteen cubits the highest mountains. Everything was destroyed by the flood; but the arc lifted up by the waters floated on the deep.

13. Post quadraginta dies totidemque noctes diluvium desinit

Deus immisit ventum vehementem, et sensim aquae imminutae sunt. Tandem mense undecimo postquam diluvium coeperat, Noemus aperuit fenestram arcae, et emisit corvum, qui non est reversus. Deinde emisit columbam. Quum ea non invenisset locum ubi poneret pedem, reversa est ad Noemum, qui extendit manum, et intulit eam in arcam. 

Columba rursum emissa attulit in ore suo ramum olivae virentis, quo finis diluvii significabatur.

13. After forty days and just as many nights the flood stops

God sent a great wind, and slowly the waters receded. Finally, the eleventh month after the flood began, Noah opened the window of the ark, and sends out a raven, who did not return. Then he sent out a dove. When it did not find a place where it could place its foot, it returned to Noah, who held out his hand, and brought it into the ark.

The dove, again sent out, brought back in its mouth an a branch of a green olive tree, which meant that the flood had ended.

14. Noemus ex arca exit

Noemus egressus est ex arca, postquam ibi inclusus fuerat per annum totum ipse et familia eius: eduxit secum aves ceteraque animantia. Tum erexit altare, et obtulit sacrificium Domino. Deus dixit illi: “Non delebo deinceps genus hominum: ponam arcum meum in nubibus, et erit signum foederis quod facio vobiscum. Quum obduxero nubes caelo, arcus meus apparebit, et recordabor foederis mei, nec unquam diluvium erit ad perdendum orbem terrarum.”

14. Noah goes out from the ark

Noah went out from the ark, after he was locked in there through a whole year and with his family: he led out with them the birds and other animals. The he built an altar, and offerred a sacrifice to the Lord. God said to him: "From now on I will not destroy the human race, I will place my arc in the clouds, and it will be a sign of the covenant that I made with you. When I spread the clouds across the sky, my arc will appear, and I will remember my covenant, and there will never be a flood to destroy the whole world."

15. Homines se contaminant omnibus flagitiis

Omnes gentes propagatae sunt a filiis Noemi. Semus incoluit Asiam; Chamus, Africam; Iaphetus, Europam. Poena diluvii non deterruit homines a vitiis, sed brevi facti sunt peiores quam prius. Obliti sunt Dei creatoris; adorabant solem et lunam; non verebantur parentes; dicebant mendacium; faciebant fraudem, furtum, homicidium; uno verbo, se contaminabant omnibus flagitiis.

15. Mankind contaminates themselves with all kinds of wickedness

All the nations were increased by the sons of Noah. Shem inhabited Asia; Ham, Africa; Japthet, Europe. The punishment of the flood did not deter man from vice, but soon they were doing worse than before. They forgot God their creator; they worshipped the Sun and Moon; they did not obey their parents; they were speaking lies; they were doing fraud, theft, murder; in a word, they defiled themselves with all kinds of wickedness.