User:Helen Godshall/Notepad/'Septem' V.S. 'Sanctis'

Note title	'Septem' V.S. 'Sanctis'
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Page(s) link(s)	Page:FC 1042.djvu/442
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These words have very different meanings. 'Septem' means seven while 'santis' means holy, sacred. The phrase is 'et mecum inde detuli septem capita, ex septem/sanctis corporibus undecim millium Virginum, cum aliis multis sacris reliquiis Coloniae mihi datis'. Interestingly, despite the different meanings, both the words could work in the context.

With 'septem': And from there, I brought with me seven heads, from seven bodies of the 11,000 Virgins, with many other sacred relics of the Colony given to me.

With 'sanctis': And from there, I brought with me seven heads, from holy bodies of the 11,000 Virgins, with many other sacred relics of the Colony given to me.

The presence of 'sanctis' is important, since he is not taking the heads of ordinary Virgins with him. However, the seven makes sense since he took seven heads. The holiness could be taken as granted in this case, especially since the eleven thousand were probably companions of Saint Ursula.