Skip to content

Should history tell of good men and their good estate, the thoughtful listener is spurred on to imitate the good; should it record the evils ends of wicked men, no less effectually the devout and earnest listener or reader is kindled to eschew what is harmful and perverse, and himself with greater care pursue those things which he has learned to be good and pleasing in the sight of God.

— Bede Colgrave and Mynors translation (1969)

Another quote →

More quotes by Bede

How Bishop Aidan foretold to certain seamen a storm that would happen, and gave them some holy oil to lay it.

Before the dread journey which needs must be taken
No man is more mindful than meet is and right
To ponder, ere hence he departs, what his spirit
Shall, after the death-day, receive as its portion
Of good or of evil, by mandate of doom.

Fore there neidfaerae • naenig uuiurthit
thoncsnotturra • than him tharf sie
to ymbhycggannae • aer his hiniongae
huaet his gastae • godaes aeththa yflaes
aefter deothdaege • doemid uueorthae.

For þam nedfere • næni wyrþeþ
þances snotera, • þonne him þearf sy
to gehicgenne • ær his heonengange
hwæt his gaste • godes oþþe yfeles
æfter deaþe heonon • demed weorþe.

It is told that there was then such perfect peace in Britain, wheresoever the dominion of King Edwin extended, that, as is still proverbially said, a woman with her new-born babe might walk throughout the island, from sea to sea, without receiving any harm.

All Bede quotes →

Attribution

Quote text and notes from Wikiquote: Bede (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source quality and labels are our own summary of what Wikiquote records.