ENGLISH TRANSLATION OF
"DE CRUCIS LIBER PRIMUS"
The following is the translation from Latin to English of excerpts from "DE CRUCE LIBER PRIMUS.
"...I commence the subject: I establish a two old kind of cross (in this subject) which is to be explained, namely the single and double (put together) kinds. I call. at the former kind when the attachment is done on a single wooden plank. And this cross, in my opinion, was the earliest type, and developed into another form from this primitive shape. But there is also a double kind, as I have already touched upon. The one is for binding, the other for nailing. For at one time they either bound a man, to a tree or post, or they nailed him...." Page 647, The page featured in the Kingdom Interlinear Translation (1969)
CHAPTER IX
"The cross (is) strengthened and inserted from the Church fathers'writings: They themselves explained by others and with pictures By ourselves also. "Briefly the cross was inserted and the other crosswise bar is joined and inserted with the upright plank, and thus it cuts (divides) itself. Thus there are always some projections and a little head (the top?),otherwise that in the Commissa? Also here the angles (from the end) are four borders each, but there, there are three each. Who has any doubt about this matter? The pictures and old writings equally hurl this at our eyes."
Page 650
"I do not know whether the words of Innocent to this matter should be referred to: 'In the Lord's cross there were four pieces of wood, the upright beam, the crossbar, a tree trunk (piece of wood) placed below, and the title (inscription) placed above......When I examine many following words of Innocent, I would say he did not know about this board place in, but truly (as he says) he knew about the trunk placed below, from which the cross itself rose.Thus it appears he knew this; that there was some kind of trunk, and either it was placed at the bottom of the cross to prop it (the Greekscall this kind of oblique prop 'registers ' ) or the trunk was placed under the upright beam itself in the ground, to which it was inserted-so that the beam might stand more firmly...... Also they hand down (this a count by) Irenaeus: ' The construction itself of the cross has five ends; "two on the vertical and two on the horizontal, and one in -he middle where the person attached with nails rested. '.....They divide the cross into five ends ('points' Tertullian called them), those four which are known (familiar) and extend out; and the fifth which they place in the middle of the crass, where the transverse beam cuts and crosses the fixed beam...... "I have translated these passages as accurately as possible andto the best of my ability". (Marie Tseng, Teaching Assistant, Universityof S. California, USA. 10/3/76)4
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