The Etymologies of Isidore of Seville - Pot-pourri

208 IX.v.27–vi.10 Isidore of Seville
were postera aetas (“later age”). The word nepos refers
to either sex, for the reason that we speak of a neptis
(“granddaughter”) in legal use is because of the
acknowledged distinction in matters of succession. 27.
Agreat-grandson is the child who is conceived and
born from the grandson, and he is called pronepos as
if the term werenatus porro post (“born further after”).
From this degree on the offspring begin to be called
the progeny (progenies), as if porro post geniti (“begotten
further after”). The children and grandchildren do not
count as ‘progeny’ because they have no long period of
descent.
28. Just as those born rather far down the line
of descent are called progeny, so those further up,
the great-grandfathers and great-great-grandfathers, are
also called ‘progenitors’ (progenitor), as if the term were
porro generans (“remote begetter”). A great-grandson
(pronepos)issocalled because he is prope nepotem (“near
the grandson”). 29.The great-great-grandson (abnepos),
because he is separated ‘from the grandson’ (a nepote),
for the pronepos is between him and the nepos. The
adnepos is the son of an abnepos. 30. Thetrinepos is
the son of the adnepos,because he is fourth in line after
the nepos –asifthewordweretetranepos (“fourth” +
“grandson”). 31. We do not speak of ‘descendants’
(minor) except where a name for a degree of kinship is
lacking – such names as son, grandson, great-grandson,
great-great-grandson, great-great-great-grandson, and
great-great-great-great-grandson. Where there are no
more such terms for degrees we rightly speak of ‘descendants,’
just as we speak of ‘ancestors’ (maior) beyond
the terms for father, grandfather, great-grandfather,
great-great-grandfather, great-great-great-grandfather,
and great-great-great-great-grandfather.
vi. Paternal and maternal relatives (De agnatis et cognatis)
1. ‘Paternal kin’ (agnatus) are so called because
they ‘succeed in place of children’ (accedere pro natis)
when there are no sons. Hence they are acknowledged
as taking precedence in the lineage, because they issue
from people of the male sex, such as a brother begotten
by the same father, or a brother’s son or grandson, or a
paternal uncle. 2.‘Maternal kin’ (cognatus)aresocalled
because they are also linked by nearness of kinship (cognatio).
Maternal kin are considered as after the paternal
kin because they issue from people of the female sex,
and are not paternal kin, but are related otherwise by
natural law. 3. The ‘next of kin’ (proximus) issocalled
because of closeness (proximitas) ofblood.4. ‘Bloodrelatives’
(consanguineus) are so called because they are
conceived from oneblood (sanguis), that is, from one
seed of a father. A man’s seed is a froth of blood that
looks like water dashed against cliffs and making a white
froth, or like dark wine that makes a whitish foam when
shaken in a cup. 5.Brothers(frater)are so called because
they are of the same fruit (fructus), that is, born of the
same seed. 6. However,‘maternal brothers’ (germanus)
are those issuing from the same mother (genetrix) and
not, as many say, from the same seed (germen); only the
latter are called fratres. Therefore fratres issue from the
same fruit, and germani from the same mother. 19 7.Uterine
(uterinus) brothers are so called because they have
issued from different fathers but from a single womb
(uterus), for only a woman has a womb.
8.IntheDivine Scriptures brothers are referred to in
four ways: in nature, in nation, in lineage, and in affection.
In nature, as Esau and Jacob, Andrew and Peter,
James and John. In nation, as all Jews are called brothers
of eachotherinDeuteronomy (cf. 15:12): “If you
obtain your brother (frater), who is a Hebrew man.”
And the Apostle says (Romans 9:3-4): “I wished myself
to be an anathema from Christ, for my brethren (frater),
who are my kinsmen according to the flesh, who are
Israelites.” 9. Further, people may be called brothers by
lineage when they are of one family, that is, one native
land. Latin speakers use the word ‘paternity’ (paternitas)
when many groups of a race spread from a single root.
In Genesis, Abraham said to Lot (cf. 13:8): “Let there be
no quarrel between me and thee, and between my herdsmen,
and thy herdsmen: for we are all brethren (frater).”
Surely Lot was not Abraham’s brother, but the son of
his brother Aram. 10. Inthe fourth way, brothers are
so called in affection, and this has two types: spiritual
and general. In spiritual brotherhood, by which all of us
Christians are called brothers, as (Psalm 132:1 Vulgate):
“Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren
(frater) todwelltogether in unity.” In general brotherhood,
because all humans, born from one father, are
joined in equal kinship among ourselves, as Scripture
says (cf. Isaiah 66:5): “Say to those that hate you: you are
our brothers (frater).”
19 In classical Latin a frater was the son of one’s father or mother,
and a frater germanus or simply germanus was a full brother.