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This is from Pope Pius II's History of Frederick III, as quoted by Jacob Grimm in an article documenting the history of marriage rites. It concerns Frederick's marriage to Eleonora of Portugal:

[jacentique sibi Fridericus III juissit] Leonoram in ulnas complexusque dari ac praesente rege (Alphonso), cunctis proceribus adstantibus, superduci culcitram.

My attempt: "Frederick, having lay down, ordered that Leonora be given into his embracing arms and, in the presence of the King and of the assembled nobles, carried over the mattress." But that makes no sense; how can she first be given into his arms and then carried over the mattress? Can anyone help? Thank you!

cinoc
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Well, superducere does not mean "carry over," it means "draw over." And it only takes one accusative object, so we need not fear poor Leonora is still the AcI subject here and getting dragged around in front of all the court -- no, it is the culcit(r)a.

Now, considering that (a) a mattress is usually under people, not over them, and (b) a culcita is something stuffed, or cushion-like for sleeping or keeping warm, I could imagine something like a duvet is meant (apparently called "quilt" in US English). That term seems somewhat anachronistic, so maybe let's say "cushion."

So I would translate:

Frederick ordered that to him, lying down, Leonora be given into his arms and embrace, and, in the presence of the King and of the assembled nobles, a cushion be drawn over them.

Sebastian Koppehel
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