As Bono heard the story: In my mother’s first days in the house when a girl, she could not cease weeping, not yet having assumed the terrifying reserve and governing dignity which were her portion; and in those days, finding that Beth spake her tongue and offered a bosom to cry upon, my mother, whose name was still Morenike, had recounted through her tears that quanquam in nave tanquam pælex designata ut nautas lascivientes satisfaceret. Repugnavit, quisque eam stupravit cæteris spectantibus.

Quae facinora Deus avertat! Quam sordidum animal est homo! Tuam misericordiam non peto, Domine, sed potius precor ut iratum nobis omnibus te præbeas. Nos penitus everte, Domine, tanquam tui aspectus indignos.⁵

5 “. . . upon the ship, she had been selected as a concubine to satisfy the lusts of the sailors. She had resisted, and they had fallen upon her, each committing his indignity in the sight of the others. God forbid such atrocities! How vile a creature is Man! I do not ask Thee for mercy, O Lord, but that Thou turn upon us the full savagery of Thy wrath. Destroy us utterly, O Lord, for we are unworthy in Thy sight.” [Editor’s translation]

It was shortly after this revelation to Beth that my mother announced her royalty and prevailed upon the philosophers to train her and her son as royalty should be trained; and within three more months, she did not speak to Beth at all, save to deliver her commands.