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Carmina Burana (was help with medieval Latin)

From:Sally Caves <scaves@...>
Date:Tuesday, July 11, 2006, 14:47
I love Carl Orff's musical rendition of these poems.  My favorite one is
about the forlorn swan ("Olim lacus colueram!) once beautiful, who has been
killed and cooked, served by the dapifer, and who now approaches the
gnashing teeth.  Oh where is my LP?  With all the lyrics?

The collection combines sin and love (stetit puella!) in the most exquisite
way, and medieval German and Latin.

Sally

----- Original Message -----
From: "R A Brown" <ray@...>
To: <CONLANG@...>
Sent: Tuesday, July 11, 2006 3:04 AM
Subject: Re: medieval Latin translation help needed


> Hanuman Zhang wrote: >> I would like to know if any one can/would have a translation of the >> following: > > OK > >> O Fortuna > O Fate, > >> velut luna > like the moon > >> statu variabilis, > changeable in state, > >> semper crescis > you are always waxing > >> aut decrescis; > and waning; > >> vita detestabilis > hateful life > >> nunc obdurat > is at one moment hard > >> et tunc curat > and the next moment watches over > >> ludo mentis aciem, > the mind's sharpness in gambling; > >> egestatem, > poverty [direct object] > >> potestatem > (and) power [DO} > >> dissolvit ut glaciem. > it melts like ice. > >> Sors immanis > Luck, monstrous >> et inanis, > and empty, > >> rota tu volubilis, > you whirling wheel, > >> status malus, > evil state, > >> vana salus > vain salvation > >> semper dissolubilis, > (which is) always dissolvable, > >> obumbrata > overshadowed > >> et velata > and veiled > >> michi quoque niteris; > you harass me also; > >> nunc per ludum > now because of gambling > >> dorsum nudum > (my) naked back [direct object] > >> fero tui sceleris. > I bring to your villainy. > > >> Sors salutis > The luck of heath > >> et virtutis > and of strength > >> michi nunc contraria, > (which is) now against me, > >> est affectus > is troubled >> et defectus > and ruined > >> semper in angaria. > always in (your) service. > > [The poet now address his listeners - 2nd pers. plural] >> Hac in hora > In this hour > >> sine mora > without delay > >> corde pulsum tangite; > strike the strumming of the string; > >> quod per sortem > for that which by chance > >> sternit fortem, > lays a strong man low, > >> mecum omnes plangite! > you all weep with me! > >> >> - "CARMINA BURANA 1. FORTUNA IMPERATRIX MUNDI" > > FATE/LUCK EMPRESS OF THE WORLD > > -- > Ray > ================================== > ray@carolandray.plus.com > http://www.carolandray.plus.com > ================================== > "Ein Kopf, der auf seine eigene Kosten denkt, > wird immer Eingriffe in die Sprache thun." > "A mind that thinks at its own expense > will always interfere with language". > J.G. Hamann, 1760 >