"They come dear son, to take our land" - Revision 5

adveniunt ut agrōs rapiant, dīlecte, paternōs
fīlī, iam in campōs agmina saeva adigunt.
pugnēmus itaque et lapidēs hōs, arripiāmus
rāmōs, extorta et corde ferōce valent!
oscula dā mātrī; claustrumque impōnere longum
dīc puerīs; et equās celsa ferant stabula!
lūceat adsiduē fulvus (nam spēcula nostrīs
cordibus ardēbit) igne micante focus!

They come dear son, to seize ancestral land;
now drive their savage throngs towards our fields.
And so let's fight, let's grasp these rocks,
these boughs: when hurled with valorous heart
they avail quite well for arms.

Kiss your mother, and tell the boys
to put the long bolt on the door;
to bring the mares to stables high,
and to keep the hearth (for a glimmer
of hope will continue to blaze in our hearts)
lit with glittering fire.

Fragment, revised (iv)

adveniunt ut agrōs rapiant, dīlecte, paternōs
fīlī, iam in campōs agmina saeva adigunt.
pugnēmus itaque et lapidēs hōs, arripiāmus
rāmōs, extorta et corde ferōce valent!
oscula dā mātrī; claustrumque impōnere longum
dīc puerīs; et equās celsa ferant stabula!


They come, dear son, to take our land
and into fields lead savage troops.
And so let's fight, let's seize these rocks,
these boughs: if hurled with courageous heart,
they'll do quite well for arms.

Kiss your mother, tell the boys
to bolt the doors up tight; make sure
they bring the mares to their high stables.

End of the Road

(based on Viva La Vida, by Coldplay)

Photo (detail): Margaret Bourke-White, 1944. Source: LIFE/Google

"Quondam omnēs gentēs diciōne sōlus

ūnicā rēxī, pelagusque nūtū

aestuat meō; placidē resēdit

dicta facessens.

Fortūnae in palmō positus superbō

hostium timens pavidumque sensī

pectus; victorem et populus canēbat:

'Aemule dīvīs,

iō!' saevō ingressus milite ōlim in urbēs

gemmārum et aurī rapiēbam acervōs

templa infracta et foedera fracta līquī

turbinis instar.

mox terrōre armīsque regō cruentīs

ossibus trītīs procerum corōna est

et cruōre facta thronusque fūsō

sanguine fultus.

Cārius praedīs caput esse opīmīs

ōra per vulgī volitat susūrrus

nōvī stāre mōbilibus deinde

rēgiam harēnīs."

tālī garrulus mihi fātus ōre

senex nunc verrens trivium celebre

quod tyrannus tum numerāret inter

spōlia regnī.

Translation:

"Once I alone ruled all nations

with unparalleled might

and the sea at my nod

swells; and - eager to do my bidding -

there! has settled down again.

Placed in Fortune's haughty palm,

I sensed the quaking, timid heart

of my enemy, and as victor

the people would hymn me:

"Hail, O Rival to the Gods!"

Once, I invaded cities with savage armies

and seized heaps of gems and gold,

broken temples, and broken treaties

I left behind, like a savage tornado.

Then with terror and by cruel arms I rule;

From the ground bones and the gore

of princes has my diadem been made

and my throne supported

on their spilled blood.

The whisper flits across the people's lips

that my head is dearer than rich plunder

Then I know my palace stands

on shifting sand."

With such words did the talkative

old man address me, as now he swept

the crowded public square -

which back then as monarch - so he claimed -

he reckoned as a prize of war.

Model:

I used to rule the world

Seas would rise when I gave the word

Now in the morning I sleep alone

Sweep the streets I used to own

I used to roll the dice

Feel the fear in my enemy's eyes

Listen as the crowd would sing:

"Now the old king is dead, Long live the king"

One minute I held the key

next the walls were closed on me

and I discovered that my castles stand

on pillars of salt ʻnʻ pillars of sand

[refrain 1]

It was the wicked and wild wind

blew down the doors to let me in

shattered windows and the sound of drums

people couldn't believe what I'd become

Revolutionaries wait

for my head on a silver plate

Just a puppet on a lonely string

Oh, who would ever want to be king?

[refrain 2 x 2]

Viva La Vida in Latin Sapphics

(original lyrics by Coldplay)

[in progress]

Quondam omnēs gentēs diciōne sōlus

ūnicā rēxī, pelagusque nūtū

aestuat meō; placidē resēdit

dicta facessens.

Fortūnae in palmō positus superbō

hostium timens pavidumque sensī

pectus; victorem et populus canēbat:

'Aemule dīvīs,

iō!' saevō ingressus milite ōlim in urbēs

gemmārum et aurī rapiēbam acervōs

templa infracta et foedera fracta līquī

turbinis instar.

mox terrōre armīsque regō cruentīs

ossibus trītīs procerum corōna est

et cruōre facta thronusque fūsō

sanguine fultus.

Translation:

Once I alone ruled all nations

with unparalleled might

and the sea at my nod

swelled; and eager to do my bidding

settled down again.

Placed in Fortune's haughty palm,

I sensed the quaking, timid heart

of my enemy, and as victor

the people would hymn me:

"Hail, O Rival to the Gods!"

Once, I invaded cities with savage armies

and seized heaps of gems and gold,

broken temples, and broken treaties

I left behind, like a savage tornado.

Then with terror and by cruel arms I rule;

From the ground bones and the gore

of princes has my diadem been made

and my throne supported

on their bloodshed.

Model:

I used to rule the world

Seas would rise when I gave the word

Now in the morning I sleep alone

Sweep the streets I used to own

I used to roll the dice

Feel the fear in my enemy's eyes

Listen as the crowd would sing:

"Now the old king is dead, Long live the king"

One minute I held the key

next the walls were closed on me

and I discovered that my castles stand

on pillars of salt ʻnʻ pillars of sand

[refrain]

It was the wicked and wild wind

blew down the doors to let me in

shattered windows and the sound of drums

people couldn't believe what I'd become

Fragment of Work in Progress:

Parce mihi, mors atra, precor, diem in alterum, et index

ne digitus monstret - signa timenda - tuus!

Spare me Death, I pray, spare me over

'til another day; and let not your finger

- fearsome sign! - point at me today.

Laguna Beach, California (Sapphics)

Rough Draft

lītorī crēdunt decus aureumque

līquidumque undae; reboat (u _ _)

cautes immōtusque repellit agmen

vīgil aquārum.

Lūna scintillīs nitidīs corusca

caerulum spargit pelagus, fragōsa

saxa; corda et Pacificī serēnant

anxia ventī.

To the shores the waves endow

their golden, flowing trust.

The serene cliff re-echoes, and repels

the onward march of waters,

unmoving watch.

The moon - look! - sprinkles the

azure gulf, the rugged cliffs

with glittering pin-pricks

of light...

Laguna Beach, California (Sapphics)

lītorī crēdunt decus aureumque

līquidumque undae; reboat serēnus

cautes immōtusque repellit agmen

vīgil aquārum.

Lūna scintillīs - vide! - jam coruscīs

caerulum spargit pelagus, fragōsa

saxa; [convīvarum hilarī taberna est

plēna corōnā.]

To the shores the waves endow

their golden, flowing trust.

The serene cliff re-echoes, and repels

the onward march of waters,

unmoving watch.

The moon - look! - sprinkles the

azure gulf, the rugged cliffs

with glittering pin-pricks

of light. [The bar is packed with

a cheerful throng of merrymakers.]

Fragment

Hīc 'nova nupta, iō!' clāmārant laeta iuventae

turba atque aerea tum Sancta Marīa canit

Tum placet hūc nōbīs - foedera firma - redīre

'dēserere est thalamum fās sine amōre meum,'

haec tua tum dicta et potuit convīvium alacre

audīrī procul et carmina canta tibi.

coniunx et celebrat, celebrat iūcunda corōna

quamquam et stant longē, nostra susūrra placent!

Here the happy throng of youth

had shouted 'hurray for the new bride!'

Then Saint Mary sings her songs of bronze.

Then does it please us to return here -

a firm pact - then these were your words:

'It's right to desert my marriage bed

without love as it is.' Then the lively

festivities, and the songs sung for you

could be heard from afar, and your husband

celebrates, and the merry multitude.

And though they stand far off, nonetheless

our whispers please us.

St. Mary's Bells (Take One)

(inspired by Jacques Brel, "Je ne sais pas")

Alta suōs ulmus, fāgī et posuēre colōrēs

sōlus apud callem tē maneō solitum.

Clangōrēs, mea amāta, Marīam ēmittere Sanctam

audiō et exspectō; tempus abīre premit!

convēnit nōbīs cum Plīada (mense Novembrī)

vīdimus in summō - hūc rediisse - polō.

At ventī quīdam sonitus crispantia flantis

fōlia; cornīcis vox et acūta monent:

Lītora tē nāvī procul hinc illō comitante

Mīra petītūram; excēdere amōre novō.

The tall elm and the beech

have set aside their colors.

I await you alone, by the accustomed path.

Saint Mary sounds her brazen bells:

I listen and watch out for you.

The time to depart presses (upon us)!

We agreed to return here, when saw the Pleiads

at the sky's summit.

And yet a certain sound - of the wind

blowing the trembling leaves; that,

and the crow's sharp cry advise me:

that you aim to reach strange shores

with him as your companion,

that you depart with new love.