Sunday, September 14, 2008

Flesne etiam? (elegiac couplet)


Flesne etiam? Num tu lacrimas in carmina vertes?
Altera dum veniat maeste poeta, cane!


Still crying, are you? Why won't you turn your tears into song?
'til another comes, sad poet, sing!!





Iam Discessit Amor (elegiac couplets)

(A)

Iam discessit Amor, quas fixerat ante nitentes
corde faces removet; nunc gemitus remanent

Love's now left. The brands he'd planted
there before, gleaming, he removes.
Now laments remain.

(B)

Iam discessit Amor, secum fert corde remotas
taedas, nunc mixti carmine sunt gemitus

Love has left now, with him he brings
the brands, removed from my heart;
now plaints with songs are mingled.

(C)

Iam discessit Amor, secum sua corde remota
aufert tela meo; sit mea Musa dolor!

Love has left now, with him he carries off
his arrows, removed from my heart.
Let grief be now my Muse!

(D)

Iam discessit Amor; quas fixerat ante, removit
(1) corde faces tenero quod lacrimis medicor!
(2) corde faces, cordi nunc medeor lacrimis!

Love's now left. The brands he'd fixed there

(1) he's removed from my tender heart
which I now try to heal with tears.

(2) he's removed from my heart
and it's my heart I now try to heal
with tears.








Friday, September 05, 2008

Carmina quid possunt? (elegiacs)

Carmina quid possunt? Solus lepida sine Musa
- Solus! - amore carens, gaudia amissa fleo!

What can songs do? Alone, without my charming Muse
- Alone! - without Love, I weep for the joys lost.