Sunday, November 22, 2009





Patroclus ut Achillis īra minuātur precātur.




"Furōris ardens et nimis ignibus
accense, flectī tē sine carmine
ut fonte pūrō dēminūta est
flamma furensve fugātus Auster

maris potentī, nam cohibet manūs
vī turma Grāiās Hectoreā tenax:
Lux nostra, iam dēpōne saevam
rōbora quā pereunt Achaea

īram, minus hāc sī moveam prece,
incerta saltem tē moneat tuba
nōn sustinērī posse Phoebō
tēla diū Lycia adiuvante."


Patroklos prays that Akhilleus' anger be assuaged.

"O blazing and too roused by anger's fires
Be thou bent and softened by this prayer
just as flames are lessened by pure waters
or the South wind, which flees at Neptune's bidding.

For the Trojan squadron, holding fast
by Hector's might, hems in the Danaan troops.
O, our saving light, now lay aside
the savage anger by which

our best now die. And if I not move you
by this prayer, then at least let
the uncertain trumpets' blare remind you
that Lycian arrows can not much longer
be withstood, so long as Apollo helps their side."

Monday, November 16, 2009

Soon to Graduate

O, ērudītīs praeposita artibus
tē, docta prōles, fronte Iovis sata (et)
Mūsae novem, vōs, turba mīra,
rēgia prōtegit Arx piandās.

O, you, set in charge of the liberal arts,
skilled offspring, born of Zeus' forehead,
and you, Muses nine, marvelous throng,
you goddesses, fit for reverence,
this royal citadel protects.

Sunday, November 15, 2009

Alternative last Stanzas

(1)

omnēs - tuam ad laudem - scopulōs suā
rēplet sonōrōs harmoniā; modīs
mīrīs resultat rūpes omnis;
alta sonō feriuntur astra

(2)

Neptune, O, regnī scopulōs tuī
rēplet sonōrōs laudibus; et modīs
mīrīs resultat rūpes omnis;
omne specus sonat; omne lītus.


Saturday, November 07, 2009

Translation of Thomas Campion's
Hymn in Praise of Neptune
in Latin Alcaics.

"Used to determine the Merton, New, Magdalen, Corpus, and Worcester College scholarships at Oxford in 1891" (Califf 2002: 140); no paraphrase was used as an aid in composing this piece.

Petrus Lichoas:

Neptūne, regnum caeruleum tuum,
cuius timendīs agmina fluctuum
obtemperant sceptrīs, canāmus,
flūmina quem celebrant cadūca

altissimīs dē montibus, aequora et
laudant gregēs ob lūcida squāmeī
- sēdēs suās - sollemnem et omnis
nauta tuae lapidem corōnae

ūmentibus dat dē loculīs suīs.
Trītōnum et aulae prae foribus chorī
maris solum pulsant trementis;
iam resonant vada salsa mōtū,

caelum ut fragōsō cum tonitrū boat.
Altum et colentēs - grex ululantium -
Nymphaeque, Sīrēnumque suāvī
turba perīta necāre cantū

omnēs - tuam ad laudem - scopulōs suā
rēplet sonōrōs harmoniā; modīs
mīrīs resultat rūpes omnis;
alta sonō feriuntur astra




Thomas Campion:

Of Neptune's empire let us sing,
at whose command the waves obey;
to whom the rivers tribute pay,
Down the mountains sliding:
To whom the scaly nation yields
Homage for the crystal fields
Wherein they dwell:
And every sea-dog pays a gem
yearly out of his wat'ry cell
To deck great Neptune's diadem.

The Tritons dancing in a ring
Before his palace gates do make
The water with their echoes quake
Like the great thunder sounding:
The sea nymphs with their accents shrill,
And the sirens, taught to kill
With their sweet voice,
Make ev'ry echoing rock reply
Unto their gentle murmuring noise
The praise of Neptune's empery.

Friday, November 06, 2009


egens puellā quō fugiam meā
"Without her, where should I take refuge?"
In Horatian Alcaics

egens puellā quō fugiam meā?
Montēs adeptus num viridēs vager
lūnae velut qui lūminōsae
vōce lupus minitante cantat

explens sonō lustra et nemora invia
saevō, comantēs quī movet īlicēs?
Sīc spīritus spīrante Mūsā
interiōre sonō movētur.

Without her
Where should I take refuge?
Should I reach the verdant mountain
ranges, and there, wander
like a wolf
who sings to the luminous moon
with threatening howls

filling his haunts and glades
with the savage sound,
which moves the leafy
holm-oaks ?

This is how my heart moves,
when inspired,
stirred by a sound from within.

Monday, November 02, 2009

(1) First line of an Alcaic "Soon to Graduate":

doctam ērudītīs praepositam artibus
arcem

O Citadel of Learning;
Seat of the Fine Arts

(2) Stanza for an Alcaic poem for work in progress:

egens puellae quō fugiam meae?
Montēs adeptus num Viridēs vager
lūnae velut qui lūminōsae
vōce lupus minitante cantat

explens sonō lustra et nemora invia
saevō...

Where should I flee
Now that I'm without my girl?
Having arrived at the Green Mountains
Should I there wander,
like a wolf who sings
to the luminous moon
with menacing voice

Filling his haunts and glades
with the savage sound?