Venantius Fortunatus: VENANTIUS FORTUNATUS (A.D. 530-609)

Si Salomoniaci memoretur machina templi,
arte licet par sit, pulchrior ista fide.
nam quaecumque illic veteris velamine legis
clausa fuere prius, hic reserata patent.
floruit illa quidem vario intertexta metallo:
clarius haec Christi sanguine tincta nitet;
illam aurum, lapides ornarunt, cedrina ligna:
huic venerabilior de cruce fulget honor.

If the Solomonic work of the temple is recalled,
it may be equal in art, that one is more beautiful in faith.
for whatever there were there closed before by the veil of the old law,
here, unbarred, lie open when the veil is removed.
that one indeed flourished, interwoven with varied metal:
this one, dyed with the blood of Christ, gleams more brightly;
that was adorned with gold, stones, cedar wood:
to this a more venerable honor shines forth from the cross.

constitit illa vetus, ruituro structa talento:
haec pretio mundi stat solidata domus.
splendida marmoreis attollitur aula columnis
et quia pura manet, gratia maior inest.
prima capit radios vitreis oculata fenestris
artificisque manu clausit in arce diem;
cursibus Aurorae vaga lux laquearia conplet
atque suis radiis et sine sole micat.

that old one stood, its fabric built with a talent about to fall:
this house stands, consolidated by the price of the world.
splendid, a hall is raised on marble columns,
and because it remains pure, a greater grace is present.
the foremost takes in rays, eyed with glassy windows,
and the artisan’s hand shut day within the citadel;
with the courses of Dawn a wandering light fills the coffered ceilings
and with its own rays gleams even without the sun.

haec pius egregio rex Childebercthus amore
dona suo populo non moritura dedit.
totus in affectu divini cultus adhaerens
ecclesiae iuges amplificavit opes;
Melchisedech noster merito rex atque sacerdos
conplevit laicus religionis opus.
publica iura regens ac celsa palatia servans
unica pontificum gloria, norma fuit.

These things the pious King Childebercthus, from an outstanding love,
gave as gifts to his people not destined to perish.
wholly adhering in affection to divine worship
he enlarged the Church’s enduring riches;
our Melchisedech, deservedly king and priest,
fulfilled the lay work of religion.
governing public rights and preserving the lofty palaces
he was the sole glory of the pontiffs, their exemplar.

hinc abiens illic meritorum vivit honore;
hic quoque gestorum laude perennis erit.

Going hence, there he lives in the honor of merits;
here too he will be perennial in the praise of deeds.

Ad Rucconem diaconum, modo presbyterum

To Rucconem, deacon, recently made presbyter

Altaris domini pollens, bone Rucco, minister,
hinc tibi festinus mando salutis opus.
Nos maris Oceani tumidum circumfluit aequor,
te quoque Parisius, care sodalis, habet;
Sequana te retinet, nos unda Britannica cingit:
divisis terris aligat unus amor.
Non furor hic pelagi vultum mihi subtrahit illum
nec boreas aufert nomen, amice, tuum.

Mighty minister of the Lord’s altar, good Rucco,
hence I hastily entrust to you this work of salvation.
The swollen sea of the Ocean girds us round,
Paris likewise holds you, dear comrade;
the Sequana detains you, the Britannic wave surrounds us:
one love binds us across divided lands.
No madness of the sea withdraws that face from me
nor does the north wind carry off your name, friend.

Pectore sub nostro tam saepe recurris amator,
tempore sub hiemis quam solet unda maris.
Ut quatitur pelagus quotiens proflaverit eurus,
stat neque sic animus te sine, care, meus.

Beneath my breast you return so often, O lover,
as beneath the season of winter the sea’s wave is wont.
As the sea is shaken whenever Eurus breathes forth,
so neither does my soul stand, nor can it be without you, dear.

Ad Gogonem cum me rogaret ad cenam

To Gogonem, when he invited me to dinner

Nector vina cibus vestis doctrina facultas --
muneribus largis tu mihi, Gogo, sat es;
tu refluus Cicero, tu noster Apicius extas,
hinc satias verbis, pascis et inde cibis.
Sed modo da veniam; bubla turgente quiesco,
nam fit lis uteri, si caro mixta fremat.
Hic ubi bos recubat, fugiet puto pullus et anser
cornibus et pinnis non furor aequus erit.

Nectar, wines, food, clothing, doctrine, wealth --
with lavish gifts you suffice me, Gogo;
you are a backflowing Cicero, you stand as our Apicius,
from words you give satiety, and you also feed me with foods.
But now grant pardon; with my ox swollen I rest,
for a quarrel of the belly arises, if meat mingled growls.
When here the ox reposes, I think the chick and goose will flee,
horns and wings will not meet with equal mercy.

Et modo iam somno languentia lumina claudo;
nam dormire meum carmina lenta probant.

And now I close my eyes, their lights growing languid with sleep;
for my slow carmina prove that I must sleep.

Ad domnam Radigundem

To Domna Radigunda

Tempora si solito mihi candida lilia ferrent
aut speciosa foret suave rubore rosa,
haec ego rure legens aut caespite pauperis horti
misissem magnis munera parva libens.
Sed quia prima mihi desunt, vel solvo secunda:
profert qui vicias ferret amore rosas.
Inter odoriferas tamen has quas misimus herbas
purpureae violae nobile germen habent.

If at their wont the seasons bore to me white lilies
or a fair rose glowing with a sweet blush,
these, I, picking from the countryside or the turf of a poor garden,
would gladly have sent small gifts to great ones.
But since the first are wanting to me, I at least pay the second-best:
he who bears love brings substitute roses.
Yet among fragrant herbs these that we sent have the noble germ of the purple violet.

Respirant pariter regali murice tinctae
et saturat foliis hinc odor, inde decor.
Haequod utrumque gerunt pariter habeatis utraque,
et sit mercis odor flore perenne decus.

Dyed alike in regal purple they breathe together
and here the scent fills the leaves, there the beauty adorns.
Since these bear both alike, may you have each of them,
and may the fragrance be the merchandise’s perennial flowered glory.

Item ad eandem pro floribus transmissis

Also to the same for the flowers sent

O regina potens, aurum cui et purpura vile est,
floribus ex parvis te veneratur amans.
Et si non res est, color est tamen ipse per herbas:
purpura per violas, aurea forma crocus.
Dives amore dei vitasti praemia mundi:
illas contemnens has retinebis opes.

O powerful queen, to whom both aurum and purpura are cheap,
a lover reveres you from the smallest flowers.
And if it be not the thing, yet the colour itself is present in the herbs:
purpura through violets, the golden form the crocus.
Rich in the love of God, you have scorned the rewards of the world:
despising those, these riches you will retain.

Suscipe missa tibi variorum munera florum,
ad quos te potuis vita beata vocat.
Quae modo te crucias, recreanda in luce futura,
aspicis hinc qualis te retinebit ager.
Per ramos fragiles quos nunc praebemus olentes
perpende hinc quantus te refovebit odor.

Receive, sent to you, the gifts of manifold flowers,
to which a blessed life was able to call you.
Those which now afflict you, to be renewed in the light to come,
behold from here what sort of field will retain you.
Through the fragile branches which now we offer, fragrant,
weigh from here how great a scent will cherish you.

Haec cui debentur precor ut, cum veneris illuc,
meque tuis meritis dextera blanda trahat.
Quamvis te exspectet paradisi gratia florum,
isti vos cupiunt iam revidere foris.
Et licet egregio videantur odore placere,
plus ornant proprias te redeunte comas.

I pray that these things, which are owed to you, when you shall come there,
and that your gentle right hand, by your merits, draw me.
Although the paradise‑grace of flowers may await you,
these same ones already long to see you again outside.
And though they seem to please by their noble scent,
they more adorn your own locks when you return.

Vexilla regis prodeunt

The banners of the king advance

Vexilla regis prodeunt
Fulget crucis mysterium
Quo carne carnis conditor
Suspensus est patibulo.

The banners of the king go forth
The mystery of the cross shines
By which in flesh the flesh’s Creator
Was suspended on the patibulum.

Quo vulneratus insuper
Mucrone diro lanceae
Ut nos lavaret crimine
Manavit unda et sanguine.

By which, wounded moreover
by the dire point of the lance,
that he might wash us from guilt,
there flowed water and blood.

Impleta sunt quae concinit
David fideli carmine
Dicens In nationibus
Regnavit a ligno Deus.

Fulfilled are the things which David chants
with faithful song,
saying, “In the nations
God has reigned from the wood.”

Arbor decora et fulgida
Ornata Regis purpura
Electa digno stipite
Tam sancta membra tangere.

A comely and shining tree
Adorned with the King’s purple
Chosen with a worthy stem
To touch such holy members.

Beata, cujus brachiis
Saecli pependit pretium
Statera facta corporis
Praedamque tulit tartari.

Blessed she, on whose arms the world's ransom hung,
made the balance of the body,
and she took away the spoil of Tartarus.

O Crux ave, spes unica
In hac triumphi gloria
Auge piis justitiam
Reisque dona veniam.

O Cross, hail, sole hope
In this triumphal glory
Increase justice for the pious
And grant pardon to the guilty.

Te summa Deus Trinitas
Collaudet omnis spiritus:
Quos per crucis mysterium
Salvas, rege per saecula. Amen.

May you, O highest Godhead, Trinity,
be praised by every spirit:
Those whom through the mystery of the cross you save,
govern through the ages. Amen.