In the Mediaeval
world, they knew that power did not last forever; unfortunately, some of our 21st
century leaders think it does.
[1]
Fortūne plangō vulnera │ I lament the wounds of Fortune
stillantibus ocellīs,
│ with dripping (flowing / tearful) eyes
quod sua michi
mūnera / subtrahit rebellis. │ because she rebelliously withdraws her gifts
from me
vērum est, quod legitur
│ It is true what is read
fronte capillāta,
/ sed plērumque sequitur / Occāsiō calvāta. │ Opportunity has hair at the
front, but generally a bald patch follows
[2]
In Fortūne
soliō │ On the throne of Fortune
sēderam ēlātus, │
I had sat exalted (raised up; elevated)
prōsperitātis
variō / flōre corōnātus; │ Crowned with the many-coloured flower of prosperity
quicquid enim
flōruī │ for however (in whatever way) I have flourished
fēlīx et beātus │
happy and blessed
nunc ā summō
corruī │ now I have fallen down from the top
glōriā prīvātus. │
deprived of glory.
[3]
Fortūne
rota volvitur; │ the wheel of Fortune is turned
dēscendō
minōrātus; │ I descend diminished
alter in altum
tollitur; │ another is raised up on high
nimis exaltātus │ too
exalted
rēx sedet in vertice
│ the king sits at the top
caveat ruīnam! │
let him beware ruin!
nam sub axe legimus
│ for below the axle we read
Hecubam rēgīnam.
│ Queen Hecuba.
Mediaeval pronunciation:
[i] fortūne
= fortūnae; spelling change to reflect pronunication shift of
Classical Latin /ae/ > /e/
[ii] vulnera
[vool-ne-ra]; all letter v’s in the text are pronounced as in Engl.
very; CL did not have a /v/ sound but developed later; CL letter V
represented a /u/ or /w/ but since this text is Mediaeval, the singers reflect
the pronunciation change by this period; that pronunciation is also in Ecclesiastical
Latin although this song is secular
[iii] michi
= mihi
[iv] ocellīs: c + e as /che/ rather than CL hard /c/ [k]; similarly: dēscendō; vertice
[v] legitur: g + i as soft /g/ as in English /j/ rather than CL hard /g/ [as in get]; similarly: legimus; rēginam
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