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Friday, March 18, 2011

Adalbertus, Satirical Rhymes

Adalbertus Ranconis de Ericinio [Adalbertus] 
1320-1388 c. AD France
Trans RMBullard
Latin (Medieval Era)



1. Orbis magni monarchiam
Dolus Landrici nititur
Per energiae studium
Sollemniter evertere1.
[Through the passion of his energy, Landricus' grief strives glumily to destroy the kingdom of this great world.]


2. Est lapis unus in Sion
Quem dicunt petram scandali,
Quae cecidit super caput
Achitophel jam septies2.
[There's a single stone in Zion, one they call the 'Stone of the Stumbling-Block'--it is one that fell upon the head of Achitophel seven times before.]


3. Sed cum cadit lapis semel,
Cadit vi septenaria ;
Contritum spiritaliter
Burgundionem vidimus.
[But although the stone falls in a single instance, with strikes a seven-fold force. We have seen Burgundy spiritually worn away.]


4. Achitophel Burgundia
Aetati nostrae reddidit,
Multum crinitus Absalon
Cujus sprevit consilium.
[Achitophel returned to Burgundy for our generation, and his long-haired son Absalon despised his advice greatly.]


5. Intrat saepe palatia
Versipellis regalia ;
Occultat nasum pellibus,
Pectus subdendo fraudibus.
[The werewolf often enters the royal palace; he hides his nose within his skin, while he secretly fills his chest with deceits.]


6. Jam Catilina nequior
Amicis praebet osculum.
[Already shall a less effective Cataline pass out his kiss to his friends.]

Sed praetendit decipulas
Sapore fellis ebrias
[But he masks the fevery *decipules with the taste of cat.].

7. Alter Jugurtha loquitur
Non ex fide, sed de fide,
[Another Jugurtha now talks, not out of loyalty, but on the matter of loyalty,]

Pro veris amicitiis
Reddens inimicitias.
[as he returns bouts of hostility in exchange for true alliances.]