Thomas Campion [Campion]
1567-1620 c. AD
Trans RMBullard
Latin (Renaissance Era)
THOMAE CAMPIANI UMBRA
foemineos dea quae nigro sub limine manes
occludis, coelo ostentans,
[Hail you goddess, you who lock up the ghosts of women under your black threshold, showing it to the sky,]
iterumque reducens
umbriferum per iter, quanquam crudelis amanti,
sis mihi tu facilis;
[and leading back again through the shadowy journey, may it be you to belong to me, willingly, however cruel you are to a lover.]
quanquam non aequa resumis
formosarum animas, festina morte peremptas. 5
[although you do not take up the spirits of lovely women kindly, hasten forth those who have been taken away by death.]
abreptas solus resonante reducere plectro
Threicius potuit,
[The Thracian fellow alone could lead back women stolen away, with his resounding lyre,]
lucique ostendere amores;
[and could reveal his love to the light.]
non potuit tamen;
[nevertheless he could not;]
ad tristes devolvitur umbras
quicquid formosum est,
[whatever is beautiful is being rolled down to sad shadows,]
et non inamabile natum.
[and birth is not undesired.]
