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Carmina Burana

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Introduction
Main Index
Further Study

Carmina Burana

1.  O Fortuna
2.  Fortunae plango vulnera
3.  Veris laeta facies
4.  Omnia sol temperata
5.  Ecce gratum
6.   Tanz - (instrumental)
7.  Floret silva nobilis
8.  Chramer, gip die varwe mir
9.  Swaz hie gat umbe
10.Were diu werlt alle min
11. Aestuans interius
12. Olim lacus colueram
13. Ego sum abbas
14. In taberna quando sumus
15. Amor volat undique
16. Dies, nox, et omnia
17. Stetit puella
18. Circa mea pectora
19. Si puer cum puella
20. Veni, veni, venias
21. In trutina
22. Tempus est iocundum
23. Dulcissime
24. Ave formosissima


2. FORTUNAE PLANGO VULNERA

Another song against Fortune, rather more clearly expressed than the previous one. In the first stanza Opportunity is described as having hair only on the front of her head - she can be seized as she approaches, but once she has passed, a person grabs futilely at the back of her head. In the second and third stanzas reference is made to the Wheel of Fortune, a common motif in the Middle Ages and often represented in art, where it was conceived as a primitive Ferris wheel accommodating four - one up, one down, one about to achieve prosperity, one about to be plunged into misery. The name of Hecuba was a suitable inscription for the axle as she was the supreme example of Fortune's malice. From being Queen of Troy, after its sack she suffered such misery as a captive of the Greeks that the gods, out of pity, turned her into a dog.


FORTUNAE PLANGO VULNERA


Fortunae plango vulnera
stillantibus ocellis,
quod sua mihi munera
subtrahit rebellis.
verum est, quod legitur
fronte capillata,
sed plerumque sequitur
Occasio calvata.

In Fortunae solio
sederam elatus,
prosperitatis vario
flore coronatus;
quicquid enim florui
felix et beatus
nunc a summo corrui
gloria privatus.

Fortunae rota volvitur;
descendo minoratus;
alter in altum tollitur;
nimis exaltatus
rex sedet in vertice
caveat ruinam!
nam sub axe legimus
Hecubam reginam.

I mourn the blows of Fortune with flowing eyes, because her gifts she has treacherously taken back from me. Opportunity is rightly described as having hair on her forehead, but there usually follows the bald patch at the back.

On the throne of Fortune I had sat elated, crowned with the gay flower of prosperity; however much I flourished, happy and blessed, now I have fallen from the pinnacle, deprived of my glory.

The wheel of Fortune turns; I sink, debased; another is raised up; lifted too high, a king sits on the topĆ³let him beware of ruin! Under the axle we read, Queen Hecuba.

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