Lawrence Alma Tadema, Venantius Fortunatus reciting his poetry to Empress Radegunda
When I was young we were told that between the grandeur of the Roman Empire and the Middle Ages lay the Dark Ages. There is some truth in that, though most historians today would probably shy away from the term. But among the glories of the time, a true Light in the Dark, are the Latin hymns of Venantius Fortunatus and his late-6th-century and early-7th-century contemporaries. They replace the quantitative Classical Latin verse with a powerful accentual metre, usually a tetrameter; but their wording is such that the four feet, which we would tend to see as iambics (x /), often sound more like spondees (/ /), which gives them a noble gravitas. I find them irresistibly attractive, addictive even. Also, the Latin is not difficult, which helps! The one often sung, to this day, in monasteries in Advent is "Conditor alme siderum", probably not by Venantius himself but from the same period, which a few years ago was rescued from its 1632 remake and restored to its original text. (There is a lovely sung version here.) My translation is less romantic and "beautiful" than most I've read, but it tries to maintain the metre and to keep something of the austere gravity and economy of wording. Of course it comes nowhere near the Latin . . . (Amusing note: Tolkien borrows this metre, and its sustained gravity, for some of his Elvish hymns: A Elbereth Gilthoniel / siluvren penna miriel . . .)
Conditor alme siderum Maker, sustainer of the stars,
aeterna lux credentium Eternal light of who believe,
Christe redemptor omnium Anointed one, redeeming all,
exaudi preces supplicum Fulfil the prayers of them that beg.
Qui condolens interitu Who, grieving with us that the rage
mortis perire saeculum Of death destroys this mortal age,
salvasti mundum languidum Hast saved and healed a weakened world
donans reis remedium Giving the patients remedy
Vergente mundi vespere The world turning to eventide,
uti sponsus de thalamo As bridegroom rising from his bed,
egressus honestissima Sprung from the honourable womb
Virginis matris clausula Of her, Thy mother virginal.
Cuius forti potentiae To whose almighty power and strength
genu curvantur omnia Let every knee now bow and bend;
caelestia, terrestria Let all that is in heaven and earth
nutu fatentur subdita Acknowledge lordship of Thy will.
Te Sancte fide quaesumus Thee, Holy One, in trust we ask,
venture iudex saeculi Judge of the world who is to come,
conserva nos in tempore When comes the faithless enemy
hostis a telo perfidi Preserve us from his weaponry.
Sit Christe rex piissime To Thee, Christ, king of piety,
tibi Patrique gloria Be glory, to the Father too,
cum Spiritu Paraclito And to the Spirit Paraclete,
in sempiterna saecula. Amen. For ever to eternity. Amen.
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