Caveat: vox veneranda sacris

De Luscinia

Quae te dextra mihi rapuit, luscinia, ruscis,
illa meae fuerat invida laetitiae.
Tu mea dulcisonis implesti pectora musis,
atque animum moestum carmine mellifluo.
Qua propter veniant volucrum simul undique coetus
carmine te mecum plangere Pierio.
Spreta colore tamen fueras non spreta canendo.
Lata sub angusto gutture vox sonuit,
dulce melos iterans vario modulamine Musae,
atque creatorem semper in ore canens.
Noctibus in furvis nusquam cessavit ab odis,
vox veneranda sacris, o decus atque decor.
Quid mirum, cherubim, seraphim si voce tonantem
perpetua laudent, dum tua sic potuit?

– Alcuin (Anglo-Saxon poet, theologian and Carolingian administrator, 735-804)

[daily log: walking, 7km]

One comment

  1. David

    There’s a nice translation to be found here:
    latindiscussion.com/forum/latin/reading-club-alcuin-de-luscinia.3967/
    (see the bottom of the page; final translation posted by lynx)
    David

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