Poem 138 of the Carmina Burana celebrates the coming of
spring. It is full of cliché’s: flowers, the nightingale, young maidens, forests
and of course lust and love. But what is offered as a simple song in editions
without a critical apparatus, is the result of much editing. I have taken the text
as presented by the edition of Hilka and Schumann (Berlin, 1941) and added some
critical notes. As a bonus I have included 138a, which is a Middle High German
poem.
Carmina Burana
138
1.
Veris leta facies ver veris (m): spring; leta
= laeta
mundo propitiatur, has mercy for
hiemalis acies acies (f.): sharpness
victa iam fugatur. now defeated is driven off
in vestitu vario vestitus us (m.): dress
Flora principatur, principor: to rule
nemorum dulcisono nemus oris (n.) wood; sweet sounding
que cantu celebratur. Flora que (= quae)
2.
Flore fusus gremio Florae; pouring out; gremium: lap
Phebus novo more Phebus = Phoebus: the sun
risum dat, hoc vario risus us (m.): laughter
iam stipate flore. In this variety of crowded
flora
Zephyrus nectareo western breeze
spirans it odore.
certatim pro bravio in rivalry; for the prize of
victory
curramus . . . . . . ore!
3.
Litteratos convocat students
decus virginale; decus oris (n.): beauty
laicorum execrat curses
(execrat = exsecrat, subj: decus)
pectus bestiale. pectus oris (n.) breast
cunctos amor incitat,
per iubar estivale; iubar is (n.): beam, of summer
Venus se communicat declares
herself
numen generale. deity of all
4.
Citharizat cantico accompanies
dulcis philomena; nightingale
flore rident vario
prata iam serena; bright meadows
turba salit avium a mass of birds hops
silve per amena; through the delightful
things of the forest
chorus promit virginum brings forth
iam gaudia millena. thousenfold
Some textual notes.
1,2 propitiatur: propinquatur
(to come) has been suggested as a better
reading
2,3 hoc: some editions follow the reading hac
2,4 may be the point after
flore must be deleted
2,8 the lacuna has been
variously filled: in amore, cum ardore,
et honore.
3.4 pectus: pecus (herd,
crowd) seems a better reading
3,6 and 3,8: some editions
have the order of these lines reversed
3,8 ut numen generale? Another reading is nomen
138a
In liehter varwe stat der walt,
der vogele schal nu donet,
div wunne ist worden manichvalt;
des meien tugende chronet
senide liebe; wer were alt,
da sih div çit so schonet?
her meie, iv ist der bris geçalt!
der winder si gehonet!
In bright colour stands
the forest,
the voice of birds now
sounds,
desire has become
multiple:
the art of May crowns
longing love; who is so
old,
that he doesn’t care for
this season?
Lord May, you have got the
prize!
Winter must be taunted!
Song 138 of the Carmina
Burana is used by Orff in his setting, with the exception of strophe 3.
