Christoforo
Landino (1424 -1498) was professor of poetry and rhetoric at the University of
Florence. He was a prolific writer and amongst his output are three books of
poems for his love Xandra. This Xandra has the same status as for instance Cynthia
and Corinna in Classical poetry: a literary construction rather than a real
woman.
This
poem starts with what is called with a German word a Natureingang (nature entrance). This is a well-known feature of mediaeval
poetry evoking the coming of spring, but the meter is the classical Sapphic
stanza. A further difference with mediaeval poetry is the explicit mention of a
name, making this poem personal. Finally, nature is blossoming not because the
time of the year, but because Xandra is visiting the poet and even the wolf
will not attack other animals: where Xandra is, there is Arcadia.
Nunc virent silvae,
nemus omne frondet
ridet
et tellus variisque frontem
floribus pingit, fugiuntque nubes
montibus
altis.
Naiades laetas agitant choreas
Gratiis
passim Satyrisque mixtae
et
comas flavas religant corona
versicolore.
Concidunt venti, levis afflat aura ;
parcit
atque haedis lupus et capellis,
Nostra
dum celsas Faesulas frequentat
candida Xandra.
Nunc suos tristis Philomela luctus,
immemor
stupri simul et nepotis,
ponit
et versus modulans sonoros
cantat amores.
Gaudet et fructu segetis colonus
horreum
quaerens ubi farra condat,
gaudet et
Baccho nimium feraci
vinitor uvae.
Hos tamen
montes mea si relinquat
Xandra, si Tuscae revocetur urbi,
arbores siccas videas et ipsa
flumina
sicca.
vireo: to be green
nemus nemoris (n.): forest
frondeo: to have leaves
tellus telluris (n.): earth
frons frontis (f.): head, face
pingo pinxi pictum: to paint
(ex) montibus
altis
Naiades, Gratiae, Satyres: Nymphs, the three Graces (Beauty,
Joy and Happiness) and Satyrs
agito choreas: to dance and sing (agito is a frequentative of ago, denoting a repeated action)
passim: everywhere
coma: hair
flavus: blond
religo (-are): to bind, fasten up
(in) corona
versicolor –oris: with various colours
concido concidi: to fall down, stop
afflo: to blow, breathe
parco peperci parsum (+ dat.): to spare
haedus: he-goat
capella: she-goat
celsus: high
Feasula = Fiesole (a town on a hill near Florence)
frequento (-are): to visit
candidus: bright
Philomela: nightingale (Philomela was
an Athenian princess who was raped by Tereus, her brother in law, and turned
into a nightingale. When her sister Procne found out what had happened, she
killed the son she had with Tereus, Philomela’s nephew (nepos nepotis)
luctus –us (m.): grief, sorrow (ponit luctus: put down her sorrows)
immemor
–oris (+ gen.): unmindful
stuprum: violation
modulor
modulatus: (here) to whistle
sonorus: resounding
amores: lovesongs
seges
segitis (f.): crop, cornfield
colonus: farmer
horreum: barn
far
farris (n.): corn
condo
condidi conditum: to store
baccho feraci uvae: in the abounding wine of
his vine
nimium: exceedingly
vinitor –oris (m.): vine-dresser,
cultivator
relinquo reliqui relictum: to leave, abandon
Tusca urbs: Florence
siccus: dry, arid
This
is not a difficult poem, but a translation can be found here:
porno amadores
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