Walahfridus Strabo: Mondnacht (Cum splendor lunae).

Walafrid Strabo (808-849) was one of those brilliant minds attached to the court of Charlemagne. He was a prolific writer and today best known for his book about gardening Liber de cultura hortorum also known as the Hortulus, which he wrote after he became abbot of a monastery at Reichenau in 838.
The elegy below is dedicated to a further unknown friend: though separated, the light of the moon connects them and is the visible sign of their spiritual love.
In a time without internet and Skype, communications were poor and so watching the same sky, stars, moon and sun gave - and gives - the feeling of being connected. This poem by Strabo is not the only literary example exploring this idea. Take for example Goethe:

Ich denke dein, wenn mir der Sonne Schimmer
Vom Meere strahlt;
Ich denke dein, wenn sich des Mondes Flimmer
In Quellen malt.

I think of you, when the shimmering sun
Gleams from the sea;
I think of you, when the glittering moon
Is mirrored in streams.
(tr. Richard Stokes. I can’t resist putting a link below to the musical setting by Schumann, sung by Lauritz Melchior and Lotte Lehmann in 1939)

And the Indian poet Kalidasa (5th century?) tells in his Meghadūta (The Cloud Messenger) how a Yaksha – a kind of elf – asks a passing cloud to bring a message to his love. Internet is indeed a lot faster, but by far not that romantic.


Walafrid Strabo

Ad amicum (meter: trochaic septenarius)

Cum splendor lunae fulgescat ab aethere purae,
tu sta sub divo cernens speculamine miro,
qualiter ex luna splendescat lampade pura
et splendore suo caros amplectitur uno
corpore divisos, sed mentis amore ligatos.
si facies faciem spectare nequivit amantem,
hoc saltem nobis lumen sit pignus amoris.
hos tibi versiculos fidus transmisit amicus ;
si de parte tua fidei stat fixa catena,
nunc precor, ut valeas felix per saecula cuncta.


fulgesco (- ĕre): to glitter, shine
sub divo: under the open sky
cerno crevi certum: to perceive, see
speculamine miro: in wondrous gaze
splendesco (- ĕre): to shine
lampas ādis (f.): lamp
suo… uno: its unique
amplector amplexus: to encompass, embrace
caros…divisos: friends divided
ligo (-are): to bind (together)
nequeo nequivi nequitum (as eo, ire): to be unable
saltem: at least
pignus (-oris, n.) amoris: pledge/bound of love
fide fixai: not only attached to faith in each other, but also faith in God
catena: the chain of friendship

Translation and adaptation by Helen Waddell

To his friend in absence

WHEN the moon's splendour shines in naked heaven,
Stand thou and gaze beneath the open sky.
See how that radiance from her lamp is riven,
And in one splendour foldeth gloriously
Two that have loved, and now divided far,
Bound by love's bond, in heart together are.
What though thy lover's eyes in vain desire thee,
Seek for love's face, and find that face denied ?
Let that light be between us for a token ;
Take this poor verse that love and faith inscribe.
Love, art thou true ? and fast love's chain about thee ?
Then for all time, O love, God give thee joy !

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walafrid_Strabo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bGqjXdN21es