De ramis cadunt folia.

Most love songs are set in springtime or summer, but this one is set in wintertime. It is found in a single manuscript from about 1200 and is written by an anonymous poet. The author describes how winter has everything in a firm grip, but thinking of his love he isn’t cold at all. In the last stanza there is a twist: suddenly the poet is in another mood. He states that Greek fire can be extinguished by vinegar, but not that (iste) fire of him, wretched man.  It is of course useless to speculate about his reasons, but it is this last stanza which makes this poem more interesting than many of the lent and summer love songs.

De ramis cadunt folia,

nam viror totus periit,

iam calor liquit omnia

et abiit;

nam signa coeli ultima

sol petiit.

ramus: branch

viror –oris (m.): green colour

calor –oris (m.): heat

linquo liqui lictus: to leave

signa coeli ultima: the last signs of the zodiac

Iam nocet frigus teneris,

et avis bruma leditur,

et philomena ceteris

conqueritur,

quod illis ignis etheris

adimitur.

noceo nocui nocitum (+ dat.): to harm

frigus frigoris (n.): cold weather

bruma:  the shortest day of the year, wintertime

leditur = laeditur (laedo laesi laesum: to hurt)

ceteris = cum ceteris

conqueror, conqueri, conquestus sum: to bewail, lament

ignis etheris: the sun

adimo ademi ademptum: to withdraw (se must be supplied)

Nec lympha caret alveus,

nec prata virent herbida,

sol nostra fugit aureus

confinia;

est inde dies niveus,

nox frigida.

Nec lympha caret alveus: the river bed does not lack (careo + abl.) water

prata herbida: grassy meadows

vireo virui: to be green

confinium: border

niveus: snowy

Modo frigescit quidquid est,

sed solus ego caleo;

immo sic mihi cordi est

quod ardeo;

hic ignis tamen virgo est,

qua langueo.

modo: just now

frigesco frixi: to become cold

caleo calui: to be warm

immo sic mihi cordi est: indeed, it is for me so (close) to the heart

ardeo ardui: to burn

langueo: to faint

Nutritur ignis osculo

et leni tactu virginis;

in suo lucet oculo

lux luminis,

nec est in toto seculo

plus numinis.

osculum: kiss

lenis tactus: soft touch

plus numinis: more divinity, divine beauty

Ignis grecus extinguitur

cum vino iam acerrimo;

sed iste non extinguitur

miserrimo:

immo fomento alitur

uberrimo.

ignis graecus : Greek fire was a weapon used by the Byzantines against ships. It is of unknown composition. The statement by the poet that this fire can be extinguished by vinegar (vinum acrum) is of course nonsense.

miserrimo: by me, very wretched

fomentum: kindling wood, fuel

Translation by Helen Waddell:

DOWN from the branches fall the leaves,

A wanness comes on all the trees,

The summer's done;

And into his last house in heaven

Now goes the sun.

Sharp frost destroys the tender sprays,

Birds are a-cold in these short days.

The nightingale

Is grieving that the fire of heaven

Is now grown pale.

The swollen river rushes on

Past meadows whence the green has gone,

The golden sun

Has fled our world. Snow falls by day,

The nights are numb.

About me all the world is stark,

And I am burning ; in my heart

There is a fire,

A living flame in me, the maid

Of my desire.

Her kisses, fuel of my fire,

Her tender touches, flaming higher.

The light of light

Dwells in her eyes : divinity

Is in her sight.

Greek fire can be extinguished

By bitter wine; my fire is fed

On other meat.

Yea, even the bitterness of love

Is bitter-sweet.