The epitaph of Alcuin.

Alcuin (735-804) was one of the towering figures of the Carolingian Renaissance: theologian, philosopher, poet, educator and industrious writer.  He must have been very good company: learned, witty and loving good wine. Unlike the Englishmen from his days up till now and for centuries to come donec angelica tuba personet, he disliked beer.  I like both and I wish I could share a good bottle of wine with him!

He died at Tours and was buried there with an epitaph on his stone written by himself.  The stone itself does not exist anymore, but the poem does.

Metrum: elegiac couplets

Hic, rogo, pauxillum veniens subsiste, viator.

  et mea scrutare pectore dicta tuo,

ut tua deque meis agnoscas fata figuris:

  vertitur o species, ut mea, sicque tua.

quod nunc es fueram, famosus in orbe, viator,

  et quod nunc ego sum, tuque futurus eris.

delicias mundi casso sectabar amore,

  nunc cinis et pulvis, vermibus atque cibus.

quapropter potius animam curare memento,

  quam carnem, quoniam haec manet, illa perit.

cur tibi rura paras? quam parvo cernis in antro

  me tenet hic requies: sic tua parva fiet.

cur Tyrio corpus inhias vestirier ostro

  quod mox esuriens pulvere vermis edet?

ut flores pereunt vento veniente minaci,

  sic tua namque, caro, gloria tota perit.

tu mihi redde vicem, lector, rogo, carminis huius

  et dic: 'da veniam, Christe, tuo famulo.'

obsecro, nulla manus violet pia iura sepulcri,

  personet angelica donec ab arce tuba:

'qui iaces in tumulo, terrae de pulvere surge,

  magnus adest iudex milibus innumeris.'

Alchuine nomen erat sophiam mihi semper amanti,

  pro quo funde preces mente, legens titulum.

Hic requiescit beatae memoriae domnus Alchuinus abba, qui obiit in pace XIV. Kal. Iunias. Quando legeritis, o vos omnes, orate pro eo et dicite, 'Requiem aeternam donet ei dominus.' Amen.

pauxillum: for a moment

scruto: scrutinize

agnosco agnoti agnitum: to recognize

vertitur o species, ut mea, sicque tua = o, ut mea  species (versa est), sicque tua vertitur 

verto verti versum: to change

species species (f.): appearance

cassus: empty

sector sectatus sum: to follow eagerly

deliciae deliciarum: allurement, pleasure

cinis cinis  (m.): ashes

pulvis  pulveris (m.): dust

quapropter: therefore

quoniam: because

rus ruris (n.): estate

cerno crevi certum: to see, perceive

antrum: cave

requies (f.): resting place

inhio: be eager for (litt. to open the mouth)

tyrio ostro: with Tyrian purple

vestirier: an early Latin passive infinitive of vestio `to cover with a garment’

esurio: being hungry

(in) pulvere

edo edi esum: to eat

vermis vermis (m.): worm

minax minacis: threatening

reddo vicem (+ gen.): to give something in return

famulus: servant

angelica tuba:  Revelation 11:15 et septimus angelus tuba cecinit et factae sunt voces magnae in caelo dicentes factum est regnum huius mundi Domini nostri et Christi eius et regnabit in saecula saeculorum

Alchuine nomen erat sophiam mihi semper amanti = mihi - sophiam semper amanti - nomen `Alchuine’ erat

fundo fudi fusum: to pour out

(in) mente, i.e.quietly

titulus: inscription

Translation by Luitpold Wallach (1959)

Here, I beg thee, pause for a while, traveler,

And ponder my words in thy heart,

That thou mayest understand thy fate in my shadow:

The form of thy body will be changed as was mine.

What thou art now, famous in the world, I have been, traveler,

And what I now am, thou wilt be in the future.

I was wont to seek the joys of the world in vain desire:

Now I am ashes and dust, and food for worms.

Remember therefore to take better care of thy soul

Than of thy body, because that survives, and this perishes.

Why dost thou look for possessions? Thou see'st in what a little cavern

This tomb folds me: Thine will be equally small.

Why are thou eager to deck in Tyrian purple thy body

Which soon in the dust the hungry worm will devour?

As flowers perish when comes the menacing wind,

So also thy flesh and all thy glory perish.

Give me, I beg thee, O reader, a return for this poem,

And pray: "Grant, O Christ, forgiveness to thy servant."

I implore thee, let no hand profane the holy rights of this tomb,

Until the angelic trumpet announces from Heaven high:

"Thou who liest in the tomb, rise from the dust of the earth,

The Mighty Judge appears to countless thousands."

My name was Alchuine, and wisdom was always dear to me.

Pour out prayers for me when thou quietly readest this inscription