Bern Riddle 10: De scala
NEVILLEMOGFORD
Date: Fri 27 Nov 2020Matching Commentaries: Commentary for Bern Riddle 10: De scala
Original text:
Singula si vivens firmis constitero plantis,
Viam me roganti directam ire negabo;
Gemina sed soror meo si lateri iungat,
Coeptum valet iter velox percurrere quisquis.
Unde pedem mihi nisi calcaverit ille,
Manibus quae cupit numquam contingere valet.
Translation:
If I lived alone and stood with firm feet,
I would not let myself go upon a straight path when asked.
But if my twin sister joins my side,
anyone can go upon a speedy journey.
And so, if he does not step upon my foot,
he can never reach that which he wants in his hands.
Ladder
Notes:
This edition is based on Karl Strecker, ed., Poetae Latini aevi Carolini, Vol. 4.2 (Berlin, MGH/Weidmann, 1923), page 741.
A list of variant readings can be found in Fr. Glorie, ed., Variae collectiones aenigmatum Merovingicae aetatis, Corpus Christianorum, Series Latina 133A (Turnhout: Brepols, 1968), page 556.
Tags: latin Bern Riddles