Bern Riddle 22: De ove
NEVILLEMOGFORD
Date: Sat 28 Nov 2020Matching Commentaries: Commentary for Bern Riddle 22: De ove
Original text:
Exigua mihi virtus, sed magna facultas:
Opes ego nulli quaero, sed confero cunctis.
Modicos oberrans cibos egena requiro
Et ieiuna saepe cogor exsolvere censum.
Nullus sine meo mortalis corpore constat
Pauperaque multum ipsos nam munero reges.
Translation:
I have little courage but great resources:
I seek wealth from no one, but I give it to everyone.
Wandering and poor, I seek humble foods,
And, hungry, I am often forced to give up my wealth.
No mortal endures without my body,
And I am poor, yet I give generously even to kings.
Sheep
Notes:
This edition is based on Karl Strecker, ed., Poetae Latini aevi Carolini, Vol. 4.2 (Berlin, MGH/Weidmann, 1923), page 745.
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 568.
Tags: latin Bern Riddles