Bern Riddle 37: De pipere
NEVILLEMOGFORD
Date: Sat 28 Nov 2020Matching Commentaries: Commentary for Bern Riddle 37: De pipere
Original text:
Pereger externas vinctus perambulo terras
Frigidus et tactu praesto sumenti calorem.
Nulla mihi virtus, sospes si mansero semper,
Vigeo nam caesus, confractus valeo multum.
Mordeo mordentem morsu nec vulnero dente.
Lapis mihi finis, simul defectio lignum.
Translation:
An outsider, I wander foreign lands in fetters,
and, cold to the touch, I supply heat to those who seek me.
I have no power if I always remain intact,
for I can do much when beaten, and I am very powerful when broken.
I bite the biter with a bite, but I do not wound with the tooth.
Stone is my end, wood is my ruin.
Pepper
Notes:
This edition is based on Karl Strecker, ed., Poetae Latini aevi Carolini, Vol. 4.2 (Berlin, MGH/Weidmann, 1923), page 750.
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 583.
Tags: latin Bern Riddles