Bern Riddle 50A: De charta
NEVILLEMOGFORD
Date: Wed 02 Dec 2020Matching Commentaries: Commentary for Bern Riddle 50: De vino | Commentary for Bern Riddle 50A: De charta
Original text:
Multimodo matris divellor opere membris
Et truncata multum reddor de minimo maior.
Fateor intacta firmis consistere plantis,
Opera nullius virgo momenti relinquo.
Solida disiungor, rursum soluta reformor,
Quae secura meis creduntur liquida membris.
Translation:
I am torn apart from the limbs of my mother in many ways
and, mutilated, I am remade very large from very tiny.
When whole, I confess that I am made from firm shoots,
And as a virgin, I leave behind works of no importance.
When solid, I am divided, and when loose, I am reshaped again.
I am trusted to keep liquid safe in my limbs.
Papyrus sheet
Notes:
This edition is based on Karl Strecker, ed., Poetae Latini aevi Carolini, Vol. 4.2 (Berlin, MGH/Weidmann, 1923), page 754.
The putative title ("De charta") and Line 6 follow Fr. Glorie, ed., Variae collectiones aenigmatum Merovingicae aetatis, Corpus Christianorum, Series Latina 133A (Turnhout: Brepols, 1968), page 597.
Tags: latin Bern Riddles