Boniface Riddle 16: Invidia ait
NEVILLEMOGFORD
Date: Wed 28 Jul 2021Original text:
Impia gignendo sum filia daemonis atri;
Non sum satoris superi moderamine creata,
Viribus atque meis mors introivit in orbem,
In paradisi ortos quondam dum vipera repsit.
5 Dum fratum aspiciam sanctorum facta tabesco;
Infelix fatum tanta me fraude fefellit,
Ac bona sic propria frendendo perdo dolose.
Atque ego virtutum vastatrix impia dicor.
Ignea si pariter sum nec matryria prosunt,
10 Tartareum macerans et torquens corde venenum.Translation:
I am the daughter of an evil demon, unholy from birth;
I was not created under the direction of the heavenly creator,
and death entered the world by my powers,
when the snake once crawled into paradise.
5 As I look at the deeds of holy brothers, I waste away;
unlucky fate has tricked me with such deceit,
and so I cunningly grind up their good deeds,
and I am called the unholy destroyer of the virtues.
If I am also present, fiery martyrdoms are useless;
10 I torture and torment—a Tartarian poison to the heart.Envy
Notes:
This edition is based on Ernst Dümmler, (ed.). Poetae Latini aevi Carolini, Volume 1. Berlin, MGH/Weidmann, 1881. Pages 1-15. Available online here.
Note that this riddle appears as No. 8 (De vitiis) in Glorie’s edition and 18 in Orchard’s edition.