Archpoet

12th century poet

The Archpoet (c. 1130 – c. 1165), or Archipoeta (in Latin and German), is the name given to the author of some ten known poems from medieval Latin literature, the most famous of these being his "Confession" found within the Carmina Burana. Along with Hugh Primas of Orléans, he is often cited as the best exemplar of Goliardic poetry and one of the stellar poets of the Latin Middle Ages.

Quotes

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"Confession"

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Translations are from Helen Waddell, Mediaeval Latin Lyrics, 1933 [1929].

  • Estuans intrinsecus
    ira vehementi
    in amaritudine
    loquar meę menti:
    factus de materia
    levis elementi
    similes sum folio
    de quo ludunt venti.
    • Seething over inwardly
      With fierce indignation,
      In my bitterness of soul,
      Hear my declaration.
      I am of one element,
      Levity my matter,
      Like enough a withered leaf
      For the winds to scatter.
    • Line 1
  • Feror ego veluti
    sine nauta navis,
    ut per vias aeris
    vaga fertur avis,
    non me tenent vincula,
    non me tenet clavis,
    Quęro mihi similes,
    et adiungor pravis.
    • Hither, thither, masterless
      Ship upon the sea,
      Wandering through the ways of air,
      Go the birds like me.
      Bound am I by ne’er a bond,
      Prisoner to no key,
      Questing go I for my kind,
      Find depravity.
    • Line 17
  • Quicquid Venus imperat
    Labor est suavis,
    quę nunquam in cordibus
    habitat ignavis.
    • Whatsoever Venus bids
      Is a joy excelling,
      Never in an evil heart
      Did she make her dwelling.
    • Line 29
  • Mortuus in anima
    curam gero cutis.
    • Since the soul in me is dead,
      Better save the skin.
    • Line 39
  • Meum est propositum
    in taberna mori,
    ut sint vina proxima
    morientis ori.
    • For on this my heart is set:
      When the hour is nigh me,
      Let me in the tavern die,
      With a tankard by me.
    • Line 89
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