Bern Riddle 14: De oliva
NEVILLEMOGFORD
Date: Fri 27 Nov 2020Matching Commentaries: Commentary for Bern Riddle 14: De oliva
Original text:
Nullam ante tempus inlustrem genero prolem
Annisque peractis superbos genero natos.
Quos domare quisquis valet industria parvos,
Cum eos marinus iunctos percusserit imber.
Asperi nam lenes sic creant filii nepotes,
Tenebris ut lucem reddant, dolori salutem.
Translation:
I never give birth to noble children before my due date,
and after the years have ended, I give birth to excellent children.
Anyone can tame those little ones if they try,
whenever the sea-storm beats those siblings.
For hard sons create soft grandchildren
So that they give light to darkness and safety to trouble.
Olive tree
Notes:
This edition is based on Karl Strecker, ed., Poetae Latini aevi Carolini, Vol. 4.2 (Berlin, MGH/Weidmann, 1923), page 742.
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 560.
Tags: latin Bern Riddles