Bern Riddle 36: De croco
NEVILLEMOGFORD
Date: Sat 28 Nov 2020Matching Commentaries: Commentary for Bern Riddle 36: De croco
Original text:
Parvulus aestivas latens abscondor in umbras
Et sepulto mihi membra sub tellore vivunt.
Frigidas autumni libens adsuesco pruinas
Et bruma propinqua miros sic profero flores.
Pulchra mihi domus manet, sed pulchrior infra.
Modicus in forma clausus aromata vinco.
Translation:
Tiny, I lurk hidden in the summer shadows,
and once buried, my limbs live underground.
I am happily accustomed to autumn’s freezing hoarfrost
and thus I offer up wondrous flowers as winter arrives.
My home is beautiful, but it is more beautiful beneath.
Sealed and small in shape, I surpass all spices.
Crocus
Notes:
This edition is based on Karl Strecker, ed., Poetae Latini aevi Carolini, Vol. 4.2 (Berlin, MGH/Weidmann, 1923), page 749.
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 582.
Tags: latin Bern Riddles