Volume 14 (2008) No. 1
Alexander Fisher
Celestial Sirens and Nightingales: Change and Assimilation in the Munich Anthologies of Georg Victorinus
Example 1: Agostino Agazzari, Benedicite Domino (Siren coelestis, no. 6), Ps. 102:20, Daniel 3 (Apocrypha)1 (download in pdf)
| Benedicite Domino omnes Angeli
ejus: potentes virtute, qui facitis verbum ejus, ad audiendam vocem sermonem ejus. |
Bless the Lord, O you his angels, you mighty ones who do his bidding, obedient to his spoken word. |
| Benedicite Domino omnes Angeli
ejus, laudate et superexaltate eum in saecula. |
Bless the Lord, O you his angels, praise and highly exalt him forever. |
Example 2: Rudolph di Lasso, Hic vir, despiciens mundum (Siren coelestis, no. 52); Magnificat antiphon, Common of a Confessor Bishop (download in pdf)
| Hic vir, despiciens mundum et terrena, | This man, despising the world and earthly things, |
| triumphans, divitias caelo condidit ore, manu. | in triumph has laid up heavenly treasure with words and deeds. |
Example 3: Lodovico Viadana, Indica mihi quem diligit (Siren coelestis, no. 17); Canticles 1:7–8, 15–16,4:9, 6:4, 7:10–11 (download in pdf)
| Indica mihi quem
diligit anima mea, ubi pascas, ubi cubes, ne vagari, incipiam per greges sodalium tuorum. |
Tell me, you whom my soul loves, where you pasture your flock, where you make it lie down at noon; for why should I be like one who is veiled beside the flocks of your companions? |
| O quam tu pulcher
es, dilecti mi, et decorus, averte oculos tuos a me, quia ipsi me evolare fecerunt. Veni, dilecte mi, egrediamur in agrum, commoremur in villis. |
Ah, you are beautiful, my beloved, truly lovely, turn away your eyes from me, for they overwhelm me! Come, my beloved, let us go forth into the fields, and lodge in the villages. |
| Ego dilecto meo, et ad me conversio ejus. | I am my belovedŐs, and his desire is for me. |
| Si ignoras te, O
pulcherrima mulierum, egredere, et abi post vestigia gregum tuorum. |
If you do not know, O fairest
among women, follow the tracks of the flock. |
| O quam tu pulchra
es, amica mea, et suavis, vulnerasti cor meum, soror mea, sponsa. |
How beautiful you are, my love, and comely, you have ravished my heart, my sister, my bride. |
| Veni, dilecta mea, ego dilecto meo, et ad me conversio ejus. |
Come, my beloved, I am my belovedŐs and his desire is for me. |
Ex. 4: Giovanni Damasceni Uffererii, Anima mea liquefacta est (Siren coelestis, no. 30) ; Canticles 5:6, 8 (download in pdf)
| Anima mea liquefacta est, ut dilectus meus locutus est. Quaesivi illum, et non inveni, vocavi, et non respondit mihi. Adjuro vos, filiae Jerusalem, et inveneritis dilectum meum, ut nuncietis ei, quia amore langueo. |
My soul failed me when he spoke. I sought him, but did not find him; I called him, but he gave no answer. I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, if you find my beloved, tell him this: I am faint with love. |
Ex. 5: Giacomo Finetti, Tota pulchra es (Siren coelestis, no. 89); Based on Canticles 4:7–8 (download in pdf)
| Tota pulchra es, O
Maria, et macula non est in te. Veni de Libano, sponsa mea, veni, coronaberis de capite Amana, de vertice Sanir et Hermon, de cubilibus leonum, de montibus pardorum. |
You are altogether beautiful, O
Mary; there is no flaw in you. Come with me from Lebanon, my bride; Depart from the peak of Amana, from the peak of Senir and Hermon, from the dens of the lions, from the mountains of leopards. |
| O Maria, veni, coronaberis. Tota pulchra es, O Maria, et macula non est in te. |
O Mary, come with me, depart. You are altogether beautiful, O Mary; there is no flaw in you. |
Ex. 6: Marcantonio Tornioli, Veni electa mea (Siren coelestis, no. 91); Responsory, Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Common of Virgins. (download in pdf)
| Veni electa mea, et ponam in te
thronum meum, quia concupvit rex speciem tuam. |
Come, my beloved, and I will put
my throne in you, for the king has desired your countenance. |
| Audi filia, et vide, et inclina aurem tuam, | Hear, O daughter, consider and incline your ear, |
| quia concupivit rex speciam tuam. | for the king has desired your countenance. |
Ex. 7: Giacomo Perlazio, Magnificat quarti toni (Philomela coelestis, no. 22) ; Luke 1:46–55 (download in pdf)
| [Magnificat] anima mea
Dominum. [Et exsultavit spiritus meus in Deo salutari meo.] |
My soul doth magnify the
Lord, And my spirit rejoices in God my savior. |
| Quia respexit humilitatem
ancillae suae: ecce enim ex hoc beatam me dicent omnes generationes. |
He has regarded the
lowliness of his handmaiden: for behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. |
| [Quia fecit
mihi magna qui potens est: et sanctum nomen ejus.] |
For He that is mighty has
magnified me: And holy is His Name. |
| Et misericordia ejus a
progenie in progenies timentibus eum. |
And His mercy is on them
that fear Him from generation to generation. |
| [Fecit potentiam in brachio
suo: dispersit superbos mente cordis sui.] |
He has shown strength with
His arm: He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. |
| Deposuit potentes de sede, et exaltavit humiles. |
He has put down the mighty, and has exalted the humble. |
| [Esurientes implevit bonis: et divites dimisit inanes.] |
He has filled the hungry
with good things: And the rich He has sent empty away. |
| Suscepit Israel puerum suum, recordatus misericordiae suae. |
He has helped His servant
Israel, in remembrance of His mercy. |
| [Sicut locutus est ad patres
nostros Abraham, et semini ejus in saecula.] |
As He spoke to our forefathers, Abraham, and his seed forever. |
| Gloria Patri,
et Filio, et Spiritui Sancto. [Sicut erat in principio, et nunc, et semper, et in saecula saeculorum, Amen.] |
Glory to the Father, Son,
and Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, for ever and ever, Amen. |
Ex. 8: Bernard Wolck, Canzon (Philomela coelestis, no. 78) (download in pdf)
Ex. 9: Johannes Sagittarius, Pater peccavi (Philomela coelestis, no. 12); Responsory, Saturday in the second week of Lent (download in pdf)
| Pater, peccavi in caelum, et coram te: | Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; |
| jam non sum dignus
vocari filius tuus: Fac me sicut unum ex mercenariis tuis. |
I am no longer worthy to be called
your son; treat me like one of your hired hands. |
| Quanti mercenarii in
domo patris mei abundant panibus, ego autem hic fame pereo! Surgam, et ibo ad patrem meum, et dicam ei: |
How many of my fatherŐs hired
hands have bread enough and to spare, but here I am dying of hunger! I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, |
| Fac me sicut unum ex mercenariis tuis. | treat me like one of your hired hands. |
Ex. 10: Georg Victorinus, Ab initio et ante saecula (Philomela coelestis, no. 2) ; Ecclesiastes 24:14 (download in pdf)
| Ab initio et ante saecula creata sum, | Before the ages, in the beginning, he created me, |
| et usque ad futurum saeculum non
desinam, et in habitatione sancta coram ipso ministravi. |
and for all ages I shall not cease
to be. In the holy tent I ministered before him. |
Ex. 11: Georg Victorinus, Exultate Deo (Philomela coelestis, no. 35); Based on Ps. 80:2–3 (download in pdf)
| Exultate Deo adjutori nostro, jubilate Deo Jacob, sumite psalmum, et date tympanum, psalterium jucundum cum cythara in insigni die S. [S.] N. [N.] solennitatis vestrae, alleluia. |
Sing aloud to God our strength; shout for joy to the God of Jacob. Raise a song, sound the tambourine, the sweet lyre with the harp on the conspicuous day of your [saintŐs name] feast, alleluia. |
| Et omnis populus det
laudem Deo, et concinnat cum gaudio, alleluia. |
And let the whole people praise
God, and honor him with joy, alleluia. |
Ex. 12: Ferdinand II di Lasso, Emitte spiritum tuum (Philomela coelestis, no. 37); Antiphon for Pentecost (derived from Ps. 103:30), combined with Ordinary blessing for the third lesson at Matins (download in pdf)
| Emitte spiritum tuum, et creabuntur: | Send forth your spirit, and they shall be created: |
| et renovabis faciem terrae, alleluia. | and you shall renew the face of the earth, alleluia. |
| Spiritus Sancti illuminet sensus et corda nostra, alleluia. | Let the Holy Spirit illuminate our senses and hearts, alleluia. |
| Et renovabis faciem terrae, alleluia. | And you shall renew the face of the earth, alleluia. |
| Spiritus Sancti illuminet sensus et corda nostra, alleluia. | Let the Holy Spirit illuminate our senses and hearts, alleluia. |
Ex. 13: Rudolph di Lasso, Salve, Regina (Philomela coelestis, no. 99); Marian antiphon (download in pdf)
| Salve, Regina,
mater misericordiae: Vita, dulcedo, et spes nostra, salve. Ad te clamamus, exsules, filii Hevae. Ad te suspiramus, gentes et flentes in hac lacrimarum valle. |
Hail, queen,
mother of mercy: Life, sweetness, and hope, hail. We cry to you, banished children of Eve. We sigh for you, mourning and weeping in this vale of tears. |
| Eia ergo,
Advocata nostra, illos tuos misericordes oculos ad nos converte. |
Turn then, our
advocate, your merciful eyes to us. |
| Et Jesum,
benedictum fructum ventris tui, nobis post hoc exsilium ostende. |
And after this
exile grant us Jesus, the blessed fruit of your womb. |
| O clemens: O pia: O dulcis Virgo Maria. |
O merciful, O loving, O sweet virgin Mary. |
1 Psalms are numbered according to the Latin Vulgate. Biblical translations are based on the New Revised Standard Version.