Matthew of Vendôme

Matthew of Vendôme (Latin: Matthaeus Vindocinensis; fl. c. 1175) was a French author of the 12th century, writing in Latin, who had been was a pupil of Bernard Silvestris, at Tours, as he himself writes. Quotes thumb|candori socio rubor interfusus in oremilitat, a roseo flore tributa petens.In her face red mingling with allying white campaignsAnd seeks tribute from rose's bloom. Pauperat artificis Naturae dona venustas   Tyndaridis, formae flosculus, oris honor.humanam faciem fastidit forma, decoris   prodiga, siderea gratuitate nitens.nescia forma paris, odii praeconia, laudes   iudicis invidiae promeruisse potest.auro respondet coma, non replicata magistro   nodo, descensu liberiore iacet;dispensare iubar humeris permissa decorem   explicat et melius dispatiata placet.pagina frontis habet quasi verba faventis, inescat   visus, nequitiae nescia, labe carens.nigra supercilia via lactea separat, arcus   dividui prohibent luxuriare pilos.stellis praeradiant oculi Venerisque ministri   esse favorali simplicitate monent.candori socio rubor interfusus in ore   militat, a roseo flore tributa petens.non hospes colit ora color, nec purpura vultus   languescit, niveo disputat ore rubor.linea procedit naris non ausa iacere   aut inconsulto luxuriare gradu.oris honor rosei suspirat ad oscula, risu   succincta modico lege labella tument.pendula ne fluitent, modico succincta tumore   plena Dioneo melle labella rubent.dentes contendunt ebori, serieque retenta   ordinis esse pares in statione student.colla polita nivem certant superare, tumorem   increpat et lateri parca mamilla sedet. The gifts of nature, the artist, are impoverished by the charm   Of the daughter of Tyndareus, the blossoming of figure, the beauty of face.Her appearance, lavish in beauty and shining with heaven's   Gifts, scorns the human's face.It is possible that her beauty, conscious of no equal, the   Herald of hate, earned the praise of the judge of jealousy.Her locks, not held by guiding knot, are the answer to gold.   Permitted to extend its radiance to the shoulders,It expands its beauty, the more pleasing outspread.   Her brow tabulates, as it were, friendly words,And unmindful of wickedness and lacking flaw, it entices stares.   A milky way divides her dark eyebrows; the separated archesDo not allow the hairs to run rampant.   Her eyes outshining the stars with an approving naturalness,Suggests they are the aides of Venus.   In her face red mingling with allying white campaignsAnd seeks tribute from rose's bloom.   Nor like a stranger does color abide in her features,Nor does regality fade from her face,   The red and snowy-white countenance contrast.The contour of her nose does not presume to be   Too flat or be unfittingly large.The enchantment of her rose mouth pants for kisses:   Her delicate lips guided by a law of modesty smile fully.Lest they float languid, the delicate lips are controlled in a   Modest swelling and are formed with the honey of Venus.Her teeth compete with ivory; held in orderly row   They are eager to stand evenly in rank.The smooth neck tries to outshine the snow, the dainty breast   Chides its swelling, lying modest on her chest. Ars Versificatoria, pt. 1, sec. 56 ("Description of Helen"). Edmond Faral (ed.) Les Arts poétiques du XIIe et du XIIIe siècle (Paris, 1924) pp. 129–130. Reported in F. J. E. Raby (ed.) The Oxford Book of Medieval Latin Verse (1959) no. 188, pp. 273–274. Translated by Roger P. Parr, Ars Versificatoria: The Art of the Versemaker (Milwaukee, WI: Marquette University Press, 1981) pp. 37–38 (Mediaeval Philosophical Texts in Translation, no. 22) External links Category:Poets from France Category:Latin authors