Walafrid Strabo

thumb|The whole world in all its parts constitutes a single household. Walafrid (alternatively spelt Walahfrid, nicknamed Strabo, or Strabus: i.e. "squint-eyed"; c. 808 – 18 August 849) was an Alemannic Benedictine monk and theological writer who lived on Reichenau Island in southern Germany. Quotes Liber de cultura hortorum (Hortulus) "The Book of the Cultivation of Gardens" thumb|I didn't learn about this from people's chatter, or from looking at a lot of old books, or spending long days doing nothing—I gained my expertise through hard work and experience. Ruris enim quaecunque datur possessio, seu sitPutris harenoso qua torpet glarea tractu,Seu pingui molita graves uligine fetus,Collibus erectis alte sita, sive iacentiPlanitie facilis, clivo seu vallibus horrens;Non negat ingenuos holerum progignere fructus,Si modo non tua cura gravi compressa veternoMulti plices holitoris opes contemnere stultisAusibus assuescit, callosasque aere duroDetrectat fuscare manus et stercora plenisVitat in arenti disponere pulvere qualis.Haec non sola mihi patefecit opinio famaeVulgaris, quaesita libris nec lectio priscis;Sed labor et studium, quibus otia longa dierumPostposui, expertum rebus docuere probatis. However the plot of land is shaped, whether the soil is crapand lies paralyzed with sand and gravel, or if it's rich andmoist and produces heavy fruits; whether it lies high up ona hillside or rests on an agreeable plain lined with ditchesor slopes—no matter how it lies, your land will certainlyproduce the fruits of our native plants—assuming yourattention doesn't grow numb and falter, and you don'tfoolishly squander the gardener's resources, and as long asyou aren't afraid of going outdoors and getting calluses allover your grubby hands, and dumping baskets of cow-ploponto the parched soil. I didn't learn about this from people'schatter, or from looking at a lot of old books, or spendinglong days doing nothing—I gained my expertise throughhard work and experience. Praefatio ("Preface") l. 4 (tr. James Mitchell) thumb|[Melons] look like shiny bubbles clinging to your hands as you rub some soap, before the fresh foam disappears in the running water. Vel qualis manibus quondam suspensa supinisLucet agens circum lomenti bulla salivam,Ante recens maceretur aquis quam spuma refusis,Dum lentescit adhuc digitis luctantibus et seAlternis vicibus studioque fricantibus uno,Inter utramque manum parvo fit parvus hiatuExitus, huc stricto lenis meat ore Noti vis,Distenditque cavum vitrea sub imagine pondusEt centrum medio confingit labile fundo,Undique conveniat camuri quo inflexio tecti.   They look like shinybubbles clinging to your hands as you rub some soap,before the fresh foam disappears in the running water.As long as the froth sticks to your entwined fingers,you can make a little crevice between your handsand purse your lips and blow some warm air into it,forming the flimsy stuff into a glassy ball in the hollowof your hands which wavers at the point whereyour arched fingers join together. Pepones ("Melons") l. 163 (tr. James Mitchell) thumb|The humble scale of my song will not allow me to embrace in fleeting verse the many virtues of pennyroyal. thumb|They say that Eastern doctors will pay as much for [pennyroyal] as we pay here for a load of Indian pepper. Non patitur cunctas angustia carminis huiusPulei virtutes celeri comprendere versu.Hoc apud Indorum tanti constare peritosFertur, apud Gallos quanti valet Indica nigriCongeries piperis. Quis iam dubitare sineturHac herba plures leniri posse labores,Quam pretiis inhianter emit ditissima tantisGens hebenoque auroque fluens et mira volentiQuaeque ferens mundo? The humble scale of my song will not allow meTo embrace in fleeting verse the many virtuesOf pennyroyal. They say that Eastern doctorsWill pay as much for it as we pay hereFor a load of Indian pepper. Since such a people,Rich as they are, blessed with gold and ebony,Who give to an eager world a wealth of marvels —Since they will buy at such a price, so greedily,Our pennyroyal, who can doubt its powerTo allay a host of troubles? Pulegium ("Pennyroyal") l. 300 (tr. Raef Payne)   Quae rara sub istoAxe videre soles, aliis in partibus horumCopia tanta iacet, quantam vilissima tecumEfficiunt; rursus quaedam quae spreta videnturForte tibi, magno mercantur ditia regna,Altera ut alterius potiatur foenore tellus,Orbis et in toto per partes una domus sit. Whatever is seldom seen under one part of the skyis readily available in other parts of the earth,in such quantity there as the cheapest things are here.Prosperous kingdoms abroad pay good moneyfor articles which may appear to us valueless.Thus one country profits from another,and the whole world in all its parts constitutesa single household. Pulegium ("Pennyroyal") l. 310 (tr. James Mitchell) thumb|People say that rose petals surpass all other blossoms in their strength and fragrance, and thus roses are correctly called the flower of all flowers. Haec quia non Tyrio Germania tingitur ostro,Lata nec ardenti se Gallia murice iactat,Lutea purpurei reparat crementa quotannisUbertim floris, tantum qui protinus omnesHerbarum vicisse comas virtute et odoreDicitur, ut merito florum flos esse feratur.* * *Huic famosa suus opponunt lilia flores,Longius horum etiam spirans odor imbuit auras,Sed si quis nivei candentia germina fructusTriverit, aspersi mirabitur ilicet omnemNectaris ille fidem celeri periisse meatu.Hoc quia virginitas fama subnixa beataFlore nitet, quam si null us labor exagitaritSordis et inliciti non fregerit ardor amoris,Flagrat odore suo. Porro si gloria pessumIntegritatis eat, foetor mutabit odorem.   Because we in Germany have no Tyrian purple,and since not even vast Gaul enjoysthe use of glowing purplish red derived frommurex shells, nonetheless our roses make upfor it abundantly with their annual displayof yellow, purple and dark red flowers.People say that rose petals surpass all other blossomsin their strength and fragrance, and thus rosesare correctly called the flower of all flowers.* * *Growing opposite, the glorious lilies offer uptheir blossoms, exhaling a fragrance whichpenetrates the air even further. And if someone crushes the buds of these snow-white lowers, he will soon be surprised to discover thatthe fragrance from the nectar quickly dissipates.In the same manner, Holy Chastity demonstrates her own virtue in that she blossoms forth and shines, as long as sinful coercion doesn't drive it away,and the passions of illicit love do not destroy it.But if she loses the adornment of purity,her sweet fragrance will turn into a vile odor. Rosa ("Rose") ll. 396, 405 (tr. James Mitchell) thumb|Bello carpe rosas, laeta arripe lilia pace.Pluck roses for war, for peace the smiling lily! O mater virgo, fecundo germine mater,Virga fide intacta, sponsi de nomine sponsa,Sponsa, columba, domus, regina, fidelis amica,Bello carpe rosas, laeta arripe lilia pace.Flos Tibi sceptrigero venit generamine Iesse,Unicus antiquae reparator stirpis et auctor,Lilia qui verbis vitaque dicavit amoena,Morte rosas tinguens, pacemque et proelia membrisLiquit in orbe suis, virtutem amplexus utramque,Praemiaque ambobus servans aeterna triumphis. Holy Mary, Mother from whose womb was bornThe Son, Virgin of purest faith, though brideIn name of Joseph, O Bride and Queen and Dove,Our Refuge and our Friend for ever — pluck ThouRoses for war, for peace the smiling lily!To Thee came a flower of the royal stem of Jesse,A single Son to restore the ancient line.By His holy word and life He sanctifiedThe pleasant lily; dying,He gave its color to the rose.Peace and war He left for His church on earth,And the virtues of peace and war are joined in Him;In Him their triumphs eternal reward. Rosa ("Rose") l. 419 (tr. Raef Payne) Bibliography Richard S. Lambert, trans. Hortulus, or, The Little Garden (Wembley, Middx: The Stanton Press, 1924) Raef Payne, trans. Hortulus (Pittsburgh, PA: Hunt Botanical Library, 1966) James Mitchell, trans. On the Cultivation of Gardens (San Francisco, CA: Ithuriel's Spear, 2009) External links Hortulus at Latin Wikisource (ed. J. P. Migne, Patrologia Latina, vol. 114) Category:800s births Category:840s deaths Category:Monks Category:Clergy from Germany Category:Theologians from Germany Category:Poets from Germany Category:Latin authors