The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #161322   Message #3832416
Posted By: Joe Offer
13-Jan-17 - 04:35 PM
Thread Name: Req: translation from Latin: Breve Regnum Erigitur
Subject: RE: Req: translation from Latin Breve Regnum Erigitur
I suppose a good first step would be to go to Google and search for translate latin to english. Then I paste the Latin into the text box that appears, and English magically comes out the other side (more or less - less, in this case).
And then I take out my Oxford Latin Desk Dictionary and try to translate the untranslatable - finding that most of the untranslated words are not in my dictionary. And I wonder why Oxford no longer has a really good Latin dictionary, like my old Cassel's was. So, anyhow, I'll put my changes in parentheses over the next few days. I hope others will post their attempts below, and I will add them in parentheses to this work in progress.
But now I have other things to do.

Breve regnum erigitur,
Sublimatum deprimitur
Et depressum elabitur
Transmutato tempore.

Puerilem miliciam,
Perargutam periciam,
Regencium industriam,
Hanc eduxit in opere.

Cracoviensem filium,
Fulgentem velut lilium
Ac de numero milium
Cunctis preferendum.

Octo dierum spacium
Hoc sustinet solacium,
Post hoc regis pallacium
Plagis feriendum.

Namque regis elleccio
Fit studii negleccio
Ac desolatur leccio
Tota septimana.
Brief kingdom raised, (the kingdom rules briefly)
brandy lowered (the heights have been brought down)
And depressed slips (and what was brought low, has slipped away)
Transmutato time. (and time is changed)

Childlike nobility,
Perargutus Warren (huh? wittiness something)
Regencium industry (industry rules)
This brought in the work.

Cracoviensem son (Son of Krakow)
Shining like a lily
And the number of miles
While preferred.

The space of eight days
This supports the strengthening,
After this the king pallacium (king's palace)
Stripes strike.

For the Elleccio (and so I elect)
Fit study negleccio (to neglect my studies)
And ruined the lesson
The whole week.


So, I'm hoping you catch on to what this is all about: a 14th-century description of the age-old student quandary: to drink, or to study. Even in Poland, it was a problem.