Lyr Add: Olim Lacus Colueram (from Carmina Burana)

Subject: Lyr Add: OLIM LACUS COLUERAM (Carmina Burana)
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 24 Dec 03 - 06:11 PM

Christmas (or Christmas Eve) we sit down to a feast of meat, fowl or fish. Do we ever say a prayer for the peace of the critter that we devour?
I am always reminded of the swan in Carmina Burana (Orff setting). We stuff on the usual turkey, but Southron relatives have a Christmas pig, and ranchers I know have beef alongside the traditional bird.

Lyr. Add: Olim Lacus Colueram
(Trans. Judith Lynn Sebesta)

Once on placid lake I floated
Once I of great bauty boasted-
A snow-white swan!
Oh, wow, woe, woe,
To the table I go!.

Now with fines herbes am I coated,
By the fire soundly roasted-
"guest of honour" anon!
Oh, woe, woe, woe,
To the table I go!

Look! Served up on a platter,
My bones the diners scatter-
their teeth gnash, mash, gash!
Oh, woe, woe, woe,
To the table I go!

Lyr. Add: Olim lacus colueram
(Trans, Jefffrey M. Duban)

Once I lived by the river's tide,
formerly most glorified,
While as a swan I did abide-
Alack, alack,
Now roasted black
From side to side.

Slowly I'm turned by the Maitre D.
I'm scorched as black as I can be,
Garnished with slips of greenery-
Alack, alack,
now roasted black
most piteously.

Here I lie upon the platter,
That once I flew now doesn't matter,
Teeth now greet me at full clatter-
Alack, alack,
No turning back,
Could anything be sadder?

Both the above from "Carmina Burana, Cantiones Profanae," 1996, Judith Lynn Sebesta, printed by Bolchazy-Carducci Pub., Wauconda, IL.

Olim lacus colueram
(Trans. anon)

Once I lived on lakes,
Once I was beautiful
When I was a swan
Misery me!
Now black and roasting fiercely!

The servant is turning me on the spit;
I am burning fiercely on the pyre;
The steward now serves me up.
Misery me!
Now black and roasting fiercely!

Now I lie on a plate,
And cannot fly anymore;
I see bared teeth:
Misery me!
Now black and roasting fiercely!
from www.classical.net/musiccomp.lst/works/orff-cb/carmlyr.html#track12

Lyr. Add: Olim lacus colueram (Carmen 12)
(Carl Orff, from 12th c. Carmina Burana collection)

Cygnus ustus cantat:
Olim lacus colueram,
olim pulcher estiteram,
dum cygnus ego fueram.
Miser, miser!
modo niger
et ustus fortiter!

Girat, regirat garcifer;
me rugus urit fortiter;
propinat me nunc dapifer.
Miser, miser! modo niger
et ustus fortiter!

Nunc in scutella iaceo,
et volitare nequeo,
dentes frentes video
Miser, miser!
modo niger
et ustus fortiter!

Out of context, but a worthy poem on its own. Physical mortality- it is meant to be taken in context with the spiritual mortality which is the subject of Carmen 11 which precedes it.