Pervigilium Veneris
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| + | '''Pervigilium Veneris''', the ''Vigil of Venus'', is a [[Latin]] [[poem]], probably written in the 4th century. It is generally thought to have been by the poet [[Tiberianus (poet)|Tiberianus]], due to strong similarities with the latter’s poem ''Amnis ibat''. It was written professedly in early spring on the eve of a three-nights' festival of [[Venus (mythology)|Venus]] (probably April 1–3). The setting seems to be [[Sicily]]. The poem describes the annual awakening of the vegetable and animal world through the goddess. It is notable because of its [[Romantic poetry|focus on the natural world]] — something never before seen in Roman poetry — which marks the transition from Roman poetry to [[Medieval poetry]]. It consists of ninety-three verses in [[trochaic septenarius]], and is divided into [[strophe]]s of unequal length by the refrain: | ||
| + | {{quote| | ||
| + | “Cras amet qui nunquam amavit; quique amavit cras amet.” | ||
| - | '''Petrus Scriverius''', the Latinized form of Peter Schrijver or Schryver (12 January 1576 - 30 April 1660) was a [[Netherlands|Dutch]] [[writer]] and [[scholar]] on the history of Holland and Belgium. | + | [“Let him love tomorrow who has never loved, and let him who has loved love tomorrow.”] |
| + | }} | ||
| - | He was born at [[Amsterdam]], and educated at the [[University of Leiden]], where he formed a close intimacy with [[Daniel Heinsius]]. From 1611 to 1613 he was headmaster of the Latin School in Duisburg, today's [[Landfermann-Gymnasium]]. He belonged to the party of [[Oldenbarnevelt]] and [[Grotius]], and brought down the displeasure of the government by a copy of Latin verses in honor of their friend [[Hoogerbeets]]. Most of his life was passed in [[Leiden]], but in 1650 he became blind, and the last years of his life were spent in his sons house at [[Oudewater]], where he died in 1660. | + | The poem ends with the nightingale’s song, and a poignant expression of personal sorrow: |
| + | {{quote| | ||
| + | “illa cantat; nos tacemus; quando ver venit meum?” | ||
| - | He is best known as a scholar by his notes on [[Martial]], [[Ausonius]], the ''[[Pervigilium Veneris]]''; editions of the poems of [[Joseph Justus Scaliger]] (Leiden, 1615), of the ''De re militari'' of [[Publius Flavius Vegetius Renatus|Vegetius Renatus]], the tragedies of [[Seneca the Younger|Seneca]] (''P. Scriverii collectanea veterum tragicorum'', 1621), &c. His ''Opera anecdota, philologica, et poetica'' (Utrecht, 1738) was edited by [[A. H. Westerhovius]], and his ''Nederduitsche Gedichten'' (1738) by S. Dockes. | + | [“She sings; I am silent; when will my springtime come?”] |
| + | }} | ||
| - | He made many valuable contributions to the history of Holland: ''Batavia Illustrata'' (4 parts, Leiden, 1609); ''Corte historische Beschryvinghe der Nederlandscher Oorlogen'' (1612); ''Inferioris Germaniae . . . historia'' (1611, 4 parts); ''Beschryvinghe van Out Batavien'' (Arnheim, 1612); ''Het oude Goutsche chronycxken van Hollandt'', as editor, and printed at Amsterdam in 1663; and ''Principes Hollandiae Zelandiae et Frisiae'' (Haarlem, 1650), translated (1678) into Dutch by [[Pieter Brugman]]. | + | ==Musical settings== |
| + | The poem was set to music by [[Frederic Austin]] for chorus and orchestra (first performance, Leeds Festival 1931) and by [[George Lloyd]] for soprano, tenor, chorus and orchestra (1980) | ||
| - | See also Peerlkamp, ''Vitae Belgarum qui latina carmina scripserunt'' (Brussels, 1822), and J. H. Hoeufft, ''Parnassus latino-belgicus'' (Amsterdam, 1819). | + | ==References== |
| + | *''[[Editio princeps]]'' (1577) | ||
| + | Modern editions by | ||
| + | *[[Franz Bücheler]] (1859) | ||
| + | *[[Alexander Riese]], in ''Anthologia Latina'' (1869) | ||
| + | *[[E. Bahrens]] in ''Unedierte lateinische Gedichte'' (1877) | ||
| + | *[[S. G. Owen]] (with [[Catullus]], 1893). | ||
| + | There are translations into English verse by [[Thomas Stanley (author)|Thomas Stanley]] (1651), [[Thomas Parnell]], author of ''The Hermit'', [[F. L. Lucas]] (1939; reprinted in his ''Aphrodite'', Cambridge, 1948), and [[Allen Tate]] (1947; see his ''Collected Poems''). On the text see [[John William Mackail]] in ''Journal of Philology'' (1888), Vol. xvii. | ||
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Pervigilium Veneris, the Vigil of Venus, is a Latin poem, probably written in the 4th century. It is generally thought to have been by the poet Tiberianus, due to strong similarities with the latter’s poem Amnis ibat. It was written professedly in early spring on the eve of a three-nights' festival of Venus (probably April 1–3). The setting seems to be Sicily. The poem describes the annual awakening of the vegetable and animal world through the goddess. It is notable because of its focus on the natural world — something never before seen in Roman poetry — which marks the transition from Roman poetry to Medieval poetry. It consists of ninety-three verses in trochaic septenarius, and is divided into strophes of unequal length by the refrain: Template:Quote
The poem ends with the nightingale’s song, and a poignant expression of personal sorrow: Template:Quote
Musical settings
The poem was set to music by Frederic Austin for chorus and orchestra (first performance, Leeds Festival 1931) and by George Lloyd for soprano, tenor, chorus and orchestra (1980)
References
- Editio princeps (1577)
Modern editions by
- Franz Bücheler (1859)
- Alexander Riese, in Anthologia Latina (1869)
- E. Bahrens in Unedierte lateinische Gedichte (1877)
- S. G. Owen (with Catullus, 1893).
There are translations into English verse by Thomas Stanley (1651), Thomas Parnell, author of The Hermit, F. L. Lucas (1939; reprinted in his Aphrodite, Cambridge, 1948), and Allen Tate (1947; see his Collected Poems). On the text see John William Mackail in Journal of Philology (1888), Vol. xvii.
