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Wipo of Burgundy: Versus pro Obitu Conradi

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This lament on the death of the emperor Conrad II in 1039 was written by Wipo, his chaplain. It is a rhythmic poem in stanzas with a refrain, ‘Rex Deus, vivos tuere, et defunctis miserere’ (God our King, protect the living and have mercy on the dead). It begins by inviting anyone with a clear voice to sing this song of the lamentable year and the inexpressible loss, mourned by all. It records that in the year 1039 nobility fell far and wide: the emperor Conrad, ‘lover of law’, died, and in the same year Queen Cunigunde (Gunhild), Duke Herman, son of the empress, and Duke Conrad of the Franks, among many lords.

Wipo included this lament in his biography of Conrad, and it is one of the earliest examples of a rhythmic dirge for a ruler in the medieval West, designed to be sung. It records the deaths that struck the imperial family and nobility in 1039 and expresses hope for the new king, Henry III. It shows the use of popular song forms for political commemoration at the Salian court.

About this edition. The Latin text comes from Corpus Corporum, the Latin text repository of the University of Zurich (edition: Jacques-Paul Migne, Patrologia Latina, vol. 142, Parisiis 1853), reused with attribution for non-commercial purposes (CC BY-NC-SA). Every word has been analyzed with LatinCy, a neural language model for Latin — click or tap any word for its dictionary form, part of speech, and complete morphology, together with the full entry from Lewis & Short’s A Latin Dictionary.

Latin · Lyric & Elegy
Versus pro Obitu Conradi
Wipo of Burgundy · every word parsed
1
1. Qui uocem habet serenam,
Hanc proferat cantilenam,
De anno lamentabili
Et damno ineffabili
5
Luget omnis homo,
Forinsecus et in domo
Suspirat populus Dominum,
Uigilando per somnum,
Rex Deus, uiuos tuere,
10
Et defunctis miserere.
2. Anno quoque millesimo
Nono et trigesimo
A Christi natiuitate
Nobilitas ruit late
15
Et Caesar caput mundi,
Et cum illo plures summi;
Occubuit imperator
Chuonradus legis amator.
Rex Deus, uiuos tuere,
20
Et defunctis miserere.
3. Eodem fere [ al. uero] tempore
Occasus fuit gloriae,
Ruit stella matutina
Chunelinda regina.
25
Heu quantum crudelis annus,
Corruerat Herimannus
Filius imperatricis,
Dux timidus [ al., timendus] inimicis;
Ruit Chuno dux Francorum
30
Et pars magna seniorum,
Rex Deus, uiuos tuere,
Defunctis miserere.
4. Imperatoris gloria
Sit nobis in memoria,
35
Et recenti mentione,
Uiuat uir indolis bonae.
Fiat dominator probus,
Frequenti carmine nouus,
Praeclara fama post mortem,
40
Uitae praestet hunc consortem
Rex Deus, uiuos tuere,
Defunctis miserere.
5. Regum sanguine genitus
Omnes praecellit penitus
45
Gloriosus in persona,
Pulcher sub sua [ al., fuit sub] corona,
Sceptrum, regnum, imperium
Nulli erat plus congruum
Rempublicam honestauit,
50
Huius causa laborauit,
Rex Deus, uiuos tuere,
Defunctis miserere.
6. Postquam repleuit Franciam,
Per pacis abundantiam
55
Mitigauit Alemannos
Et omnes regni tyrannos,
Saxonibus et Noricis
Imposuit frena legis,
Uidit sua magnalia
60
Probabilis Italia,
Rex Deus, uiuos tuere,
Defunctis miserere.
7. Roma subiecit se primum
A summo usque ad imum
65
Experti sunt Rauennates
In bello suo primates,
Sentiebant Ueronenses,
Inuicti Caesaris enses,
Hesperia se prostrauit,
70
Imperanti supplicauit.
Rex Deus, uiuos tuere,
Defunctis miserere.
8. Reuersus Alemanniam
Inuenerat calumniam,
75
Quam hic disparuit Caesar
Ut uentus pulueris instar.
Omnes simul perierunt.
Qui praedatores fuerunt
Et ciues praestantissimi
80
Idcirco facti exsulari [ al., sunt exsulati].
Rex Deus, uiuos tuere,
Defunctis miserere.
9. Nil moratus imperator
Pacis ubicunque dator.
85
Bellum intulit paganis,
Ne noceret Christianis,
Non defendit eos palus,
Nulla fuit aquis salus,
Bene coercebat Sclauos,
90
Barbaros, et omnes prauos.
Rex Deus, uiuos tuere,
Defunctis miserere.
Click or tap any word for its parse and dictionary entry.
Text: Perseus Digital Library, licensed CC BY-SA. Dictionary: Lewis & Short (Perseus, CC BY-SA). Morphology: LatinCy — machine parsing, corrected against the AGDT & PROIEL treebanks and Morpheus.
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