The Carmen Rhythmicum ("Rhythmic Poem") is a 7th-8th century poem written in Latin by Aldhelm. It is the earliest example of the verse form continuous octosyllables, of which he may have been the inventor,[1] and the earliest surviving reference to Cornwall.[2]
The original manuscript is preserved uniquely in the Codex Vindobonensis 751 which comprises the papers of Lul, archbishop of Mainz, who was an alumnus of Malmesbury. The original poem bears no title, the name "Carmen Rhythmicum" having been conceived by Ehwald.[3]
After Ehwald (1919)
Lector, casses catholiceAtque obses anthletice,Tuis pulsatus precibusObnixe fagittantibusYmnista carmen ceciniAtque rem sponsam reddidi,Sicut pridem pepigeram.Quando profectus fueramUsque diram DomnoniamPer carentem CornubiamFlorulentis cespitibusEt foecundis graminibus,Miementa inormiaAtque facta informiaQuassantur sub aethereaConvexi celi camara,Dum tremet mundi mnschinsSub ventorum monarchia.Ecce, nocturno tempora, Orto brumali turbine,Quatiens terram tempestasTurbabat atque vastitan, Cum fracto venti federe Bacharentur in aethereEt rupto retinaculoDesevirent in saeculo.'Tum libertate potitaEt servitute sopitaSpissa statim spiraminaDuelli ducunt agmina, Quibus bis sena nominaIndiderunt volumina.Horum archon, atrociter Fumam verrens, ferociterPuribundus cum famineVeuiebat a cardine,Unde Titanis torrida Labuntur luminaria:Cumque flatus victorizeNon furerent ingloriae,Tremebat tellus turbidaAtque eruta ruboreCadebant cum verticibusSimul ruptis radicibus.Neque guttae graciliterMansbant, sed minaciterMundi rotam rorantibusUmectabant cum imbribus.Cum praepollenti pluviaEssent referta flumina, Turbo terra tertibus Grassabatur grandinibus,Quae caterratim csolitusCrebrantur nigris nubibus.Neque caelorum culminaCarent nocturna nebula,Quorum pulchrs planitiesPerlucebat ut glacies, Done nimbo ac nubibus'Torve teguntur trucibus.Nem tenobrescunt turbineDisrupto rerum ordineGermane Phoebi nuninaAtque praeclara lumina:Neque fagrabat fammigerDuctor dieram Lueifer, Sieut solet sepissimeAuratum sidus surgere, Sed caecatus caligine Veld furra fuligine.Plaustri piane pulaberrimaNon comparent curriculaAquilonis s circioCarear servantis sedulo,Ao totidem torrentibusSeptem Istet lampadibusPliadis pulchra copulaAb Athlantis prosapie:Haeo conscendunt per etheraAb orta solis sidera.'Tune pari lance limpidaLibrse torpebat trutina:Zodiacus cum ceteraCyclas fuscatur caterva,Quem Mazaroth reperimusNuncupari antiquitus,Bis sonis eurn sidoribusPer Olimpura lucentibusNeo radiebat rutulus.Sicut solebat, Sirius,Quia nubis nigerrimaA bscondunt polos pallia.Attamon lagrant fulminaLate per caeli culmina.Quando pallentem poudulaFlammam vomunt fastigia,Quorura natura mabibasProcedit conlidentibus,Necnon marina cerulsGlomerantur in glares,Qua inruit inruptioVentorum se correptio.Per pelagi itinersBalsa spumsbant equora,Cum bulbret brumalibosUndoeus vortex fuctibus:Oceanus cum molibusAtque diris dodrantibusPulsabat promontoriaSuffragante vietoria:Sie turgescebat trucibasPontus ventorom fatibusInfligendo flaminibusScopulosia marginibus.Quid dicam de ingentibusAltithroni operibus,Quae nullus nequit numero(Conputare in calculo?En, multa in miraculoNune apparent propatulo:Clara Ohristi clementisPer bsec facta recentia!Cum quarta galliciniaQuasi quarta vigiliaSuscitarent sonantibusSomniculosos cantibus,Tum binis stantes classibusCelebramus concentibueMatutinam melodiamAo eynaxis psalmodiam:En, statim fulers flamineNutabant a fundamine:'Tigna tota cum trabibusTremibunda ingentibusVacillabant ab omnibusAulse pulsata partibus.His tantis tempestatibusAe terrorum turbinibusNostra parent precordia,Tot monstrorum prodigiaQuando cernebant lumina:Tectorum laqueariaHorrisonis fragoribusConcuti ao creporibus.136 prateatis 1'145 propeliente Argt.Tum tandem cursa esterreConfracta linquena liminaPortum petit bssilionePopulante pernicie:Hic pelluntur periculaPer Matris adminicula!Quidam diacrimen + duobusDevitantes com saltibusPer devexa ao lubricaClivosi ruris lsteraMetuebant magnopereCasam contritam crepore.Porro cum tetrae tenebraePreterissent et latebraeFatescente velamineOrto iubaris lumine,Seissa ceca caligineQuasi mortis imagine.Tune videns ab ecclesiaTigilli fusa fragmina.'En, inquam, noctis horrida'Nune apparent speetacula!Ecoe, casse cacuminaCadebant ad fundamina.Ous solebant lantiseimeoSumi dulces delicise!En, genestarum apricaFrondosarum velaminsPelluntur parietibusFlabrorum arietibus!Heu! bectorum tutaminaProsternuntur in platea;Ecce, erates a culmineRuunt sine munimine!Flatus snovi spiraminaHase focerunt ludibris.Et nisi nataliciaPault saneti gollemniaTuerentur trementia'Timidorum precordia.Forsan quassato culmineQuateremur et fulmine,Ouemadmodum crudeliterNovies binos circiterPropalant evangelicaTrini Tonantis faminaTurris fregisse fragminaCum inmensa maceris.Ergo Christo in communeAdempti a discrimineGrates dicamus dulciterManenti inmortsliter!Dosa Deo ingenitoAtque gnato progenitoSimul curn sancto supernaFlatu regenti saccula!"