Friday, 24 November 2023

A Cold Day in Autumn

Miklós Istvánffy (1538-1615), Lusus pastoralis (23 Octobris, 1564, Posonii.)

Saevit atrox Boreas, nigro dum turbine terras
   Contristat, crebris saevit hyems nivibus,
Saevit et irati, quoties tumet, aequoris unda,
   Et quoties summi fulminat aula Iovis.
Saeva quidem sunt haec, at nostro in pectore longe est
   Saevior occultis ignibus Alcinoe.

The savage North Wind rages while he darkens the lands with a black wind. Winter rages with dense snows. She rages and excites the waters of the angered ocean. Behold how oft the hall of highest Jupiter flashes with lightening. All these things are indeed savage, but in my heart Acinoe is far more savage than the secret fires.
Nicolaus Istvanffy, Carmina, ed. by Josef Holub and László Juhász (Leipzig: B.G. Teubner, 1935), p. 23. My translation.

Notes:
atrox Boreas, cf. Statius, Silvae, 3.3.96 ‘quae Boreas quaeque Eurus atrox’

nigro turbine, cf. Virgil, Georg. I.320-21: ‘ita turbine nigro / ferret hiems’