Sunday, March 11, 2012

Amor Docet Musicam

Here is today's emblem and distich by Gabriel Rollenhagen, Book 1.70, with an English rendering by George Wither. In the emblem, you can see Cupid himself toting a cithara.

Amor Docet Musicam
Oblectant animos cytharae, cantusque, lyraeque;
Musica blandus amor plectra movere docet.

Love, a Musician is profest
And, of all Musicke, is the best.


Here is the vocabulary:

amor - love
doceo - teach
musica - music
oblecto - delight, amuse
animus - soul
cythara - cithara, guitar, lute
cantus - song
que - and
lyra - lyre
musicus - musical
blandus - charming, pleasant
plectrum - pick (for a musical instrument)
moveo - move