Nikodemus Frischlin: De lacu Circnitio

[Katarina]

Hey!

Now I am translating a poem from 16. century about lake in Cerknica. It goes like that:

DE LACV CIRCNITIO,
AD GASPAREM Godescheium Circnitianum.
ELEGIA IX.
QUID Deli Inopum, quid reflua flumina Nili
Mirer? Circnitium miror Amice lacum?
Ille lacus, vasti quem cingunt undique montes,
Nec fontem, nec habet ostia, more lacus:
Sed sursum fluit e terra, refluitque deorsum,
Perque suas certas itque reditque vices.
Nam cava subtus aquam stagnantem terra resorbet:
Cum nova purpurei tempora veris eunt.

Tunc emersa virent stagnanti e flumine prata:
Seque novo viridis gramine vestit ager.
Tunc pinguem agricolae proscindunt vomere glebam:
Inque lacus gremio semina iacta tegunt.
Hinc fenoque casas et messibus horrea complent:
Hinc cum ervo et milio, pisa fabasque legunt.
Vidi ego triticea terram flavescere arista:
Quae nuper densis tecta latebat aquis.
Vidi ruricolam curvos tractare bidentes,
Qua nuper remos duxerat ille via.
Cum vero Autumm succedunt frigora messi,
Mox eadem absorptas terra refundit aquas.
Tum subito erumpunt, velut e sifonibus undae,
Et longae complent vallis utrumque latus.
Emergunt simul occulto cum flumine pisces
Omnigeni: et miro vertice pictus anas.
Atque ubi constiter ant graciles aestate capellae:
Illic hyberno pisce natatur humus.
Quaque vago volucri modo rete tetenderat auceps:
Illic nunc lintrem navita lentus agit.
Vix equidem credar: sed cum sint lumina testes
Ipsa mihi: debent lumina habere fidem.
Vidimus in glacie pisces haerere ligatos:
Et rigido caesos saepe bidente capi.
Inunc, Inopum et Nilum tibi suspice: quisquis
Circnitii nescis mira fluenta lacus.

I am wondering how to understand curvos bidentes, as a mattock or as oxen. The dixtionary says that bidentes are used more as animals for sacrifice, although this is not an antique latin. but I was still first proned to mattock with two teeth. But a plural is used so I am wavering if are not meant the animals ... What do you think?

 

[Pacifica]

It's much more likely to mean a tool here (mattock, hoe or the like).

By the way:

Circnitium miror Amice lacum?

I think that should end with a period rather than a question mark.

 

[Katarina]

It's much more likely to mean a tool here (mattock, hoe or the like).

How do you explain plural here?

By the way:

I think that should end with a period rather than a question mark.

I definitely agree. I first took the text already transcribed but it has some mistakes. I found a manuscript but it seem it also has a question mark ... Here is the link, song is in 20th book.

Operum poeticorum pars elegiaca

books.google.si

I have another question.
Vix equidem credar
Why passive here? I would expect Vix equidem credam and I would understand it as "I could hardy believe", but I have no idea how to understand passive voice.

And another question just to check my understanding:
Quaque vago volucri modo rete tetenderat auceps
The bird hunter put a net to a migatory bird - and vago modo describes the bird as 'a bird of moving mode'?

 

[Pacifica]

How do you explain plural here?

The farmer could be using more than one of those tools, or it could be a poetic plural.

I have another question.
Vix equidem credar
Why passive here? I would expect Vix equidem credam and I would understand it as "I could hardy believe", but I have no idea how to understand passive voice.

It means "I would hardly be believed" (if there weren't greater authorities to confirm what I say).

And another question just to check my understanding:
Quaque vago volucri modo rete tetenderat auceps
The bird hunter put a net to a migatory bird - and vago modo describes the bird as 'a bird of moving mode'?

Modo is an adverb there.

 

[Katarina]

Séd sursúm fluit é terrá, refluítque deórsum,

Is this correct? It sound strange to me ...

 

[Pacifica]

Yes. "Fl" is taken together: re-flu-it (instead of ref-lu-it).