University of Massachusets, Amherst Leaf 07
This leaf contains text from Aurora, a 15,000-line Latin poem by Petrus de Riga which paraphrases and interprets some two dozen books of the Bible. Its oblong dimensions (24 x 11cm) make it easy to recognize, and Ege locates its origin as English in part due to this shape. It dates to the early 13th century, and is written in an early Gothic hand. See Denison University Leaf 07 for more information about this manuscript.
Text: "Leviticus," lines 708-54 (recto). A scan of the verso is not currently available, but it likely contains lines 755-800.
Reconstruction Note! This leaf originally followed Leaf 07 from the University of South Carolina portfolio in Ege's manuscript. Together they contain the text of "Leviticus," lines 595-800.
Amherst Leaf 07 Recto
University of Massachusets, Amherst Leaf 07 Recto
Amherst Leaf 07 Recto Transcription
["Leviticus," lines 708-54. See Beichner, vol. I, pp. 174-76.]
Ac uterus quidam faucibus eius inest;
Escarum cupidus, expleri nescius, ales
Colligit hic totem quicquid habere potest;
Que rapuit primo mox reddit in os et in aluum
Veram fert, tanquam ruminet ille cibum:
Diues opum cupidus, qui construit oppida quorum
Ventre recondat opes, hanc imitatur auem;
Qui tantos cumulat fructus ut pluribus annis
Consumi nequeat tantus aceruus opum;
Postea, si sit opus, proprios expendit in usus
Et uelut aluus eas uentre receptat opes.
Porphirio morsu bibit, omne, gurgite uictum
Tingit et ad rostrum fert alimenta pede:
Qui quod agit facit hoc ad uelle suum, sibi fidens,
Non aliis, tanquam singula tingit aqua,
Namque potest per aquam signari fluxa uoluptas,
Que te compellit ut per iniqua fluas.
Herodius, celer in predam, qui falco uocatur,
Nititur alarum remige, falce pedis:
Iste reos signat ad praua uolare paratos,
Quorum sunt celeres ad mala queque pedes.
Garrula charadion auis est illosque figurat
Quorum bella, minas garrula lingua serit.
Vpupa, que melius ita dicitur epopa, nidum
In fetore struit, non canit, immo gemit:
Hi sunt quos mundi grauis anxia cura molestat,
Quorum terrenis rebus inheret amor.
Vespere pronus humi uespertilio uolat; uti
Pennis pro pedibus in gradiendo solet:
Hic cuius mentem terrena scientia ditem
Efficit huic uolucri se facit esse parem;
Iste uelut circa terram uolitat quia ueri
Luminis ignarus, terrea sola sapit;
Pennis pro pedibus uti didicit quia pennas
Eiusdem census ad lucra sola mouet.
De alternantibus uitiis in reprobis.
Que uolat et uaga fit, carnem maculans, loca mutans,
Lepram comburi lex uetus igne iubet.
Lepra uagans mutat loca cum, fugiente prioris
Te culpe lepram, te noua culpa ligat.
Hic erat immundus, modo fit mundus; tumet inde
Quemque libido prius polluit, ecce tumor!
Sic loca mutauit nec uestem lepra reliquit,
Nam qui carne prius corde fit ecce reus.
De tenenda mensura locutionis. Qui fluxum seminis
patitur immundus erit.
Si quisquam fluxum patiatur seminis, esse
Iudicat immundum littera legis eum:
Si per uerba fluas nec eorum tempora serues,
Te noua lex Christi iudicat esse reum;
Amherst Leaf 07 Recto Translation
An English translation of Aurora does not presently exist.