Poetry Corner
I was reading CS Lewis’ writings on English Literature of the 16th Century, and was much impressed with this poem on the Resurrection by Dunbar, which was discussed there.
Oddly, I knew of Wm. Dunbar only because his “Lament for the Makers” is quoted at a funeral dirge for the king of Witchland on the planet Mercury by the Red Foliot in the fantasy book THE WORM OUROBOROS (1922) by E. R. Eddison. And, because the Red Foliot is interrupted, until this very fortnight, I never read the astonishing last line. But if fantasy can operate as a gateway leading to the classics, so be it.
Of the Resurrection poem, Lewis remarks:
The ‘Resurrection’ is … excellent. It is speech rather than song, but speech of unanswerable and thundering greatness. From the first line (“Done is a battell on the Dragon blak”) to the last (“Surrexit Dominus de sepulchro”) it vibrates with exultant energy. It defies the powers of evil and has the ring of a steel gauntlet flung down.
Curious, I looked for it. It is, to be sure, an Easter theme, but I deem it suited also to honor Pentecost, and so in that spirit here present to my beloved readers.
On the Resurrection of Christ
by William Dunbar (c1465—c1513)
| Done is a battle on the dragon black, | |
| Our champion Christ confoundit has his force; | |
| The yetis of hell are broken with a crack, | –yetis=gates |
| The sign triumphal raisit is of the cross, | |
| The devillis trymmillis with hiddous voce, | –trymillis=tremble |
| The soulis are borrowit and to the bliss can go, | –borrowit=ransomed |
| Christ with his blood our ransomis dois indoce: | –indoce=endorse |
| Surrexit Dominus de sepulchro. | —Risen is the Lord from the sepulcher |
| . | |
| Dungan is the deadly dragon Lucifer, | –dungan=battered, pounded |
| The cruel serpent with the mortal stang; | |
| The auld kene tiger, with his teith on char, | –kene= keen; on char=ajar, gaping |
| Whilk in a wait has lyen for us so lang, | |
| Thinking to grip us in his clawis strang; | |
| The merciful Lord wald nocht that it were so, | |
| He made him for to failye of that fang. | –failye=fail; fang=plunder |
| Surrexit Dominus de sepulchro. | |
| . | |
| He for our sake that sufferit to be slain, | |
| And like a lamb in sacrifice was dicht, | –dicht=prepared |
| Is like a lion risen up again, | |
| And as a gyane raxit him on hicht; | –gyane=giant; raxit=reached |
| Sprungen is Aurora radious and bricht, | |
| On loft is gone the glorious Apollo, | |
| The blissful day departit fro the nicht: | |
| . | |
| The grit victour again is rissen on hicht, | |
| That for our querrell to the deth was woundit; | |
| The sun that wox all pale now shynis bricht, | |
| And, derkness clearit, our faith is now refoundit; | |
| The knell of mercy fra the heaven is soundit, | |
| The Christin are deliverit of their wo, | |
| The Jowis and their errour are confoundit: | |
| Surrexit Dominus de sepulchro. | |
| . | |
| The fo is chasit, the battle is done ceis, | |
| The presone broken, the jevellouris fleit and flemit; | — jailers frightened and fleeing |
| The war is gone, confermit is the peace, | |
| The fetteris lowsit and the dungeon temit, | –temit=emptied |
| The ransoun made, the prisoneris redeemit; | |
| The field is won, owrecomen is the fo, | |
| Dispuilit of the treasure that he yemit: | –yemit=kept |
AN ENGLISH TRANSLATION
by Victoria Emily Jones (2022)
Done is a battle on the dragon black,
Our champion Christ has confounded his force;
The gates of hell are broken with a crack,
The sign triumphal raised (that is, the cross),
The devils tremble with hideous voice,
The souls are redeemed and to the bliss can go,
Christ with his blood our ransom does endorse:
Surrexit dominus de sepulchro.
Beaten is the deadly dragon Lucifer,
The cruel serpent with the mortal sting,
The old sharp tiger with his teeth bared,
Who in wait has lain for us so long,
Thinking to grip us in his claws strong:
The merciful Lord would not that it were so,
He made him for to fail of that prize:
Surrexit dominus de sepulchro.
He who for our sake allowed himself to be slain,
And like a lamb in sacrifice was offered,
Is like a lion risen up again,
And like a giant raised himself on high:
Risen is Aurora radiant and bright,
Aloft is gone the glorious Apollo,
The blissful day departed from the night:
Surrexit dominus de sepulchro.
The great victor again is risen on high
Who on our behalf to the death was wounded;
The son that waxed all pale now shimmers bright,
And, darkness cleared, our faith is now refounded.
The knell of mercy from the heav’n is sounded,
The Christians are delivered from their woe,
The Jews and their error are confounded:
Surrexit dominus de sepulchro.
The foe is chased, the battle is done,
The prison broken, the jailers fled and banished,
The war is gone, confirmèd is the peace,
The fetters loosed and the dungeon emptied,
The ransom made, the prisoners redeemed,
The field is won, overcome is the foe,
Despoiled of the treasure that he held:
Surrexit dominus de sepulchro.
About John C Wright
John C. Wright is a practicing philosopher, a retired attorney, newspaperman, and newspaper editor, and a published author of science fiction. Once a Houyhnhnm, he was expelled from the august ranks of purely rational beings when he fell in love; but retains an honorary title.
