A poem from Baudri

Translated letter:

The mountain  gave birth to a mouse, the mute Beatrice has spoken.
She wrote, she dictated, she said almost nothing.
Either nothing is what she said or what she wrote is guarded.
And she defends her songs with songs.

Original letter:

Murem mons peperit, quia fatur muta Beatrix;
Scripsit, dictavit, paene locuta nihil.
Vel nihil est quod ait, vel quod scripsit tueatur.
Et sua defendat carmina carminibus.

Historical context:

Beatrice, who has resisted Baudri's requests for a poem, finally sends a very short one.

Printed source:

Les OEuvres Poétiques de Baudri de Bourgueil, ed. Phyllis Abrahams, (Paris:  Honoré Champion, 1926, repr. Geneva:  Slatkine, 1974), # CCIII.

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