Animula vagula blandula

Synopsis

Animula vagula blandula is the first line of a poem which appears in the Historia Augusta as the work of the dying emperor Hadrian. It has been extensively studied and there are numerous translations. The author of the Historia Augusta was disparaging but later authors such as Isaac Casaubon were more respectful. Animula vagula blandula Hospes comesque corporis Quae nunc abibis in loca? Pallidula rigida nudula Nec ut soles dabis iocos Poor little, wandering, charming soul Guest and companion of my body, What place will you go to now? Pale, stiff, naked little thing, Nor will you be making jokes as you always do. It was translated by D. Johnston as follows: Oh, loving Soul, my own so tenderly, My life’s companion and my body’s guest, To what new realms, poor flutterer, wilt thou fly? Cheerless, disrobed, and cold in thy lone quest, Hushed thy sweet fancies, mute thy wonted jest. Some translators take the adjectives in line 4 as neuter plural, agreeing with the word loca (places), but the majority take them as feminine singular, describing the soul.

Text license: CC BY-SA 4.0 · Source

Details

Type

Book

Release date

January 1, 138

Created by

Hadrian

Cover: Wikimedia Commons · Carole Raddato from FRANKFURT, Germany · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Source