Quia ergo femina

Mother and Son

FORM Antiphon for the Virgin
DIFFICULTY Easy
LENGTH Short
SOURCE Riesencodex f.467 recto
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Text and Translation

Quia ergo femina mortem instruxit,
clara virgo illam interemit,
et ideo est summa benedictio
in feminea forma
pre omni creatura,
quia Deus factus est homo
in dulcissima et beata virgine.

Therefore, because a woman contrived death,
a resplendent virgin abolished it,
and for that reason the blessing highest
above all creation
takes a womanly form
because God was made human
in a most-sweet and blessed virgin.

 

Editorial Notes

This antiphon also appears in Dendermonde Codex f.154 verso.

 

Musical transcription by Allison Mondel
Latin translation by Hugh McElroy

© Eya Medieval Music

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