by Anonymous / Unidentified Author
Gravidae querela
Language: Latin
Huc usque, me miseram!
rem bene celaveram
et amavi callide.
res mea tandem patuit,
nam venter intumuit,
partus instat gravidae.
hinc mater me verberat,
hinc pater improperat,
ambo tractant aspere.
sola domi sedeo,
egredi non audeo
nec inpalam ludere.
cum foris egredior,
a cunctis inspicior,
quasi monstrum fuerim.
cum vident hunc uterum,
alter pulsat alterum,
silent, dum transierim.
semper pulsant cubito,
me designant digito,
ac si mirum fecerim.
nutibus me indicant,
dignam rogo iudicant,
quod semel peccaverim.
quid percurram singula?
ego sum in fabula
et in ore omnium.
ex eo vim patior,
iam dolore morior,
semper sum in lacrimis.
hoc dolorem cumulat,
quod amicus exulat
propter illud paululum.
ob patris saevitiam
recessit in Franciam
a finibus ultimis.
sum in tristitia
de eius absentia
in doloris cumulum.
Text Authorship:
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Grant Hicks) , "Pregnant Woman's Lament", copyright © 2026, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [
Administrator]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 39
Word count: 126
Pregnant Woman's Lament
Language: English  after the Latin
Until now — poor me! —
I had concealed the matter
and loved shrewdly.
My situation is at last revealed,
for my belly has become swollen;
birth nears for this mother-to-be.
On one side Mother beats me,
on the other Father reproaches me;
both treat me harshly.
I sit alone at home,
I don't dare to go out
nor to enjoy myself in public.
When I go outdoors,
I am watched by everyone,
as if I were a monster.
When they see this womb
they nudge each other;
they fall silent until I have passed by.
They always nudge with an elbow,
point a finger at me,
as if I've done something unheard of.
They point me out with a nod,
judge me worthy of the pyre,
because I have made one mistake.
Why run through things one by one?
I am a subject of gossip
and in everyone's mouth.
For this I suffer violence,
now I am dying from the pain,
I am always in tears.
It increases the pain,
that my friend is in exile
because of this trifle.
On account of his father's rage
he has retreated to France
at its farthest borders.
I am in sadness
over his absence
to the summit of pain.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from Latin to English copyright © 2026 by Grant Hicks, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
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Based on:
This text was added to the website: 2026-02-07
Line count: 39
Word count: 208