The joyful face of Spring | The joyful face of Spring

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by Anonymous / Unidentified Author

Translation © by Grant Hicks

Veris leta facies

Language: Latin

Our translations: ENG ITA SPA

I. PRIMO VERE
Veris leta facies
mundo propinatur,
hiemalis acies
victa iam fugatur,
in vestitu vario
Flora principatur,
nemorum dulcisonoque
cantu celebratur. Ah!

Flore fusus gremio
Phebus novo more
risum dat, hoc vario
iam stipate flore.
Zephyrus nectareo
spirans in odore,
certatim pro bravio
curramus in amore. Ah!

Cytharizat cantico
dulcis philomena,
flore rident vario
prata iam serena,
salit cetus avium
silve per amena,
chorus promit virginum
iam gaudia millena. Ah!

Text Authorship:

by Anonymous / Unidentified Author, appears in Carmina Burana: Cantiones profanae, first published c1300 [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):

by Carl Orff (1895 - 1982), "Veris leta facies", 1935-6 [ semi-chorus ], from Carmina Burana, no. 3 [sung text checked 1 time]

Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

ENG English (Grant Hicks) , "The joyful face of Spring", copyright © 2026, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
ITA Italian (Italiano) (Ferdinando Albeggiani) , "L'allegro volto di primavera (Semi-coro)", copyright © 2011, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
SPA Spanish (Español) (Saúl Botero Restrepo) , "Su alegre rostro la primavera", copyright © 2015, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Research team for this page: Grant Hicks [Guest Editor] , Ferdinando Albeggiani

This text was added to the website: 2011-04-24
Line count: 25
Word count: 71

The joyful face of Spring

Language: English after the Latin

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I. IN EARLY SPRING 
The joyful face of Spring
is presented to the world,
Winter's regiment,
defeated, is now put to flight,
in variegated dress
Flora reigns,
and by the sweet-sounding song
of the woods she is glorified. Ah!

Stretched out in Flora's lap
Phoebus in a new manner 
laughs, as this riot 
of flowers now surrounds her.
Zephyrus breathes
with a nectar-sweet scent;
competing for the prize,
let us race for love. Ah!

Sweet Philomena 
sings to the lyre, 
now with a riot of flowers
the cheerful meadows laugh, 
a flock of birds darts 
through the pleasant forest spaces,
a chorus of virgins now brings forth 
joy a thousand fold. Ah!

Translator's note: this poem refers to four figures from ancient Roman mythology: Flora, the goddess of flowers; Phoebus, an epithet of the god Apollo, who was associated with the sun; Zephyrus, a god representing the gentle westerly breeze of Spring; and Philomena (alternatively Philomela), an Athenian princess who was transformed by the gods into a nightingale.

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.

Based on:

a text in Latin by Anonymous/Unidentified Artist , appears in Carmina Burana: Cantiones profanae, first published c1300
- Go to the text page.

This text was added to the website: 2026-09-15
Line count: 25
Word count: 112