Copenhagen's Dance of Death, Part 29

desligest met hoffmod och wkyskhed
Ieg haffde nu acthit ath giffte mig snart
Nu tager døden mig met en fart

Flower Døden Suarer.

Læg strax aff din pærle krantz Death on the lion

Och følg mig nu i denne dantz

FlowerDøden til Iomfruen

Iomfru Tore, eller huad du heder
kom hid och lære nu mine seder
Du pleyer ia gerne at gaa i dantz The Maid

… and also with haughtiness and unchastity.
I had now(1) intended to marry soon.
Now Death takes me in a haste.

Death Answers.

Lay off your rosary right away …

… and follow me now in this dance.

Death to the Maid

Maid Tore, or what you are named.(2)
Come hither and learn now my manners.
You usually like to dance …

Death on the lion The Maid Click the little pictures to see the original pages.

Footnotes: (1) (2)

now . . .: my translation may be a little too hamfisted. The Danish word "nu" means "now", but like the English "yet" in can also be used as a conjunction meaning "despite this; nevertheless".

In modern Danish the word "nu" would modify the sentence to mean something like: "I realize my plans are made void, but just for the record: I had intended to marry soon".

or what you are named . . .: The same is said by Death to the maiden in Des dodes dantz: »efte wo dyn name is gheheten«.

Then Death proceeds to recite the names of 70 other maids who must also join the dance.

Copenhagen's Dance of Death Dances of death Lübeck Books Copenhagen's Dance of Death Part 29