The Anathemata

Sherthursdaye and Venus day (continued)

As the bleat of the spent stag

toward the river-course

he, the fons-head

pleading, ad fontes a 

his desiderate cry:2 

SITIO.3 

David Jones notes

2 Cf. the psalm. ‘Quemadmodum desiderat cervus ad fontes aquarum.’ (Vul. Ps .. 41.)

‘Like as the hart desireth the water-brooks.’ (Bk. of Com. Pr. Ps. 42.)

Fel y brifa’r hydd am yr afonydd dyfroedd. As the bleat of the stag forthe rivers of waters. (Welsh Psalter).

3 I found myself having to use the Latin sitio for the English ‘I thirst’, because that is the form most impressed upon me by hearing the ministers singing the passion on Good Friday. Three pitches are used by three separate cantors: a high pitch for words said by Pilate, the priests, etc., a middle pitch for the narrative and a deep pitch for the words attributed to our Lord. Sitio is sung to six notes, G G A G F F. See illustration facing p. 235.

additional notes

comments

see also

semantic structures

glossary

a fontes: plural of fons = spring, fountain, and also the font in a church (Latin).