I really enjoy poetry, so this post is dedicated to analyzing one of the most famous poems in Maltese history: Il Kantilena. Il Kantilena, written by Pietru Caxaro, is the oldest known literary text composed in the Maltese language. It is dated back to the 15th century but was not recovered until hundreds of years later. The original text is written in Medieval Maltese (Latin script), which is very antiquated but has many times been translated into modern Maltese and English. Kantilena translates to il cantilena (Latin root), which is defined as follows: a smooth flowing style in the writing of vocal music (British Dictionary). Specifically, this style of poetry is rhythmic and utilizes a number of literary elements to produce song-like verse. The original text was written before the Italian language influenced Malta, so the sounds and words are particularly Semitic-sounding.
Literary scholars have proposed various meanings to this poem, but have largely struggled due to the levels of translation and various cultural changes in society. For example, the modern Maltese text varies significantly from the original Maltese text due to the fact that it was discovered and translated 500 years after being written. The Arabic language and tradition were woven into the poem, while modern Maltese language and culture are more heavily based in Western European culture. Literally, the poem references the collapse of a building or house due to the use of loose clay. Caxaro cites that he thought he built the walls with rock, but he was, in fact, wrong and now faces responsibility. While it is speculated that there is a deeper meaning behind the poem, historically the physical walls of Mdina (a city in Malta) began to crumble in 1454. It is often questioned if this event is being referenced in the poem, and if so, what is the deeper significance of the city deteriorating?
This poem was quite challenging for me to read through and understand in Maltese. After attempting to read through it on my own, I found an audio version of the poem, which I have included below. One of the most beautiful, prominent elements of this poem is the soft and melodic sound. It is often noted that many smooth m and n-sounds are used to create humming behind the words. Additionally, there is alliteration such as nitla' u nerġa’ ninże. The poem repeats phrases for emphases, such as waqgħet hi (it fell) and merħi (clay) to central meanings. These two words are fundamental to the poem, which centers on the importance of a solid foundation (physical and metaphoric). The beauty of the poem is also carried through the rhyme of the final words of phrases. For example, la mula/muħ sula, ibniha/jewtiha, ħamra/tmarra, and nħadditkom/f’għomorkom.
https://vassallohistory.wordpress.com/history-of-the-maltese-language/the-cantilena/
Below is the modern translation (Maltese) and English translation of the poem:
Xidew il-qada, ja ġirieni, tale nħadditkom,
Ma nsab fil-weri u la nsab f’għomorkom
Qalb m’għandha ħakem, sultan u la mula
Bir imgħ ammiq irmietni, b’ turġien muħ sula,
Fejn ħ ajran għ all-għ arqa, ninż el f’ taraġ minżeli
Nitla’ u nerġa’ ninżel dejjem fil-baħar il-għoli.
Waqgħet hi, imrammti, l’ ili żmien nibni,
Ma ħtatlix mgħallmin, ’ mma qatagħ li tafal merħi;
Fejn tmajt insib il-ġebel, sibt tafal merħi;
Waqgħet hi, imrammti.
Waqgħet hi, imrammti, niżżlet hi s-sisien,
Ma ħ tatlix l-imgħallmin, ’ mma qatagħ li l-ġebel;
Fejn tmajt insib il-ġebel, sibt tafal merħi;
Waqgħet hi, imrammti, l’ ili żmien nibni.
U hekk waqgħet hi, imrammti! w erġa’ ibniha!
Biddilha inti l-imkien illi jewtiha;
Min ibiddel l-imkien ibiddel il-vintura;
Għaliex l-iradigħ al kull xiber sura:
Hemm art bajda, w hemm art sewda u ħamra.
Aktar minn hedawn hemm trid minnha tmarra.
Witness my predicament, my friends (neighbours), as I shall relate it to you:
never has there been, neither in the past, nor in your lifetime,
A [similar] heart, ungoverned, without lord or king (sultan),
That threw me down a well, with broken stairs
Where, yearning to drown, I descend the steps of my downfall,
Climb back up, only to go down again in this sea of woe.
It(she) fell, my edifice, [that] which I had been building for so long,
It was not the builders’ fault, but (of) the soft clay (that lay beneath);
Where I had hoped to find rock, I found loose clay
It(she) fell, my building!
It(she) fell, my building, its foundations collapsed;
It was not the builders’ fault, but the rock gave way,
Where I had hoped to find rock, I found loose clay
It (she) fell, my edifice, (that) which I had been building for so long,
And so, my edifice subsided, and I shall have to build it up again,
change the site that caused its downfall
Who changes his place, changes his “vintura”!
for each (piece of land) has its own shape (features);
there is white land and there is black land, and red
But above all, you must stay clear of it.
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