1. Musae Iovis ter maximi
Proles canora, plangite,
Comas cypressus comprimat
Iosquinus ille occidit,
Templorum decus,
Et vestrum decus.
2. Severa mors et improba
Quae templa et dulcibus sonis
Privas, et aulas principum
Malum tibi quod imprecer,
Tollenti bonos,
Parcenti malis.
3. Apollo sed necem tibi
Minatur, heus mors pessima,
Instructus et arcu et spiculis
Musasque ut addent commonet,
Et laurum comis,
Et aurum comis.
4. Iosquinus (inquit) optimo
Et maximo gratus Iovi
Triumphat inter coelites,
Et dulce carmen concinit
Templorum decus,
Musarum decus.
English translation
1. Ye Muses, melodious offspring
of thrice-greatest Jupiter, make lamentation.
The cypress draws in its leaves.
Josquin, the glory of temples,
your own glory,
himself is dead.
2. Grim and merciless Death,
who deprives the temples
and princely courts of sweet sounds,
I invoke a curse on you
for casting away the good
and sparing the undeserving.
3. But Apollo, skilful with bow and arrow,
threatens you with murder,
O most wretched Death,
and calls upon the Muses
to bind both laurel
and gold in their hair.
4. "Josquin," he says, "pleasing
to the best and greatest Jupiter,
rejoices with the heavenly beings
and sings a sweet song
which is the glory of temples,
the glory of the Muses".
In the setting by Gombert, T3 quotes the introit for Septuagesima: 'Circumdederunt me gemitus mortis doloris inferni' (= The cries of death and the pains of hell surround me).
Latin text
English translation