- published: 19 Feb 2013
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A cantus (Latin for 'singing', derived from 'cantare'), is an activity organised by Belgian, Dutch, French, Baltic and Afrikaans student organisations and fraternities. A cantus mainly involves singing traditional songs and drinking beer. It is governed by strict traditional rules. The use of this dates back a few centuries and was inspired by German student organisations; however some of the songs that are sung date back to the Middle Ages. Cantus probably shares same roots with Commercium, Sitsit and Tableround.
The songs are compiled in what the students refer to as the codex, which contains the club anthems of most student organisations and hundreds of songs in various languages, such as Dutch, French, English, German, Latin and Afrikaans. They usually have easy and familiar melodies. Nearly all of the songs predate World War II and refer to either drinking, the student's (love) life or the history and past of the home country, city or region. For this reason, some songs are typically sung more by students of one city or another, e.g. students from Ghent will not sing songs about Leuven and vice versa, or they will simply replace instances of one city with another. Also due to the old nature of the songs, some of them have in the past years been controversial because they are seen by politically correct people as sexist, right-wing or downright racist.
Personent hodie
Voces puerulae
Laudates jucunde
Qui nobis est natus
Personent hodie
Voces puerulae
Laudates jucunde
Qui nobis est natus
Summo Deo datus
Ideo, ideo, ideo gloria in excelsis Deo
His the doom, ours the mirth
When he came down to earth
Flower of Jesse's tree
Born on earth to save us
Him the Father gave us
Ideo, ideo, ideo gloria in excelsis Deo
Is airiu agus a leanbh cad a dhéanfaidh mé
Tá tú ar shiúl uaim agus airiú
Jesukin
Lives my quiet cell within
Thou in me dwelling
All is lie but Jesukin
Jesu of the skies
My little one, Thou my delight
I with Thee, Thou with me
Next my heart through every night
'S airiú
Who hangs from yonder passion tree?
Your son, dear Mother
Do you not know me?
Judas, James and John
Have you seen my only son?
Ochon! My eyes are blind
Ochon! My heart is wrung
Stella Maris, Semper Clara
Rosa Munde, Res Miranda
Misterium Mirabile
'S airiú agus ochon!
Sad I am till you return
To have you at the break of dawn!
Ochon airiú
Without you!
Translation from Latin and Irish Gaelic into English
Latin Verse:
Today let youthful voices
Sound forth joyous praises
Of Him who is born for us,
The gift of the most high God
Therefore, "Glory to God in the highest."
Gaelic Verse:
Is airiúi! (a keen or exclamation of lament -- no
literal translation)
And what shall I do, my child!
You've been gone from me for a long time
Is airiúi!
Latin Canticle/Countermelody:
Star of the Sea, ever bright
Spotless Rose, most admirable
Wondrous Mystery
Praise, honor
Strength and glory