Several months ago I wrote a blog on love where I spoke of the benefits of incorporating love and passion into all areas of your life. With Valentine’s Day coming up, love is definitely in the air as retailers, restaurants and florists get ready for one of their busiest days of the year. Everywhere you go you are being bombarded with gift ideas ranging from chocolates to jewelry and everything in between! With all of this I was amazed when I read that the origin of Valentine’s Day and that love had nothing to do with it!
The day was actually inspired by a man named Valentinus (latin for Valentine), who was martyred as a Saint by the Roman Catholic Church on February the 14th after his death which was on or about 270 A.D.
February 14th became known as St. Valentine’s Day in celebration of Saint Valentinus and legend has it there were several Saints with this name from the same era.
Valentinus is a Roman masculine given name. It is derived from the Latin word “valens” meaning “healthy, strong”.
It was centuries later before romance became associated with Valentine’s Day and it came about by chance really.
Geoffrey Chaucer, an English poet, wrote the poem Parliament of Foules in the 14th century referencing February 14th as the day birds (and humans) came together to find a mate.
And the rest is history.
I must admit I found it to be a bit challenging to read the entire 699 lines of Parlement of Foules in its original format so was grateful to stumble across the Poetry in Translation modernized version which made for a much better read.
Poetry, like all forms of art, is subjective, and with lines 295-315 resonated the most with me (you can read the full 699 line version here).
The Parliament of Fowls
by Geoffrey Chaucer (lines 295-315 below have been translated by A.S.Kline)
When I had come again unto the place
Of which I spoke, that was so sweet and green,
Forth I walked to bring myself solace.
Then was I aware, there sat a queen:
As in brightness the summer sun’s sheen
Outshines the star, right so beyond measure
Was she fairer too than any creature.
And in a clearing on a hill of flowers
Was set this noble goddess, Nature;
Of branches were her halls and her bowers
Wrought according to her art and measure;
Nor was there any fowl she does engender
That was not seen there in her presence,
To hear her judgement, and give audience.
For this was on Saint Valentine’s day,
When every fowl comes there his mate to take,
Of every species that men know, I say,
And then so huge a crowd did they make,
That earth and sea, and tree, and every lake
Was so full, that there was scarcely space
For me to stand, so full was all the place.
And as Alain, in his Complaint of Nature,
Describes her array and paints her face,
In such array might men there find her.
So this noble Empress, full of grace,
Bade every fowl to take its proper place
As they were wont to do from year to year,
On Saint Valentine’s day, standing there.
The greatest thing you’ll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return. – David Bowie
Happy Valentine’s Day!
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