While I spent the entire period of discussion about the General Prologue of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales thinking, "Yes, but what exactly does this have to do with the Half Blood Prince?!" the best moment came at the last.

Yesterday I played hooky because my sleep schedule was getting irreparably wacked and I knew I needed to sleep in a little so I wouldn't nap in the late afternoon, thereby creating another late night (which ironically ended up happening anyway) and more tiredness. It was a handout day in English, so I knew I'd have to pick it up today. It was an excerpt from the Carmina Burana, a collection of pagan-influenced Medieval songs. Do you know which one he picked, out of the over 1000 available?

Welcome, Bacchus,
dear, desired guest,
through whom our spirits
are made merry.

This wine, a good wine,
a noble wine,
makes a man courteous,
upright, and lively.

Bacchus forcefully overcomes
men's hearts
and arouses their minds
to love.

Bacchus often visits
womankind
and makes them subject
to thee, o Venus.

Bacchus flows through the veins
with his warm liquor
and makes them fiery
with Venus' burning.

Gentle Bacchus alleviates
cares and sorrow
and brings us humor, joys,
smiles, and loves.

Bacchus is wont
to ease a woman's mind;
he makes her more readily
be of one mind with a man.

Bacchus is wont
to win over easily someone
from whom one has previously
been unable to get coition.

The god Bacchus makes
man merry
and likewise makes him
learned and eloquent.

Bacchus, renowned god,
all of us here present
are joyful when we
taste thy gifts.

We all sing to thee
our highest songs of praise
and we rightly praise thee
throughout all the ages.

Coincidence?

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