that alt\'reth ev\'ry case

English translation: that always changes things

17:53 Nov 6, 2017
English language (monolingual) [Non-PRO]
Art/Literary - Music / Renaissance Madrigal
English term or phrase: that alt\'reth ev\'ry case
This is a line from a madrigal of the late 16th or early 17th century.
Full lyrics:

"As I went a walking in the month of May,
Merrily talking, I thus began to say,
Where dwelleth Love, that lively boy,
How might I see his face,
that breedeth pain and bringeth joy,
THAT ALT'RETH EV'RY CASE:
then with a sigh I did refrain,
and to the world let it remain."

I would like to know if the expression "alter every case" is an idiom / a figure of speech and if so what exactly it means.
Donata Rosca
Germany
Local time: 06:29
Selected answer:that always changes things
Explanation:
It's not AFAIK a fixed idiom or metaphor, just archaic EN.

The author seems to be saying that when Love comes along, 'things' always change — "nothing will be the same".
Selected response from:

Tony M
France
Local time: 06:29
Grading comment
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
2that always changes things
Tony M


Discussion entries: 4





  

Answers


2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 2/5Answerer confidence 2/5
that alt'reth ev'ry case
that always changes things


Explanation:
It's not AFAIK a fixed idiom or metaphor, just archaic EN.

The author seems to be saying that when Love comes along, 'things' always change — "nothing will be the same".

Tony M
France
Local time: 06:29
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 40

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  B D Finch
15 hrs
  -> Thanks, B!

disagree  GILOU: c'est une interprétation simplette, c'est beaucoup plus profond le sens en anglais. C'est un texte du 16e siècle pas moderne
13 days
  -> No it's not! It needs explaining in lots of words, EN is much more succinct than FR, but this pretty much captures the sense in idiomatic modern EN. / Asker is not seeking a translation, merely to understand what it would mean in modern EN!
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