THE LOEB CLASSICAL LIBRARY

FOUNDED BY JAMES LOEB, IX.D.

^^ .-. ,-■ / ^- EDITED BY

tT. E. PAGE, C.H., LITT.D.

E. CAPPS, PH.D., IX.D. W. H. D. ROUSE, litt.d. L. A. POST, M.A. E. H. WARinNGTOX,

M.A., F.K.HIST.SOC.

PRUDENTIUS I

y-n-

PRUDEI x^IUS

WITH AN ENGLISH TRANSLATION BY

H. J. THOMSON, D.LiTT.

LATE PBOFESSOR OF LATIX IS THE inaVERSITT COLLEGE OP XOBTH WALE3, BASGOK

Un two volumes I

499010

LONDON

WILLIAM HEINEMANN LTD

CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS

HARVARD UNIVERSITY PRESS

MOMXLIX

Printed in Great Britain

(o(oLp'S

V.l

CONTENTS

PACK

IXTRODXTCnON vii

PBAEFATIO ........ 2

^ LIBEB CATHEMEBIXO?T 6

APOTHEOSIS 116

HAMABTIGENIA . 200

KYCHOMACHIA 274

COSTBA OKATIONEM SYMMACHI, LIBEB I . . . 344

INTRODUCTION

AuRELius Prude:itius Clemens, like a number of eminent Latin ^Titers of the classical age, was bom in Spain; unlike them, although he visited Rome, he appears to have hved and Avorked in his native land.** In the prefatory verses which, in his fifty- seventh year, he WTote for an edition of his poems,* he indicates (at line 24) that he was born in the consulship of SaUa, that is, in the year 348. He does not name his birth-place, and there is no con- clusive evidence to determine it ; but his oaati words associate his life with the north-eastern part of Spain, and on such evidence as we have it seems •liost likely that he was born at Caesaraugusta Saragossa)/ From the fact that, while he laments an ill-spent youth, he does not accuse himself of paganism or speak of ha\-ing been converted, it is inferred that his parents were Christians. The preface goes on to tell that after receiving the usual literary and rhetorical education (lines 7-10) he became a barrister (13-15) and then an adminis-

" Cf. Perist. u, 537-548; for the visit to Rome, Perist. ix, xi, xii; its date must have been before 405, the year of the preface to the collected poems, but after 400, since he describes the Basilica of St. Paul, evidentlj- as completed.

* Lines 34 ff. profess to be a programme of work still to be lone, as if the preface had been written first ; but this must irely be a literary artifice.

' The question is discussed by Bergman in the prolegomena to his edition, pp. ix, x.

>ii

INTRODUCTION

trator (16-18) ; and his career was crowned with an honour to which he refers (19-21) in terms somewhat vague, but probably meaning that he received from the emperor the rank of " comes primi ordinis," which may have entailed special duties in the province or have been merely titular." The date and place of his death are unknown.

Prudentius, then, is an example of the industrious public servant who is also a man of letters ; and although in much of his writing he handled matters of Christian doctrine, it is not as a theologian that we must think of him, but as a man of letters and a whole-hearted Roman who is enthusiastic for the faith. Fervent Christian as he is, at a time when the hold of Christianity on the cultivated classes seems to have been very insecure, when the spirit of literature, even in a nominal Christian like Ausonius, is still essentially pagan, and when serious Christians are tending to separate themselves from the world, he has not cut himself off from the old culture nor from the patriotism of the citizen. He is steeped in the work of the classical Latin poets and suffers no qualms of conscience over his love for them, such as afflicted some of the Fathers of the Church. He regards the pagan literature and art not as things to be rejected but as part of the inheritance into which Christian Rome enters ; and in appropriating Latin poetic forms, lyric, epic, didactic, he is willing to show the world that the subject-matter of the new faith can fill the ancient moulds. At times, it is true, his enthusiasm for

" The word militia (19) was used with reference to civil as well as to military service. For the " comites " see J. S. Reid in the Cambridge Medieval History, I, pp. 46-48,

viii

INTRODUCTION

the old masters carries him too far. Discordia, who in Virgil is the personification of strife, naturally enough becomes Heresy and may still wear her " scissa palla," and Fides is easily recognised as the CathoUc Faith ; Phlegethon and Styx and Acheron had, no doubt, in the educated circles for which Prudentius ^\Tote, become harmless names with only literary associations ; but we feel that the limit has been passed when Jupiter's epithet " Tonans " is used to designate the Christians' God. Still, it is as a poet in whom is embodied a reconciliation be- tween the new faith and the old culture, and in whom Christian thought claims rank in the world of letters, that Prudentius is historically important. A similar quality is seen in his thoughts of Rome and the empire ; he is intensely Roman and patriotic, but there is a new character in his patriotism. The Christian poet, far from denying Rome's divine mission, sees farther into its meaning than ^ irgil did. The purpose which he discerns in Roman history from Aeneas onwards was not merely to unite the world in peace and good government, but to prepare it for the coming of Christ and for the r)iritual empire in which Rome is to attain her _reatest glory." The change from paganism to Christianity is not a breach >rith the past, but only the last stage of a development which reached its ideal completion when the far-off successor of Aeneas bowed the knee to Christ ; * and for Prudentius, as for Aeneas in Mrgil, Tiber is still a sacred stream, not, however, because it is associated with a river-

• Cf. Aeneid, VI, 847-853; Contra Symm. I, 287-290, ■> 7-590; II, 583fF.; PemMi, 425 ff. ■ Afoth. 44&-8.

ix

INTRODUCTION

god, but because it flows through Christ's earthly capital and past the tombs of Christian martyrs.**

When Prudentius wrote, the Church had tri- umphed ; but even at the end of the fourth century paganism, though disestablished and officially banned, was not dead,* and there were dangers of heresy within. In both respects he appears as a defender of the faith. The two poems entitled Apotheosis and Hamartigenia are indeed concerned with the refuta- tion of false doctrine, but even more with the exposition of the true ; in the former case with reference to the divine nature of Christ, in the latter to the question of evil. Modern writers have remarked that the particular heresies which Pruden- tius chooses to attack had for the most part, at any rate in these precise forms, become by his time matters of the past. The explanation is probably to be found in the fact that he is not really a theolo- logical controversialist but a poet, and more at home in setting forth the positive faith of the Catholic Church with all the aids of his poetry and rhetoric. Had his interest lain primarily in theology, he would scarcely have begun the Apotheosis with the state- ment that he will only deal with a few out of many heretical doctrines, for fear of sullying his orthodox tongue. His concern is rather to present the literary world with a poetical treatment of Christian truth, following the long tradition of didactic poetry, and he is content to take a background from past writings of professed theologians. In the two books against Symmachus we have an echo of what has been

" Aeneid, VIII, 72; Perist. xii, 29-30. * See Dill, Book I, ch. ii. (Particulars of works which are re- ferred to will be found in the Select Bibliography, pp. xvi-xvii.)

X

I

INTRODUCTION

called " the last great battle for the official recog- nition of paganism." " It arose out of the stoppage of state payments for the upkeep of old priesthoods and their rites, and the removal of the statue and altar of Victory which had stood for centuries in the senate-house at Rome. An appeal for restoration and toleration was presented to Valentinian II on behalf of the senate, whose pagan members had carried a motion to that effect, by Quintus AureUus Symmachus, prefect of the city and the most admired orator of the day, of whose ability and eloquence Prudentius speaks with the greatest respect ; but the intervention of Ambrose, bishop of Milan, secured its rejection. This was in 384, but it was neither the first nor the last attempt of the persistent pagan party, and the reign of Eugenius gave them a brief success, soon to be reversed by Theodosius' defeat of the usurper in 394. It was not till the early years of the new century that Prudentius wrote his Contra Oratianem Symmachi ; in Book II the reigning emperors are Honorius and Arcadius,* the youthful sons of Theodosius, who had succeeded him in 395, and Une 720 refers to the battle of Pollentia, which was fought in 402 or 403. Symmachus, it seems, died about this time. If we ask why at so late a date Prudentius composed this reply to a document of 384 and in it speaks of Symmachus as if he were still aUve, two facts may provide the answer. First, in spite of imperial edicts against paganism many men in the upper classes were still unwilling to abandon their old ideas, and the emperor's efforts were often

• Accounts of it are given in Dill, l.c.. Glover, pp. 269 ff., Boissier, vol. II, pp. 231-291, Camh. Med. Hist., I, 114 ff. » C/. lines 7 ff.

xi

INTRODUCTION

met, as Dill remarks, with a dead weight of official resistance or negligence. Secondly, Symmachus, after ceasing to be prefect of tEe city, had published his appeal of 384 <* along with his other official relationes, and though dead yet spoke powerfully to a world which regarded him with immense admira- tion and was still highly susceptible to his influence. It is the posthumous appeal of his written words which Prudentius represents Honorius and Arcadius as rejecting. He is careful to define his own atti- tude towards the book : ^ it has deservedly a great reputation, which he cannot hope to diminish ; his own aim is purely defensive. He is, then, putting forth a defence of Christianity in verse which he hopes will appeal to the cultivated readers who admire the prose of Symmachus.

These works, however, represent only half, or less than half, of Prudentius' production. Apart from them, he was a piqijeer in the creation of a Christian literature, and has the credit of originating new types of Christian poetry, the literary hymn, the moral allegory, and what has been called the Chris- tian ballad. Hymns for the use of the Church had been written by Ambrose, but they differ in char- acter from the long and elaborate odes of the Liber

• This is Relatio III, on pp. 280-283 of Seeck's edition of Symmachus (Berlin, 1883). It had also been published by Ambrose (from the official copy) along with his reply (Migne's Patrologia Latina, vol. XVI, 966-982). In the text of Sym- machus it bears the heading " D{omino) N(ostro) Theodosio," but we know from Ambrose that the official copy was formally addressed to Valentinian, Theodosius, and Arcadius (Seeck, pp. xvi f.). For the date of the death of Symmachus see Seeck, pp. Ixxii f.

* I, 643 ff.

xii

I

INTRODUCTION

Cathemerinon. Portions, indeed, of some of these have been included in the Roman Breviary and, in translations, in modem hymnals," but their real nature is not understood if we think of them as intended for congregational singing. They are literary odes in which the mythology of the classical ode is replaced by stories from the Scriptures. It is in this work that Prudentius is most attractive. ^ The hymns are, as Mr. Raby says, his happiest creation, and they furnish his strongest claim to be called a poet. The Psychomachia, with its personi- fications of Virtues and Vices and its epic account of single combats between their leaders, develops a genuine Roman tendency to personify abstract ideas. It was the most popular of the poet's works during the middle ages and the ultimate inspiration of much moral allegory and of much religious and ecclesiastical art.* In the Peristepkanon Liber his devotion to the martyrs combines with his love of telling a story. As one might expect, Spanish martyrs figure largely in the book. It has for us less interest as poetrj' than as historical evidence of the cult of the martyrs and the place it held in the Christian life of the time. An excess of rhetoric makes the description of these pieces as " ballads " less appropriate than it might have been.^"

Apart from the other poems stands the collection

• E.g. " Corde natus ex Parentis " and J. M. Neale's version in corresponding metre, " Of the Father's love begotten ", from Cath. ix.

• See the edition by M. Lavarenne, pp. 58 fF. He refers to two works by E. Male, L'art rdigieux au XIII' siide en France (Paris, 1910) and Uart religieux a la fin du moyen dge (Paris, 1908).

• On the PerUtephanon see especially Raby, pp. 60-67.

xiii

INTRODUCTION

of four-line stanzas under the heading of Ditiochaeon or (in Bergman's edition) Tituli Historiarum, which are inscriptions intended for, or suggested by, a series of pictures or mosaics in a church, representing scenes from the Old and New Testaments in equal numbers. The MSS. are confused as to the title, and some have norie. It is possible, as Bergman thinks, that these quatrains were not included by Prudentius himself when he published his works ; they are not contained in the two oldest MSS.

THE MANUSCRIPTS

Prudentius was much read in the middle ages, and the surviving MSS. number more than three hun- dred ; a much smaller number, however, contain the complete works. Two are of special interest on account of their age, one having been written in the sixth century, the other in the seventh ; some others on account of their illustrations." The first systematic survey of all the material was made by J. Bergman, whose edition of the text appeared in 1926. For this he selected the following twelve MSS.*- :—

A (6th century) in the National Library at Paris (Lat. 8084). It now contains Cath., Apoth., Ham., Psych., Perist. I-V, 142.

C (9th century) in the library of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge (223).

" H. Woodruff, The Illustrated MSS. of Prudentius, Cam- bridge, Mass., 1930.

' Three others, which contain the Psychomachia alone or almost alone, are quoted in the apparatus criticus to that poem.

I

XIV

1

INTRODUCTION

D (10th century) in the Dean and Chapter

hbrary of Durham Cathedral (B 4. 9). B (7th century) in the Ambrosian Library at

Milan (D' 36 sup.). This MS. is available

only for parts of the poems ; the missing

portions have been supplied by a hand of

the 9th or 10th century. F (early 10th century) in the ^'atican Library

(Reg. 321). A'^ (10th century) in the National Library at

Paris (8305). P (early 10th century) in the National Library

at Paris (8086). It lacks Ham. 454 to the

end, and Psych. 1-811. E (early 10th century) in the University Library

at Ley den (Burm. Q 3). M (9th centur)-^), in the monastery library of

Monte Cassino (374). 0 (10th century) in the hbrary of Oriel College,

Oxford (3). It lacks Apoth., Ham. and Psych. S (9th or early 10th century) in the monastery

library of St. Gall (136). U (late 9th century) in the City Library at

Berne (264). It now has considerable gaps.

These MSS. Bergman divides into two classes (Class A including MSS. A to N, Class B the others), mainly on the grounds that they differ in the order of the poems and in the presence or absence of certain interpolated lines ; and each class is sub- divided into two families." His text is based on the

• Bergman's methods are criticised by G. Meyer in Philo- logus 87 (1932), pp. 249 fF. and 332 ff., F. Klingner in Gnomon 6 (1930), pp. 39 S.

INTRODUCTION

MSS. of class A, particularly on the two oldest wherever they are available. Where the present edition differs from his, the divergence is indicated. At a number of places, of which the most striking is Cath. 10, 9-16, the 9th and 10th century MSS. differ radically from that of the 6th, and Bergman adopts the view that interpolation has occurred. On the other hand, it has been argued that the character of the later text at some, at least, of these places, is more consistent with the view that it represents a revised edition from the hand of Prudentius him- self. In the matter of orthography Bergman in general follows the two oldest MSS. Particularly in the case of Greek words I have reverted to the practice of his predecessors, printing, for instance, sophia, not sqfia, and Phlegetkon, not Flegeton. I have also at a few places adopted a different punctuation.

SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY Editions

Arevalo (1788) in Migne's Patrologia Latina, vols. 59,

60 (Paris, 1847). Dressel, Leipzig, 1860. Bergman, in the Corpus Scriptorum Ecclesiasticorum

Latinorum, vol. 61, Vienna, 1926. Lavarenne, Psychomachie, texte, traduction, com-

mentaire, avec une introduction historique, Paris,

1933.

General

A. Puech, Prudence, Etude sur la poesie latine chritienru au IV' Steele, Paris, 1888.

xvi

INTRODUCTION

E. K. Randj Prudentius and Christian Humanismf Transactions of the American Philological Asso- ciation, vol. 51, Cleveland, Ohio, 1920.

T. R. Glover, Life and Letters in the Fourth Century, Cambridge, 1901.

F. J. E. Raby, Christian Latin Poetry, Oxford, 1927. P. de LabrioUe, Histoire de la litter ature latine chretienne,

3rd edition, Paris, 1947.

G. Boissier, La Fin du Paganisme, Paris, 1891.

S. Dill, Roman Society in the last Century of the Western

Empire, 2nd edition, London, 1899. The Cambridge Medieval History, vol. I, eh. IV.

xvu

THE POEMS OF PRUDENTIUS

VOL. I.

AURELII PRUDENTII CLEMENTIS

PRAEFATIO

Per quinquennia iam decern,

ni fallor, fuimus ; septimus insuper

annum cardo rotat, dum fruimur sole volubili.

instat terminus, et diem

vicinum senio iam Deus adplicat. 5

^ quid nos utile tanti spatio temporis egimus ?

aetas prima crepantibus

flevit sub ferulis. mox docuit toga infectum vitiis falsa loqui, non sine crimine.

turn lasciva protervitas 10

et luxus petulans (heu pudet ac piget !) foedavit iuvenem nequitiae sordibus ac luto.

exim iurgia turbidos

armarunt aniraos, et male pertinax

vincendi studium subiacuit casibus asperis. 15

bis legum moderamine

frenos nobilium reximus urbium,

ius civile bonis reddidimus, terruimus reos.

tandem militiae gradu

evectum pietas principis extulit 201

adsumptum propius stare iubens ordine proximo.

1

THE POEMS OF AURELIUS PRUDENTIUS CLEMENS

PREFACE

Full fifty years, if I err not, have I lived, and beyond that it is the seventh time that the heaven is wheeling the year and I have the benefit of the circling sun. The end is close upon me, and by now what God is adding to my days is on the border of old age. What profitable thing have I done in all this length of time ? My first years wept under the crack of the rod ; after that the toga corrupted me and taught me to utter sinful falsehoods ; « then lewd sauciness and wanton indulgence, to my shame and sorrow now, marred my youth -with the filthy dirt of wickedness. Next disputings armed my vehement spirit, and a perversely stubborn passion for \actory laid itself open to cruel falls. Twice with the law's controlling curb I governed famed cities, rendering civil justice to good men and striking ter- ror into e\^l-doers. Finally His Grace the Emperor advanced me in his service and raised me up, attach- ing me closer to him and bidding me stand in the

• I.e. after assuming the toga virilis he attended a school of rhetoric, where he would practise the art of making the best of a case.

PRUDENTIUS

haec dum vita volans agit,

inrepsit subito canities seni,

oblitum veteris me Saliae consulis arguens, sub quo prima dies mihi 25

quam multas hiemes volverit. et rosas

pratis post glaciem reddiderit, nix capitis probat. numquid talia proderunt

carnis post obitum vel bona vel mala 29

cum iam, quidquid id est quod fueram, mors aboleverit ? dicendum mihi : " quisquis es,

mundum, quem coluit, mens tua perdidit.

non sunt ilia Dei, quae studuit, cuius habeberis." atqui fine sub ultimo

peccatrix anima stultitiam ^xuat : 35

saltem voce Deum concelebret, si meritis nequit. hymnis continuet dies,

nee nox ulla vacet quin Dominum canat ;

pugnet contra hereses, catholicam discutiat fidem, conculcet sacra gentium, 40

labem, Roma, tuis inferat idolis,

carmen martyribus devoveat, laudet apostolos. haec dum scribo vel eloquor,

vinclis o utinam corporis emicem

liber, quo tulerit lingua sono mobilis ultimo ! 45

I

PREFACE

nearest rank.* While fleeting life thus busied itself, of a sudden the hoar of age has stolen upon me, con- \'icting me of having forgotten Salia's consulship of long ago. Under him my time began, and how many winters it has seen roll on, how often seen the roses given back *o the meadows after the frost, the snow on my head proves. Will such things, good or bad, be of any profit after my flesh is dead, when death shall have wiped out all that I was ? It must be said to me: " Whosoever thou art, thy soul hath lost the world it cherished; not to God, who will claim thee as His, belong the things for which it was zealous." Yet as my last end draws near let my sinning soul put off her folly. With voice at least let her honour God, if with good deeds she cannot. With hymns let her link the days together, and no night pass without singing of her Lord. Let her fight against heresies, expound the Catholic faith, trample on the rites of the heathen, strike down thy idols, O Rome, devote song to the martyrs, and praise the apostles. And while I write or speak of these themes, O may I fly forth in freedom from the bonds of the body, to the place whither my busy tpngue's last word shall tend.

• See Introduction, p. viii.

t>-

LIBER CATHEMERINON

Hymnus ad Galli Cantum

jj^ Ales dieTpifntius

\. luceih p^ropinquam praecinit ; a'^ nos excitalof mentium

iam Christus ad vitam vocat.

" auferte " clamat " lectulos 5

aegros, soporos, desides ; castique, recti ac sobrii vigilate, iam sum proximus."

post solis ortum fulgidi serum est cubile spernere, 10

ni parte noctis addita tempus labori adieceris.

vox ista qua strepunt aves st antes sub ipso cuhnine, paulo ante quam lux emicet, 15

nostri figura est iudicis.

tectos tenebris horridis stratisque opertos segnibus suadet quietem linquere iam iamque venturo die, 20

ut, cum coruscis flatibus aurora caelum sparserit, omnes labore exercitos confirmet ad spem luminis.

THE DAILY ROUND

A Hymn for Cock-Crow

The bird that heralds day forewarns that dawn is at hand; now Christ, the awakener of our souk, calls lis to life. " Away," He cries, " with beds that belong to sickness, sleep, and sloth. Be pure and upright and sober and awake, for now I am very near. It is late to spurn the couch after the shining sun is up, unless by adding a part of the night thou hast given more hours to toil. The loud chirping of the birds perched under the very roof, a little while before the light breaks forth, is a symbol of our Judge. As we lie closed in by foul darkness, buried under the blankets of sloth, He bids us leave repose behind, for day is on the point of coming ; that when dawn besprinkles the sky with her shimmering breath she may make us all, who were spent \vith toil, strong to embrace the hope of light. This

7

PRUDENTIUS

hie somnus ad tempus datus 25

est forma mortis perpetis : peccata, ceu nox horrida, cogunt iacere ac stertere.

sed vox ab alto culmine Christi docentis praemonet 30

adesse iam lucem prope, ne mens sopori serviat,

ne somnus usque ad terminos vitae socordis opprimat pectus sepultum crimine 35

et lucis oblitum suae.

ferunt vagantes daemonas laetos tenebris noctium gallo canente exterritos sparsim timere et cedere. 40

invisa nam vicinitas lucis, salutis, numinis, rupto tenebrarum situ noctis fugat satellites.

hoc esse signum praescii 45

norunt repromissae spei, qua nos soporis liberi speramus adventum Dei.

quae vis sit huius alitis, Salvator ostendit Petro, 50

ter antequam gallus canat sese negandum praedicans.

fit namque peccatum prius quam praeco lucis proximae inlustret humanum genus 55

finemque peccandi ferat.

flevit negator denique ex ore prolapsum nefas,

i

THE DAILY ROUND, I

sleep that is given us for a time is an image of ever- lasting death. Our sins, like foul night, make us lie jnoring ; but the voice of Christ from the height of heaven teaches and forewarns us that daylight is near, lest our soul be in bondage to slumber, and to the very end of a slothful life sleep lie hea\'y on a heart that is buried in sin and has forgotten its natural light. They say that e\il spirits which roam happily in the darkness of night are terriiied when the cock crows, and scatter and flee in fear ; for the hated approach of light, salvation, Godhead, bursts through the foul darkness and routs the ministers of night. They have foreknowledge that this is a sign of our promised hope, whereby being freed from slumber we hope for the coming of God. WTiat this bird signifies the Saviour showed to Peter, when He declared that ere the cock crew He should be thrice denied. For sin is committed before the herald of coming day sheds light on the race of men and brings an end of sinning. So he who denied Christ wept for the wickedness that fell from his lips while his

.9 b2

PRUDENTIUS

cum mens inaneret innocens animusque servaret fidem.

nee tale quidquam postea linguae locutus lubrico est, cantuque galli cognito peccare iustus destitit.

inde est quod omnes credimus illo quietis tempore quo gallus exultans canit Christum redisse ex inferis.

tunc mortis oppressus vigor, tunc lex subacta est Tartari, tunc vis diei fortior noctem coegit cedere.

iam iam quiescant inproba, iam culpa furva obdormiat, iam noxa letalis suum perpessa somnum marceat.

vigil vicissim spiritus quodcumque restat temporis, dum meta noctis clauditur, stans ac laborans excubet.

lesum ciamus vocibus flentes, precantes, sobrii ; intenta supplicatio dorraire cor mundum vetat.

sat convolutis artubus sensum profunda oblivio pressit, gravavit, obruit vanis vagantem somniis.

sunt nempe falsa et frivola quae mundiali gloria, ceu dormientes, egimus : vigilemus, hie est Veritas.

lO

THE DAILY ROUND, I

mind remained upright and his heart kept faith; nor ever after did he speak any such word by slip of tongue, and when he heard the cock crow he was made a just man and ceased to sin. Hence it is that we all believe it was at this hour of rest, wFen the cock crows in his pride, that Christ returned firom the dead. Then was the strength of death crushed, then was the law of hell subdued, then did the stronger potency of day force night to flee. Now, now let wickedness sink to rest, now let dark sin fall asleep, now let deadly guilt wither away, the victim of its o^\ti slumber ; and let the spirit in its turn awake, and for the time that remains, while the night's course is drawing to a close, stand and be active at its post. Let us call on Jesus -with our voices, in tears and prayers and soberness ; earnest suppUcation keeps the pure heart from slumbering. Long enough has deep forget fulness, as we lay curled up, pressed hea\ily on our sense and buried it while it wandered in baseless dreams. Surely false and ; worthless are the things we have done because of • worldly glory, as though we did them in sleep. Let u'; awake ! Reality is here. Gold, pleasure, joy,

\l

PRUDENTIUS

aurum, voluptas, gaudium, opes, honores, prospera, quaecumque nos inflant mala, fit mane, nil sunt omnia.

tu, Christe, somnum dissice, tu rumpe noctis vincula, tu solve peccatum vetus, novumque lumen ingere.

II

Hymnus Matutinus

..i^y^^''^^'^ '^ Nox et tenebrae et nubila, ^^^ confusa mundi et turbida,

lux intrat, albescit polus, ^ ' Christus venit, discedite. caligo terrae scinditur percuss a solis spiculo, rebusque iam color redit vultu nitentis sideris.

sic nostra mox obscuritas fraudisque pectus conscium ruptis retectum nubibus regnante pallescet Deo.

tunc non licebit claudere quod quisque fuscum cogitat, sed mane clarescent novo secreta mentis prodita.

fur ante lucem squalido inpune peccat tempore, sed lux dolis contraria latere furtum non sinit.

12

95

THE DAILY ROUND, II

riches, honour, success, all the e\il things that puff us up, — comes morning, all are naught. Do Thou, O Christ, scatter our slumbers. Do Thou burst the bonds of night. Do Thou undo our long-established sin, and pour in upon us the li^ht of the new day.

II

A Morning Hymn

Night and darkness and clouds, all the world's perplexed disorder, get ye gone ! The dawn comes in, the sky is Ughtening, Christ is coming. Earth's blackness is split asunder by the stroke of the sun's dart, and now the world resumes its colour under the glance of his shining orb. So presently will the darkness in us, the heart that knows its own sin, be cleared with the breaking of the clouds and grow light imder the rule of God. Then we shall not be free to hide our dark thoughts, but in the newness of morning the secrets of the heart will be revealed and made manifest. It is in the murky time before the light comes, that the thief offends unpunished ; but Ught, the foe of guile, suffers not theft to be

13

PRUDENTIUS

versuta fraus et callida amat tenebris obtegi, aptamque noctem turpibus adulter occultus fovet.

sol, ecce, surgit igneus : piget, pudescit, paenitet, hec teste quisquam lumine peceare constanter potest,

quis mane sumptis nequiter non erubescit poculis, cum fit libido temperans, castumque nugator sapit ?

nunc, nunc severum vivitur, nunc nemo temptat ludicrum, inepta nunc omnes sua vultu colorant serio.

haec hora cunctis utilis qua quisque quod studet gerat, (miles, togatus, navita, T opifex, arator, institor.

ilium forensis gloria, hunc triste raptat classicum. mercatorTiinc ac rusticus avara suspirant lucra.

at nos lucelli ac faenoris fandique prorsus nescii, nee arte fortes bellica, te, Christe, solum novimus.

te mente pura et simplici, te voce, te cantu pio rogare curvato genu flendo et canendo discimus.

his nos lucramur quaestibus, hac arte tantum vivimus,

(P^-^ri^^ '

14

THE DAILY ROUND, II

hidden. Sly, cunning dishonesty loves to shroud itself in darkness, and the stealthy paramour cherishes the night because it is fitted for base deeds. But lo I the fiery sun arises, and there come regret and shame and sorrow, and no man can sin coolly under the eye of light. WTio does not blush in the morning after a bout of the wine-cup? For then desire moderates and the ne'er-do-well savours purity. Now, now it is that life is serious, now none essays aught sportive, now all men put a grave face on their follies. This is the hour that profits all for carrying on their several businesses, be it soldier or citizen, sailor, workman, husbandman or huckster. One is carried away by desire for fame in the courts, another by the grim war-trump; and here are the trader and the countrj'man sighing for their greedy gains. But we, who know nought of paltry gain or usury or eloquence, nor show our prowess in the art of war, know Thee, O Christ, alone. Of Thee A\ith pure and single heart, with devout voice and song, on bended knee with tears and singing we learn to make request. This is the trafficking whereby we grow rich, this

15

PRUDENTIUS

haec inchoamus munera, 55

cum sol resurgens emicat.

intende nostris sensibus vitamque totam dispice ; sunt multa fucis inlita, quae luce purgentur tua. 60

durare nos tales iube, quales, remotis sordibus, nitere pridem iusseras lordane tinctos flumine.

quodcumque nox mundi dehinc 65

infecit atris nubibus, tu, rex, Eoi sideris vultu sereno inlumina,

tu, sancte, qui taetram picem candore tinguis lacteo, 70

ebenoque crystallum facis, delicta tergens ^ livida.

sub nocte lacob caerula, luctator audax angeli,

eo usque dum lux surgeret, 75

sudavit inpar proelium ;

sed cum iubar claresceret, lapsante claudus poplite femurque victus debile, culpae vigorem perdidit, 80

nutabat inguen saucium, quae corporis pars vilior I

longeque sub cordis loco diram fovet libidinem.

hae nos docent imagines 85

hominem tenebris obsitum, si forte non cedat Deo, vires rebelles perdere.

i<5

THE DAILY ROUND, II

the employment by which alone we hve, these the duties we enter upon when the sun breaks forth at its rising again. Look intoourthoughts^^^nd examine our whole Ufe ; many stains are there to be cleansed by Thy light. Bid us so continue as Thou didst aforetime bid us shine when we were dipped in Jordan's stream and our uncleanness was done away. WTiatsoever the night of the world since then has darkened with its black clouds do Thou, O King, illumine ^vith the bright face of the morning star. Thou, O Holy One, who dost give to foul pitch the whiteness of milk and make crystal of ebony and dost wipe away the stains of sin. It was under the dusk of night that Jacob, wrestling boldly with the angel, toiled hard in unequal fight until the light arose. But when the beam shone forth his ham gave way and he was lamed, and being overcome in the in- firmity of his thigh he lost the strength to sin. His loins were wounded and enfeebled, that baser part of the body, far below the heart, which nurtures fearful lust. These figures teach us that man, sunk in darkness, if he peld not to God, loses the strength

^ Some MSS. of Bergman's class B have teige.

17

PRUDENTIUS

erit tamen beatior, intemperans membrum cui 90

luctando claudum et tabidum dies oborta invenerit.

tandem facessat caecitas, quae nosmet in praeceps diu lapses sinistris gressibus 95

errore traxit devio.

haec lux serenum conferat purosque nos praestet sibi ; nihil loquamur subdolum, volvamus obscurum nihil. 100

sic tota decurrat dies, ne lingua mendax, ne manus oculive peccent lubrici, ne noxa corpus inquinet.

speculator adstat desuper, 105

qui nos diebus omnibus actusque nostros prospicit a luce prima in vesperum.

hie testis, hie est arbiter, hie intuetur quidquid est 110

humana quod mens concipit ; hunc nemo fallit iudicem.

Ill

Hymnus ante Cibum

O CRUCiFER bone, lucisator, omniparens pie, Verbigena, edite corpore virgineo, sed prius in genitore potens, astra, solum, mare quam fierent, 5

l8

THE DAILY ROUND, III

to resume the fight ; yet he •will be more blessed in whom the day, when it appears, finds the unruly body lamed and wasted with the struggle. At last let the blindness be gone, which has long caused us to fall into danger and made us wander from the path with misguided steps. May this hght give us a clear day and make us pure to meet it ; let us speak no guile and think no dark thought. So may the whole day pass that neither lying tongue, nor hands, nor straying eyes commit sin, nor any guilt stain our body. There is One that stands by watching from above, who each day \iews us and our doings from dawn of light till evening. He is witness, He is judge ; He looks on every thought the mind of man conceives, and this judge none can dupe.

Ill A Hymn Before Meat

O KIND bearer of the cross, spreader of light, loving source of all, bom of the Word, Thou that wert the fruit of a xirgin's body, yet mighty in the Father ere stars and earth and sea were made, hither, I pray,

19

PRUDENTIUS

hue nitido, precor, intuitu flecte salutiferam faciem fronte serenus et irradia, nominis ut sub honore tui has epulas liceat capere. 10

te sine dulce nihil, Domine, nee iuvat ore quid adpetere, pocula ni prius atque cibos, Christe, tuus favor inbuerit, omnia sanctifieante fide. 15

fercula nostra Deum sapiant, Christus et influat in pateras ; seria, ludicra, verba, iocos, . denique quod sumus aut agimus, trina superne regat pietas, 20

hie mihi nulla rosae spolia, nullus aromate fragrat ^ odor, sed liquor influit ambrosius nectareamque fidem redolet fusus ab usque Patris gremio. 25

sperne, Camena, leves hederas, cingere tempora quis solita es, sertaque mystica dactylico texere docta liga strophio, laude Dei redimita comas. 30

quod generosa potest anima, lucis et aetheris indigena, solvere dignius obsequium, quam data munera si recinat artificem modulata suum ? 35

ipse homini quia cuncta dedit, quae capimus dominante manu ; quae polus aut humus aut pelagus acre, gurgite, rure creant,

i

20

THE DAILY ROUND, III

with bright look turn Thy sa\-ing face, and with gladsome countenance shine upon us, that we may take this meal in honour of Thy name. Without Thee, Lord, nought is sweet, and appetite finds no relish unless Thy grace, O Christ, first flavour cups and food, while faith sanctifies all. May our dishes savour of God, and Christ be poured into our bowls ; may all things grave or Hght, our talk, our merri- ment, all that we are or do, be governed by the three- fold love from on high. Here no plunder of the rose, no scent of spice smells in my nostrils, but an ambrosial liquor flows into me, with the aroma of faith sweet as nectar, and pouring from the Father's breast. Put away, my Muse, the paltry i\'y-leaves wherewith thou hast been wont to encircle thy brows ; learn to weave mystic garlands and tie them with a band of dactyls," and wear thy hair wreathed with the praise of God. What worthier service can the high-bom soul, native of light and heaven, pay, than to chant the gifts she has received, singing of her Creator? For He has given all things to man, and we take them with a hand that bears dominion ; all that sky or earth or sea produces in air or flood or field, all this

• The phrase is suited to the metre of this hymn, which is the dactylic tetrameter (catalectic).

^ Here and elsewhere the spelling of the MSS. varies between fragl- and flagr-.

21

PRUDENTIUS

haec mihi subdidit, et sibi me. 40

callidus inlaqueat volucres aut pedicis dolus aut maculis, inlita glutine corticeo \imina plumigeram seriem inpediunt et abire vetant. 45

ecce per aequora fluctivagos texta greges sinuosa trahunt ; piscis item sequitur calamum raptus acumine vulnifico, credula saucius ora cibo. 50

fundit opes ager ingenuas, dives aristiferae segetis, hie ubi vitea pampineo bracchia palmite luxuriant, pacis alumna ubi baca viret. 55

haec opulentia Christicolis servit et omnia subpeditat. absit enim procul ilia fames, caedibus ut pecudum libeat sanguineas lacerare dapes. 60

sint fera gentibus indomitis prandia de nece quadrupedum ; nos holeris coma, nos siliqua feta legumine multimodo paverit innocuis epulis. 65

spumea mulctra gerunt niveos ubere de gemino latices, perque coagula densa liquor in solidum coit, et fragili lac tenerum premitur calatho. 70

mella recens mihi Cecropia nectare sudat olente favus ; haec opifex apis aerio

THE DAILY ROUND, III

has He put under me, and me under Himself. Cun- ning craft snares birds in gins or meshes, or twigs smeared with the glue that comes from bark catch a Hne of the feathered creatures and will not let them go. See how through the waters the encircling nets draw the shoals that roam the waves ; and fish fall to the rod too, caught by the sharp, piercing hook, their too trustful mouth wounded by the bait. The land pours forth its native wealth in all the riches of its corn-crop, while here too the vine's branches luxuriate with leafy shoots and the berry that is the nursling of peace " flourishes. All this abundance is in the service of Christ's followers and supplies their every need. Far from us be the appetite that would choose to slay cattle and hack their flesh to make a bloody feast. Let tribes uncivilised have their savage meals from the slaughter of four-footed beasts : as for us, the leaves of greens, the pod that swells with beans of diverse sorts, will feed us with an innocent banquet. Foaming pails bear the snow- white milk drawn from a pair of teats ; and by means of thickening rennet the hquor solidifies, and the soft curd is pressed in a frail wicker basket. The fresh comb exudes for me Cecropian ' honey with the scent of nectar ; the worker bee, that knows no

. " I.e. the olive.

* I.e. Athenian, a literary epithet, Attic honey being famous.

23

PRUDENTIUS

rore liquat tenuique thymo,

nexilis inscia conubii. 75

hinc quoque pomiferi nemoris munera mitia proveniunt ; arbor onus tremefacta suum 'deciduo gravis imbre pluit puniceosque iacit cumulos. 80

quae veterum tuba quaeve lyra flatibus inclyta vel fidibus divitis omnipotentis opus, quaeque fruenda patent homini, laudibus aequiperare queat ? 85

te, Pater optime, mane novo, solis et orbita cum media est, te quoque luce sub occidua, sumere cum monet hora cibum, nostra, Deus, canet harmonia. 90

quod calet halitus interior, corde quod abdita vena tremit, pulsat et incita quod resonam lingua sub ore latens caveam, laus superi Patris esto mihi. 95

nos igitur tua, sancte, manus caespite conposuit madido, effigiem meditata suam, utque foret rata materies flavit et indidit ore animam.^ 100

tunc per amoena virecta iubet frondicomis habitare locis, ver ubi perpetuum redolet prataque multicolora latex quadrifluo celer amne rigat. 105

" haec tibi nunc famulentur " ait ; " usibus omnia dedo tuis,

24

THE DAILY ROUND, III

union in wedlock, makes this clear fluid from the dew of the air and the slender thyme. From the earth too come the ripe gifts of the orchard. The hea\y tree is shaken and rains down its load in a falling shower, casting its red fruits in heaps upon the ground. What trumpet or lyre of old, with famous music of vnnd or strings, could fitly praise the work of Him who is rich and almighty, and all that is provided for man's enjoyment? Of Thee, best Father, when the mom is new, and when the sun's course is half-way run, of Thee too under the sinking Ught, when the time of day admonishes us to take food, of Thee, O God, shall be our song. For the breath that is warm within me, for the blood that pulses imseen in my heart, for the tongue ensconced within my mouth and beating nimbly on its sounding chamber, let me praise the Father on high. Thy hand, then, it was, O Holy One, that made us from the moist earth. After His own image He made us, and that our substance might be per- fected, breathed with His mouth into us the breath of life. Then He bade man dwell in a leafy place, ranging over pleasant lawns, where the scent of spring was unending and a swift stream in fourfold channel <* watered the many-coloured meads. " Be I all this now in thy service," He said. " All I give iover to thee for thy enjoyment. But I bid thee

• Cf. Genesis ii, 10.

i

I ^ ore animam dedit ex proprio A.

^5

PRUDENTIUS

sed tamen aspera mortifero

stipite carpere poma veto,

qui medio viret in nemore." 110

hie draco perfidus indocile virginis inlicit ingenium, ut socium malesuada virum mandere cogeret ex vetitis, ipsa pari peritura modo. 115

corpora mutua (nosse nefas) post epulas inoperta vident, lubricus error et erubuit : tegmina suta parant foliis, dedecus ut pudor occuleret. 120

conscia culpa Deum pavitans sede pia procul exigitur. innuba femina quae fuerat, coniugis excipit imperium, foedera tristia iussa pati. 125

auctor et ipse doli coluber plectitur inprobus, ut mulier colla trilinguia calce terat ; sic coluber muliebre solum J

suspicit atque virum mulier. 130

his ducibus vitiosa dehinc posteritas ruit in facinus, dumque rudes imitatur avos, fasque nefasque simul glomerans, inpia crimina morte luit. 135

ecce venit nova progenies, aethere proditus alter homo, non luteus velut ille prius, sed Deus ipse gerens hominem, corporeisque carens vitiis. 140

fit caro vivida Sermo Patris,

2&

THE DAILY ROUND, III

not pluck the harsh fruit from the deadly tree that

grows in the midst of the wood." Then the treacher-

1 ous serpent beguiled the simple heart of the maid

\ to seduce her male partner and make him eat of the

I forbidden fruit, being herself doomed to ruin in

1 like manner. Each other's body (unlawful know-

I ledge), after eating, they saw uncovered, and their

1 sinful lapse brought the blush to their cheeks ;

I coverings they made by stitching leaves, that modesty

j might veil their shame. Trembling before God for

! the guilt they felt, they were driven out from the

abode of innocence, and the woman, till then un-

wedded, came under a husband's rule and was

commanded to submit to stern laws. The wicked

serpent, too, that devised the guile, was condemned

to have its three-tongued head bruised by the

woman's heel ; so the serpent was under the woman's

foot, as the woman under the man. Following their

lead, succeeding generations are corrupted and rush

into sin, and through copying their primitive

ancestors, liunping right and wrong together, pay

with death for their rebelUous deeds. But lo !

there comes a new scion, a Second Man sent forth

from heaven, not of clay as was that one before,

but God Himself putting on man without the

body's faults. The Word of the Father becomes

PRUDENTIU^

numine quam rutilante gravis

non thalamo, neque iure tori,

nee genialibus inlecebris

intemerata puella parit. 145

hoc odium vetus illud erat, hoe erat aspidis atque hominis digladiabile discidium, quod modo cernua femineis vipera proteritur pedibus. 150

edere namque Deum merita omnia virgo venena domat ; tractibus anguis inexplicitis virus inerme piger revomit, gramine concolor in viridi. 155

quae feritas modo non trepidat territa de grege candidulo ? inpavidas lupus inter oves tristis obambulat et rabidum sanguinis inmemor os cohibet. 160

agnus enim vice mirifica ecce leonibus imperitat, exagitansque truces aquilas per vaga nubila perque Notos sidere lapsa columba fugat. 1651

tu mihi, Christe, columba potens, sanguine pasta cui cedit avis, tu niveus per ovile tuum agnus hiare lupum prohibes, subiuga tigridis ora premens. 170

da, locuples Deus, hoc famulis rite precantibus, ut tenui membra cibo recreata levent, neu piger inmodicis dapibus viscera tenta gravet stomachus. 17|

a8

THE DAILY ROUND, III

li\-ing flesh ; pregnant by the shining Godhead, not by wedlock nor espousal nor allurement of marriage, a maid inviolate bears it. This was the meaning of that age-long hate, that quarrel to the death between snake and man, that now the serpent on his belly is crushed by a woman's feet. For the virgin who proved worthy to give birth to God subdues all its poisons, and the snake, its length twisted in coils it cannot unravel, feebly spews its harmless venom on the green grass whose hue it matches. What void beast does not tremble now in fear of the white- clad flock? The dire wolf prowls amid fearless sheep, and with no thought of blood keeps close his ravening mouth. For see — by a wondrous change the lamb commands the Uons, and the dove gliding from the sky drives the fierce eagles in flight through the unresting clouds and the winds. Thou for me, ;0 Christ, art the puissant dove to which the blood- fed bird gives place. Thou art the snow-white lamb that dost prevent the wolf from opening his jaws in all Thy fold and dost subdue and close the tiger's mouth. Grant, mighty God, to Thy sen'ants' devout prayers that with a frugal meal they may refresh and sustain their bodies, and that the stomach be aot hea\'y with immoderate feasting and strain and weigh upon the inner parts. Far from us be the

39

PRUDENTIUS

haustus amarus abesto procul, ne libeat tetigisse manu exitiale quid aut vetitum ; gustus et ipse modum teneat, sospitet ut iecur incolume. 180

sit satis anguibus horrificis liba quod inpia corporibus a ! miseram peperere necem ; sufficiat semel ob facinus plasma Dei potuisse mori. 185

oris opus, vigor igneolus non moritur, quia flante Deo conpositus superoque fluens de solio patris artificis vim liquidae rationis habet.

viscera mortua quin etiam post obitum reparare datur, eque suis iterum tumulis prisca renascitur effigies, pulvereo coeunte situ.

credo equidem, neque vana fides, corpora vivere more animae ; nam modo corporeum memini de Phlegethonte gradu facili ad superos remeasse Deum.

spes eadem mea membra manet, quae redolentia funereo iussa quiescere sarcophago, dux parili redivivus humo ignea Christus ad astra vocat. 205

3°

THE DAILY ROUND, III

baneful draught ; let it not please us to handle aught that is deadly or forbidden ; and let our eating, too, observe due measure, to preserve the flesh but hurt it not. Let the terrible serpents be content that sinfui food brought forth, alas ! sad death to men's bodies ; be it enough that once through sin God's creature could die. The work of His mouth, the glowing life, dies not, because being created by the breath of God and flowing from I the heavenly throne of the Father, its maker, it has I the force of pure reason. Yea, it is even granted to restore the dead flesh after its decease, and once again from its tomb the old form is reborn, when the mouldering dust comes together. I indeed believe i (and my faith is not vain) that bodies live as does the 1 soul ; for now I bethink me it was in bodily form that God returned from Phlegethoii with easy step to heaven. The same hope awaits my members, which, though they are bidden to rest scented with spices in the tomb of death, Christ my leader, who rose from the like earth, calls to the glowing stars.

1/

3*

PRUDENTIUS

IV Hymnus post Cibum

Pastis visceribus ciboque surapto, quem lex corporis inbecilla poscit, laudem lingua Deo Patri rependat,

Patri, qui Cherubin sedile sacrum nee non et Seraphin suum supremo 5

subnixus solio tenet regitque.

hie est quem Sabaoth Deum vocamus, expers principii carensque fine, rerum conditor et repertor orbis,

fons vitae liquida fluens ab area, 10

infusor fidei, sator pudoris, mortis perdomitor, salutis auctor.

omnes quod sumus aut vigemus, inde est. regnat Spiritus ille sempiternus a Christo simul et Parente missus. 1

intrat pectora candidus pudica, quae templi vice consecrata rident postquam conbiberint Deum medullis.

sed si quid vitii dolive nasci inter viscera iam dicata sensit, 201

ceu spurcum refugit celer sacellum.

taetrum flagrat enim vapore crasso . }

horror conscius aestuante culpa, f

offensumque bonum niger repellit.

nee solus pudor innocensve votum 25j

templum constituunt perenne Christo in cordis medii sinu ac recessu,

sed ne crapula ferveat cavendum est, quae sedem fidei cibis refertam usque ad congeriem coartet intus. 30'

1

THE DAILY ROUND, IV

IV

A Hymn After Meat

Now that we have fed our flesh, taking the food which the weakly law of our body requires, let our tongue render due praise to God the Father, the Father who, sitting on the supreme throne, holds sway over Cherubim and Seraphim, His sacred seat. This is He whom we call God of Sabaoth, who is without beginning and without end, maker of all things and creator of the world, source of life flowing from the clear light of heaven, who inspires faith and implants goodness in us, the conqueror of death and author of salvation. From Him do we all have our being and our life. The Spirit reigns eternal, He whom both Christ and His Father have sent. In His purity He enters chaste hearts, which are con- secrated as His temple, smiling brightly when they have drunk deep of God. But if He perceives sin or guile arising in the flesh now dedicated to Him, swiftly He departs as from an unclean shrine. For the disordered conscience bums foully with thick smoke as the fire of sin rages, and its blackness offends and drives away the good. Yet not alone do purity and innocent desire make an everlasting temple for Christ in the depths of the heart within us, but we must beware of the fever of excess that would stuff in food till the mass of it constricted the seat

33

VOL. I. C

PRUDENTIUS

parcis victibus expedita corda infusum melius Deum receptant ; hie pastus animae est saporque verus.

sed nos tu gemino fovens paratu artus atque animas utroque pastu 35

confirmas, Pafcer, ac vigore conples.

sic olim tua praecluens potestas inter raucisonos situm leones inlapsis dapibus virum refovit.

ilium fusile numen execrantem 40

et curvare caput sub expolita aeris materia nefas putantem

plebs dirae Babylonis ac tyrannus morti subdiderant, feris dicarant saevis protinus haustibus vorandum. 45

o semper pietas fidesque tuta ! lambunt indomiti virum leones, intactumque Dei tremunt alumnum.

adstant comminus et iubas reponunt, mansuescit rabies, fameque blanda 50

praedam rictibus ambit incruentis.

sed cum tenderet ad superna palmas expertumque sibi Deum rogaret clausus iugiter indigensque victus,

iussus nuntius advolare terris, 55

qui pastum famulo daret probato, raptim desilit obsequente mundo.

cernit forte procul dapes inemptas, quas messoribus Ambacum ^ propheta agresti bonus exhibebat arte. 60

huius caesarie manu prehensa, plenis, sicut erat, gravem canistris

^ This is the form of the name in the Septuagint, and presumably in the. Latin version (if any) used by Prudentius.

34

THE DAILY ROUND, IV

of faith in us. Hearts that spare UWng leaves unencumbered receive better the inpouring of God ; He is the soul's true food and savour. But Thou dost make twofold provision for our nurture ; our bodies and our souls with two several kinds of sustenance Thou dost strengthen and in\'igorate. Thus once Thy renowTied power revived a man set amid rough-voiced lions, "with a meal that came to him." Because he abominated a god cast in metal and thought it sin to bow his head before a material image of pohshed bronze, the people of fell Babylon and their king had exposed him to death, giving him over to the wild beasts to be devoured forthwith by their cruel jaws. How safe always are goodness and faith ! The untamed lions Uck the hero, and tremble before the child of God, hurting him not ! They stand close by him >\"ith manes laid back ; their fury turned to gentleness and their hunger to fawn- ing, they walk round their prey with jaws unbloodied. But when he stretched his hands towards heaven in prayer to the God he had proved before, being con- fined without remission and in need of food, a messenger was bidden to fly to earth and give nourishment to His tried servant, and quickly descended, while the heavens made way. It chanced that some way off he descried a home-gro'WTi meal which the kindly prophet Habakkuk was pro\'iding with the countryman's rude art for his reapers. Grasping him by the hair, he carried him off the ground just as he was, with the load of his full baskets,

• The story is in "Bel and the Dragon," to be found among the Apocrypha, and also in the Septuagint and Vulgate as chapter 14 of the Book of Daniel.

35

PRUDENTIUS

suspensum rapit et vehit per auras.

turn raptus simul ipse prandiumque sensim labitur in lacum leonum, 65

et quas tunc epulas gerebat ofFert.

" sumas laetus " ait " libensque carpas, quae summus Pater angelusque Christi mittunt liba tibi sub hoc periclo."

his sumptis Danielus excitavit 70

in caelum faciem, ciboque fortis " amen " reddidit, " alleluia " dixit.

sic nos muneribus tuis refecti, largitor Deus omnium bonorum, grates reddimus et sacramus hymnos. 75

tu nos tristifico velut tyranno mundi scilicet inpotentis actu conclusos regis et feram repellis,

quae circumfremit ac vorare temptat, insanos acuens furore dentes, 80

cur te, summe Deus, precemur unum.

vexamur, premimur, malis rotamur ; oderunt, lacerant, trahunt, lacessunt ; iuncta est suppliciis fides iniquis.

nee defit tamen anxiis medella ; 85

nam languente truci leonis ira inlapsae superingeruntur escae. I

quas si quis sitienter hauriendo, I

non gustu tenui sed ore pleno, ■

internis velit inplicare venis, 90

hie sancto satiatus ex propheta iustorum capiet cibos virorum, qui fructum Domino metunt perenni.

nil est dulcius ac magis saporum, nil quod plus hominem iuvare possit, 95

quam vatis pia praecinentis orsa.

36

THE DAILY ROUND, IV

and bore him through the air. Then the ra\ished prophet and his meal together glided gently down into the Uons' den, and he proffered the feast he was carrying. " Take with good cheer," said he, " and eat readily the \iands which the supreme Father and the angel of Christ send thee in this thy danger." So Daniel took them and Ufted his face towards heaven, and being now fortified with food, said " Amen, Alleluia " in response. In the same manner we, being refreshed by Thy gifts, O God, the generous giver of all good things, return thanks and dedicate our hymns to Thee. Imprisoned as we are by the world's cruel violence, as it were by a grim despot, Thou dost direct us and drive away the wild beast that goes roaring round about and seeks to devour us, sharpening its teeth to frenzy with rage, for that, O God supreme, we pray to Thee alone. We are afflicted, oppressed, tossed about with e\-ils ; men hate us, tear us, carr}' us away captive, assail us; faith is yoked to unjust penalties. Yet in our trouble we lack not healing comfort, for food comes down to us from above, and the Uon's fierce wrath subsides. And if a man be wilUng to swallow it eagerly, not tasting daintily but by mouthfuls, and make it part and parcel of his inner being, then will he receive from the holy prophet the food of righteous men who reap the han'est for their everlasting Master, and ^rill be satisfied. Nought is sweeter or more savoury, nought more helpful to man, than the devout words of the prophet foretelling things to

37

38

PRUDENTIUS

his sumptis licet insolens potestas pravum iudicet inrogetque mortem, inpasti licet inruant leones,

nos semper Dominum Patrem fatentes 100 in te, Christe Deus, loquemur unum, constanterque tuam crucem feremus.

Hymnus ad Incensum Lucernae

Inventor rutili, dux bone, luminis, qui certis vicibus tempora dividis, merso sole chaos ingruit horridum. lucem redde tuis, Christe, fidelibus.

quamvis innumero sidere regiam 5

lunarique polum lampade pinxeris, incussu silicis lumina nos tamen monstras saxigeno semine quaerere,

ne nesciret homo spem sibi luminis in Christi solido corpore conditam, 10

qui dici stabilem se voluit petram, nostris igniculis unde genus venit.

pinguis quos olei rore madentibus lychnis aut facibus pascimus aridis, quin et fila favis scirpea floreis 15

presso melle prius conlita fingimus.

vivax flamma viget, seu cava testula sucum linteolo suggerit ebrio, seu pinus piceam fert alimoniam, seu ceram teretem stuppa calens bibit. 20

nectar de liquido vertice fervidum guttatim lacrimis stillat olentibus, ambustum quoniam vis facit ignea

THE DAILY ROUND, V

come. Once we take this food, arrogant power may pass per\-erse judgment and condemn us to death, the star\ed lions may rush upon us ; but as for us, we shall ever make confession that our Lord the Father is one in Thee, O God Christ, and with constancy shall bear Thy cross.

A Hymn for the Lighting of the Lamp

Creator of the glowing light, our kindly guide, who dost divide the times in a fixed order of seasons, now the sun has sunk and the gruesome darkness comes upon us ; give light again, O Christ, to Thy faithful ones. Albeit Thou hast adorned the heavens. Thy royal court, with countless stars and >\ith the moon's lamp, yet Thou teachest us to seek light from a stone- bom spark by striking the flint, that man might know that his hope of light is founded on the firm body of Christ, who ^villed that He be called the steadfast rock, from whence our little fires draw their origin. With lamps bedewed ^vith rich oil, or with dry torches, we feed them, and we make rush-candles too, smearing them ^\^th flower-scented wax of the combs after the honey has been pressed from them. The lively flame thrives, whether it be a little earthen bowl that supplies sap to a thirsty linen wick, or pinewood that brings its pitchy sustenance, or a warm tow that drinks up the smooth, round wax, while hot nectar trickles from the molten top in scented tear- drops, for the strong heat sends them dripping in a

39

PRUDENTIUS

imbrem de madido flere cacumine.

splendent ergo tuis rauneribus, Pater, 25 flammis nobilibus ^ scilicet atria, absentemque diem lux agit aemula, quam nox cum lacero victa fugit peplo.

sed quis non rapidi luminis arduam manantemque Deo cernat originem ? 30

Moses nempe Deum spinifero in rubo vidit conspicuo lumine flammeum.

felix qui meruit sentibus in sacris caelestis solii visere principem, iussus nexa pedum vincula solvere 35

ne sanctum involucris poUueret locum.

hunc ignem populus sanguinis inclyti, maiorum meritis tutus et inpotens, suetus sub dominis vivere barbaris, iam liber sequitur longa per avia. 40

qua gressum tulerant castraque caerulae noctis per medium concita moverant, plebem pervigilem fulgure praevio ducebat radius sole micantior.

sed rex Niliaci litoris invido 45

fervens felle iubet praevalidam manum in bellum rapidis ire cohortibus, ferratasque acies clangere classicum.

sumunt arma viri seque minacibus accingunt gladiis, triste canit tuba. 50

hie fidit iaculis, ille volantia praefigit calamis spicula Gnosiis.

densetur cuneis turba pedestribus, currus pars et equos et volucres rotas conscendunt celeres, signaque bellica 55

praetendunt tumidis clara draconibus.

1 mobilibus in some MSS. of both classes, 40

i

THE DAILY ROUND, V

burning shower from the liquid summit. So our halls shine, Father, with Thy gifts of noble flames ; their emulous hght plays the part of day when it has gone, and night with torn mantle flees before it in defeat. But who would not discern that the swift light has its source on high and flows from God? Moses in truth saw God in a prickly bush in the form of flame with brilUant light. Blessed was he who was worthy to behold in the sacred brier the lord of the heavenly throne, and was bidden to undo the ties on his feet lest with their coverings he pollute the holy place. It was this fire that the nation of illustrious blood, preserved by its fathers' merits and of no strength itself, when at last set free after long living under barbarous lords, followed far over desert ways. Wherever they turned their steps, rousing and mov- ing their camp amid the darkness of night, a ray that flashed brighter than the sun led the unsleeping people with a gleam that went before them. But the king who ruled on the banks of the Nile, burning with a jealous hatred, commands a mighty force to go to war in swift-marching companies, and his iron- clad ranks to sound the loud bugle. His warriors take up arms, girding themselves with menacing swords, and the trumpet blows its grim call. One puts his trust in javelins, another fixes sharp, flying heads on Gnosian" shafts. The multitude forms up in serried ranks of foot; others swiftly mount chariots with their horses and flying wheels, and dis- play their banners of war with their famous dragons *

" I.e. Cretan, another literary epithet.

* Prudentiua ascribes to Pharaoh a banner of the Roman imperial armies. It is described bv Ammianus Marcellinus, XVI, 10, 7.

41 c2

PRUDENTIUS

hie iam servitii nescia pristini gens Pelusiacis usta vaporibus tandem purpurei gurgitis hospita rubris litoribus fessa resederat. 60

hostis dirus adest cum duce perfido, infert et validis proelia viribus. Moses porro suos in mare praecipit constans intrepidis tendere gressibus.

praebent rupta locum stagna viantibus, 65 riparum in faciem pervia sistitur circumstans vitreis unda liquoribus, dum plebs sub bifido permeat aequore.

pubes quin etiam decolor asperis inritata odiis rege sub inpio 70

Hebraeum sitiens fundere sanguinem audet se pelago credere concavo.

ibant praecipiti turbine percita fluctus per medios agmina regia, sed confusa dehinc unda revolvitur 75

in semet revolans gurgite confluo.

currus tunc et equos telaque naufraga ipsos et proceres et vaga corpora nigrorum videas nare satellitum, arcis iustitium triste tyrannicae. 80

quae tandem poterit lingua retexere laudes, Christe, tuas ? qui domitam Pharon plagis multimodis cedere praesuli cogis iustitiae vindice dextera ;

qui pontum rabidis ^ aestibus invium 85

persultare vetas, ut refluo in solo ^ securus pateat te duce transitus, et mox unda rapax ut voret inpios ;

cui ieiuna eremi saxa loquacibus exundant scatebris, et latices novos 90

42

THE DAILY ROUND, V

swelling. At this time, free now from its ancient bondage, the race that had burned under Egypt's heat had at length halted, weary and in a strange land, on the shores of the Red Sea. Their dread enemy is upon them under his faithless leader, and with strong forces launches the attack ; but Moses firmly bids his people go forward into the sea with steps unfaltering. The flood separates and makes room for them as they travel ; the waves, opening a path as it were between banks, stand still with glassy waters on either hand while the people pass over on the bed of the divided sea. Yea, the swarthy warriors too, under their ungodly king, stirred by their bitter hatred and thirsting to shed Hebrew blood, venture to trust themselves to that trough in the deep. In head- long rush the king's columns were sweeping Hke a hiu-ricane through the midst of the flood ; but now the waters pour together and roll back on themselves, racing to meet again. Then could be seen the wTcck of chariots and horses and weapons, and the princes too, and bodies of their black henchmen floating this way and that, a sad day of mourning for the despot's throne. What tongue can tell Thy praises, O Christ? Thou dost overcome Egypt and by manifold afflictions compel her to give way to the protector of righteous- ness through the deliverance of Thy^ right hand. The sea, impassable when its suites rage. Thou dost forbid to leap, that on its bed laid bare there may open a passage that is safe under Thy guidance, and then the ravenous waves may swallow up the ungodly. At Thy command the barren rocks of the desert gush with babbling springs, and the cleft flint pours forth

' rapidis in some MSS. of class B. ^ salo in some MSS. of both classes.

43

PRUDENTIUS

fundit scissa silex, quae sitientibus dat potum populis axe sub igneo.

instar fellis aqua tristifico in lacu fit ligni venia mel velut Atticum. lignum est quo sapiunt aspera dulcius, 95

nam praefixa cruci spes hominum viget.

inplet castra cibus tunc quoque ninguidus, inlabens gelida grandine densius ; his mensas epulis, hac dape construunt, quam dat sidereo Christus ab aethere. 100

nee non imbrifero ventus anhelitu crassa nube leves invehit alites, quae, difflata in humum cum semel agmina fluxerunt, reduci non revolant fuga.

haec olim patribus praemia contulit 105

insignis pietas numinis unici, cuius subsidio nos quoque vescimur pascentes dapibus pectora mysticis.

fessos ille vocat per freta saeculi discissis populum turbinibus regens, 110

iactatasque animas mille laboribus iustorum in patriam scandere praecipit.

illic purpureis tecta rosariis omnis fragrat humus caltaque pinguia et molles violas et tenues crocos 115

fundit fonticulis uda fugacibus.

illic et gracili balsama surculo desudata fluunt, raraque cinnama spirant, et folium, fonte quod abdito praelambens fluvius portat in exitum. 120

felices animae prata per herbida concentu pariles suave sonantibus hymnorum modulis dulce canunt melos, calcant et pedibus lilia candidis.

44

THE DAILY ROUND, V

new streams, giving drink to the multitudes that thirst under the burning sky. Water that tasted like gall in the pool of bitterness is made, by \-irtue of a log of wood, like the honey of Attica." Wood it is where- by bitter things taste sweeter; for it is when fixed on the cross that men's hope is strong. Then food, too, fills the camp, dropping Uke snow, showering more thickly than the chilly hail ; and with this meal, this feast, which Christ gives them from the starry heavens, they furnish their tables.* And the >vind with rainy blast brings light-winged birds in a thick cloud, which when once their ranks are scattered by the breeze and stream to the ground, fly not away again." These gifts once the surpassing goodness of the one God gave to our fathers ; and by His support we too are fed, nurturing our hearts with a mysric feast. He calls the wearj- over the sea of the world and guides His people, cleaving the storms ; souls that have been tossed by a thousand distresses He bids go up into the country of the righteous. There all the ground is covered and scented with beds of red roses ; watered by running streamlets it pours forth rich marigolds and soft violets and tender crocuses. There balsam, too, exudes in a stream from its slender shoot, the rare cinnamon breathes its scent, and the leaf** which the river by whose stream it grows carries from its hidden source to its mouth. The blessed souls over the grassy meads sing their sweet song in harmonious concert, and pleasantly sounds the melody of their hymns, as with white feet they tread the UUes. And the guilty

• Cf. Exodus XV, 23-25. » Exodas xvi, 14 ff.

' Numbers xi, 31.

"* Of nard, brought down the Indus and the Ganges.

45

PRUDENTIUS

sunt et spiritibus saepe nocentibus 125

poenarum celebres sub Styge feriae ilia nocte, sacer qua rediit Deus stagnis ad superos ex Acherunticis,

non sicut tenebras de face fulgida surgens Oceano Lucifer inbuit, 130

sed terris Domini de cruce tristibus maior sole novum restituens diem.

marcent suppliciis Tartara mitibus, exultatque sui carceris otio functorum^ populus liber ab ignibus, 135

nee fervent solito flumina sulphure.

nos festis trahimus per pia gaudia noctem conciliis votaque prospera certatim vigili congerimus prece, extructoque agimus liba sacrario. 140

pendent mobilibus lumina funibus, quae suffixa micant per laquearia, et de languidulis fota natatibus lucem perspicuo flamma iacit vitro.

credas stelligeram desuper aream 145

ornatam geminis stare trionibus, et qua bosphoreum temo regit iugum passim purpureos spargier hesperos.

o res digna, Deus,^ quam tibi roscidae noctis principio grex tuus offerat, 150

lucem, qua tribuis nil pretiosius, lucem, qua reliqua praemia cernimus.

tu lux vera oculis, lux quoque sensibus, intus tu speculum, tu speculum foris ; lumen quod famulans ofFero, suscipe, 155

tinctum pacifici chrismatis unguine,

per Christum genitum, summe Pater, tuum, in quo visibilis stat tibi gloria,

46

THE DAILY ROUND, V

spirits too, in their crowds often have holiday from punishment in hell, on the night on which the holy God returned to the world of men from the waters of Acheron, not like the morning star when it rises from Ocean and first tinges the darkness with its shining torch, but a grea+er than the sun, restoring new day to a world saddened by the cross of its Lord. Hell's force abates, its punishments are mild, and the people of the dead, set free from the fires, rejoices in the relaxation of its imprisonment, nor do the sulphurous rivers boil as hot as they are wont. As for us, we pass the long night with pious gladness in festal con- gregations," in sleepless prayer we earnestly heap up petitions that will be granted, and on the altar raised up make offerings to God. The lamps gleam out, that hang by swaying cords from every panel of the roof, and the flame, fed by the oil on which it floats lazily, casts its light through the clear glass. One would think the starry space stood over us, decked with the twin Bears, and that bright evening stars were ever)-- where scattered, where the Wain directs its team of oxen. How worthy a thing, O God, for Thy flock to offer Thee at dewy night's beginning — light. Thy most precious gift, light, by which we perceive all Thy other blessings ! Thou art the true light of our eyes, the true light of our minds ; by Thee we see as in a glass within, a glass without. Take the light which in Thy service I offer, dipped in the unction of the oil of peace ; through Christ Thy son, O Highest Father, in whom Thy glory stands visible ;

• At the service on Easter eve, lasting throughout the night, and for which churches were brilliantly illuminated.

^ umbrarum in A and some other M8S. of both classes. * Pater in ACD.

47

PRUDENTIUS

qui noster Dominus, qui tuus unicus

spirat de patrio corde Paraclitum. 160

per quem splendor, honos, laus, sapientia, maiestas, bonitas et pietas tua regnum continuat numine triplici, texens perpetuis saecula saeculis.

VI J Hymnus ante Somnum

Ades, Pater supreme, quem nemo vidit umquam, patrisque Sermo Christe, et Spiritus benigne,

o Trinitatis huius 5

vis una, lumen unum,^ deus ex Deo perennis, deus ex utroque missus.

fluxit labor diei, redit et quietis hora, 10

blandus sopor vicissim fessos relaxat artus.

mens aestuans proeellis, curisque saueiata,

totis bibit medullis 15

obliviale poclum.

serpit per omne corpus Lethaea vis, nee ullum miseris doloris aegri patitur manere sensum. 20

lex haec data est caducis deo iubente membris,

48

THE DAILY ROUND, VI

Christ our Lord and Thy only-begotten, who from His Father's heart breathes the Comforter; through whom Thy glory and honour and praise and wisdom, Thy majesty and goodness and love extend Thy kingdom with its three-fold Godhead, uniting age to age for ever and ever.

VI

A Hymn Before Sleep

Be present, most high Father, whom no man hath seen at any time, and Christ the Word of the Father, and Thou, kindly Spirit ; O Thou who in this Trinity art one essence and one light, God of God everlasting, and God sent forth of both. The day's toil is past and the hour of rest comes again ; caressing slumber in its turn relaxes our tired limbs. The mind storm- tossed and careworn drinks deep the cup of forgetful- ness. ObHvion steals over all the body and lets no sense of soreness abide with the afflicted. This is the law appointed by God's command for our frail

^ ACDP (foUowed by Bergman) have via ac potestas una.

49

PRUDENTIUS

ut temperet laborem medicabilis voluptas.

sed dum pererrat omnes 25

quies arnica venas pectusque feriatum placat rigante somno,

liber vagat per auras rapido vigor e sensus, 30

variasque per figuras quae sunt operta cernit ; quia mens soluta curis, cui est origo caelum

purusque fons ab aethra, «50

iners iacere nescit.

imitata multiformes facies sibi ipsa fingit, per quas repente currens tenui fruatur actu. *^

sed sensa somniantum dispar fatigat horror, nunc splendor intererrat, qui dat futura nosse ;

plerumque dissipatis 4^

mendax imago veris animos pavore maestos ambage fallit atra.

quern rara culpa morum non polluit frequenter, 5^

hunc lux serena vibrans res edocet latentes ; f^-'^'"' j^J^o^ '^' '

at qui ^oinquinatum i^^^^^^"^ r. _. , vitiis cor inpiavit, I

lusus pavore multo ^^

species videt tremendas.

5°

THE DAILY ROUND, VI

members, that healing pleasure temper toil. But while kindly repose spreads through all our body, and as sleep floods it, lulls the heart to rest from labour, the spirit roams free through the air, quick and lively, and in diverse figures sees things that are hidden ; for the mind, whose source is heaven and whose pure fount is from the skie^, cannot lie idle when it is freed from care. By imitation it fashions for itself images of many shapes, to enjoy a ghostly activity while it courses qxiickly through them. But by contrast terror troubles our thoughts in dreams. At times a brilhant light comes in upon them and gives us knowledge of things to be ; often reality is scattered and a lying image makes our minds unhappy and afraid and deceives them with a dark obscurity. If a man's stains of guilty con- duct are few and far between, him the clear, flashing light teaches secret things ; but he who has j)olluted and befouled his heart with sins is the sport of many a fear and sees frightful visions. This our patriarch '

o Genesis xl and xli.

51

PRUDENTIUS

hoc patriarcha noster sub carceris catena geminis simul ministris interpres adprobavit,

quorum regressus unus dat poculum tyranno, ast alterum rapaces fixum vorant volucres.

ipsum deinde regem, perplexa somniantem, monuit famem futuram clausis cavere acervis.

mox praesul ac tetrarches regnum per omne iussus sociam tenere virgam, dominae resedit aulae.

o quam profunda iustis arcana per soporem aperit tuenda Christus, quam clara, quam tacenda !

evangelista siunmi fidissimus Magistri signata quae latebant nebulis videt remotis :

ipsum Tonantis agnum de caede purpurantem, qui conscium futuri librum resignat unus.

huius maniun potentem gladius perarmat anceps, et fulgurans utrimque duplicem minatur ictum.

quaesitor ille solus animaeque corporisque,

52

THE DAILY ROUND, VI

proved by his interpretation to two ministers who were with him in the bondage of prison : the one is restored and again hands the cup to the king, but the other is hanged and the birds of prey devour him. Next he warned the king himself, when he dreamt a dream inscrutable, to provide against coming famine by shutting plenty up in store. Then was he made ruler and governor over all the kingdom and bidden to bear the sceptre in partnership, and he dwelt at the king's court. How deep the mysteries Christ lays open to the sight of the righteous in their sleep ! How clear, and not to be uttered ! The most faithful evangehst *• of the great Master, when the clouds are dispelled, sees things that formerly were sealed in darkness : the very Lamb of the Thunderer, red from the slaughter, who alone unseals the book that has knowledge of things to be. His mighty hand is armed with a two-edged sword, and flashing this way and that it threatens two strokes at once. «|He alone is inquisitor of soul and body both, and the

" Revelation v, 6-9.

53

PRUDENTIUS

ensisque bis timendus prima ac secunda mors est.

idem tamen benignus ultor retundit iram, paucosquelnon piorum patitur perire in aevum. huic inclytus perenne tribuit Pater tribunal, hunc obtinere iussit nomen supra omne nomen. i^

hie praepotens cruenti extinctor Antichristi, qui de furente monstro pulchrum refert tropaeum.

quam bestiara capaeem i"^

populosque devorantem, quam sanguinis Charybdem lohannis execratur ;

banc nempe, quae sacratum praeferre nomen ausa imam petit gehennam Christo perempta vero.

tali sopore iustus mentem relaxat heros, ut spiritu sagaci caelum peragret omne.

nos nil meremur horum, quos creber inplet error, concreta quos malarum vitiat cupido rerum.

sat est quiete dulci fessum fovere corpus ; sat, si nihil sinistrum vanae mineRtur umbrae,

54

THE DAILY ROUND, VI blade twice to be feared is the first and second death. Yet in kindness too the Avenger blunts the edge of His wTath, and suffers but few of the ungodly to perish for ever. To Him the illustrious Father has assigned the everlasting judgment-seat ; Him He has commanded to hold a name above every name. He is the mighty destroyer of the bloody Antichrist, and over that raxing monster wins a noble victory. This is the beast, which nothing can fill, which de- vours the nations, the blood-engulfing Charj'bdis that John curses ; the beast that dared to boast the holy name and is slain by the true Christ and plunges to the depths of hell. Such is the sleep with which the righteous hero rests his mind, that with prophetic spirit it traverses the whole heaven. As for us, we merit none of these things, for many an error fills jur heart, and a hardened desire for evil things corrupts xis. It is enough with sweet repose to re- fresh the tired body, enough if unsubstantial phan-

55

PRUDENTIUS

cultor Dei, memento te fontis et lavacri rorem subisse sanctum, te chrismate innotatum.

fac, cum vocante somno castum petis cubile, frontem locumque cordis crucis figura signet.

crux pellit omne crimen, fugiunt crucem tenebrae : tali dicata signo mens fluctuare nescit.

procul, o procul vagantum portenta somniorum, procul esto pervicaci praestigiator actu.

o tortuose serpens, qui mille per meandros fraudesque flexuosas agitas quieta corda,

discede, Christus hie est, hie Christus est, hquesce. signum quod ipse nosti damnat tuam catervam.

corpus licet fatiscens iaceat recline paulum, Christum tamen sub ipso meditabimur sopore.

VII

HvMNus Ieiunantium

O Nazarene, lux Bethlem, Verbum Patris, quem partus alvi virginaUs protulit, 56

THE DAILY ROUND, VII

toms threaten no ill. Worshipper of God, remember that thou has been washed in the holy water of baptism and marked with the holy oil. See that, when at the call of sleep thou seekest thy pure 3ouch, the sign of the cross seals thy brow and the place where lies thy heart. The cross drives out every sin ; before the cross darkness flees away ; consecrated with this sign, the spirit cannot be un- quiet. Away, away with the monstrosities of •ambUng dreams ! Away with the deceiver and his persistent guile ! O twining serpent that by a :housand winding ways and twisting deceptions dost iisturb hearts at rest, depart, for Christ is here! Jhrist is here : vanish away ! The sign thou thyself inowest condemns thy company. Though the veary body lie down for a httle, yet even in sleep )ur thoughts shall be of Christ.

VII A Hymn of the Fasting O Nazarene, Light of Bethlehem, Word of the ither, offspring of a virgin's womb, be present,

57

PRUDENTIUS

adesto castis, Christe, parsimoniis, festumque nostrum rex serenus aspice, ieiuniorum dum litamus victimam.

nil hoc profecto purius mysterio, quo fibra cordis expiatur vividi, intemperata quo domantur viscera, arvina putrem ne resudans crapulam obstrangulatae mentis ingenium premat. 10

hinc subiugatur luxus et turpis gula, vini atque somni degener socordia, libido sordens, inverecundus lepos, variaeque pestes languidorum sensuum parcam subactae disciplinam sentiunt. l^-j

nam si Reenter diffluens potu et cibo ieiuna rite membra non coerceas, sequitur frequenti marcida oblectamine scintilla mentis ut tepescat nobilis, animusque pigris stertat in praecordiis. 20.

frenentur ergo corporum cupidines, detersa et intus emicet prudentia ; sic excitato perspicax acumine liberque flatu laxiore spiritus rerum parentem rectius precabitur. 25

Elia tali crevit observantia, vetus sacerdos, ruris hospes aridi, fragore ab omni quem remotum et segregem sprevisse tradunt criminum frequentiam, casto fruentem Syrtium silentio. 30

sed mox in auras igneis iugalibus curruque raptus evolavit praepete, ne de propinquo sordium contagio dirus quietum mundus afflaret virum olim probatis inclytum ieiuniis. 35

non ante caeli principem septemplicis

58

11

THE DAILY ROUND, MI

Christ, at our pious acts of abstinence, and as our

King look ■«'ith favour on our holy day while we offer

the sacrifice of our fast. Nothing surely is purer

than this rite, whereby the heart is enlivened through

the cleansing of its tissues, and the intemperate flesh

subdued so that fat, exuding the stinking sweat of

excess, shall not constrict and choke the mind.

Hereby are conquered indulgence and shameful

appetite, the debased sloth that comes of wine and

slumber, filthy passion, immodest pleasantry, and all

the plagues that dull our senses are put down and

feel the discipline of restraint. For if uncurbed a

man abandons himself to drinking and eating and

does not duly control his body by fasting, then in the

consequence the spark of the noble soul wastes and

:ools off by reason of constant indulgence, and the

aiind falls heavily asleep in the sluggish breast.

Let the desires of our bodies, then, be bridled, and

:he clean flame of wisdom shine within us : so, \^-ith

udgment awakened, the spirit will see clearly, it will

lave freedom and more room to breathe, and will

)ray better to the Father of all things. It was by

;uch observance that EUas, the priest of old, grew

-trong, when he was a sojourner in a drv' land, and

hey say that thus remote and separate from all the

loise of the world he put from him a multitude of

iins while he enjoyed the pure silence of the desert.

But afterwards he was carried away by horses of

ire in a swift-flying chariot and soared into the

)reezes, lest from the near contagion of filth the fell

vorld should breathe upon a man at peace, whose

"asts approved had given him renown. Moses," the

aithful messenger of the awful throne, was not able

" Cf. Exodns xxxiv, 28.

59

PRUDENTIUS

Moses tremendi fidus interpres throni

potuit videre, quam decern recursibus

quater volutis sol peragrans sidera

omni carentem cerneret substantia. 40

victus precanti solus in lacrimis fuit ; nam flendo pernox inrigatmn pulverem humi madentis ore pressit cernuo, donee loquentis voce praestrictus Dei expavit ignem non ferendum visibus. 45

lohannis huius artis baud minus potens Dei perennis praecucurrit Filium, curvos viarum qui retorsit tramites, et flexuosa corrigens dispendia dedit sequendam calle recto lineam. 50

banc obsequellam praeparabat nuntius mox adfuturo construens iter Deo, clivosa planis, confragosa ut lenibus converterentur, neve quidquam devium inlapsa terris inveniret Veritas. 55

non usitatis ortus hie natalibus : oblita lactis iam vieto in pectore matris tetendit serus infans ubera, nee ante partu de senili efFusus est quam praedicaret virginem plenam Deo. 60

post in patentes ille solitudines, amictus hirtis bestiarum pellibus saetisve tectus hispida et lanugine, secessit, horrens inquinari et pollui contaminatis oppidorum moribus. 65

illic dicata parcus abstinentia potum cibumque vir severae industriae in usque serum respuebat vesper um, rarum lucustis et favorum agrestium liquore pastum corpori suetus dare. 70

6o

THE DAILY ROUND, VII

to see the Lord of the sevenfold heavens till the sun in his passage through the constellations had rolled forty times on his returning path and beheld him lacking all sustenance. WTiile he prayed, his only meat was in his tears ; for vdih his weeping all night long he watered the dust and the ground was wet where he lay with face bowed low on it, until God spoke and His voice touched him and he trembled at the fire his eyes could not bear. John was no less a master of this power, he who went before the Son of the everlasting God, who made straight the crooked paths and by setting right the twisting ways gave a direct course to follow. This service the messenger made ready beforehand, making a way for God who was presently to come, so that the steep places should be changed to level and the rough places to smooth, and that Truth coming to the earth should find no devious way. No common birth was his : it was a late child that strained nipples that had forgotten their milk, on his mother's shrunken breast ; and ere he was brought forth from her aged womb he proclaimed a virgin pregnant with God. Afterwards he -vWthdrew into the wide solitudes, wrapped in shaggy skins of beasts or covered "with rough hair and coarse wool, dreading defilement and corruption from the impure Avays of towns. There, Uving sparely with devoted abstinence, in his un- remitting strictness he would put food and drink from him until the late time of evening, and used to give his body sustenance at these long intervals with locusts and the honey from wild honey-combs. He

6i

PRUDENTIUS

hortator ille primus et doctor novae fuit salutis. nam sacrato in flumine veterum piatas lavit errorum notas, sed tincta postquam membra defaecaverat, caelo refulgens influebat Spiritus. 75

hoc ex lavacro labe dempta criminum ibant renati, non secus quam si rudis auri recocta vena pulchrum splendeat, micet metalli sive lux argentei sudum polito praenitens purgamine. 80

referre prisci stemma nunc ieiunii libet fideli proditum volumine, ut diruendae civitatis incolis fulmen benigni mansuefactum Patris pie repressis ignibus pepercerit. 85

gens insolenti praepotens iactantia pollebat olim, quam fluentem nequiter corrupta vulgo solverat lascivia, et inde bruto contumax fastidio cultum superni neglegebat numinis. 90

ofFensa tandem iugis indulgentiae censura iustis excitatur motibus, dextram perarmat rompheali incendio, nimbos crepantes et fragosos turbines vibrans tonantum nube flammarum quatit. 95

sed paenitendi dum datur diecula, si forte vellent inprobam libidinem veteresque nugas condomare ac frangere, suspendit ictum terror exorabilis, paulumque dicta substitit sententia. 100

lonam prophetam mitis ultor excitat, poenae inminentis iret ut praenuntius, sed nosset ille qui minacem iudicem servare malle quam ferire ac plectere,

63

THE DAILY ROUND, VII

\\iis the first preacher and teacher of the new salva- tion, for in the consecrated stream he washed clean the marks of old sins, but after he cleansed the tainted bodies the Spirit flowed shining into them from heaven. From this baptism, the stain of sin removed, men came reborn, shining as fair as does rough gold when it is refined, bright as the glistening sheen of silver ore when it is purified and polished. I will now recount the history of a fast in ancient times, a tale made kno^vn to us by the faithful Book, how the merciful Father's thunderbolt was appeased, its fires in love suppressed, and spared the inhabitants of a city that merited destruction. There flourished once a mighty and arrogant nation, given over to evil indulgence, and which in its debased wantonness had in the mass passed all restraint ; wherefore being stiff-necked in its stupid pride, it was disregarding the worship of God on high. Justice ever merciful is at last offended and aroused in righteous wrath. It arms its right hand ^^•ith a fiery sword and brand- ishes rattling storms and crashing whirlwinds in a cloud of fire and thunder. Yet giving them a brief : space for repentance, if haply they might be "willing to subdue and break their wicked lust and long- ' continued folUes, the awful Judge, who is yet easily 5 entreated, suspends the blow, the doom pronounced is for a Httle stayed. The merciful Avenger calls Jonah the prophet to go and proclaim impending punishment ; but he, knowing that the Judge who threatened would rather save than strike and

63

PRUDENTIUS

tectam latenter vertit in Tharsos fugam. 105

celsam paratis pontibus scandit ratem, udo revincta fune puppis solvitur, itur per altum : fit procellosum mare, turn causa tanti quaeritur periculi, sors in fugacem missa vatem decidit. 110

iussus perire solus e cunctis reus, cuius voluta crimen urna expresserat, praeceps rotatur et profundo inmergitur : exceptus inde beluinis faucibus, alvi capacis vivus hauritur specu. 115

transmissa raptim praeda cassos dentium eludit ictus incruentam transvolans inpune linguam, ne retentam mordicus offam molares dissecarent uvidi, OS omne transit, et palatum praeterit. 120^

ternis dierum ac noctium processibus mansit ferino devoratus gutture ; errabat illic per latebras viscerum, ventris meandros circumibat tortiles anhelus extis intus aestuantibus. 125

intactus exim tertiae noctis vice monstri vomentis pellitur singultibus ; qua murmuranti fine fluctus frangitur salsosque candens spuma tundit pumices, ructatus exit seque servatum stupet. 130

in Ninevitas se coactus percito gressu reflectit, quos ut increpaverat pudenda censor inputans opprobria, " inpendet " inquit " ira summi vindicis, urbemque flamma mox cremabit, credite." 135j

apicem deinde ardui montis petit, visurus inde conglobatum turbidae fumum ruinae cladis et dirae struem,

64

THE DAILY ROUND, VII

punish, flees in secret and turns his steps privily to Tarshish. He embarks on a tall ship by the gangway standing ready ; the wet mooring-rope cast off, the vessel sails and they make their way over the deep. But the sea grows stormy, and then search is made for the cause of the great peril, and the lot is cast and falls on the fugitive prophet. Arraigned, he alone of them all, and condemned to die, for the turning of the urn had made his guilt manifest, he is hurled headlong and plunged in the deep, caught then in a monster's jaws, and swallowed up aUve in the vault of its great belly. Passing swftly over, the prey escapes the futile stroke of the teeth, for he flies unhurt over the tongue -without shedding of blood, so that the wet grinders cannot hold the morsel in their bite and break it in pieces ; right through the mouth he passes, and beyond the palate. WTiile three days and nights went by he remained engulfed in the beast's maw, wandering there in the darkness of its inward parts, round and round the tortuous windings of its guts, his breath choking with the heat of the entrails. From thence, when the third night comes round, the monster retching spews him out un- harmed ; where the wave breaks at its loud-sounding close and the white spray beats on the briny rocks he is belched out, amazed at his preservation. Back to Nineveh perforce he turns with quickened step, and after upbraiding and censuring its people, laying their shameful misdeeds to their charge, he cries : " The -wrath of the great Judge hangs over you and •will presently burn your city with fire, believe ye." Then he makes for the peak of a high mountain, to see from there the thick smoke arise from the jumbled ruin, and the city in a heap of dire destruction, while

65

VOL. I. D

PRUDENTIUS

tectus flagellis multinodis germinis,

nato et repente perfruens umbraculo. 140

sed maesta postquam civitas vulnus novi hausit doloris, heu, supremum palpitat : cursant per ampla congregatim moenia plebs et senatus, omnis aetas civium, pallens iuventus, eiulantes feminae. 145

placet frementem publicis ieiuniis placare Christum ; mos edendi spernitur, glaucos amictus induit monilibus matrona demptis, proque gemma et serico crinem fluentem sordidus spargit cinis. 150

squalent recincta veste pullati patres, saetasque plangens turba sumit textiles, inpexa villis virgo bestialibus nigrante vultum contegit velamine, iacens harenis et puer provolvitur. 155

rex ipse Coos aestuantem murices laenam revulsa dissipabat fibula, gemmas virentes et lapillos sutiles insigne frontis exuebat vinculum, turpi capillos inpeditujs pulvere. 160

nullus bibendi, nemo vescendi memor, ieiuna mensas pubis omnis liquerat : quin et negato lacte vagientium fletu madescunt parvulorum cunulae, sucum papillae parca nutrix derogat. 165

greges et ipsos claudit armentalium sollers virorum cura, ne vagum pecus contingat ore rorulenta gramina, potum strepentis neve fontis hauriat ; vacuis querellae personant praesepibus. 170

mollitus his et talibus brevem Deus iram refrenat temperans oraculum

66

THE DAILY ROUND, VII

he shelters under the shoots of a plant that sprouts from many a joint and enjoys a shade that of a sudden has grown up." But ah ! the saddened people, pierced by grief not kno^\^l before, is in the agony of death. Commons and councillors, citizens of every age, young men %vith pale faces, wailing women, rush to and fro in crowds all about the wide city. Resolved to appease the angry Christ -with pubUc fasts, they put the habit of eating from them; the matron, taking off her necklaces, dons dark vestures, and instead of jewels and silk foul ashes besprinkle her flowing hair. The fathers wear the dark robes of mourning all ungirt, the common crowd in lamentation put on coarse haircloth, the maids, with hair un- kempt and shagg}' like a beast's, cover their faces with black veils, the children lie rolUng in the sand. The king himself, pulling away the clasp, tore in pieces his mantle that had the glow of Coan purple, put off his bright jewels, his band of precious stones, the emblem that clasped his brows, and cluttered his hair -s^ith unsightly dust. None had any thought of drinking or of eating ; the whole manhood had turned from the table to fasting ; nay, the cradles are wet with the tears of Uttle ones cry- ing because milk is denied them, for the niggard nurse \vithdraws the liquor of the breast. The very flocks the herdsmen take shrewd care to enclose, lest roaming at large the cattle put their lips to the dewy grass or drink a draught from the brawling stream, and the sound of their plaints fills the foodless stalls. Softened by these and the like acts, God restrains His short-lived anger and turns propitious, mitigating

' C/. Jonah iv, 5-6.

67

PRUDENTIUS

prosper sinistrum ; prona nam dementia

haud difficulter supplicem mortalium

solvit reatum fitque fautrix flentium. 175

sed cur vetustae gentis exemplum loquor, pridem caducis cum gravatus artubus lesus dicato corde ieiunaverit, praenuncupatus ore qui prophetico Emmanuel est, sive " nobiscum Deus " ? 180

qui corpus istud molle naturaliter, captumque laxo sub voluptatum iugo, virtutis arta lege fecit liberum, emancipator servientis plasmatis, regnantis ante victor et cupidinis. 185

inhospitali namque secretus loco quinis diebus octies labentibus nullam ciborum vindicavit gratiam, firmans salubri scilicet ieiunio vas adpetendis inbecillum gaudiis. 190

miratus hostis posse limum tabidum tantum laboris sastinere ac perpeti explorat arte sciscitator callida deusne membris sit receptus terreis, sed increpata fraude post tergum ruit. 195

hoc nos sequamur quisque nunc pro viribus, quod consecrati tu magister dogmatis tuis dedisti, Christe, sectatoribus, ut, cum vorandi vicerit libidinem, late triumphet imperator spiritus. 200

hoc est quod atri livor hostis invidet, mundi polique quod gubernator probat, altaris aram quod facit placabilem, ' quod dormientis excitat cordis fidem, quod limat aegram pectoris rubiginem. 205

perfusa non sic amne flamma extinguitur,

68

THE DAILY ROUND, VII

His awful sentence ; for His ready mercy wilHngly cancels the guilt of men when they humble them- selves, and shows favour to their tears. But why do I speak of the example of an ancient race, seeing that Jesus, long since, when He was burdened with a mortal body, fasted with consecrated heart, He who was aforetime by the mouth of the prophet named Emmanuel, God with us ? This body, which is by nature weak and a prisoner under the lawless t}Tanny of pleasures. He set at liberty' by the strict law of virtue ; He gave freedom to the enslaved flesh and conquered the passion that held sway before. For, li\-ing remote in an inhospitable place, while forty days passed He never claimed the pleasant taste of food, but -with wholesome fasting strengthened the vessel which is enfeebled by its seeking after joys. The enemy, wondering that perishing clay can sustain and endure such effort, tries to find out by cunning artful inquiry whether it is God that has been received in an earthly body ; but his trickery is rebuked and he flees behind Christ's back. Let us now follow, each according to his strength, this that Thou, O Christ, the teacher of holy doctrine, hast given to Thy followers, that the spirit, being in command and having overcome the lust of eating, may triumph over all the field. This it is that earns the black enemy's malice and spite, this that yvios the approval of Him who rules earth and heaven, that makes the altar of sacrifice propitious, awakens faith in the sleeping heart, and clears away the un- healthy bUght from our breasts. Not so surely does

69

PRUDENTIUS

nee sic ealente sole tabescunt nives,

ut turbidarum scabra culparum seges

vanescit almo trita sub ieiunio,

si blanda semper misceatur largitas. 210

est quippe et illud grande virtutis genus, operire nudos, indigentes pascere, opem benignam ferre supplieantibus, unam paremque sortis humanae vicem inter potentes atque egenos ducere. 215

satis beatus quisque dextram porrigit laudis rapacem, prodigam pecuniae, cuius sinistra dulce factum nesciat : ilium perennes protinas conplent opes, ditatque fructus faenerantem centiplex. 220

VIII

Hymnus post Ieiunium

Christe, servorum regimen tuorum, moUibus qui nos moderans habenis leniter frenas, facilique saeptos

lege coerces, ipse cum portans onus inpeditum • 5

corporis duros tuleris labores, maior exemplis famulos remisso

dogmate palpas. nona summissum rotat hora solem, partibus vixdum tribus evolutis, 10

quarta devexo superest in axe

portio lucis. nos brevis voti dape vindicata solvimus festum, fruimurque mensis adfatim plenis, quibus inbuatur 15

prona voluptas.

70

THE DAILY ROUND, VIII

water put out fire, or the snows melt in the heat of the sun, as the unclean crop of rebellious sins vanishes under the cleansing of a restoring fast, if kindly Uberahty be ever joined with it. For it is a noble form of virtue too, to clothe the naked, feed the needy, give kindly aid to them that beg for it, hold that rich and poor share one and the same humanity. Blest enough the man who holds out a right hand that grasps at n^erit but is lavish of money, whose left hand knows not the kind deed : him everlasting wealth straightway satisfies, and profit an hundred- fold on his lending makes him rich.

VIII

A Hymn After Fasting

Christ, the director of Thy servants, who dost govern us with light rein and gentle curb and dost hedge and restrain us with an easy law, since Thou Thyself whilst bearing the cumbering burden of the body didst endure hardship, Thy example makes Thee greater, and Thy hand is light on Thy servants and Thy decree is mild. The ninth hour is wheeling the sun on his downward course, scarce yet has the daylight three parts rolled away, and the fourth still is left in the down-sloping sky ; we, taking our meat, break off the observance of our short vow and let eager appetite enjoy its first taste of the table's

71

PRUDENTIUS

tantus aeterni favor est Magistri, doctor indulgens ita nos amico lactat hortatu, levis obsequella ut

mulceat artus. 20

addit et ne quis velit invenusto sordidus cultu lacerare front em, sed decus vultus capitisque pexum

comat honorem. " terge ieiunans " ait " omne corpus, 25

neve subducto faciem rubore luteus tinguat color aut notetur

pallor in ore." rectius laeto tegimus pudore quidquid ad cultum Patris exhibemus ; 30

cernit occultum Deus et latentem

munere donat. ille ovem morbo residem gregique perditam sano, male dissipantem vellus adfixis vepribus per hirtae 35

devia silvae inpiger pastor revocat lupisque gestat exclusis umeros gravatus, inde purgatam revehens aprico

reddit ovili, 40

reddit et pratis viridique campo, vibrat inpexis ubi nulla lappis spina, nee germen sudibus perarmat

carduus horrens, sed frequens palmis nemus, et reflexa 45

vernat herbarum coma, turn perennis gurgitem vivis vitreum fluentis

laurus obumbrat. hisce pro donis tibi, fide pastor, servitus quaenam poterit rependi ? 50

72

THE DAILY ROUND, Mil

abundant plenty. Such favour does our eternal Teacher show us, with exhortation so friendly does our kind Instructor draw us on, that the light obedience is comfortable to the flesh. He com- mands, too, that none clothe himself in dismal, un- tidy garb and disfigure his brows, but that we comb and dress our hair, which is the ornament of our countenance, the glory of our head." " Cleanse thy whole body," He saith, " when thou fastest ; and let not thy cheeks lose their redness and wear a yellow hue, nor a pale cast be marked on thy face." Better is it to cover A\ith a cheerful modesty anything that we do for the honour of the Father : God sees that which is in secret, and rewards him who acts by stealth. WTien a sheep lags behind because it is sick, and is lost from the healthy flock, wasting its wool by catching on thorny bushes along un- frequented ways in the rough woodland, He as a tireless Shepherd calls it again, and driving oiF the wolves, takes the load on His shoulders and carries it, and so brings it home cleansed and restores it to the sunny fold ; restores it to the meadows too, and the green field, where no rough, prickly burs quiver and no bristUng thistle arms its shoots with spikes, but the grove is filled with pahns, the bending leaves of grass flourish, and the glassy stream of nmning water is shaded with evergreen bay. For these gifts, O faithful Shepherd, what service can ever be repaid

• C/. Matthew vi, lft-18.

73 d2

PRUDENTIUS

nulla conpensant pretium salutis

vota precantum. quamlibet spreto sine more pastu sponte confectos tenuemus artus teque contemptis epulis rogemns 55

nocte dieque, vincitur semper minor obsequentum cura nee munus genitoris aequat, frangit et cratem luteam laboris

grandior usus. 60

ergo ne limum fragilem solutae deserant vires et aquosus albis umor in venis dominetur aegrum

corpus enervans, laxus ac liber modus abstinendi 65

ponitur cunctis, neque nos severus terror inpellit ; sua quemque cogit

velle potestas. sufficit, quidquid facias, vocato numinis nutu prius inchoare, 70

sive tu mensam renuas cibumve

sumere temptes. adnuit dexter Deus et secundo prosperat vultu, velut hoc salubre fidimus nobis fore, quod dicatas 75

carpimus escas. sit bonum, supplex precor, et medellam conferat membris animumque pascat sparsus in venas cibus obsecrantum

Cliristicolarum.

74

THE DAILY ROUND, VIII

to Thee ? No vows that we can offer in our prayers can make up for the price of salvation. Though we should turn utterly from food, and of our o%vn will weaken and mortify our bodies, and disdaining the table pray to Thee night and day, yet the zeal with which we ser\-e Thee is ever inferior and over-matched and cannot equal the Father's gift, and our frame of clay cannot bear to practise endurance overmuch. Therefore, lest our strength be undone and desert the frail clay, and a watery fluid prevail in whitened veins, enfeebling and unmanning the body, an easy and free measure of abstinence is laid on all ; no stem fear drives us ; it is each one's o^vn power that con- strains him to be willing. Sufficient is it, whatever a man does, to set about it after first appealing for God's approval, whether he refuse the table or put forth his hand to take food. God is propitious and with favourable countenance gives consent and blessing ; as now we trust it yriW be healthful for us that we eat of these dedicated viands. Humbly I ask that our act be good for us and that our food, spreading into the veins, may bring healing to the body and nourish the spirit of Christ's worshippers who offer this prayer.

75

PRUDENTIUS

IX

Hymnus omnis Horae

Da, puer, plectrum, choreis ut canam fidelibus dulce carmen et melodum, gesta Christi insignia, hunc Camena nostra solum pangat, hunc laudet lyra.

Christus est, quem rex sacerdos adfuturum protinus infulatus concinebat voce, chorda et tympano, 5

spiritum caelo influentem per medullas hauriens.

facta nos et iam probata pangimus miracula. testis est orbis, nee ipsa terra quod vidit negat, comminus Deum docendis proditum mortalibus.

corde natus ^ ex parentis ante mundi exordium, 10 alpha et fi cognominatus, ipse fons et clausula omnium quae sunt, fuerunt, quaeque post futura sunt.

ipse iussit, et creata, dixit ipse, et facta sunt terra, caelum, fossa ponti, trina rerum machina, quaeque in his vigent sub alto solis et lunae globo. 15

corporis formam caduci, membra morti obnoxia induit, ne gens periret primoplasti ex germine, merserat quem ^ lex profundo noxialis Tartaro.

o beatus ortus ille, virgo cum puerpera edidit nostram salutem feta Sancto Spiritu, 20

et puer redemptor orbis os sacratum protulit.

psallat altitudo caeli, psallite omnes angeli, quidquid est virtutis usquam psallat in laudem

Deij nulla linguarum silescat, vox et omnis consonet.

ecce, quem vates vetustis concinebant saeculis, 25

* fu8us in the Ambroaian MS. (B). 76

THE DAILY ROUND, IX

IX

A Hymn for Every Hour

Give me my quill, page, that in loyal trochees I may sing a sweet, tuneful song of the glorious deeds of Christ. He alone shall be my Muse's theme, Him alone my lyre shall praise. Christ it is whose speedy coming the priest-king in his priestly vestment sang with sound of voice and string and tambour, drinking deep the inspiration that flowed on him from heaven. Of wonders done and proved we sing ; the world is witness, the verj- earth denies not that which it has seen, God made manifest to men to teach them in His own person. Born of the Father's love before the world's beginning, called Alpha and Omega, He is both source and end of all things that are or have been or hereafter shall be. He gave the word and they were created, He spoke and they were made — earth, heavens, the deep sea, the threefold fabric of the world, and all that lives in them under the lofty globes of sun and moon. He put on the shape of mortal body, members doomed to die, so that the race that sprang from the first man's stock should not perish though the law of sin had plunged him deep in hell. O blessed birth, when a virgin in labour, having conceived by the Holy Spirit, brought forth our salvation, and the child who is the world's Redeemer revealed His sacred face ! Let high heaven sing, sing all ye angels, let every power in every place sing to the praise of God, let no tongue keep silence, and every voice sound in concert. Lo, He whom seers in ancient times foretold, and the

* quani some MSS. of clasa B.

77

PRUDENTIUS

quern prophetarum fideles paginae spoponderant, emicat promissus olim : cuncta conlaudent eum.

cantharis infusa lympha fit Falernuxn nobile, nuntiat vinum minister esse promptum ex hydria, ipse rex sapore tinctis obstupescit poculis. 30

" membra morbis ulcerosa, viscerum putredines mando ut abluantur " inquit : fit ratum quod

iusserat ; turgidam cutem repurgant vulnerum piamina.

tu perennibus tenebris iam sepulta lumina inlinis limo salubri sacri et oris nectare : 35

mox apertis hac medella lux reducta est orbibus.

increpas ventum furentem quod procellis tristibus vertat aequor fundo ab imo, vexet et vagam ratem : ille iussis obsecundat, mitis unda sternitur.

extimum vestis sacratae furtim mulier attigit : 40 protinus salus secuta est, ora pallor deserit, sistitur rivus cruore qui fluebat perpeti.

exitu dulcis iuventae raptum ephebum viderat, orba quern mater supremis funerabat fletibus ; " surge " dixit : ille surgit, matri et adstans

redditur. 45

sole iam quarto carentem, iam sepulcro abscon- ditum Lazarum iubet vigere reddito spiramine : foetidum iecur reductus rursus intrat halitus.

ambulat per stagna ponti, summa calcat fluctuum : mobilis liquor profundi pendulam praestat viam, 50 nee fatiscit unda Sanctis pressa sub vestigiis.

suetus antro bustuali sub catenis frendere, mentis inpos, efferatis percitus furoribus prosilit ruitque supplex, Christum adesse ut sen- serat.

78

THE DAILY ROUND, IX

faithful pages of the prophets pledged, comes forth, promised of old : let all things join in praise of Him. Water poured into tankards is changed to noble wine ; the servant tells how the >\'ine was drawn from the water-pot, and the very master of the feast is amazed at the taste that flavours the cups. " Bodies diseased and ulcerous, festering flesh I command," saith He, " to be washed "; His bidding is done, and the cleansing of the wounds makes the swollen skin pure. Eyes buried in perpetual darkness Thou dost anoint with heahng clay and the nectar of Thy sacred mouth, and presently by this cure their orbs are opened and hght restored to them. Thou dost rebuke the raging wind for upturning the sea from its veiA' depths with fearful blasts, and tossing the ship without rest ; it obeys Thy bidding and the wave sinks calmed. A woman has stealthily touched the edge of Thy holy garment, and straightway heaUng has come ; the pallor leaves her cheek, the ever-flowing stream of blood is stayed. He saw a young man cut off just at the passing of sweet youth, the bereaved mother bearing him to the grave with tears of farewell: " Arise," He said; and he rises and stands restored by his mother's side. To Lazarus, now four days shut sunless in the tomb, He gives again the power to breathe and bids him live, and the breath restored enters again into the decaying flesh. He walks over the waters of the sea, treading on the surface of the flood, and the restless deep holds up a pathway, the wave sinks not under the holy footsteps. One that was wont to dwell in chains in a tomb-cavern, gnashing his teeth, out of his mind, driven by Mild frenzies, leaps forth and flings himself on his knees when he sees that Christ

79

PRUDENTIUS

pulsa pestis lubricorum milleformis daemonum 55 corripit gregis suilli sordida spurcamina, seque nigris mergit undis et pecus lymphaticum.

ferte qualis ter quaternis ferculorum fragmina ; adfatim referta iam sunt adcubantum milia quinque panibus peresis et gemellis piscibus. 60

tu cibus panisque noster, tu perennis suavitas ; nescit esurire in aevum qui tuam sumit dapem, nee lacunam ventris inplet, sed fovet vitalia.

clausus aurium meatus et sonorum nescius purgat ad praecepta Christi crassa quaeque

obstacula, 65

vocibus capax fruendis ac susurris pervius.

omnis aegritudo cedit, languor omnis pellitur, lingua fatur, quam veterna vinxerant silentia, gestat et suum per urbem laetus aeger lectulum.

quin et ipsum, ne salutis inferi expertes forent, 70 Tartarum benignus intrat ; fracta cedit ianua, vectibus cadit revulsis cardo dissolubilis,^

ilia prompta ad inruentes, ad revertentes tenax, obice extrorsum recluso ^ porta reddit mortuos, lege versa, et limen atrum iam recalcandum patet. 75

sed Deus dum luce fulva mortis antra inluminat, dum stupentibus tenebris candidum praestat diem, tristia squalentis aethrae palluerunt sidera.

sol refugit et lugubri sordidus ferrugine igneum reliquit axem seque maerens abdidit ; 80 fertur horruisse mundus noctis aeternae chaos.

^ indissolubilis in some MSS. of both classes, 8o

THE DAILY ROUND, IX

is nigh : driven out, the thousand-formed plague of treacherous devils seizes upon an unclean, filthy herd of s\\ine and plunges itself and the maddened beasts together in the black waters. Bring ye in baskets twelve the fragments left from the feast ; the guests in their thousands are now amply filled with the eating of five loaves of bread and a pair of fishes. Thou art our meat and our bread, Thou our sweet savour that never fails ; he can never hunger any more who partakes of Thy banquet, not filUng a void in his belly but refreshing that by which he truly lives. The closed avenue of the ears, that knows no sound, clears away at Christ's bidding all its thick obstructions and gains the power to enjoy voices and give passage to whispers. Every sickness yields, every weakness is banished, the tongue speaks that had been tied in torpid silence, and the sick man carries his bed rejoicing through the city. Yea, lest those below should have no part in salvation, in His goodness He enters Tartarus. The door is forced and yields before Him; the bolts are torn away, do^^'n falls the pivot broken ; that gate so ready to receive the inrush, so unyielding in face of those that would return, is unbarred and gives back the dead ; the law is reversed, and the black doorway stands open to be retrodden. But while God with golden light was illumining the vaults of death, giving bright day to the astounded night, the sky was darkened and the stars dimmed in sadness ; the sun fled, clad in the gloom of mourning, from the fier}- heavens, and in sorrow hid himself away. 'Tis said the world shuddered in fear of the darkness of eternal night.

* revulso A, reculso B [Bergman).

8i

PRUDENTIUS

solve vocem, mens sonora, solve linguam mobilem, die tropaeum passionis, die triumphalem crucem, pange vexillum notatis quod refulget frontibus.

o novum caede stupenda vulneris miraculum ! 85 hinc cruoris fluxit unda, lympha parte ex altera ; lympha nempe dat lavacrimi, txun corona ex san- guine est.

vidit anguis inmolatam corporis sacri hostiam, vidit, et fellis perusti mox venenum perdidit, saucius dolore multo, coUa fractus sibila.^ 90

quid tibi, profane serpens, profuit rebus novis plasma primum perculisse versipelli hortamine ? ^ diluit culpam recepto forma mortalis Deo.

ad brevem se mortis usum dux sahxtis dedidit, mortuos olim sepultos ut redire insuesceret, 95

dissolutis pristinorum vinculis peccaminum.

tunc patres sanctique multi conditorem praevium iam revertentem secuti tertio demum die carnis indumenta sumunt, eque bustis prodeunt.

cerneres coire membra de favillis aridis, 100

frigidum venis resumptis pulverem tepescere, ossa, nervos, et medullas glutino cutis tegi.

post, ut occasum resolvit vitae et hominem reddidit, arduum tribunal alti victor ascendit Patris, inclytam caelo reportans passionis gloriam. 105

macte iudex mortuorum, macte rex viventium, dexter in parentis arce qui cluis virtutibus, omnium venturus inde iustus ultor criminum.

^ So the two oldest MSS. A and B; c/. Virgil, Geo. Ill, 421, Aen. V, 277. Most of the others iised by Bergman have sibilat.

83

THE DAILY ROUND, IX

Release thy voice, my tuneful heart, release thy nimble tongue. Tell of the victory of the passion, tell of the triumphant cross, sing of the glittering ensign marked upon our brows. How strange the marvel of the wound in His amazing death ! Here flowed a stream of blood, there water: water gives washing, and the crown is won with blood. The serpent saw the sacred body offered in sacrifice, saw, and straightway lost the venom of his inflamed gall ; smitten he was with sore distress, his hissing throat shattered. What has it booted thee, thou wicked serpent, when the world was new, to have brought the first-created man to ruin ^^•ith thy crafty incitement ? The mortal frame has washed its guilt away by re- ceiving God. The leader of our salvation gave Himself up to a short experience of death, that He might teach the dead long buried to return, by breaking the bonds of their former sins. Then many a patriarch and saint, following their creator's lead as He now re- turned on the third day, put on the garment of flesh and came forth from their tombs. There were the limbs assembling out of the dry ashes, the cold dust taking veins again and growing warm, the bones and sinews and innermost parts being covered with binding skin. Then, when He had annulled death and restored man to life, He ascended in victory the lofty judgment-seat of the Father on high, carrying back to heaven the illustrious glory of His passion. Glory be to Thee, judge of the dead and king of the living, who on Thy Father's throne at His right hand art renowned for Thy merits, and shalt come from thence to be the righteous avenger of all sins. Thee let

* astutia A {Bergman),

83

PRUDENTIUS

te senes et te iuventus, parvulorum te chorus, turba matrum virginumque, simplices puellulae, 110 voce Concordes pudicis perstrepant concentibus.

fluminum lapsus et undae, litorum crepidines, imber, aestus, nix, pruina, silva et aura, nox, dies omnibus te concelebrent saeculorum saecidis.

X

Hymnus circa exequias Defuncti

Deus, ignee fons animarum, duo qui socians elementa, vivum simul ac moribundum, hominem. Pater, effigiasti,

tua sunt, tua, rector, utraque, 5

tibi copula iungitur horum, tibi dum vegetata cohaerent et spiritus et caro servit.

rescissa ^ sed ista seorsum solvunt hominem perimuntque ; 10

humus excipit arida corpus, animae rapit aura liquorem ;

quia cuncta creata necesse est

^ In the oldest MS. A {followed by Bergman) lines 9-16 are as follows :

resoluta sed ista seorsum proprios revocantur in ortus ; petit halitus aera fervens, humus excipit arida corpus.

sic cuncta creata necesse est obitum tolerare supremum, ut semina dissociata sibi sumat origo resorbens.

Some other MSS. have both versions, or the A version, in whole or part, added in the margin.

84

11

THE DAILY ROUND, X

old men and young, Thee the choir of little children, the company of mothers and maidens and artless girls praise with loud, harmonious voice in pure strains together. Let the ghding waters of the rivers, the shores of the seas, rain, heat, snow, frost, woodland and wind, night and day unite to extol Thee for ever and ever.

A Hymx o.v the Burial of the Dead

God, the burning source of spirits, who, by uniting two elements, one h\'ing and one dying, together, didst in Thy Fatherhood create man, Thine, O Ruler, Thine are both ; it is for Thee the bond is drawn between them ; Thee, while they cleave together in quickening Ufe, both soul and flesh ser\-e. But " their sundering apart is the dissolution and the end of man : the drj' earth receives his body, the breath of air carries off the pure spirit ; for all that is created

" Lines 9-16 according to the text of ^ : " But when they are disjoined one from the other they are called back each to its source; the glowing spirit seeks the heavens, the dry earth receives the body. All that is created must needs suffer death at the end in such wise that the elements are parted and their original draws them back into itself." It is plausibly suggested that this was recast because it savours too much of pagan philosophies. Though the text followed above is preserved in much later MSS. (the Ambrosian 7th century MS. fails us here), it does not read like the work of a late interpolator, and it probably represents a revision by Pru- dentius himself.

85

PRUDENTIUS

labefacta senescere tandem,

conpactaque dissociari, 15

et dissona texta retexi.

hanc tu, Deus optime, mortem famulis abolere paratus, iter inviolabile monstras, quo perdita membra resurgant, 20

ut, dum generosa caducis, ceu carcere clausa, ligantur, pars ilia potentior extet, quae germen ab aethere traxit.

si terrea forte voluntas 25

luteum sapit et grave captat, animus quoque pondere victus sequitur sua membra deorsum.

at si generis memor ignis contagia pigra recuset, 30

vehit hospita viscera secum, pariterque reportat ad astra.

nam quod requiescere corpus vacuum sine mente videmus, spatium breve restat, ut alti 35

repetat collegia sensus.

venient cito saecula, cum iam socius calor ossa revisat animataque sanguine vivo habitacula pristina gestet. 40

quae pigra cadavera pridem tumulis putrefacta iacebant, volucres rapientur in auras, animas comitata priores.

hinc maxima cura sepulcris 45

inpenditur, hinc resolutos honor ultimus accipit artus

86

THE DAILY ROUND, X

must needs at last grow weak and waste away, all that is joined together be separated, every fabric of contrary parts be undone. This death, O good God, Thou art ready to do away for Thy ser\-ants, and dost show them an indestructible path whereby bodies that have perished shall rise again, that so long as the noble is bound up AWth the mortal, as it were imprisoned, that part may prove the stronger which has drawn its source from heaven. If haply the earthly longing savours the mire and seeks after that which Ls gross, the spirit too is overcome by the weight and follows its bodily members downwards; but should the fire, remembering its origin, reject the nimibing contagion, it carries with it the flesh with which it has sojourned, and takes it, too, home to the stars. For whereas we see the body lying at rest bereft of the spirit, there remains but a short time ere it seek again its union with the soul on high. Soon will come the time when the warmth that bore them company shall return to the bones, and wear again its old dwelling quickened \vith living blood. Bodies that long lay dead and still and mouldering in their tombs will be carried into the flying breezes in company with their former souls. This is why we spend such great care on graves, this is why the last honour awaits the lifeless frame and the

87

/'^'

PRUDENTIUS

et funeris ambitus ornat,

candore nitentia claro praetendere lintea mos est, 50

aspersaque myrrha Sabaeo corpus medicamine servat.

quidnam sibi saxa cavata, quid pulchra volant monumenta, nisi quod res creditur illis 55

non mortua, sed data somno ?

hoc provida Christicolarum pietas studet, utpote credens fore protinus omnia viva quae nunc gelidus sopor urget. 60

qui iacta cadavera passim miserans tegit aggere terrae, opus exhibet ille benignum Christo pius omnipotenti,

quia lex eadem monet omnes 65

gemitum dare sorte sub una, cognataque funera nobis aliena in morte dolere.

sancti sator ille Tobiae, sacer ac venerabilis heros, 70

dapibus iam rite paratis ius praetulit exequiarum.

iam stantibus ille ministris cyathos et fercula liquit, studioque accinctus humandi 75

fleto dedit ossa sepulcro.

veniunt mox praemia caelo, pretiumque rependitur ingens ; J

nam lumina nescia solis deus inlita felle serenat. 80

iam tunc docuit Pater orbis

THE DAILY ROUND, X

funeral procession graces it, why it is our custom to spread over it linen cloths of gleaming whiteness, and sprinkled myrrh with its Sabaean drug preserves the body. WTiat mean the chambered rocks, the noble monuments, but that something is entrusted to them which is not dead but given up to sleep? This earnest care the provident piety of Christ's followers takes because they believe that all that are now sunk in cold slmnber will presently be alive. He who finds bodies lying unheeded and in pity covers them with a mound of earth " offers in love a work of kindliness to Christ the all-powerful ; for the same law bids us all mourn as under a common lot, and in a stranger's death to grieve for the loss of our own kin. The father of saintly Tobias,* a holy and reverend worthy, though his meal was in readiness, gave preference over it to the claims of burial. Though his servants stood ready in their places, he left cups and dishes behind, and with all his mind on the interment, laid the bones in the grave with tears. Presently comes his reward from heaven, and he is requited with a great price ; for when his eyes, which knew not the sun, have been smeared with gall God enlightens them. Even then the Father of the world taught how sharp and bitter is

• Cf. Tobit i, 18-19. » Tobit n.

89

j^'

PRUDENTIUS

quam sit rationis egenis mordax et amara medella, cum lux animum nova vexat.

docuit quoque non prius ullum 85

caelestia cernere regna quam nocte et vulnere tristi toleraverit aspera mundi.

mors ipsa beatior inde est, quod per cruciamina leti 90

via panditur ardua iustis, et ad astra doloribus itur.

sic corpora mortificata redeunt melioribus annis, nee post obitum recalescens 95

conpago fatiscere novit.

haec, quae modo pallida tabo color albidus inficit, ora tunc flore venustior omni sanguis cute tinguet amoena. 100

iam nulla deinde senectus frontis decus invida carpet, macies neque sicca lacertos suco tenuabit adeso.

Morbus quoque pestifer, artus 105

qui nunc populatur anhelos, sua tunc torxnenta resudans luet inter vincula mille.

hunc eminus aere ab alto victrix caro, iamque perennis, 110

cernet sine fine gementem quos moverat ipse dolores,

quid turba superstes inepta clangens ululamina miscet ? cur tam bene condita iura 115

90

THE DAILY ROUND, X

the remedy for them that want reason, when the new light makes the mind smart.** He taught too that no man sees the heavenly kingdom ere in dark- ness and sore hurt he has borne the adversities of the world. Therefore is death itself more blessed, in that through the pains of death a way on high is opened for the righteous and by their sufferings they pass to the skies. Thus bodies that have perished return in better days, and the frame growing warm again after its decease cannot any more decline. These cheeks which now are wan and white vrith wasting shall then have beauteous skin tinged with the bloom of blood more charming than any flower. No longer then shall jealous age steal away the grace of the brow, nor withered leanness consume the sap of the arms and leave them shrunken. Baleful Disease too, which now wastes our panting frames, will then in sweat suffer the penalty of his own torments in a thousand bonds. ^ From high heaven, far off, the flesh, victorious and now immortal, shall see him bemoaning -without end the very pains him- self had caused before. Why does the band of sur- vivors join in a loud noise of foolish lamentation, and senseless grief in its mourning blame laws so surely

• Tobit xi, 7-13.

* Morbus, personified as by Virgil at Aeneid VI, 275 (c/. CScero, Dt Natura Deorum III, 44), is here probably identified with Satan; morbus often has a moral sense (= vitium).

91

PRUDENTIUS

luctu dolor arguit amens ?

iam maesta quiesce querella, lacrimas suspendite, matres : nullus sua pignera plangat, mors haec reparatio vitae est.

sic semina sicca virescunt iani mortua, iamque sepulta, quae reddita caespite ab imo veteres meditaiitur aristas.

nunc suscipe, terra, fovendum, gremioque hunc concipe molli : hominis tibi membra sequestro, generosa et fragmina credo.

animae fuit haec domus olim factoris ^ ab ore creatae ; 'lf\ fervens habitavit in istis r^X \ Sapientia principe Christo. . (7 tu depositum tege corpus ;

non inmemor ille requiret sua munera factor et auctor propriique aenigmata vultus.

veniant modo tempora iusta, cum spem Deus inpleat omnem, reddas patefacta necesse est qualem tibi trado figuram.

non, si cariosa vetustas dissolverit ossa favillis, fueritque cinisculus arens minimi mensura pugilli,

nee, si vaga flamina et aurae vacuum per inane volantes tulerint cum pulvere nervos, hominem periisse licebit.

sed dum resolubile corpus

92

THE DAILY ROUND, X

established? Be silent now, sad plaint; stay your tears, ye mothers. Let none lament for his dear ones, for this death is the renewal of life. It is thus that dry seeds shoot forth green after they are dead and buried, and, being restored from the depths of the ground, repeat the harvests of former years. Receive now, earth, this our brother into thy care, take him to thy gentle bosom. It is a man's body I leave in thy keeping ; nobly bom the remains that I commit to thy trust. This was once the home of a soul created from its Maker's mouth ; in these remains dwelt glowing Wisdom, whose head is Christ. Do thou cover the body entrusted to thee ; He who is its maker and author will not forget it, and will seek again that which He gave, the image of His own countenance. Come the just time when God shall fulfil every hope, thou must needs be opened up and give back the form, such as I give it up to thee. Never, though time's decay reduce the bones to dust, and the dry and scanty ashes be but the measure of a ver}' httle handful, never, though the inconstant winds, the breezes that fly through the empty void, carry the flesh away and leave no speck behind, will the man be allowed to have perished. But till Thou

* cui nobilis ex Patre fons est ACD (Bergman).

93

PRUDENTIUS

revocas, Deus, atque reformas, quanam regione iubebis animam requiescere purara ?

gremio senis addita sancti recubabit, ut est Eleazar, quern floribus undique saeptum dives procul aspicit ardens.

sequimur tua dicta, Redemptor, quibus atra e morte triumphans tua per vestigia mandas socium crucis ire latronem.

patet ecce fidelibus ampli via lucida iam paradisi, licet et nemus illud adire, homini quod ademerat anguis.

illic, precor, optime ductor, famulam tibi praecipe mentem genitali in sede sacrari, quam liquerat exul et errans.

nos tecta fovebimus ossa violis et fronde frequenti, titulumque et frigida saxa liquido spargemus odore.

XI

Hymnus VIII Kal. Ianuarias

Quid est quod artum circulum sol iam recurrens deserit ? Christusne terris nascitur, qui lucis auget tramitem ?

heu quam fugacem gratiam festina volvebat dies ! quam paene subductam faeem

94

THE DAILY ROUND, XI

dost recall the mortal body, O God, and make it new, ill what region wilt Thou bid the pure soul rest? In the bosom of the holy patriarch shall it He, hke Eleazar " with flowers all about him, while the rich man, as he burns, looks upKjn him from afar. We follow Thy words, O Redeemer, with which, in Thy triumph over the blackness of death. Thou dost bid the robber. Thy companion on the cross, to walk in Thy steps. See now, for the faithful a shining way lies open to the spaoious garden of paradise, and they may enter that grove which the serpent took from man. There, I pray, good Leader, give command that the spirit, Thy ser\'ant, be consecrated to Thee in the home of its birth, which it left to wander in exile. We shall care for the entombed bones with violets and green leaves in plenty, and with perfumed essence sprinkle the cold stones that bear the epitaph.

I XI

A Hymn for the 25th of December

I What means it that the sun is now returning, I leaving his narrow circle behind him ? Is not Christ,

who enlarges the path of light, born this day on earth ?

Ah, how fleeting was the grace day was bestowing jas it rolled on in its haste, its light all but withdrawn

* The Lazarus of Luke xvi, 20.

95

4

PRUDENTIUS

sensim recisa extinxerat !

caelum nitescat laetius, gratetur et gaudens humus : 10

scandit gradatim denuo iubar priores lineas.

emerge, dulcis pusio, quern mater edit castitas, parens et expers coniugis, 15

mediator et duplex genus.

ex ore quamlibet Patris sis ortus et Verbo editus, tamen paterno in pectore Sophia callebas prius, 20

quae prompta caelum condidit, caelum diemque et cetera ; virtute Verbi efFecta sunt haec cuncta, nam Verbum Deus.

sed ordinatis saeculis, 25

rerumque digesto statu, fundator ipse et artifex permansit in Patris sinu,

donee rotata annalium transvolverentur milia, 30

atque ipse peccantem diu dignatus orbem viseret.

nam caeca vis inortalium venerans inanes nenias, vel aera vel saxa algida 35!

vel ligna credebat Deum.

haec dum sequuntur, perfidi praedonis in ius venerant, et mancipatam fumido vitam barathro inmerserant.

stragem sed istam non tulit

96

THE DAILY ROUND, XI

and put out as by degrees it shortened! But now let the sky shine more joyously, the earth rejoice and be glad, for the splendour is climbing again step by step to its former paths. Come forth, sweet boy. Thy mother is Chastity herself, a mother yet un- wedded, O mediator^wofold in nature. Albeit Thou didst come from the mouth of the Father and wert bom of the Word, yet in the Father's heart as Wisdom Thou hadst understanding aforetime. Wisdom com- ing forth established the heavens, the heavens and the day and all things else ; by the power of the Word were all these made, for the Word was God. But when the ages were appointed and the world set in order, the Creator and Artificer himself remained in the bosom of the Father, until the thousands of years should roll past and He himself deign to visit a world long given to sin. For the bhnd nature of men, paying respect to vain babblings, beHeved that a piece of bronze or chilly stone or wood was God ; and in following these they had fallen into the power of the false robber, made over their soul to him, and plunged it in the smoking pit. But Christ

97

VOL. I. E

PRUDENTIUS

Christus cadentum gentium, inpune ne forsan sui Patris periret fabrica,

mortale corpus induit, 45

ut excitato corpore mortis catenam frangeret, hominemque portaret Patri.

hie ille natalis dies, quo te creator arduus 50

spiravit et limo indidit, sermone carnem glutinans.

sentisne, virgo nobilis, matura per fastidia

pudoris intactum decus 55

honore partus crescere ?

o quanta rerum gaudia alvus pudica continet, ex qua novellum saeculum procedit et lux aurea ! 60

vagitus ille exordium vernantis orbis prodidit, nam tunc renatus sor'klidum mundus veternum depulit.

sparsisse tellurem reor 65

rus omne densis floribus, ipsasque harenas Syrtium fragrasse nardo et nectare.

te cuncta nascentem, puer, sensere dura et barbara, 70

victusque saxorum rigor obduxit herbam cotibus.

iam mella de scopulis fluunt, iam stillat ilex arido sudans amomum stipite, 75 ;

98

THE DAILY ROUND, XI

did not suffer the nations thus to fall and be de- stroyed. Lest perchance His Father's handiwork perish unregarded, He put on a mortal body, so that by raising the body to life He might break death's chain and carry man to the Father. This is the natal day on which the Creator on high breathed Thee forth and set Thee in a frame of clay, uniting flesh with the Word. Feelest thou, noble maiden, through thy weariness now come to its time, that the un- defiled glorj- of thy purity waxes with the honour of the child thou bearest? What joys for the world that chaste womb holds, whence comes forth the new age with its golden light ! That child's crying showed forth the beginning of the world's spring, for then the world reborn put away its foul torpor. The earth, I ween, thickly besprinkled all the countryside with flowers, and the very sands of the desert were scented with nard and nectar. All things rough and rude were conscious of Thy birth, O Child ; even the hardness of stone was overcome and clothed the rocks •with grass. Now honey flows from the crags, now the oak sweats drops of perfume from its dry

99

PRUDENTIUS

iam sunt myricis balsama,

o sancta praesepis tui, aeterne rex, cunabula, populisque per saeclum sacra mutis et ipsis credita ! 80

adorat haec brutum pecus, indocta turba scilicet, adorat excors natio vis cuius in pastu sita est.

sed cum fideli spiritu 85

concurrat ad praesepia pagana gens et quadrupes, sapiatque quod brutum fuit,

negat patrum prosapia perosa praesentem Deum : 90

credas venenis ebriam, furiisve lymphatam rapi.

quid prona per scelus ruis ? agnosce, si quidquam tibi mentis resedit integrae, 95

ducem tuorum principum.

hunc, quem latebra et obstetrix et virgo feta et cunulae, et inbecilla infantia, regem dederunt gentibus, 100

peccator intueberis celsum coruscis nubibus, deiectus ipse et inritis plangens reatum fletibus,

cum vasta signum bucina 105

terris cremandis miserit, et scissus axis cardinem mundi ruentis solvent.

insignis ipse et praeminens

lOO

THE DAILY ROUND, XI

trunk, and the tamarisks bear balsam. How holy Thy manger-cradle, King eternal I The nations through all time, and even the dumb beasts, hold it sacred. The brute cattle adore it, a mere herd without knowledge ; the senseless tribe adores it, whose only vigour is in feeding. Yet though with faithful spirit heathen race and four-footed beast come together to the stall and what was brutish show understanding, the seed of the patriarchs deny Him, hating the God who is present among them, as if they were drugged with poisons or maddened by Furies. Why dost thou rush headlong on the path of sin? Recognise, if thou hast any remainder of sound sense, the leader of thy princes. On this child, whom place of refuge and midwife and maiden mother and little cradle and feeble infancy have given to the nations as their King, thou as a sinner shalt look when He is seated on high in flashing clouds, thyself cast down and bemoaning thy guilt ynth vain tears, when the awful trump shall have sounded the signal for the burning of the earth, and the axis of the universe is broken and lets its pole fall down and it crashes in ruin. He himself, raised in eminence above all, shall

lOI

PRUDENTIUS

mentis rependet congrua, 110

his lucis usum perpetis, illis gehennam et Tartarum.

Judaea, tunc fulmen crucis experta, qui sit senties quem, te furoris praesule, 115

mors hausit et mox reddidit.

XII Hymnus Epiphaniae

QuicuMQUE Christum quaeritis, oculos in altum tolUte : ilUc licebit visere signum perennis gloriae.

haec Stella, quae solis rotam 5

vincit decore ac lumine, venisse terris nuntiat cum came terrestri Deum.

non ilia servit noctibus secuta lunam menstruam, 10

sed sola caelum possidens cursum dierum temperat.

Arctoa quamvis sidera in se retortis motibus

obire nolint, attamen 15

plerumque sub nimbis latent.

hoc sidus aeternum manet, haec Stella nunquam mergitur, nee nubis occursu abdita obumbrat obductam facem. 20

tristis cometa intercidat, et, si quod astrum Sirio

THE DAILY ROUND, XII

requite each according to his deserts, giving these to enjoy unending light, those to suffer hell and Tartarus. Then, O Judaea, when thou hast felt the thunderbolt of the cross, thou shalt understand who He is whom death, raging under thy patronage, swallowed up, and then gave back.

XII

A Hymn for Epiphany

All ye that seek the Christ, lift up your eyes on high ; there may you see the sign of everlasting glory. This star which in its beauty and Ught sur- passes the sun's orb proclaims that God has come to earth with earthly flesh. No servant of the night is this, attending the monthly moon, but sole tenant of the sky, ruling the course of the days. Though the constellations of the Bears, whose motions turn again upon themselves, refuse to set, yet oft are they hidden under storm-clouds. This star abides for ever, this star never sinks nor is hidden by oncoming cloud drawing a shade over its brightness. Perish the ill- omened comet, let every star that bums even with

103

PRUDENTIUS

fervet vapore, iam Dei sub luce destructum cadat.

en Persici ex orbis sinu, 25

sol unde sumit ianuam, cernunt periti interpretes regale vexillum magi.

quod ut refulsit, ceteri cessere signorum globi, 30

nee pulcher est ausus suam conferre formam Lucifer.

" quis iste tantus " inquiunt " regnator astris imperans, quern sic tremunt caelestia, 35

cui lux et aethra inserviunt ?

inlustre quiddam cernimus, quod nesciat finem pati, sublime, celsum, interminum, antiquius caelo et chao. 40

hie ille rex est gentium populique rex ludaici, promissus Abrahae patri eiusque in aevum semini.

aequanda nam stellis sua 45

cognovit olim germina primus sator credentium, nati inmolator unici.

iam flos subit Daviticus radice lessea editus, 50

sceptrique per virgam virens rerum cacumen occupat."

exim sequuntur perciti fixis in altum vultibus, qua Stella sulcum traxerat 55

claramque signabat viam.

104

THE DAILY ROUND, XII

Sirius' heat sink now in destruction under God's light. See, from the far corner of the Persian land, whence the sun makes his entry, wise men, skilled inter- preters, discern the royal ensign. As soon as it flashed out, all other starry orbs gave place, and even the fair morning star durst not put his beauty in comparison. " Who," say they, " is this great ruler who commands the stars, of whom the heavenly bodies thus stand in awe, whom Ught and sky obey ? It is a glorious thing we see, that can suffer no end, exalted, lofty, boundless, more ancient than heaven and the realm of darkness. This is that king of the nations and of the people of Judaea, who was promised to father Abraham and to his seed for ever. For the first father of all believers, he who offered his only son in sacrifice, learned that his progeny must one day be made equal to the stars." Now comes the flower of David, sprung from the root of Jesse, blooming along the sceptre-rod ^ and taking the highest place in the world." Then quickly did they follow, with eyes fixed on high, where the star was marking the way with its trail of light. But the sign

° Genesis xv, 5. * Cf. Numbers xvii, 1-8.

105 e2

PRUDENTIUS

sed verticem pueri supra signum pependit inminens, pronaque submissum face caput sacratum prodidit. 60

videre quod postquam magi, Eoa promunt munera, stratique votis ofFerunt tus, myrrham et aurum regium.

agnosce clara insignia 65

virtutis ac regni tui, puer o, cui trinam Pater praedestinavit indolem :

regem Deumque adnuntiant thesaurus et fragrans odor 70

turis Sabaei, at myrrheus pulvis sepulcrum praedocet.

hoc est sepulcrum, quo Deus, dum corpus extingui sinit atque id sepultum suscitat, 75

mortis refregit carcerem.

o sola magnarum urbium maior Bethlem, cui contigit ducem salutis caelitus incorporatum gignere ! 80

altrice te summo Patri heres creatur unicus, homo ex Tonantis spiritu, idemque sub membris Deus.

hunc et prophetis testibus 85

isdemque signatoribus testator et sator iubet adire regnum et cernere,

regnum, quod ambit omnia dia et marina et terrea 90

io6

THE DAILY ROUND, XII

hung in the heavens above the child's head, and, coming low, with downward beam revealed the sacred Person. And seeing Him the wise men bring forth gifts from the East, and prostrating themselves in worship make offerings of incense and myrrh and royal gold. Recognise, O ChUd, the clear emblems of Thy power and sovereignty, Thou for whom the Father fore-ordained a threefold nature. King and God the treasures proclaim, and the sweet scent of Sabaean incense ; but the powder of mj-rrh foretells the tomb. This is the tomb in which God, by suffer- ing the body to die and raising it again from the grave, has broken death's prison. O Bethlehem, greatest art thou of great cities, since to thee it has fallen to bring to birth incarnate the heaven-sent leader of salvation. Thou dost nurse the only-begotten heir of the supreme Father, who is man born of the Thunderer's breath, yet also God in the flesh. Him His Father's testament, Avith the prophets to witness and affix their seals, bids enter on His kingdom and take possession " — a kingdom that embraces all things in heaven and sea and earth from east to west,

• Prudentius has in mind some of the formalities connected with a Roman vrill. In this connection cemere is a technical term = hereditaiefii adire. Cf. Festus (Lindsay) 46, 18, Varro De Lingua Latina Wl, 98. The sentence refers, of course, to the Old Testament and plays on two meanings of tuiamentum,

107

PRUDENTIUS

a solis ortu ad exitum,

et Tartara et caelum supra.

audit tyrannus anxius adesse regum principem, qui nomen Istrahel ^ regat, 95

teneatque David regiam.

exclamat amens nuntio " successor instat, pellimur: satelles, i, ferrum rape, perfunde cunas sanguine. 100

mas omnis infans occidat, scrutare nutricum sinus, interque materna ubera ensem cruentet pusio.

suspecta per Bethlem mihi 105

puerperarum est omnium fraus, ne qua furtim subtrahat prolem virilis indolis."

transfigit ergo carnifex mucrone districto furens 110

efFusa nuper corpora, animasque rimatur novas.

locum minutis artubus vix interemptor invenit quo plaga descendat patens, 115

iuguloque maior pugio est.

o barbarum spectaculura ! inlisa cervix cautibus spargit cerebrum lacteum, oculosque per vulnus vomit ; 1

aut in profundum palpitans mersatur infans gurgitem, cui subter artis faucibus singultat unda et halitus.

io8

THE DAILY ROUND, XII

the depths of hell and the skies above. The uneasy monarch hears of the coming of the King of Kings to rule over the name of Israel and possess the throne of David. Out of his mind at the news, he cries " He that shall take my place is upon me, driving me out. Go, guard, grasp thy sword and steep the cradles in blood. Let every male child perish. Search the nurses' bosoms, and at the mother's breasts let the boy-child's blood redden thy blade* I suspect guile in all that have borne babes in Bethlehem, lest one of them by stealth save her male progeny." So the executioner raging madly with drawn sword pierces the new-born bodies and tears the young Ufe out of them. Scarce can the slayer find room on the little frames for the gaping wound to fall upon; the dagger is bigger than the throat. O barbarous sight ! A head dashed against the stones scatters the milk-white brains and spews out the eyes through the wound; or a babe is flung all throbbing into the depths of the flood, and beneath in his narrow throat water and breath make choking

* This spelling is found in pre- Vulgate Latin Scriptures.

109

PRUDENTIUS

salvete, flores martyrum, 125

quos lucis ipso in limine Christi insecutor sustulit, ceu turbo nascentes rosas.

vos, prima Christi victima, grex inmolatorum ^ tener, 130

aram ante ipsam simplices palma et coronis luditis.

quo proficit tantum nefas ? quid crimen Herodem iuvat ? unus tot inter funera 135

inpune Christus tollitur.

inter coaevi sanguinis fluenta solus integer ferrum, quod orbabat nurus, partus fefellit virginis. 140

sic stulta Pharaonis mali edicta quondam fugerat Christi figuram praeferens Moses, i-eceptor civium.

cautum et statutum ius erat 145

quo non liceret matribus, cum pondus alvi absolverent, puerile pignus tollere.

mens obstetricis sedulae pie in tyrannum contumax 150

ad spem potentis gloriae furata servat parvulum,

quem mox sacerdotem sibi adsumpsit orbis conditor, per quem notatam saxeis 155

legem tabellis traderet.

licetne Christum noscere tanti per exemplum viri ?

no

THE DAILY ROUND, XII

spasms. Hail, martyr-flowers, whom on the very threshold of life the persecutor of Christ destroyed, as the stormy wind kills roses at their birth. You are Christ's first offerings, a tender flock slain in sacrifice, and before the very altar you play in inno- cence with palm and crowns. \\'hat boots such wickedness? \Miat profits Herod from his crime? Amid so many deaths Christ alone is reared un- harmed. WTiile the blood of His generation flowed, the virgin's child alone has escaped untouched the sword that robbed young married mothers of their babes. It was thus that Moses, the protector of his people, prefiguring Christ, once escaped the ^vicked Pharaoh's foolish proclamation. A law had been decreed and ordained whereby mothers, when they were delivered of the womb's burden, might not rear a boy-child. But the zealous mid^\'ife, her spirit loyally disobedient to the monarch, stole away the little one and saved him for the hope of mighty glory ; and by and by the world's Creator took him to be His priest, by whose hands He should transmit the law graven on tables of stone. May we not recognise Christ in the example of this great man? That

^ inmaculatorum A B (JoUouxd by Bergman).

Ill

PRUDENTIUS

dux ille caeso Aegyptio

absolvit Istrahel iugo ; 160

atnos, subactos iugiter erroris imperio gravi, dux noster hoste saucio mortis tenebris liberal.

hie expiatam fluctibus 165

plebem marino in transitu repurgat undis dulcibus, lueis eolumnam praeferens ;

hie proeliante exercitu, pansis in altum braeehiis, 170

sublimis Amalec premit, crucis quod instar tunc fuit.

hie nempe lesus verior, qui longa post dispendia vietor suis tribuHbus 175

promissa solvit iugera.

qui ter quaternas denique refluentis amnis alveo fundavit et fixit petras, apostolorum stemmata, 180

iure ergo se ludae dueem vidisse testantur magi, cum facta priscorum ducum Christi figuram pinxerint.^

hie rex priorum iudicum, 185

rexere qui Jacob genus, dominaeque rex ecclesiae, templi et novelli et pristini.

hunc posteri Ephrem colunt, hunc sancta Manassae domus, 190

omnesque suspiciunt tribus bis sena fratrum semina.

112

THE DAILY ROUND, XII

leader, after he slew the Egyptian, freed Israel from the yoke; but us, who are in continual suljjection to the grievous power of sin, our 'Leader, disabling our enemy, sets free from the darkness of death. Moses cleanses the people in the waves in the crossing of the sea and purifies them with sweet ° waters, and carries before them a pillar of light. Moses, while the host does battle, stands aloft stretching up his arms and subdues Amalech,* and this was then a symbol of the cross. He "^ indeed is a truer Jesus, who, after long wanderings gained the victory and parted the prom'sed lands to his tribesmen <* ; and lastly twelve stones did he plant firmly in the bed of the river where its waters were stayed,* and these are the forerunners of the apostles. Rightly, then, do the wise men bear witness that they have seen the Leader of Judah, since the deeds of old-time leaders pictured the figure of Christ. He is King of the judges of former times who ruled over the race of Jacob, and King of the church which now holds sway. King both of the new temple and the old. Him the descendants of Ephraim worship, Him the holy house of Manasses and all the tribes, the twelve-fold progeny of the brothers, reverence. Nay, even all

" The reference is possibly to Exodus xv, 25, 26.

* Exodus xvii, 10-13.

" Joshua, whose name appears as Jesus in the Septuagint and may have had this form in a pre- Vulgate Latin version known to Prudentius.

'' Joshua xiii, 7.

' Joshua iii, 14r-iv, 9.

finxerint in two of Bergman's doss A MSS.

113

PRUDENTIUS

quin et propago degener ritum secuta inconditum, quaecumque dirum fervidis 195

Bahal caminis coxerat,

fumosa avorum numina, saxum, metallum, stipitem, rasum, dolatum, sectile, in Christi honorem deserit. 200

gaudete, quicquid gentium est, ludaea, Roma et Graecia, Aegypte, Thrax, Persa, Scytha : rex uniis omnes possidet.

laudate vestrum principem 205

omnes beati ac perditi, vivi, inbecilli ac mortui : iam nemo posthac mortuus.

U4

THE DAILY ROUND, XII

the fallen breeds that followed a barbarous ritual and baked a fearful idol in burning furnaces, now abandon the smoke-grimed gods of their forefathers, of stone or metal or wood, filed smooth or hewn or cut, to honour Christ. Rejoice, all ye nations, Judaea, Rome and Greece, Egypt, Thracian, Persian, Scythian: one King is master of all. Praise your Lord every one, blessed and lost aUke, the quick, the feeble, and the dead ; no man henceforth is dead.

"5

APOTHEOSIS

Hymnus de Trinitate '

Est tria summa Deus, tfinum specimen, vigor unus. corde Patris genita est Sapientia, Filius ipse est; Sanctus ab aeterno subsistit Spiritus ore. tempore nee senior Pater est, nee numine maior, nam sapiens retro semper Deus edidit ex se, 5

per quod semper erat, gignenda ad saecula Verbum. edere sed Verbum Patris est, at cetera Verbi, adsumptum gestare hominem, reparare peremptum, conciliare Patri, dextraque in sede locare. Spiritus ista Dei conplet, Deus ipse : fideles 10

in populos charisma suum difFundere promptus, et patris et Christi virtutem in corpora transfert.

<PRAEFATIO>

Est vera secta ? te, Magister, consulo.

rectamne servamus fidem ? an viperina non cavemus dogmata,

et nescientes labimur ? artam salutis vix viam discernere est

inter reflexas semitas. tam multa surgunt perfidorum conpeta

tortis polita erroribus,

^ There is little MS. authority for this heading. ii6

THE DIVINITY OF CHRIST

A Hymn on the Trinity

God is three supremes, threefold in person, one Uving power. Of the Father's love was begotten Wis- dom, and the same is the Son ; the Holy Spirit is from the everlasting lips. The Father is neither older in time nor greater in divinity ; for God was wise through infinite time past, and gave forth from Himself, to bring the world into being, the Word whereby He ever was. But while to give forth the Word belongs to the Father, all else is of the Word, to take on and wear the nature of man and restore him from de- struction, to reconcile him to the Father and set him at His right hand. This the Spirit of God accom- plishes, who himself is God : ever ready to diffuse His gracious gift upon the faithful peoples. He transmits into their persons the power both of the Father and of the Christ.

PREFACE

Is our doctrine true? To Thee, the Master, I appeal. Are we keeping the right faith, or from want of guarding against venomous teachings are we slipping unawares ? Hard is it to discern the narrow way of salvation amid twisting paths. So many cross-roads meet us, which have been trodden smooth by the misguided straying of the faithless ; so many

J17

PRUDENTIUS

obliqua sese conserunt divortia

hinc inde textis orbitis. 10

quas si quis errans ac vagus sectabitur,

rectum relinquens tramitem, scrobis latentis pronus in foveam ruet,

quam fodit hostilis manus, manus latronum, quae viantes obsidet 15

iter sequentes devium. quid non libido mentis humanae struat ?

quid non malorum pruriat ? statum lacessunt omnipollentis Dei

calumniosis litibus, 20

fidem minutis dissecant ambagibus

ut quisque lingua est nequior ; solvunt ligantque quaestionum vincula

per syllogismos plectiles. vae captiosis sycophantarum strophis ! 25

vae versipelli astutiae ! nodos tenaces recta rumpit regula,

infesta dissertantibus. idcirco mundi stulta delegit Deus,

ut concidant sophistica, 30

deque inbecillis subiugavit fortia,

simplex ut esset credere, lapis ecce nostro fixus ofFensaculo est,

inpingat in quem vanitas, signum caventi, non caventi scandalum : 35

hunc sternit, ilium dirigit. dum plura temptat caecus incerto gradu,

incurrit id quod obvium est. fax sola fidei est praeferenda gressibus,

ut recta sint vestigia. 40

quis in tenebris hostis errantes tamen

pulsat trahitque et preterit,

uS

THE DIVINITY OF CHRIST

side-roads join together, where tracks intertwine on this hand and on that ; and if, wandering at random, a man follows them, leaWng the straight path, he will plunge into the snare of a hidden pitfall which a band of enemies have dug, a band of robbers who beset travellers when they follow the byway. What would not the lust of men's minds devise ? What evil would it not itch after? They assail the being of almighty God with false disputings and cut the faith in pieces with da'-k, finical reasonings in proportion to the wickedness of their tongues. Using intricate arguments they play fast and loose with the issues they discuss. Woe to the deceivers' cheating quirks ! Woe to their crafty cunning ! The right rule is a foe to their prating, and bursts their tight knots. God has specially chosen the foolish things of the world to overthrow the sophistical, and by means of weakness has subdued strength, that believing might be simple. Behold, a stone is set to trip us up, that vanity may strike against it, a guide-post to the wary, but to the unwary a stumbling- block ; the one it lays low, the other it directs. The blind man groping on with uncertain step runs into that which stands in his way. The torch of faith alone is to be carried before our feet, that our steps may be straight. But when we go astray in this darkness the enemy buffets us, carries us away cap-

119

PRUDENTIUS

qui sparsa ad ipsum conmeantum transitum

frumenta saevus devorat, qui laeta Christi culta fur interpolat 45

addens avenas aemulas. quas de veneni lacte in herbam fertiles

patitur colonus crescere, ne forte culmum fibra inanis spiceum

simul revulsa internecet. 50

expectat ergo dum dolosa ^ et farrea

fervens coquat maturitas, det ventilabro lecta quaeque ut horreis,

urat recrementum focis. refert sed ipsa nosse, quae messem necant, 55

zizaniorura semina.

Plurima sunt sed pauca loquar, ne dira relatu dogmata catholicam maculent male prodita linguam. ille Patrem pellens solio detrudit in artum corporis humani gestamen, nee pavet ipsum obiectare neci duroque adfigere ligno. 5

passibilisne Deus ? cuius species et imago nulli visa umquam : nee enim conprendier ilia maiestas facilis sensuve oculisve manuve. loannis magni Celebris sententia praesto est, haud umquam testata Deum potuisse videri. 10

ille Pater, quem nulla acies violenta tuendo

^ Most MSS. of the A class, including the 6th-century MS., have vitiosa, which Bergman adopts.

" In lines 1 to 320 Prudentius deals with heretical doctrines which denied the distinct personal being of the Son, and expounds the orthodox view of the Trinity. One form of " monarchic " doctrine, in order to safeguard the unity of

THE DIVINITY OF CHRIST

tive, tramples upon us, a cruel enemy who devours the proWsion laid out along the way for the very passage of travellers, a thief who spoils Christ's rich fields, sowing wild oats in them to compete with the com. Them the farmer suffers to be enriched by their poisonous sap and grow into a plant, lest haply the pulhng up of the worthless blade kill at the same time the stalk that bears the ear of com. He waits therefore till ripening warmth mature the false grain and the true, that he may store in his bams what the fan selects and burn the refuse in the fire. Yet it concerns U3 to know the very seeds of the tares that kill the crop.

Very many teachings there are, but of few shall I tell, lest misguided utterance of unspeakable doctrines stain an orthodox tongue. Yonder is one who, banishing the Father from his throne, thrusts Him into the narrow vesture of a man's body and fears not to subject the Father to death and fasten Him on the cruel cross.*' Can God suffer? His shape and form no man has ever seen ; for that majesty is not easily to be grasped by thought or eye or hand. We have the great John's well-kno^vn saying on our side, which declares that it has never been possible to see God. He is the Father, whom no eye has ever had force to reach by looking from

God, held that in Christ the Father himself was incarnate, whence it followed that the Father suffered on the cross. SabelliuB (see 178), who developed this line of thought in the 3rd century, seems to have regarded the Trinity as three manifestations or modes (c/. 14) of the one God.

121

PRUDENTIUS

eminus ardentis penetravit acumine visus,

qui se forma hominis non induit, et Deitatis

inmensum adsumpto non temperat ore modove.

aut evangelic! pietas spernenda libelli 15

iam, blaspheme, tibi est, aut numquam visa beati

vis intacta Patris, non admiscenda caducis.

sed tamen et Patris est specimen quod cemere fas

sit, humanis aliquando oculis concurrere promptum, quod quamvis hebes intuitus speculamine glauco 20 umentique acie potuit nebulosus adire. quisque hominum vidisse Deum memoratur, ab

ipso infusum vidit Gnatum ; nam Filius hoc est, quod de Patre micans se praestitit inspiciendum per species quas possit homo conprendere visu. 25 nam mera maiestas est infinita, nee intrat obtutus, aliquo ni se moderamine formet. hoc vidit princeps generosi seminis Abram, iam tunc dignati terras invisere Christi hospes homo, in triplicem numen radiasse figuram. 30 hoc conluctantis tractarunt bracchia lacob. ipse dator legis divinae accedere coram iussus, amicitiae conlato qui stetit ore comminus et sacris coniunxit verba loquellis, carnis in effigie Christum se cernere sensit. 35

sed maiora petens animum per vota tetendit inconcessa homini, plusquam mortale laborans ipsum, quantus erat, sine corpore visere Christum, denique post multi sermonis mutua, postque conspectum praesentis Eri et consortia longa, 40

" Genesis xyiii. 192

THE DIVINITY OF CHRIST

without with keen, flashing vision, and who does not put on the form of man nor quaUfy the infinity of his Godhead by assuming countenance or mode. Either, thou blasphemer, must thou reject the faithfulness of the gospel-book, or else the intangible being of the blessed Father, which cannot mingle with mortality, has never been seen. Yet still there is a revelation of the Father which it is permitted to see, which at sundry times has presented itself to the eyes of men, and to which our sight, for all its dimness, with its dull vision and watery eyes, has been able through its mists to attain. Whosoever of men is said to have seen God has seen the Son whom He imparted ; for it is the Son who, issuing from the Father, has manifested himself to our eyes in forms which man can grasp with his sight ; the pure maj esty is in- finite, and comes not within our vision unless it takes some tempering shape. It is this di\inity that Abraham, the founder of the noble race, the mortal man who entertained Christ when even thus early He deigned to visit the earth, saw radiated into three figures"; it is this that Jacob's arms touched as he wTestled with Him.* He who gave forth the divine law and was commanded to come into the presence, who stood face to face in friendship and conversed with the Holy One, understood that he saw the Christ in the form of flesh. But seeking greater things, he let his heart reach out in ambitions not permitted to man, desiring beyond mortal powers to see Christ him- self in all his greatness without the body ; and after much exchange of speech, after seeing his Master in person and holding long fellowship with Him, " I pray

^ Genesis xxxii, 24.

123

PRUDENTIUS

" quaeso " ait " ut liceat te nunc, Deus optime,

nosse." respondit Dominus " mea, non me, cernere iustis posteriora dabo," quid apertius, absque aliena quam sumat facie Verbum non posse videri, posse tamen, cum malit, idem numquam Patre viso 45 terrenis oculis habitu se ostendere nostro, saepe et in angelicas vel mortales moderatum induci species, queat ut sub imagine cerni ? hoc Verbum est quod vibratum Patris ore benigno sumpsit virgineo fragilem de corpore formam. 50

inde figura hominis nondum sub carne Moysi obiecta effigiem nostri signaverat oris, quod quandoque Deus Verbi virtute coactum sumpturus corpus faciem referebat eandem. sed tamen et sentam visa est excita cremare 55

\ flamma rubum. Deus in spinis volitabat acutis, vulnificasque comas innoxius ignis agebat, j esset ut exemplo Deus inlapsurus in artus I spiniferos, sudibus quos texunt crimina densis I et peccata malis hirsuta doloribus inplent. 60

inculto nam stirpe frutex vitiosus iniquis luxuriam virgis inlionesto effundere suco coeperat et nodos per acumina crebra ligabat. ; cernere erat steriles subito splendescere frondes, ■ accensisque citum foliis magno inpete late 65

i conlucere Deum, nee spinea laedere texta, i lambere sanguineos fructus et poma cruenta, 1 stringere mortiferi vitalia germina ligni, / quandoquidem tristes purgantur sanguine culpae,

" Exodus xxxiii, 11 and 18-23.

* The Word being conceived as the Creator. Cf. the Hymn on the Trinity, 6, and John i, 3. " Exodus iii, 2.

124

THE DIVINITY OF CHRIST

Thee," he said, " O God most excellent, let me now know Thee." And the Lord answered, " My back parts, not myself, shall I grant the righteous to see." * VVhat is plainer than that, apart from an external form which He assumes, the Word cannot be seen, but that when He so wills, though the Father has never been seen, yet the Word can show himself to earthly eyes in habit like ourselves, and that often He quahfies himself and puts on the shape of angel or of man, that He may be visible in a likeness ? This is the Word which, sent forth from the Father's gracious mouth, took upon Him a perishable form from a maiden's body. The figure of a man that was presented to Moses not yet in the flesh bore the likeness of our countenance because God, in- tending one day to assume a body formed by the power of the Word,* was producing the same features. Yet flame also came forth and seemed to burn the thorny bush : God was moving amid the sharp pricks, and the fire was tossing its hurt-dealing tresses harmlessly," that God might give an example, since He was one day to enter into our thorny frames, which sins entangle \\ith thick-set spikes and bristly transgressions fill with bitter sorrows. For the bush had gone wTong from want of attention to its stock, had begun to spread rankly with bad sap into un- wholesome growth, and was making knotty joints along many a sharp-pointed shoot. There were the unprofitable boughs suddenly brightening, and God, stirring amid the burning leaves, shining afar with mighty power, yet not hurting the thorny tangle, lapping the blood-hued fruits, the red berries, and hghtly touching the shoots of Ufe on the deathly wood ; in as much as the bitterness of sin is cleansed

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PRUDENTIUS

quern contorta rubus densis cruciatibus edit. 7

ergo nihil visum nisi quod sub came videndum, lumen imago Dei, Verbum Deus et Deus ignis, qui sentum nostri peceamen corporis inplet ; nam lucis genitor, Verbi sator, auctor et ignis creditur extra oculos, ut apostolus edocet auctor, 7 qui negat intuitu fontem Deitatis adiri. credite, nemo deum vidit, mihi credite, nemo, visibilis de fonte Deus, non ipse Dei fons visibilis ; cerni potis est qui nascitur, at non innatus cerni potis est : latet os Patris illud 8

unde Deus qui visibilem se praestitit olim, tale aliquid formans in sese quale secuta est passio, quae corpus sibi vindicat ; ardua nam vis est inpassibilis, quoniam natura superni ignis ad horrificas nescit descendere poenas, 8

nee capit humanis angoribus excruciari, pura, serena, micans, liquido praelibera motu, subdita nee cuiquam, dominatrix utpote rerum, cui non principium de tempore, sed super omne tempus et ante diem maiestas cum Patre summo, 9 immo animus Patris et ratio, \'ia consiliorum, quae non facta manu nee voce creata iubentis protulit imperium patrio ructata profundo. banc igitur non flagra secant, non sputa salivis aspergunt, alapis non vexat palma relisis, 9

nee perfossa cruci clavorum vulnera figunt. his adfecta caro est hominis, quam femina praegnans

<• Johni, 18. 136

THE DIVINITY OF CHRIST

with blood, which the bush sheds as it writhes under tortures unrelieved. So then nothing has been seen but what is to be seen in the flesh, light the image of God, God the Word, God the fire that fills the thorn- bush of sin in our bodies ; for the begetter of light, the Father of the Word and the source of the fire is beUeved to stand beyond the reach of the eyes, as the apostle on whom we rely teaches when he says that sight cannot attain to the fountain-head of deity.** Believe me, no man has seen God; believe me, no man. God who comes forth from the fountain-head is visible, but the very fountain-head of God is invisibl*^ ; He that is born can be seen, but He that was not born cannot be seen. Concealed is that mouth of the Father from whence came God who once made himself visible, taking on himself such a form as suffering, which demands a body, followed upon. For the potency on high cannot suffer, since the heavenly fire cannot lower itself to feel dreadful pains, nor does it admit of being racked with human tortures. It is pure, serene, shining, utterly free and unconstrained in movement, not subject to any power, for it is master of all things, having no beginning from a time, but beyond all time and before the days began it is the majesty that resides with the Father supreme, yea, the spirit of the Father, his thought, the channel of his designs, which, not made by his hand nor created by the voice of his command, but emitted from the depths of the Father, carried forth his will. This therefore no scourges cut nor spitting defiles, nor hand hurts with buffeting nor nail-pierced wounds fasten upon a cross. It was the flesh of man that felt these things, flesh that a woman with child

127

PRUDENTIUS

enixa est sub lege uteri, sine lege mariti.

ille famem patitur, fel potat et haurit acetum,

ille pavet mortis faciem, tremit ille dolorem. 100

dicite, sacrilegi doctores, qui Patre summo

desertum iacuisse thronum contenditis illo

tempore quo fragiles Deus est inlapsus in artus,

ergo Pater passus ? quid non malus audeat error ?

ipse puellari conceptus sanguine crevit ? 105

ipse verecundae distendit virginis alvum ?

et iam falsiloqua est divini pagina libri,

quae Verbum in carnis loquitur fluxisse figuram ?

at non, qui Verbi Pater est, caro factus habetur.

fige gradum, Scriptura, tuum ; nil mobile et

anceps 110

adfirmasse decet : Pater est, quern cernere nulli est licitum ; Pater est, qui numquam visus in orbe

est, nee mundana inter radiavit lamina coram, verbum conspicuum misit, missumque recepit cumvoluit: Verbo praestrinxit viscera purae 115 virginis, et Verbo struxit puerilia membra, ipse quidem in terris virtute et numine praesens semper adest quocumque loci, nee pars vacat ulla maiestate Patris ; nusquam est genitor Deus absens, per Verbum sed semper adest; atque inde

Philippo 120

Christus ait " tanto tecum iam tempore versor, et Patrem te nosse negas, quern perspicis in me ? " est invisibilis donum Patris edere natum visibilem, per quem valeat Pater ipse videri, nee solis sanctorum oculis, sed lumine cassis 125

128

THE DIVINITY OF CHRIST

brought forth according to the law of birth, without the law of wedlock. He it is that suffers hunger, that drinks the gall and drains the vinegar. He it is that fears the shape of death and trembles at the pain. Tell me, ye blasphemous teachers, who maintain that the supreme Father abandoned his throne at the time when God entered into a mortal body, was it the Father, then, who suffered ? What would not evil error dare ? Was the Father himself conceived and did He grow from a maid's blood ? Did He himself swell a modest virgin's womb ? And does the page of the holy book lie, then, when it says that the Wo^d passed into the form of flesh ? It is not He who is the Father of the Word, that is believed to have been made flesh. Plant thy step firmly, O Scripture ; it is not seemly to have stated aught that is unsure and undependable. He is the Father, whom none has been permitted to see ; He is the Father, who has never been seen in the world nor shone in his own person among the world's luminaries. He sent the visible Word and received again, when He would, the Word He sent. By the Word He touched the pure virgin's flesh, and by the Word built up the child's body. He indeed is always and everywhere present on earth in power and spirit, and no part of it is without the Father's majesty; God the Father is nowhere absent ; but it is through the Word that He is ever present, and hence it is that Christ says to Philip, " Am I ^vith thee this long time, and sayest thou that thou know est not the Father, whom thou seest in me ? " It is the gift of the invisible Father that He brings forth the visible Son, through whom the Father himself can be seen, and not only by the eyes of the

129

VOL. I. F

PRUDENTIUS

caecorum ; caecos loquor, atra socordia quorum corde tenebroso verum perpendere nescit. quern si perspicuum mortalibus infitiaris, fare age, quern videat Babylonis ab arce tyrannus innocuas inter flammas procul exspatiantem, 130

calcantem rapidos inadustis fratribus ignes. nempe ait " o proceres, tris vasta ineendia anhelis accepere viros fornacibus ; additus unus ecce vaporiferos ridens intersecat ignes. Filius ille Dei est ; fateorque et victus adoro. 135

inrisas removete faces, taedasque tepentes subtrahite ; friget succensi sulpuris ardor. Filius (baud dubium est) agit haec miracula rerum, quem video, Deus ipse, Dei certissima proles, imperat inmensis ardoribus et domat iras, 140

insultans famulante rogo, piceosque furores conprimit et rabiem flammarum algescere cogit. barbaricos calida aura sinus non tangere iussa praeterit et tenues stridens transcurrit amictus. ipse per Assyrios metuit vapor ire tiaras, 145

ne coma fusa umeris fumo obsordescat amaro." haec ait, et varios iubet obmutescere cantus, organa, sambucas, citharas calamosque tubasque. stulta superstitio tacuit, vox festa quievit, quae male conspicuae celebrabat imaginis aurum. 150 carmina sanctorum resonant iam sola virorum triplice concentu regem laudantia caeli, qui mare, qui terras, qui lucida sidera fecit,

" Daniel iii, 24 ff.

* Prudentius makes Nebuchadnezzar speak like an occi- dental, just as Virgil does Aeneas {Aeneid ii, 504).

130

THE DIVINITY OF CHRIST

holy, but by the sightless eyes of the blind ; and by the blind I mean those who in the black dullness of their darkened heart cannot appreciate the truth. If you deny that He is visible to mortals, then tell me who it is that from Babylon's throne the king sees at a distance walking unharmed through the flames, and trampling on the consuming fires with his brethren unscorched." He says, you know, " Ye nobles, three men the devouring fire received in the panting furnace, and lo ! one more parts asunder ■with a smile the flame's hot gust. That is the Son of God. I confess it, and yield and worship Him. Take ye away the brands, for they are laughed to scorn ; draw off" the dying logs of pitch-pine ; the brimstone ye set fire to is chilled. It is the Son, no doubt of it, that works these wonders ; He is before my eyes, God himself, God's most assured Son, commanding the measureless heat and taming its wrath, triumphing over the fire, his servant ; He subdues the raging pitch and compels the fierce flames to grow cold. The hot breath is forbidden to touch the folds of their oriental * garments ; it passes them by, and runs hissing past their fine raiment. The very heat fears to penetrate their Assyrian turbans, lest the hair that falls on their shoulders be dirtied by the acrid smoke." So saying, he bids the varied sounds of music cease, all the instruments, sackbuts, harps, reed-pipes and cornets. Foolish superstition is silent, stilled are the festal notes that were sounding in honour of the golden image wickedly set up to view. Now only the songs of the holy men ring out as with three voices in concert they praise the king of heaven, who made the sea, the lands, the shining stars, and covered his

131

PRUDENTIUS

ignibus et mediis secures texit alumnos,

semper in auxilium Sermo Patris omnipotentis 155

descendit servando homini, mortalia semper

admiscenda sibi proprio curavit amore,

ut socianda caro Dominoque inplenda perenni,

degenerem vitam quae tunc animalis agebat,

[exemplo mutaret eri, similesque per artus] ^ 160

cernere consortem terreni adsuesceret oris,

participemque suum visu velut obside nosse,

et consanguineo paulatim accedere Christo.

ergo animalis homo quondam, nunc Spiritus ilium

transtulit ad superi naturam seminis, ipsum 165

infundendo Deum mortalia vivificantem.

nunc nova materies solidata intercute flatu,

materies sed nostra tamen, de virgine tracta,

exuit antiquae conrupta exordia vitae,

inmortale bonum proprio spiramine sumens, 170

filius ille hominis, sed Filius ille Tonantis,

iam solus vultum Patris aspicit et videt ipsum,

nemo Patrem novit nisi Filius et cui monstrat

Filius, et nostri mediator et omnipotentis.

denique concludam brevis ut conpendia summae : 175

non Pater in carnem descendit, sed Patris arcem

sumpta caro ascendit, Natus per utrumque cucurrit.

Cede, profanator Christi, iam cede, Sabelli, depositorque Patris Natique insane negator, nonne Patrem violas dum Natum scire recusas ? 180

^ This line does not appear in the oldest 3IS8., and is bracketed btj Bergman.

<• " The Song of the Three Holy Children " (Benedicite) is in the Greek and the Vulgate Latin versions of Daniel iii, after verse 23, though not in the Hebrew.

* Cf. 1 Corinthians xv, 46.

132

THE DIVINITY OF CHRIST

children from fear in the midst of the fire." Ever did the Word of the ahnighty Father come down to help and save man ; ever did He of his own love cause his own being to take on humanity, that the flesh which was to be associated with Him and filled with the everlasting Lord, but was then animal in its nature and leading a debased life, might [change it after its Master's example and in like body] learn to recognise Him as sharer of its earthly features, to know Him with the warranty of sight as partaker of its nature, and by degrees draw nearer to Christ its kinsman. So then man was once as the animals, but now the Spirit has transformed him into the nature of a child of heaven by the inpouring of God himself, who quickens what is mortal.* Now a new substance embodied by the spirit of God \Wthin, but yet our substance, derived from a virgin, has put off the corruption that infected the hfe of old from its beginning and of its own spirit assumes the good that is everlasting. He who is the Son of Man but also Son of the Thunderer now alone looks on the face of the Father and sees Him, None knows the Father save the Son and him to whom the Son, the mediator between us and the Almighty, shows Him. In fine, to put the whole matter in short, it is not the Father that came down into the flesh, but the flesh being assumed has ascended to the Father's throne : the Son passed both ways.

Yield, thou desecrator of Christ, yield now, Sabellius,'^ thou that dost put down the Father and madly deny the Son. Dost thou not do violence to the Father in refusing to know the Son ? For there

* See the note on line 5.

133

PRUDENTIUS

quandoquidem non est genitor, nisi filius extet, nee vocitare patrem potis es quern germine fraudas. sed fortasse velis patriae pietatis honore despoliare Deum, contentus nomine nudo, quod Deus est, adimasque deeus Patris et generis

vim. 185

ecquis in idolio recubans inter sacra mille ridiculosque decs venerans sale, caespite, ture, non putat esse deum summum et super omnia

solum ? quamvis Saturnis lunonibus et Cythereis, portentisque aliis fumantes consecret aras, 190

attamen in caelum quotiens suspexit, in uno constituit ius omne deo, cui serviat ingens virtutum ratio variis instructa ministris. quae gens tam stolida est animis, tam barbara

Unguis, quaeve superstitio tam sordida, quae caniformem 195 latrantemque throno caeli praeponat Anubem ? nemo Cloacinae aut Eponae super astra deabus dat solium, quamvis olidam persolvat acerram sacrilegisque molam manibus rimetur et exta. consule barbati deliramenta Platonis, 200

consule et hircosus Cynicus quos somniat et quos texit Aristoteles torta vertigine nervos. hos omnes quamvis anceps labyrinthus et error circumflexus agat, quamvis promittere et ipsi gallinam soleant aut gallum, clinicus ut se 205

dignetur praestare deus morientibus aequum,

" In the later paganism belief in one supreme god was prevalent, and many regarded the gods of the old religion as his subordinate agents. See Bailey, Phases in the Religion of Ancient Rome, ch. viii.

* An Egyptian divinity. C/. Aeneid viii, 698.

^34

THE DIVINITY OF CHRIST .

is no begetter if there be no son, nor canst thou call father one whom thou dost deprive of offspring. But perchance thou wouldst rob God of the glory of fatherly love and be content with the bare name of God, only taking from Him the honour of fatherhood and the power of begetting. Is there anyone who, as he lies in a heathen temple anaid a thousand sacred objects, or worships absurd gods with salt and turf- altar and incense, does not suppose there is a supreme god who stands alone above all things ? Though he devote smoking altars to a Saturn, a Juno, a Lady of Cythera and other monstrosities, yet whenever he looks up to the sky he places all authority in one god, whom the vast system of powers furnished with diverse agencies obeys." WTiat race is so dull in mind or so barbarous in speech, what superstition so low, as to set forward the dog-shaped barking Anubis * on the throne of heaven? No man gives a seat of power above the stars to the goddesses Cloacina or Epona," though he pay an offering of strong-smelling incense and dig unholy hands into the sacred meal and the entrails. Consult the bearded Plato's ra\-ings, consult the close-drawn reasonings which the stinking Cynic produces in his illusion, or Aristotle contrives in a dizzy whirl. Though they are all lost in the uncertainties of a maze in which they wander round and round, though they too are wont to promise a hen or a cock that the physician-god may deign to show himself gracious to them on their

' Cloacina the divinity associated with the great drain {cloaca maxima) at Rome, Epona with stables and horses.

^35

PRUDENTIUS

cum ventum tarn en ad normam rationis et artis, turbidulos sensus et litigiosa fragosis argumenta modis concludunt numen in unum, cuius ad arbitrium sphera mobilis atque rotunda 210 volvatur, serventque suos vaga sidera cursus. non recipit natura hominis, modo quadrupes ille non sit, et erecto spectet caelestia vultu, non recipit neget ut regimen pollere supremum. istud et ipse Numae tacitus sibi sensit haruspex, 215 semifer et Scottus sentit, cane milite peior. sed nos qui Dominum libris et corpore iam bis vidimus, ante fide, mox carne et sanguine ^ coram, quique voluminibus vatum cruce teste probatis rimantes digitos costarum in vulnera cruda 220

mersimus, et manuum visu dubitante lacunas scrutati aeternum regem cognovimus lesum, abiurare Deo titulum nomenque paternum credimus esse nefas, qui regem protulit ex se, non regem populi Parthorum aut Romulidarum, 225 sed regem summae et mediae rationis et imae, atque ideo rerum dominum et super omnia regem. carnis habet medium, summum Patris, et Stygis

imum. defluit his gradibus rursusque revolvitur in se ; est Deus, est et homo ; fit mortuus et Deus idem

est. 230

1 The Qth-centiiry MS. has corpore.

<• Socrates' last words (Plato, Phaedo, 118) were a request to Crito to pay a cock which, he said, " we owe to Aescu- lapius." The cock was really a thank-offering made by persons 136

THE DIVINITY OF CHRIST

death-beds," none the less, when they come to the standard of reason and logic, they bring their muddy thoughts and their contentious, clamorous arguments to the conclusion that there is one di\"ine power by whose control the round, unresting sphere revolves and the planets keep their courses. Man's nature does not admit — provided he is not a grovelling beast but looks at the heavenly bodies with visage erect — I say, does not admit of denying the might of a supreme governor. Of this even Xuma's sooth- sayer was conscious in his heart, and so is the half- bestial Scot, who is worse than a dog that fights in the wars. But we, who have now twice seen the Lord, in the scriptures and in the body, first by faith and then in flesh and blood ^^■ith us and who, when the books of the prophets were proved true by the witness of the cross, plunged searching fingers into the raw wounds in his side and, because our eyes doubted, explored the holes in his hands and recog- nised the everlasting king Jesus, beUeve it sin to deny the title and name of Father to God who brought forth our king from himself — not king of the nation of the Parthians nor of the sons of Romulus, but king of the highest and of the middle and of the lowest realm, and therefore Lord of creation and king over all things. He holds the middle domain, which is that of the flesh, the highest, which is that of the Father, and the lowest, which is that of hell. By these degrees He passes down and again returns to himself. He is God, He is man also; He dies, and

who had been cured of illness through sleeping in the temple of Aesculapius at Epidaurus. Socrates was perhaps alluding to his confident belief that his soul would survive ; he would awake from death cured of the ills of mortality.

137 f2

PRUDENTIUS

omnia percurrit naturae munia pronae, ut sursum Patris in gremium replicata reportet mortua quae fuerant, ipsos quoque subvehat artus. haec fore cum veterum ceeinissent organa vatum, nos oculis, manibus, congressu, voce, loquella 235 experti, heroum tandem intelleximus orsa priscorum et viso patefacta oracula Christo. haec est nostra salus, hinc vivimus, hinc animamur. hoc sequimur : numquam detracto nomine Nati appellare Patrem, Patris et sine nomine num- quam 240 Natum nosse Deum, numquam nisi Sanctus et

unus Spiritus intersit Natumque Patremque vocare ; sic tamen haec constare tria, ut ne separe ductu tris faciam, tribus his subsistat sed Deus unus. nee Pater ipse autem qui FiUus, ut, quia natum 245 scimus ab innato, vere Pater et sata vere sit suboles, nee sit genitor sibi Filius ipse, perquam ridiculum est et futtile, natus ut ex se sive supernatus ^ fuerit, sibi ipse repente nascendi nova materies, ac se Deus ultro 250

ediderit natumque sibi se fecerit ipsum. nil falsum aut mendax divina vocabula fingunt. qui Pater est, gignendo Pater, tum FiHus ex hoc Filius, auctore genitus quod sit Patre summo, summus et ipse tamen ; nee enim minor aut Patre

dispar. unde in utroque operis forma indiscreta, nisi

omnem 256

^ 8(/me MS8. of both Bergman's classes have sive pater natus. 138

THE DIVINITY OF CHRIST

still is God. He goes through all the functions of mortal nature that He may turn again and bring up to the Father's bosom all that was dead, and raise up the very bodies also. After the lyres of the old prophets had foretold these things, we, having found them come to pass, with our eyes and hands, meeting Him and hearing his voice and speech, understood at last the words of the valiant men of old and the prophecies that were made plain by the sight of Christ. This is our salvation, hence it is that we Hve and are quickened. This is the rule we follow, never to address the Father without naming the Son, never to know God the Son without naming the Father, never to call on the Son and the Father together but that the Holy Spirit, who is one Avith them, have part also ; yet that these so exist as three that I must not make three Gods by separating them, but in these three is the being of one God. And He who is the Son is not the Father himself, that, since we know He was begotten of the un- begotten, there may be true Father and true begotten Son, and the Father be not Son to himself. It is very absurd and vain to suppose that He should have been born of himself, or a secondary growth upon himself, suddenly becoming for himself a new substance of birth, and that God should have brought forth himself and made himself his o^vn Son. The divine names make no false or lying pretence. He who is the Father is Father by begetting, and the Son is Son for the reason that He was begotten and the supreme Father is the author of his being ; though yet He himself is supreme also, for He is not less than the Father nor unequal with Him. How could the shape of their work be undistinguish-

T39

PRUDENTIUS

vim maiestatis patriae generosus haberet Filius, idque Deus genitor, quod Filius, esset? pergunt ulterius scrutantes quid sit id ipsum gignere, si fas est humanos tendere sensus 260

usque ad secretum, quod tempora cuncta diesque praevenit antiquos, et principium super ipsum eminet et, quodcumque potest homo quaerere,

transit, cum sit difficilis via noscere principiorum semina, qui dabitur mortali exquirere quidnam 265 ultra principium Deus egerit, aut quo pacto ediderit Verbum, quod principio caret omni ? hoc solum scimus, quod traditur esse Deum, quem non genitus genitor generaverit, unus et unum, integer integrum, non coeptum sed tamen ortum, 270 et conperpetuum retro Patris et Patre natum. sed nee decisus Pater est, ut pars Patris esset Filius, extendens nee se substantia tractim produxit minuitque aliquid de numine pleno, dum mutata novum procudit portio Natum. 275

non convertibilis nee demutabilis umquam est Deus aut gignendo aliquid sibi detrahit, atqui totus et ex toto Deus est, de lumine lumen, quando autem lumen sine lumine ? quando

refulgens lux fulgore caret ? quando est ut proditus ignis 280 ignem deminuat ? quando Pater et Deus et lux non lucis Deus et Pater est? qui, si Pater olim non fuit, et serum genuit post tempora Natum, fit novus, inque novum ius proficit. absit, ut

umquam plenus proficiat, qui non eget incremento. 285

et Deus et genitor lumenque et gloria semper

140

THE DIVINITY OF CHRIST

able in both, did not the high-bom Son possess all the force of his Father's majesty, and were not God the Father that which the Son is ? Men go further, prying into the very meaning of begetting, if it is lawful to stretch human thought to the mystery which precedes all times and days of old and stands beyond the very beginning, passing all the wit of man to search out. Since it is hard to reach an understand- ing of the seeds of first beginnings, how shall it be given to mortal man to seek out what God did before the beginning, or how He gave forth the Word, which has no beginning ? This alone we know : our tradition tells us that He is God whom the un- begotten Father begot, one Father,' one Son, perfect Father, perfect Son, who had no beginning and yet originated, who existed eternally in time past equally with the Father and yet was born of the Father. But neither was the Father diminished, so that the Son would be a portion of the Father, nor did his substance extend and prolong itself and deduct something from his full Godhead bv changing a j>ortion so as to forge a new being in the Son. God can never turn nor change, nor does He by begetting subtract something from himself; but He is whole God bom of whole God, light from light. And when is there light without light ? \Mien is there a shining light that does not shine ? When does the flame that is emitted diminish the flame ? When is He who is Father and God and light not the God and Father of light ? If once He was not Father, and late in the passage of time begot the Son, He becomes what He was not before, and advances to a new status. Perish the thought that He who is perfect and needs no enlargement can ever advance I Both God and

PRUDENTIUS

ille fuit, nee post sibi contulit ut Pater esset.

sic fit ut aeternum credamus cum Patre Christum,

illo auctore satum, cui nullus praefuit auctor.

haec tu si dubitas Nati mysteria Christi, 290

perdite, catholica non es de plebe, sed unus

de grege turifero, venerator Deucalionum,

devotus cippo, ficulni stipitis unctor.

quin potius scrutare Dei signacula in ipso

fonte vetustatis, percurre scrinia primi 295

scriptoris, quern non bardus pater aut avus augur,

fabula nee veteris famae, nee garrula nutrix,

nee sago clangore loquax et stridula cornix

rem doeuere Dei, sed coram proditus ipse,

ipse Deus trepidum mortalem mitis amico 300

inbuit adloquio seque ac sua summa retexit.

nimirum meminit scriptor doctissimus illo

orbis principio non solum nee sine Christo

informasse Patrem faeturae plasma novellae.

" fecit " ait " condens hominem Deus, et dedit olli 305

ora Dei." quidnam est aliud quam dicere " solus

non erat, atque Deo Deus adsistebat agenti,"

cum Dominus faeeret Domini sub imagine

plasma ? Christus forma Patris, nos Christi forma et imago ; condimur in faciem Domini bonitate paterna, 310 venturo in nostram faciem post saecula Christo. possum multa sacris exempla excerpere libris.

" Worship of the dead was alien to the old Roman religion, but honours were paid yearly at their tombs. In imperial times, however, the conception of the dead as divine appears. Cippiis may here be simply a derogatory terra for an idol (" a

£ost "). Deucalion, though not a divinity, seems to be used ere contemptuously as a type of mythical personage.

T42

THE DIVINITY OF CHRIST

Father and light and glory He ever was, nor did He afterwards confer fatherhood on himself. Thus does it come about that we believe Christ eternal along with the Father and begotten of Him before whom was no begetter. If thou doubtest these mysteries of Christ the Son, abandoned man, thou art not of the Catholic people, but one of the crew of incense-offerers, a worshipper of Deucalions, devotee of a grave-stone," anointer of a fig-tree stump. Rather scan the marks of God in the very fount of antiquity, run through the collection of books of the earliest of writers,* who did not learn of God from a minstrel sire or soothsaying grand- sire, nor from a tale of old tradition nor garru- ous nurse, nor noisy crow that chattered with prophetic cry, but God himself appearing to him graciously instructed the trembling mortal, speaking to him like a friend,*^ and revealed himself and his majesty. Clearly the well-informed historian tells us that in that beginning of the world it was not alone nor \*-ithout Christ that the Father shaped the figure of his new creation. " God," he says, " in creating made man and gave him the features of God." \\'hat is this but to say " He was not alone and God was by God's side in the work," since the Lord made the creature in the image of the Lord ? Christ is the figure of the Father, and we the figure and image of Christ ; we are made after the Ukeness of the Lord by the goodness of the Father, and Christ was to come into our likeness after ages of time. I can pick many an instance from the holy books, if

* I.e. Moses, in the Pentateuch.

* Cf. Exodus xxxiii, 11.

i-MSL

I ^JdJi^r^t^

PRUDENTIUS

ni refugis, quae te doceant non in Patre solo vim maiestatis positam, sed cum Patre Christum esse Deum, velut illud ait genealogus idem : 315

" a Domino Dominus flammam pluit in

Sodomitas." quis Dominus, de quo Domino, si solus ab area siderea spectat Pater aut ardescit in iras ? Filius armatam Domini Patris ignibus iram spargebat Dominus : sunt unum fulmen utraque. 320

Haec si ludaicos sic intellecta rigassent auditus stupidas ut possent ^ tangere fibras, audissent Dominum virtutum, qui pereuntes venerat ut servaret oves ; sed ab auribus omnis fluxerat ornatus, caput et iam coctile Bahal 325

finxerat auriculasque suo spoliarat honore. dux populi peccantis adest de monte corusci luminis adloquioque Dei, tabulasque tremendo incisas digito caeca ad tentoria defert, sed cadit in faciem plebs non visura profundae 330 legis in effigie scriptum per enigmata Christum, infelix, quae luce oculos praestricta paventes texerit et presso faciem velarit amictu ! at nos reiecto Christum velamine coram cernimus atque Deum vultu speculamur aperto, 335 nee sub lege gravi depressa fronte iacemus, sed legis radium sublimi agnoscimus ore. heu, frondosa prius ramis felicibus arbos, pinguibus, heu, quondam radix oleagina bacis ! ecce tibi inserto revirescit nunc oleastro 340

^ The two oldest MSS. have possint.

"» From this point to line 551 Prudentius attacks the Jews for their rejection of Christ.

» Cf. Exodus xxxii. ' CJ.2 Corinthians iii, 14-18.

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THE DIVINITY OF CHRIST

you do not turn your back on them, to prove to you that the potency of majesty lies not in the Father alone, but that Christ is God with the Father, such as the statement of the same author of Genesis : " The Lord rained fire from the Lord upon the Sodomites." Wliat Lord, and from -what Lord, if the Father alone looks from the throne of heaven or blazes into anger? The Lord the Son was hurling the wrath of the Lord the Father, armed with fire. The two thunderbolts are one.

Had these truths soaked the ears of the Jews ** and been understood sufficiently to touch their dull heartstrings, they would have listened to the Lord of the heavenly powers, who had come to save the sheep that were being lost; but all the trappings had vanished from their ears and gone to fashion a cast head of Baal,** robbing the ears of their honour. The sinning people's leader appears from the mountain of flashing light and from hearing the speech of God, bringing down to their blinded tents the tablets graven by that a^\•ful finger ; but the people fall on their faces and will not see Christ written symbolically in the figure of the law's mysterj'. Unhappy race, in that they covered their trembling eyes before the dazzling light and pressed close their garments to veil their faces ! But we have thrown back the veil and see Christ in person, looking upon God with countenance uncovered,* nor do we he with head bowed down under the weight of the law, but with face lifted up we recognise the law's splendour. Alas for the tree that was once so leafy, its branches so fertile ! Alas for the root of the ohve whose fruits were once so rich ! Lo, since the wild olive was grafted on thee, thy stem flourishes again and is

145

PRUDENTIUS

truncus et externi vestitur cortice libri.

iam miserere tui. non se silvestris olivi

surculus exultans alieno stipite iactat,

sed monet ut generis proprii memor unguine amaro

contristare comas desuescas, stirpe nee irao 345

invideas missis in celsa cacumina virgis.

blasphemas Dominum, gens ingratissima,

Christum, pascha tuum die, die, cuius de sanguine festum tarn sollemne tibi est? quis tandem caeditur

agnus anniculus ? sacer ille tibi redeuntibus annis, 350 sed sacer in pecude. stultum est sic credere

sacrum, sanguine balantis summos contingere postes, lascivire choris, similaginis azymon esse, cum fermentati turgescant crimine mores, non sapis, inprudens, nostrum te effingere pascha, 355 legis et antiquae praeductis pingere sulcis omne sacramentum retinet quod passio vera, passio, quae nostram defendit sanguine frontem corporeamque domum signato conlinit ore ? hanc fugit exclusis Aegyptia plaga procellis,! 360 haec regis Pharii regnum ferale resolvit, deque potestatis mundanae grandine densa eripit Abraham cum stirpe et gente fideli. Abrahae genus est verum, cui sanguis in ore creditus inscriptusque rubet, cui visus in orbe 365

haud dubitante fide Deus est, Deus ex Patre

verus. ille Deum vidit, visum mox credidit : at tu,

1 Some MSS. have flagellis.

» Cf. Romans xi, 13-24, 146

THE DIVINITY OF CHRIST

clothed with a covering of bark that is strange to it. Have pity on thyself now. The scion of woodland olive does not vaunt itself, glorying in a stem that is not its o^vn, but gives warning that thou remember thy stock, cease to cloud the foliage with a bitter coating, and envy not, deep in thy trunk, the shoots that rise to high tops." Thou dost blaspheme the Lord Christ, ungrateful race. Thy Passover — say, say, whose is the blood that makes it a feast so holy in thine eyes ? What is the yearling lamb that is slain ? Thou boldest it sacred each returning year, but it is sacred as a beast. It is folly to believe there is aught sacred in i;ouching the tops of thy doorposts with a lamb's blood, in making merry %\ith song and eating unleavened bread, while thy conduct is rising with the leaven of sin. Art thou so ignorant as not to understand it is our Passover thou dost represent ? That in the lines drawn before by the old law thou dost portray all the mystery contained in the true passion, that passion which protects our foreheads with blood and smears it on our bodily dwelling in a mark on the brow ? * It is from this that the Egyptian plague flees, its violence shut out ; it is this that gives release from the deathly rule of the king of Egypt, and from the thick hail falling on the power of this world saves Abraham and his stock and faithful people. The true descendant of Abraham is he on whose brow the mark of the blood in which he has trusted is written in red, who with assured faith has seen God in the world, true God bom of the Father. Abraham saw God and straight-

* The sign of the cross, made on the forehead, is compared to the smearing of the blood of the Iamb on the lintels of the doors (Exodus xii, 7).

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PRUDENTIUS

posteritas carnis, carnaliter omnia cernens, carnis opus sub lege.geris, quam spiritus inplet interior ; nee enim caelo lex carnea fluxit, 370

quam tu carne colis, sed Christo feta meamque spem paritura utero. quam spem, nisi numinis

almum lumen et adventum Domini, quem viderat Abrae prima fides, nostrisque Pater promiserat olim perspieiendum oculis et legis voce probandum ? 375 nee solum legis ; nam quae iam littera Christum non habet, aut quae non scriptorum armaria

Christi laude referta novis celebrant miracula libris ? Hebraeus pangit stilus, Attica copia pangit, pangit et Ausoniae facundia tertia linguae. 380

Pilatus iubet ignorans "I, scriba, tripictis digere versiculis quae sit subfixa potestas, fronte crucis titulus sit triplex, triplice lingua agnoscat ludaea legens et Graecia norit et venerata Deum percenseat aurea Roma." 385 quidquid in aere cavo reboans tuba curva remugit, quidquid ab arcano vomit