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 Sep 
 
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 Latin 
 
 Edited 
 With Introduction and NoTfes-i:^fi'CAL 
 
 By 
 
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 MATTHEW GERMING S.J. 
 
 St. Stanislaus Seminary 
 
 Florissant, Mo. 
 
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 LOYOLA UNIVERSITY PRESS 
 
 CHICAGO, ILLINOIS 
 
 1920 
 
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Latin Hymns 
 
 Edited 
 
 0Xi OF Pfi/;vc^ 
 
 JUL 19 1932 
 
 With Introduction and Note^sJ^^qqiq^^^i^V' ■ " 
 
 By 
 
 MATTHEW GERMING S.J 
 
 St. Stanislaus Seminary 
 
 Florissant, Mo. 
 
 LOYOLA UNIVERSITY PRESS 
 
 CHICAGO, ILLINOIS 
 
 1920 
 
COPYRIGHT. 1920 
 
 BY 
 
 LOYOLA UNIVERSITY 
 
 CHICAGO, ILL. 
 
INTRODUCTION 
 
 This little collection of hymns is intended to give the 
 student some idea of the character, — the form and content 
 of sacred Latin poetry. Most of these hymns are used in 
 one or other of the services of the Church, and it is surely 
 desirable that Catholic students should have some acquaintance 
 with them. A few non-liturgical compositions have been 
 added, nearly all selected from that vast treasury of sacred 
 poetry written during the period beginning with St. Ambrose 
 and closing with the rise of Humanism. For a short his- 
 torical account of this period see Catholic Encyclopedia, art. 
 "Hymnody." The activity of the Middle Ages in this de- 
 partment of literature is something quite amazing. Hymnol- 
 ogists have for years been unearthing the product of the 
 labor of that period. To say nothing of the ample collections 
 of hymns made by Daniels and Mone in the last century, 
 there is now the Analecta Hymnica by the German Jesuits, 
 a truly monumental work of more than fifty volumes, and 
 not yet completed. It might, of course, be expected that not 
 all the hymns in these immense collections have the same 
 literary merit, but there is so much that is good, and so 
 much that is excellent, — instinct with fine poetic feeling and 
 clothed in diction always simple and sincere, often graceful 
 and even brilliant, that criticism is almost silenced and selec- 
 tion becomes a difficult task. Not all the great writers of 
 hymns are represented in the following collection; but the 
 poems selected are, it is thought, representative of what is 
 best in Latin hymnody. 
 
 There is one great advantage that the hymns have over 
 the other Latin literature of the school room: they are Chris- 
 
 a 
 
4 LATIN HYMNS 
 
 tian, and "Christian is a better word than Augustan. For 
 inspiring and elevating thought, and for vigor, harmony, and 
 simpHcity of language the hymns are better than any Augustan 
 Odes." — March, Latin Hymns, Preface. 
 
 The language, it is true, of Christian prose and verse is 
 not that of the Augustan age of Roman literature. It could 
 not be. The thoughts and feelings of the Confessions of St. 
 Augustine, or of the Dies Irae and the Lauda Sion, could no 
 more be expressed in the language of Cicero or in the diction 
 and meters of Horace than the ocean can be confined within 
 the banks of the Tiber. The Latin of the classic writers 
 possesses a certain fulness and majesty and decorum, a stately 
 self-control that is admirable in its way, but it lacks something 
 which paganism could not give: it lacks flexibility and the 
 power to adapt itself to the infinite reaches of Christian 
 thought and to the profoundly spiritual emotions of the re- 
 generated human heart. This is the reason why, with all its 
 perfection of form, classical Latin is comparatively formal 
 and cold, without the softening and deepening influence that 
 comes from the intimate communion of the soul with God 
 and heavenly things. Cicero, indeed, in the finest passages of 
 the Somnium Scipionis and the De Senectute reaches out 
 after this higher spiritual quality of style ; Virgil has more 
 of it than any other Latin writer ; but it was reserved for 
 St. Jerome and St. Augustine and other great Christian writers 
 to make the ancient tongue vibrate on the ear with a new 
 rhythm and cadence, — a rhythm, sweet and strange and as 
 far-reaching as the new-born sense of the boundless power 
 and love of God. This is the Latin of the liturgy and of the 
 great medieval writers. It is Latin, not in its last stage of 
 decay, as Macaulay would have it, but the ancient language 
 transformed and spiritualized, representing ''the dawning of a 
 fresh order of expereinces, the regenerate type of humanity. 
 In the happy phrase of Mr. David Lewis, it is 'baptized' Latin, 
 
LATIN HYMNS i» 
 
 the new dialect of faith, hope, and charity," the Holy Latin 
 Tongue. — Dublin Review, April, 1906. 
 
 The meters of the hymns are not those of the Odes of 
 Horace. The quantitative verse schemes of Latin poetry, 
 borrowed as they were from Greece, never became perfectly 
 naturalized in Italy except among the educated. We do not 
 find that even one of the many lyrics based on quantity ever 
 found its way among the people as a popular song. Popular 
 tradition probably maintained the older system of versification 
 that was native to the soil. The precise character of these 
 early verse forms, usually called Saturnian, is a matter of 
 dispute among scholars ; but there are reasons for thinking 
 that the basic principle was accent rather than quantity, as 
 is the case with English versification. Had this early system 
 of versifying been allowed to develop and grow to maturity, 
 Latin literature might not have become, both in content and 
 form, the engrafted thing that history has handed down to us. 
 But it was banished from literary circles by the introduction 
 of the literature of Greece. Plautus and Terence Latinized 
 Greek comedies with their meters; Ennius (239-169) was 
 the first to write Latin hexameters ; and Catullus and Horace, 
 in the first century before Christ, transplanted the lyrical 
 measures. Thus the vanquished imposed their literary forms 
 on the victors. As Horace puts it (Ep. II, 1, 156), Graecia 
 capta ferum victorem cepit. Accordingly, the literature that 
 was just budding, a literature indigenous and popular, voicing 
 the nation's own life, was neglected in its formative stage 
 by the very men who could have developed it and given it 
 distinction of form. The tradition, however, of the native 
 rhythms seems to have lived on in popular verse throughout 
 the classical period. And thus, when Christian writers began 
 to feel the need of a poetic medium of expression more 
 popular and more elastic than the existing meters, they turned 
 to the accentual principle, naturally popular; and the manner 
 which they adopted may justly be called a return to the old 
 
D LATIN HYMNS 
 
 rather than the introduction of anything new. As the hymns 
 were meant for the people, and, from the first, were written 
 to be sung by all the faithful assembled in church, it must 
 have been clear to those who composed them that they ought 
 to be guided by a principle of harmony that would appeal to 
 the popular ear, that should be at once simple and intelligible 
 to every one, whether trained in classical meters or not. Under 
 these circumstances, the principle of quantity could not hold 
 its place for any length of time. Writers turned to accent, 
 though the change came very gradually. 
 
 Nor must it be forgotten that Christian poetry with its 
 new message, with its depth and range of thought, its new 
 faith and hope in Christ, could scarcely find adequate expres- 
 sion in the existing verse forms. These latter were well suited 
 to body forth the thoughts and sentiments and ideals of the 
 pagan mind and of a pagan civilization. Beauty of form and 
 outline, definite, well-proportioned, leading to nothing beyond 
 itself, — the beauty of the Grecian temple — that was the height 
 of perfection in classical poetry. The Christian poet, on the 
 other hand, lived in an entirely different world. His thoughts 
 had been enlarged, his ideals raised to an infinitely higher 
 level, his fancy played round the throne of the Most High. 
 No wonder that he felt himself hampered in his effort to 
 cast his new thoughts in the ready-made moulds of ancient 
 ideas. The new wine was put into old bottles, and the bottles 
 burst. It is significant that as early as 250 A. D., Commodianus 
 wrote a lengthy poem in which the accepted quantity of 
 classic days is almost entirely abandoned. And his verses give 
 evidence that it was not through ignorance that he wrote thus ; 
 the accentual method was adopted on purpose. No doubt he 
 felt that the system of versification in vogue had become 
 ''intolerably artificial," either as not appealing to the mass of 
 the people to whom he addressed himself, or as inadequate 
 to express the message he conveys with such earnestness and 
 fervor. However, several centuries more were to pass before 
 
LATIN HYMNS / 
 
 the new principle of rhythmical poetry could gather strength. 
 St. Ambrose wrote according to quantity. It will be observed, 
 however, that in the meter which he adopted, the iambic 
 dimeter, a clever management of words will result in little 
 conflict between word accent and the quantitative ictus, as 
 may be seen from the Aeterne Rerum. The effect in reading 
 is about the same as in accentual verse. From the sixth and 
 seventh centuries onward, quantity was more and more set 
 aside, and was wholly neglected from the tenth to the four- 
 teenth century, the golden age of Latin hymnody. 
 
 Most of the hymns are written in iambic and trochaic 
 meters. These meters, with the added elements of rhyme and 
 assonance, became the medium for the evolution of a variety 
 of verse forms, which, through various changes and modifica- 
 tions, reach the height of perfection in the twelfth century, 
 when Adam of St. Victor could sing in unrivaled strain: 
 
 Heri mundus exsultavit, 
 Et exsultans celebravit 
 
 Christi natalitia: 
 Heri chorus angelorum 
 Prosecutus est caelorum 
 
 Regem cum laetitia. 
 
LATIN HYMNS 
 
 BIBLIOGRAPHY 
 
 Of the collections of hymns and sources of criticism that have 
 been consulted the following are the principal ones : 
 
 Blume and Dreves, Analecta Hymnica Medii Aevi; Leipzig: Reis- 
 land. 
 
 Caswall, Lyra Catholica; New York: Catholic Publication Society 
 Co. (Hymns of the breviary and the Missal translated into English.) 
 
 Catholic Encyclopedia. 
 
 Donohue, Early Christian Hymns, 2 vols. : The Donohue Publish- 
 ing Co., Middletown, Conn. (Original translations, including all the 
 hymns of the breviary and many others.) 
 
 Henry, Dr. H. T., American Ecclesiastical Review (a series of 
 appreciative and scholarly articles), referred to in this book by the 
 initials A. E. R. 
 
 Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology, second edition 1908; London: 
 Murray. 
 
 March, Latin Hymns; New York: American Book Co. 
 
 Merrill, Latin Hymns; Boston : Sanborn. 
 
 Mone, Lateinische Hymnen des Mittelalters; Freiburg: Herder. 
 
 Neale, Medieval Hymns and Sequences; London : Joseph Masters. 
 
 Neale, The Rhythm of Bernard of Morlaix on the Celestial Coun- 
 try; London : J. T. Hayes. 
 
 Schaff, Christ in Song; New York: Randolph and Co. 
 
 Shipley, Annus Sanctus; London and New York: Burns and 
 Oates. (Translations by authors of known merit.) 
 
 Trench, Sacred Latin Poetry; New York: Macmillan. 
 
 Wrangham, The Liturgical Poetry of Adam of St. Victor with 
 Translations into English in the Original Meters; London : Kegan 
 Paul, Trench and Co. 
 
LATIN HYMNS 
 
 AETERNE RERUM CONDITOR 
 
 (St. Ambrose) 
 
 St. Ambrose (340 [?]-397) is rightly considered the father o£ 
 Latin Hymnody. Descended from a noble Roman family, Ambrose 
 on finishing his education devoted himself to the study and practice 
 of the law, and was governor of Liguria when, in 374, he was elected 
 bishop of Milan. Of his pithy and profound hymns fourteen genuine 
 ones have come down to us. Those used at Prime, Terce, Sext, and 
 None, in the Roman Breviary, have often been attributed to him, but 
 are of very doubtful authenticity. His hymns are characterized by 
 great simplicity. Says Trench: "The great objects of faith in their 
 simplest expressions are felt by him so sufficient to stir all the deepest 
 
 affections of the heart, that any attempt to dress them up 
 
 were merely superfluous. The passion is there, but it is latent and 
 represt, a fire burning inwardly, the glow of an austere enthusiasm, 
 which reveals itself indeed, but not to every careless beholder." — Sacred 
 Latin Poetry, p. 87. 
 
 For a commentary and translation of the present hymn see Amer- 
 ican Ecclesiastical Review XV, 349. 
 
 Theme : The crowing of the cock is represented as both the signal 
 and the symbol of a renewal of life in the physical and the spiritual 
 world. 
 
 Meter : Iambic dimeter,* quantitative. 
 
 Aeterne rerum Conditor, 5 Nocturna lux viantibus 
 Noctem diemque qui regis, A nocte noctem segregans, 
 
 Et temporum das tempora, Praeco diei jam sonat, 
 
 Ut alleves fastidium. Jubarque solis evocat. 
 
 Notes — 1. The line is an ad- 3. 'Dost appoint the seasons of 
 
 mirable instance of the stateliness the years.' Temporum, longer 
 
 and reserve that characterize the periods of time, tem.pora, shorter 
 
 verse of the "consul-bishop." intervals, seasons. 
 
 "Dread Framer of the earth and 5. After these four lines of 
 
 sky." — Caswall. "O Everlasting address in praise of the Creator 
 
 Architect!" — Dr. Henry. the poet enters on his theme. 
 
 * It should be remembered that in Iambic, trochaic, and anapaestic 
 verse the unit of measure is the dipody (two feet) ; so that in these 
 rhythms a monometer contains two feet, a dimeter four feet, a tri- 
 meter six feet, a tetrameter eight feet. 
 
10 
 
 LATIN HYMNS 
 
 Hoc excitatus lucifer 
 10 Solvit polum caligine ; 
 
 Hoc omnis erronum cohors 
 Viam nocendi deserit ; 
 
 Hoc nauta vires colligit, 
 Politique mitescunt f reta ; 
 15 Hoc, ipsa petra Ecclesiae, 
 Canente, culpam diluit. 
 
 Surgamus ergo strenue : 
 Gallus jacentes excitat, 
 Et somnolentos increpat, 
 20 Gallus negantes arguit. 
 
 Gallo canente spes redit, 
 Aegris salus refunditur, 
 Mucro latronis conditur, 
 Lapsis fides revertitur, 
 
 25 Jesu labantes respice, 
 Et nos videndo corrige : 
 Si respicis, labes cadunt, 
 Fletuque culpa solvitur. 
 
 Tu, lux, refulge sensibus, 
 30 Mentisque somnum discute : 
 Te nostra vox primum sonet 
 Et vota solvamus tibi. 
 
 Nocturna lux: in apposition to 
 praeco diei, v. 7. As the sun in- 
 dicates the passing hours of the 
 day, so the crowing of the cock 
 marks off the hours of the night 
 for the benefit of travellers 
 (viantcs). 
 
 6. Nocte noctem: not the 
 whole night, but parts or watches 
 of the night. 'Dividing the 
 watches of the night.' 
 
 7. praeco, the chanticleer, the 
 herald of the day. 
 
 9. hoc: supply canente from 
 line 16, so in lines 11 and 13; or 
 it may be taken as instr. Abl. 
 
 11. erronum cohors, 'the rov- 
 ing bands of thieves and bandits'. 
 In a spiritual sense it refers to the 
 vagantes daemones. 
 
 13, 14. 'At his chanting the 
 sailor gathers new strength, and 
 the stormy sea is calmed'. 
 
 15. petra, "the Rock", i. e. St. 
 Peter; cf. Matth. XVI, 18; and 
 XXVI, 75. 
 
 17, etc. No doubt, both the 
 literal and the spiritual meaning 
 is intended. The cock was taken 
 as a symbol of the preacher of the 
 Gospel. It was a heathen notion 
 that the lion could not stand the 
 sight of a cock: gallum noenu 
 (=non) queunt rabidi contra con- 
 stare leones inque iueri. Lucre- 
 tius IV, 710 seq. And St. Am- 
 brose : lea gallum et maxime al- 
 bum veretur. Cuvier tried the ex- 
 periment by putting a cock into a 
 lion's cage with the result that the 
 lion ate up the cock. With Chris- 
 tians Satan is the roaring lion, 
 who is vanquished by the preach- 
 ing of the word of God. The mys- 
 tical meaning of the chanticleer's 
 crowing is thus easily accounted 
 for. A supposed fact in the nat- 
 ural order was made to symbolize 
 a real fact in the spiritual order. 
 
 21-25. Hope and renewed life 
 return with the dawn of day, fear 
 of the armed bandit is laid aside, 
 
 i 
 
LATIN HYMNS 
 
 11 
 
 Deo Patri sit gloria, 
 Ej usque soli Filio, 
 35 Cum Spiritu Paraclito, 
 Nunc et per omne saeculum. 
 
 and faith revives in the breasts of 
 the fallen. 
 
 25-29. A delicate and beautiful 
 allusion to St. Peter's repentance 
 and the way it was brought about. 
 
 "And the Lord turning looked on 
 Peter," etc. Luke XXII, 61. 
 
 30. Mentis somnum: languor 
 of soul in well-doing. 
 
 31. 'May Thy Name be the first 
 on our lips'. 
 
12 
 
 LATIN HYMNS 
 
 SPLENDOR PATERNAE GLORIAE 
 
 (St. Ambrose) 
 
 The theme of the poem is Christ, the Light of the world. 
 Meter : Iambic dimeter, quantitative. 
 
 Splendor paternae gloriae, 
 De luce lucem proferens, 
 Lux lucis, et f ons luminis 
 Diem dies illuminans ! 
 
 5 Verusque sol illabere, 
 Micans nitore perpeti, 
 Jubarque Sancti Spiritus 
 Infunde nostris sensibus. 
 
 Confirmet actus strenuos, 
 Dentes retundat invidi, 
 15 Casus secundet asperos, 
 Agenda recte dirigat. 
 
 Mentem gubernet et regat, 
 Sit pura nobis castitas ; 
 Fides calore ferveat, 
 20 Fraudis venena nesciat. 
 
 Votis vocemus et Patrem, 
 10 Patrem potentis gratiae, 
 Patrem perennis gloriae, 
 Culpam releget lubricam. 
 
 Christusque nobis sit cibus, 
 Potusque noster sit fides : 
 Laeti bibamus sobriam 
 Profusionem Spiritus. 
 
 Notes — 1. "Who being the 
 brightness of his glory." Hebr. 
 I, 3. 
 
 3. Cf. Nicene Creed, lumen de 
 lumine. Christ is lux lucis, 'light 
 of (born of) light', in as much 
 as He is the Son of the Father; 
 and He is fons luminis, because 
 He Himself is God. 
 
 5. illabere: Imperat. from 
 illabor. 
 
 6. perpeti: per pes, -etis=^per- 
 petuus. 
 
 7. jubar: object of infunde, 
 'light', 
 
 12. culpam lubricam, 'sin of 
 the flesh' ; here called lubrica, 'slip- 
 pery', because men easily fall into 
 it. releget: 'that he may banish 
 far from us;' ut is omitted after 
 vocemus, v. 9, as is often the 
 case after verbs of asking and de- 
 manding. 
 
 14. invidi: Gen. Sing.; Satan 
 is meant. 
 
 20. venena: PI. for the Sing. 
 
 23, 24. "And be not drunk with 
 wine . . . but be ye filled with 
 the Holy Spirit." Ephes. V, 18. 
 
 26, 27. The poet prays that the 
 
 1 
 
LATIN HYMNS 
 
 13 
 
 25 Laetus dies hie transeat, 
 Pudor sit ut dilueulum, 
 Fides velut meridies, 
 Crepusculum mens nesciat. 
 
 Aurora lucem provehit, 
 30 Cum luce nobis prodeat 
 In Patre totus Filius, 
 Et totus in Verbo Pater. 
 
 blush of modesty may be as rosy 
 as the dawn, and faith as bright 
 as the noonday sun. 
 29. The language is partly fig- 
 
 urative : aurora is the dawn and 
 also the Blessed Virgin Mary, 
 who gives us the Son, the Lighl 
 of the world. 
 
14 LATIN HYMNS 
 
 TE DEUM LAUDAMUS 
 
 For a brief discussion of the date and authorship of this rhythmical 
 prose the reader is referred to the Catholic Encyclopedia, article "Te 
 Deum." Here it must suffice to state (1) that, in the words of Batiffol, 
 "no one thinks now of attributing this cento either to St. Ambrose or 
 to St. Augustine;" (2) that many scholars ascribe it to St. Nicetas, 
 Bishop of Remesiana in what is now Servia, who was born about 335 
 and died in the early part of the fifth century; (3) that others regard 
 the hymn as composed at different periods, the first part (verses 1 — 10) 
 antedating the year 252. "It is argued that, judged by melody and 
 rhythm, the first ten verses form a complete hymn (verses 11 — 13 hav- 
 ing been added subsequently as a doxology to the Father) ; while 
 verses 14 — 21 form a hymn (added in the fourth century) to Christ; 
 and that verses 22 to the end belong to a wholly different category, 
 being mostly taken from the Psalms." Dr. Henry in Cath. Encycl. 
 
 "By the end of the fifth century," writes Mearns in the Dictionary 
 of Hymnology, p. 1123, "the Te Deum had gained a recognized position 
 almost equal to that of the ancient Psalms. . . . We may date the 
 Te Deum, as it now appears in our prayerbooks, about 400-450 A. D. 
 . . . It is the most famous non-biblical hymn of the Western 
 Church." 
 
 Te Deum laudamus, te Dominum confitemur. 
 Te aeternum Patrem omnis terra veneratur. 
 Tibi omnes angeli, tibi caeli et universi potestates, 
 Tibi Cherubim et Seraphim incessabili voce proclamant: 
 5 Sanctus, sanctus, sanctus Dominus Deus Sabaoth. 
 Pleni sunt caeli et terra majestatis gloriae tuae. 
 Te gloriosus Apostolorum chorus, 
 Te prophetarum laudabilis numerus, 
 Te martyrum candidatus laudat exercitus. 
 
 Notes— 5. sanctus, etc.: "And garments, who are they? . . . 
 
 they (the Seraphim) cried one to And he said to me: These are 
 
 another: Holy, holy, holy, the they who are come out of great 
 
 Lord God of hosts, all the earth tribulation, and have washed their 
 
 is full of His glory." Is. VI, 3. robes, and have made them white 
 
 Cf. also Apoc. IV, 8. in the blood of the Lamb." Apoc. 
 
 9. martyrum candidatus: VII, 13, 14. 
 "These that are clothed in white 
 
LATIN HYMNS 15 
 
 10 Te per orbem terrarum sancta confitetur ecclesia, 
 Patrem immensae majestatis, 
 Venerandum tuum verum et unicum Filium, 
 Sanctum quoque Paraclitum Spiritum. 
 
 Tu Rex gloriae, Christe, 
 15 Tu Patris sempiternus es Filius. 
 
 Tu ad liberandum suscepturus hominem, non horruisti 
 
 Virginis uterum. 
 Tu, devicto mortis aculeo, aperuisti credentibus regna 
 
 caelorum. 
 Tu ad dexteram Dei sedes in gloria Patris. 
 Judex crederis esse venturus. 
 20 Te ergo quaesumus, tuis famulis subveni, quos pretioso 
 sanguine redemisti. 
 Aeterna fac cum Sanctis tuis in gloria numerari. 
 
 Salvum fac populum tuum, Domine, et benedic hereditati 
 
 tuae. 
 Et rege eos, et extolle illos usque in aeternum. 
 Per singulos dies benedicimus te, 
 25 Et laudamus nomen tuum in saeculum et in saeculum 
 
 saeculi. 
 Dignare, Domine, die isto sine peccato nos custodire. 
 Miserere nostri, Domine, miserere nostri ; 
 Fiat misericordia tua, Domine, super nos, quemadmodum 
 
 speravimus in te. 
 In te, Domine, speravi: non confundar in aeternum. 
 
 16. hominem = humanam na- 21. fac: supply f amnios tuos. 
 turam, 22, 23. salvum fac etc. : Ver- 
 batim taken from Ps. XXVII, 9. 
 
 17. devicto mortis aculeo: 26. die isto: 'this day. The 
 "O death, where is thy victory? use of iste in the sense of hie is 
 O death, where is thy sting? Now common in medieval Latin. 
 
 the sting of death is sin." I. Cor. 29. in te, Domine etc • From 
 
 XV, 55, 56. Ps. XXX, 1. 
 
16 LATIN HYMNS 
 
 THE HYMNS FOR PRIME, TERCE, SEXT, NONE, 
 
 AND COMPLINE 
 
 It may not be amiss to say that the terms Prime, Terce, Sext, and 
 None are used in the Divine Office to designate the several divisions 
 of which these hymns form the first part. The Latin title prefixed to 
 the hymns denotes the time at which the given part of the breviary is 
 to be recited, — ad Primam (horam), Prime, being about 6 o'clock 
 A. M. ; ad Tertiam 9 o'clock A. M. ; ad Sextam 12 o'clock noon; ad 
 Nonam 3 o'clock P. M. Compline {completormm from completa) 
 means 'complement', 'completion', because it is the last of the canonical 
 prayers, marking the close of the day. 
 
 These five hymns are all of an early date. Those for Terce, Sext 
 and None probably belong to the fourth century, many hymnodists 
 being of opinion that they are the compositions of St. Ambrose, who 
 died in 397 A. D. At any rate, they are in the Ambrosian style, simple 
 in expression, concise and objective. 
 
 Priests have a special interest in this series of short hymns owing to 
 the fact that they recite them every day. For this reason I have 
 noted the few verbal changes introduced in them under Urban VIII 
 (see Appendix). As will be seen, these hymns were left almost com- 
 pletely untouched by the revisers, the first two undergoing no change 
 whatever, except for a word or so in the doxology. A translation is 
 added to each, not because it is needed, but for the general reason that 
 many a reader, thoroughly familiar with the wording and meaning of 
 a hymn in some foreign tongue, often finds a peculiar delight in reading 
 the same in the vernacular. 
 
 Meter: Iambic dimeter, quantitative. 
 
 AD PRIMAM 
 
 The several petitions of this beautiful morning prayer are: 1. 
 Preservation from all evil (3, 4) ; 2. Restraint of the senses — the tongue 
 (5, 6), the eyes (7, 8) ; 3. Purity of heart (9, 10) ; 4. Repression of 
 carnal passion by self-denial in food and drink (11, 12). 
 
 Jam lucis orto sidere 5 Linguam ref renans temperet, 
 
 Deum precemur supplices, Ne litis horror insonet : 
 
 Ut in diurnis actibus Visum fovendo contegat, 
 
 Nos servet a nocentibus. Ne vanitates hauriat. 
 
 Notes — 5, 6. linguam refre- may bridle our tongue and direct 
 nans: It is noteworthy that the our speech, lest dread bickering 
 first petition should be 'that God be heard'. We are reminded of 
 
LATIN HYMNS 
 
 17 
 
 Sint pura cordis intlma, 
 10 Absistat et vecordia : 
 Carnis terat superbiam 
 Potus cibique parcitas. 
 
 Ut cum dies abcesserit, 
 Noctemque sors reduxerit, 
 15 Mundi per abstinentiam 
 Ipsi canamus gloriam. 
 
 Deo Patri sit gloria, 
 Ejusque soli Filio, 
 Cum Spiritu Paraclito, 
 20 Nunc et per omne saeculum. 
 
 St. James III, 6, 'the tongue is a 
 fire, a world of iniquity'. 
 
 7. fovendo contegat: fovere 
 when applied to the body, or any 
 part of it, is a nursing term, 
 meaning to 'care for', 'attend', 'ap- 
 ply poultices or lotions' ; hence we 
 may translate, 'may He in His 
 care for us veil our eyes'. There 
 may also be the idea of 'covering, 
 wrapping up', specifying the gen- 
 eral meaning of contegat. This 
 was evidently the sense in which 
 Newman understood the phrase. 
 
 8. hauriat: the subject is visus, 
 'lest they (my eyes) drink in'. 
 
 10. vecordia: 'folly', 'outbursts 
 of temper'; from the particle 
 "ve", which means 'out' and is 
 used as a negative or as an in- 
 tensive, and cor; hence vecors and 
 vesanus (insane), but vepallidus 
 (very pale). 
 
 15. mundi: the adjective miin- 
 diis. 
 
 19. The unrevised text reads : 
 sancto siniul cum Spiritu. 
 Cardinal Newman translates : 
 The star of morn to night 
 succeeds ; 
 We therefore meekly pray, 
 
 May God in all our words and 
 deeds, 
 Keep us from harm this 
 day: 
 
 5. May He in love restrain us 
 
 still 
 From tones of strife and 
 
 words of ill. 
 And wrap around and close 
 
 our eyes 
 To earth's absorbing vanities. 
 
 May wrath and thoughts that 
 
 gender shame 
 
 10. Ne'er in our breasts abide; 
 
 And cheerful abstinences tame 
 
 Of wanton flesh the pride: 
 
 So, when the weary day is 
 
 o'er, 
 And night and stillness come 
 
 once more, 
 15. Strong in self-conquering 
 
 purity, 
 We may proclaim, with choirs 
 
 on high : 
 
 Praise to the Father, as is 
 meet, 
 Praise to the only Son, 
 Praise to the holy Paraclete, 
 20. While endless ages run. 
 
18 
 
 LATIN HYMNS 
 
 AD TERTIAM 
 
 In the first stanza the poet prays for the coming of the Holy 
 Ghost, in the second he calls upon the faculties of soul and body to 
 glorify Him. 
 
 Nunc, sancte, nobis, Spiritus, 5 Os, lingua, mens, sensus, 
 
 Unum Patri cum Filio, vigor, 
 
 Conf essionem personent, 
 Dignare promptus ingeri, piamescat igne caritas, 
 
 Nostro refusus pectori. Accendat ardor proximos. 
 
 Praesta, Pater piissime, 
 10 Patrique compar unice. 
 Cum Spiritu Paraclito, 
 Regnans per omne saeculum. 
 
 Notes — 1. nunc: i. e. at the 
 third hour of the day, the hour at 
 which the Holy Ghost came down 
 upon the Apostles, Acts H, 15. 
 
 2. unum: the "oneness" of the 
 Deity, hence the neuter gender. 
 
 3. dignare etc. : 'deign to come 
 to us in strength, pouring into our 
 hearts a flood of grace.' promp- 
 tus: the use of the adjective in 
 place of the adverb is common in 
 Latin; here it is to be taken with 
 ingeri. refusus (re and fundo) 
 always implies the idea of 'welling 
 up,' 'overflowing;' it is here taken 
 in a middle sense. 
 
 Come, Holy Ghost, Who, ever 
 
 One, 
 Reignest with Father and with 
 
 Son, 
 
 It is the hour, our souls pos- 
 sess 
 
 With Thy full flood of holi- 
 ness. 
 
 5. Let flesh, and heart, and lips 
 
 and mind, 
 Sound forth our witness to 
 
 mankind; 
 And love light up our mortal 
 
 frame 
 Till others catch the living 
 
 flame. 
 
 Now to the Father, to the 
 Son, 
 10. And to the Spirit, Three in 
 One, 
 Be praise, and thanks, and 
 
 glory given, 
 By men on earth, by Saints in 
 heaven. 
 
 — Cardinal Newman. 
 
LATIN HYMNS 
 
 19 
 
 AD SEXTAM 
 
 A prayer to God as the ruler of all creation that He may extin- 
 guish evil passion and grant us health of body and peace of mind. 
 
 Rector potens, verax Deus, 
 Qui temperas rerum vices, 
 Splendore mane illuminas, 
 Et ignibus meridiem. 
 
 5 Exstingue flammas litium, 
 Auf er calorem noxium, 
 Confer salutem corporum, 
 Veramque pacem cordium. 
 
 Praesta, Pater piisime, 
 10 Patrique compar Unice, 
 Cum Spiritu Paraclito, 
 Regnans per omne saeculum. 
 
 Notes — 2. temperas: 'control', 
 'direct' ; when used with the Dat. 
 it means 'restrain.' rerum vices: 
 the periodical changes in the or- 
 der of nature. 
 
 3. illuminas: the original text 
 has instruis. 
 
 Cardinal Newman translates: 
 
 O God, Who can not change 
 
 nor fail, 
 Guiding the hours as they roll 
 
 by. 
 Brightening with beams the 
 
 morning pale. 
 And burning in the mid-day 
 
 sky; 
 
 5. Quench Thou the fires of hate 
 
 and strife, 
 The wasting fever of the 
 
 the heart; 
 From perils guard our feeble 
 
 life, 
 And to our souls Thy peace 
 
 impart. 
 
 Grant this, O Father, Only 
 
 Son, 
 10. And Holy Spirit, God of 
 
 grace. 
 To Whom all glory. Three in 
 
 One, 
 Be given in every time and 
 
 place. 
 
20 
 
 LATIN HYMNS 
 
 AD NONAM 
 
 The hymn is a petition for light and strength in the evening of 
 life, a holy death and bliss eternal. 
 
 Rerum, Deus, tenax vigor, 5 Largire lumen vespere, 
 Immotus in te permanens, Quo vita nusquam decidat, 
 Lucis diurnae tempora Sed praemium mortis sacrae 
 
 Successibus determinans ; Perennis instet gloria, 
 
 Praesta, Pater piissime, 
 10 Patrique compar Unice, 
 Cum Spiritu Paraclito, 
 Regnans per omne saeculum. 
 
 Notes — 1. God is the enduring 
 (tenax) strength of all created 
 things (rerum). His energizing 
 influence continually goes out to 
 them ; if it did not, they could not 
 continue to exist. 
 
 4. successibus: 'by the succes- 
 sion' of day and night. 
 
 5. lumen: the word is due to 
 the revisers ; in place of it the old 
 text had clarum. 
 
 10, 12. In V. 10 the original 
 version had Patrfsque, and v. 12 
 read et nunc et in perpetuum. 
 This was the reading also in w. 
 10 and 12 of the two preceding 
 hymns. 
 
 10. 
 
 O God, Unchangeable and 
 True, 
 Of all the Light and Power, 
 Dispensing light in silence 
 through 
 Every successive hour; 
 
 Lord, brighten our declining 
 day, 
 That it may never wane, 
 Till death, when all things 
 round decay. 
 Brings back the morn again. 
 
 This grace on Thy redeemed 
 confer. 
 Father, Coequal Son, 
 And Holy Ghost, the Com- 
 forter, 
 Eternal Three in One. 
 — Cardinal Newman. 
 
LATIN HYMNS 
 
 21 
 
 AD COMPLETORIUM 
 
 A prayer for God's protection during the night and freedom from 
 temptation. 
 
 Te lucis ante terminum, 
 Rerum Creator, poscimus, 
 Ut pro tua dementia 
 Sis praesul et custodia. 
 
 5 Procul recedant somnia 
 Et noctium phantasmata, 
 Hostemque nostrum comprime, 
 Ne polluantur corpora. 
 
 Praesta, Pater piissime, 
 10 Patrique compar Unice, 
 Cum Spiritu Paraclito 
 Regnans per omne saeculum. 
 
 Notes — 3. pro tua dementia: 
 
 the original was solita dementia. 
 
 4. et custodia: the unrevised 
 text read ad custodiam. 
 
 9 etc. The wording of the dox- 
 ology before 1632 was : 
 
 Praesta, Pater, omnipotens. 
 Per Jesum Christum Domi- 
 
 num. 
 Qui tecum in perpetuum 
 Regnat cum Sancto Spiritu. 
 
 Now that the day-Hght dies 
 away. 
 By all Thy grace and love, 
 
 10. 
 
 Thee, Maker of the world, we 
 pray 
 To watch our bed above. 
 Let dreams depart and phan- 
 toms fly. 
 The offspring of the night. 
 Keep us, like shrines, beneath 
 Thine eye, 
 Pure in our foe's despite. 
 
 This grace on Thy redeemed 
 confer. 
 Father, Coequal Son, 
 And Holy Ghost, the Com- 
 forter, 
 Eternal Three in One. 
 — Cardinal Newman. 
 
22 LATIN HYMNS 
 
 AUDIT TYRANNUS and SALVETE FLORES 
 
 MARTYRUM 
 
 (Prudentius) 
 
 Aurelius Clemens Prudentius (348-405) was born in Spain, edu- 
 cated for the bar, and held several important judicial positions. When 
 fifty-six years old he determined to devote his literary talents to the 
 service of God. He became a prolific writer. His poems "represent the 
 most substantial addition to Latin lyrical poetry since Horace and the 
 complete triumph of the new religion. ... In the brilliance and 
 vigor of their language, their picturesque style, and the new joy that, 
 in spite of their asceticism, burns throughout them, they gave an im- 
 pulse of immense force towards the development of Christian litera- 
 ture." Mackail, Latin Literature, p. 271, Bentley calls him "the 
 Horace and Virgil of the Christians." 
 
 In the Roman Breviary the two following hymns are set for the 
 feast of the Holy Innocents, December 28. They are excerpts from a 
 larger work, the Liber Cathemerinon, a title which, according to its 
 derivation, is rendered by W. S. Lilly as "The Christian Day." Other 
 hymns in the breviary from the pen of Prudentius are Ales Diei Nun- 
 tiiis, Nox et Tenebrae et Nubila, Lux Ecce Surgit Aurea. 
 
 For a commentary and translation see A, E. R. XV, 557. 
 
 Meter: Iambic dimeter, quantitative. 
 
 Audit Tyrannus 
 
 Audit tyrannus anxius 5 Exclamat amens nuntio : 
 Adesse regem principem, Successor instat, pellimur ; 
 
 Qui nomen Israel regat, Satelles, i, ferrum rape, 
 
 Teneatque David regiam. Perfunde cunas sanguine. 
 
 Quid proficit tantum nefas ? 
 10 Quid crimen Herodem juvat? 
 Unus tot inter funera 
 Impune Christus tollitur. 
 
 Notes — 1. anxius: "And king 5. Observe the dramatic char- 
 Herod hearing this was troubled, acter of this and the succeeding 
 and all Jerusalem with him." lines. 
 Matth. II, 3. 10. crimen is subject, Herodem 
 
 3. Cf. Matth. II, 6. regat: direct object of juvat, quid Pred. 
 
 Subjunctive of Purpose. Ace. 
 

 LATIN HYMNS 
 
 23 
 
 Salvete Flores Martyrum 
 
 Salvete, flores martyrum, 5 Vos, prima Christi victima, 
 
 Quos lucis ipso in limine Grex immolatorum tener, 
 
 Christi insecutor sustulit, Aram sub ipsam simplices 
 
 Ceu turba nascentes rosas. Palma et coronis luditis. 
 
 Jesu, tibi sit gloria, 
 10 Qui natus es de Virgine, 
 Cum Patre et almo Spiritu, 
 In sempiterna saecula. 
 
 Salvete Flores. Notes — The 
 language and imagery of these 
 few verses are simple but exceed- 
 ingly beautiful. Dr. Henry trans- 
 lates : 
 All hail ! ye tender martyr- flowers. 
 
 2. lucis etc. : 'Just on the 
 threshold of their lives.' 
 4. ceu, etc. : 
 
 as the gale 
 
 Strews the roses ere they blow. 
 
 — Caswall. 
 
 7. aram: "I saw under the 
 altar the souls of them that were 
 slain for the word of God." Apoc. 
 VI, 9. 
 
 At the very altar ye 
 
 With your fatal crowns and palms 
 
 Sport in your simplicity. 
 
 — ^Caswall. 
 
24 
 
 LATIN HYMNS 
 
 AD REGIAS AGNI DAPES 
 
 The hymn was written to celebrate the first Holy Communion o£ 
 the newly baptized, and probably belongs to the fifth century. It ranks 
 among the best Latin hymns. Its authorship is uncertain, though often 
 attributed to St. Ambrose. For the wording of the original text see 
 Appendix at the end of this book. 
 
 Meter: Iambic dimeter, quantitative. 
 
 Ad regias Agni dapes, 
 Stolis amicti candidis, 
 Post transitum maris rubri, 
 Christo canamus principi ; 
 
 5 Divina cujus caritas 
 
 Sacrum propinat sanguinem, 
 Almique membra corporis 
 Amor sacerdos immolat. 
 
 Sparsum cruorem postibus 
 10 Vastator horret angelus, 
 Fugitque divisum mare, 
 Merguntur hostes fluctibus. 
 
 Jam Pascha nostrum 
 
 Christus est, 
 Paschalis idem victima, 
 15 Et pura puris mentibus 
 Sinceritatis azyma. 
 
 O vera caeli victima, 
 Subjecta cui sunt tartara, 
 Soluta mortis vincula, 
 20 Recepta vitae praemia. 
 
 Victor subactis inferis 
 Tropaea Christus explicat, 
 Caeloque aperto subditum 
 Regem tenebrarum trahit. 
 
 Notes — 1. "Blessed are they 
 that are called to the marriage 
 supper of the Lamb." Apocalypse 
 XIX, 9. 
 
 2. Stolis: White garments 
 were worn by the newly baptized 
 from Holy Saturday, the day of 
 their baptism, till Low Sunday, 
 still called Dominica in Albis. 
 
 3. The crossing of the Red Sea 
 is a type of baptism. Read the 
 touching words of St. Paul, I Cor. 
 X, 1 scq. 
 
 5. propinat: 'gives to drink'. 
 9-13. The events commemo- 
 rated by the Jewish Pasch are 
 
 here condensed into four beauti- 
 ful lines and contrasted with the 
 Pasch of the New Law in the 
 next stanza. Cf. Exodus cc. XI, 
 XII, XIV. 
 
 10. vastator angelus: verbal 
 nouns in or are often used ad- 
 jectively; cf. Livy's victor exer- 
 citus. 
 
 11. 'The sea parting retreated'. 
 13-17. Cf. I Cor. V, 7, 8. 
 
 15, 16. 'And to pure hearts the 
 pure unleavened bread of sincer- 
 ity'. 
 
 18. cui (monosyll.) : 'by Whom'; 
 dative of the Agent. 
 
LATIN HYMNS 
 
 25 
 
 25 Ut sis perenne mentibus 
 Paschale, Jesu, gaudium, 
 A morte dira criminum 
 Vitae renatos libera. 
 
 Deo Patri sit gloria, 
 30 Et Filio qui a mortuis 
 Surrexit, et Paraclito 
 In sempiterna saecula. 
 
 20. recepta: 'recovered'. 
 
 22. 'displays His trophies'. 
 
 23. Cf . Aeneid I, 155 : caeloque 
 invectus aperto; where caelum 
 means, of course, 'sky'. In our 
 text the more probable meaning 
 is 'heaven'. 
 
 27. criminum: the classical 
 meaning of the word is 'charge', 
 'accusation' ; but the present mean- 
 ing, 'guilt', 'sin', is found in poetry 
 at every period of the language 
 and becomes common in post- 
 classical prose. 
 
26 LATIN HYMNS 
 
 CHRISTUS REDEMPTOR GENTIUM 
 
 (St. Columba) 
 
 St. Columba (Columbkille, Coliim Cille, 521-597) was born in 
 County Donegal, and when still a young man entered the monastery 
 of Clonard. In 563 he with twelve companions crossed over to lona, 
 an island off the west coast of Scotland, where they built a monastery 
 that was to become a nursery of learning and of apostolic men. The 
 remainder of his life he spent in evangelizing the inhabitants of north- 
 ern Scotland. It is stated that St. Columba wrote three hundred books, 
 "two of which, 'The Book of Durrow' and the psalter called The 
 Cathach' have been preserved to the present time." Cath. Encycl. His 
 best known hymn is the Altiis Prosator, a poem of 276 lines. It is a 
 peculiar feature of Irish Hymnody that "not only the quantitative, but 
 also the accentual principle is rejected. The number of syllables forms 
 the verse, but in union with rhythm and alliteration." Blume in Cath. 
 Encycl., art. "Hymnod}^" It was in Ireland, in the seventh and eighth 
 centuries, that rhythm first reached its perfection. The oldest h>'mn 
 written in Ireland, and at the same time the oldest purely rhythmical 
 Latin hymn, is that of St. Secundinus or Sechnall (died about 448) to 
 St. Patrick. The first stanza reads as follows (the lines are divided 
 so as to show the rhyme) : 
 
 Audite, omnes amantes 
 
 deum, sancta merita 
 Viri in Christo beati, 
 
 Patricii episcopi 
 Quomodo bonum ob actum 
 
 similatur angelis 
 Perfectamque propter vitam 
 
 aequatur apostolis. 
 
 The text of the following little hymn by St. Columba is taken from 
 the Analecta Hymnica, vol. LI, p. 285. It begins with a refrain (R) : 
 
 R. Christus lorica militum. 
 Christus creator omnium. 
 
 Christus, redemptor gentium, 5 Christus, salus viventium 
 Christus, amator virginum, Et vita morientium, 
 
 Christus, fons sapientium, Coronavit exercitum 
 
 Christus, fides credentium ; Nostrum cum turba mar- 
 
 tyrum. 
 
LATIN HYMNS 
 
 27 
 
 Christus crucem ascenderat, Gloria haec altissimo 
 
 10 Christus mundum salvaverat, Deo Patri ingenito, 
 
 Christus et nos redemerat, Honor ac summo Filio, 
 
 Christus pro nobis passus est ;20 Unico, unigenito, 
 
 Christus infernum penetrat, 
 Christus caelum ascenderat, 
 15 Christus cum Deo sederat, 
 Ubi nunquam defuerat. 
 
 Spirituique optimo, 
 Sancto, perf ecto, sedulo ; 
 Amen, fiat perpetua 
 In sempiterna saecula. 
 
 R. In te, Christe, credentium 
 Miserearis omnium ; 
 Tu es Deus in saecula 
 Saeculorum in gloria. 
 
 Notes — Mary F. Cusack has 
 rendered the first lines as follows : 
 
 R. Christ, breastplate in the hour 
 of fight, 
 Christ, who hast made the 
 world and light. 
 
 Christ, lover of the virgin 
 
 choir, 
 Christ, man's Redeemer from 
 
 hell-fire, 
 
 Christ, font of wisdom, pure 
 
 and clear, 
 Christ, in whose word we hope 
 
 and fear. 
 
 Note — From w, 9-15 it will be 
 seen that the tenses, Pf., Plpf., 
 and Pres., are used without differ- 
 ence of meaning. In 9, 10, 11, 13 
 and 14, the time is the simple 
 past; while in 15 it is present. 
 
28 
 
 LATIN HYMNS 
 
 PANGE LINGUA and LUSTRA SEX 
 
 (Fortunatus) 
 
 Venantius Honorius Clementianus Fortunatus (530-609) was born 
 at Ceneda, near Treviso, in Italy. At an early age he was converted to 
 Christianity and was ordained priest at Poitiers, of which city he later 
 became bishop. His writings in prose and verse are very numerous 
 and valuable as historical documents. Schaff calls the Pange Lingua 
 one of the finest hymns in the Latin language. Daniel places it in 
 pulcherrimorum nuniero. For comment and transl. see A. E. R., 
 IV, 179. 
 
 Meter : Trochaic dimeter, quantitative. 
 
 Pange 
 
 Pange, lingua, gloriosi 
 Lauream certaminis, 
 
 Et super crucis trophaeo 
 Die triumphum nobilem, 
 
 Qualiter Redemptor orbis 
 Immolatus vicerit. 
 
 Lingua 
 
 Hoc opus nostrae salutis 
 Ordo depoposcerat, 
 15 Multiformis proditoris 
 Ars ut artem f alleret, 
 
 Et medelam ferret inde, 
 Hostis unde laeserat. 
 
 10 
 
 De parentis protoplasti 
 
 Fraude Factor condolens, 20 
 Quando pomi noxialis 
 
 In necem morsu riiit, 
 Ipse lignum tunc notavit, 
 
 Damna ligni ut solveret. 
 
 Quando venit ergo sacri 
 Plenitude temporis. 
 
 Missus est ab arce Patris 
 Natus, orbis conditor, 
 
 Atque ventre virginali 
 Carne amictus prodiit. 
 
 Pange Lingua 
 
 Notes — 1. pange: 'sing'; pan- 
 gere means, first, 'to set', 'fasten' ; 
 then 'to compose', as versus pan- 
 gere. In pange lauream the theme 
 is put for the song to be com- 
 posed. 
 
 2. lauream: the word is due to 
 the revisers appointed by Urban 
 VIII (see Appendix). The orig- 
 inal text has proelium certaminis, 
 
 a reading much preferred by 
 hymnodists, as it is not the reward 
 of the struggle that the poet in- 
 tends to sing, but the glory of the 
 struggle itself. 
 
 3. super=<f^. 
 
 5. qualiter: 'how'. 
 
 8. fraude: 'guilt', factor: 
 'Maker', 'Creator'. 
 
 10. The subject of ruit is to be 
 supplied from parentis, line 7. 
 
LATIN HYMNS 
 
 29 
 
 25 Vagit infans inter arta 
 Conditus praesepia, 
 Membra pannis involuta 
 
 Virgo Mater alligat, 
 Et Dei manus pedesque 
 30 Stricta cingit fascia. 
 
 Sempiterna sit beatae 
 
 Trinitati gloria, 
 Aequa Patri Filioque, 
 Par decus Paraclito, 
 35 Unius Trinique nomen 
 Laudet universitas. 
 
 13, 14. salutis ordo: 'the plan 
 of salvation'. 
 
 16. ars: the wisdom of God is 
 meant; artem is the cunning of 
 the serpent, fallerct: 'might pre- 
 vail over'. 
 
 17, 18. Cf. Praef. de Cruce: 
 ut unde mors oriehatur, inde vita 
 resurgeret, et, qui in ligno vince- 
 
 hat, in ligno quoque vinceretur. 
 
 20. Cf. Gal. IV, 4: "When the 
 fulness of time had come," 
 
 23. ventre virginali: Abl. of 
 Separation ; prose would have the 
 preposition ex or de. 
 
 25, 26. inter etc. : "laid in the 
 narrow manger'. 
 
 30. fascia is subject of cingit. 
 
30 
 
 LATIN HYMNS 
 
 Lustra Sex 
 
 Lustra sex qui jam peregit 
 Tempus implens corporis, 
 
 Sponte libera Redemptor 
 Passioni deditus, 
 5 Agnus in cruce levatur 
 Immolandus stipite. 
 
 Flecte ramos, arbor alta, 
 20 Tensa laxa viscera 
 Et rigor lentescat ille, 
 
 Quern dedit nativitas, 
 Et superni membra Regis 
 
 Tende miti stipite. 
 
 Felle potus ecce languet ; 25 Sola digna tu fuisti 
 
 Spina, clavi, lancea 
 Mite corpus perforarunt, 
 10 Unda manat et cruor ; 
 Terra, pontus, astra mundus 
 
 Ferre mundi Victimam 
 Atque portum praeparare 
 
 Area mundo naufrago, 
 Quam sacer cruor perunxit 
 
 Quo lavantur flumine. 30 Fusus Agni corpore. 
 
 Crux fidelis, inter omnes 
 Arbor una nobilis ! 
 15 Silva talem nulla profert 
 Fronde, flore, germine. 
 Dulce f errum, dulce lignum 
 Dulce pondus sustinent. 
 
 Sempiterna sit beatae 
 Trinitati gloria, 
 
 Aequa Patri Filioque, 
 Par decus Paraclito, 
 35 Unius Trinique nomen 
 
 Laudet uniVersitas. 
 
 Lustra Sex 
 
 Notes — 1. The lustrum is a 
 period of five years. Its first 
 meaning is the purificatory offer- 
 ing that was made every five years 
 after the taking of the census. 
 
 2. tempus: the time in which 
 the body grows to maturity. 
 
 Felle: instrum.. Abl. potus: Pf. 
 Pass. Part. ; lit. 'having been given 
 to drink.' In the Christian writers 
 potare is often used in the sense 
 of "giving to drink." The poet 
 probably had in mind Tertullian's 
 expression : hie est ille — felle et 
 
 aceto potatus — De Spectaculis, 30, 
 
 11, 12. The whole world is 
 cleansed by this flow of blood and 
 water. 
 
 19 etc. : Dr. Henry renders 
 well : 
 Bend, O noble tree, thy branches : 
 
 Let thy fibres yielding be ! 
 Let the rigid strength be softened 
 
 Which in birth was given thee. 
 That the limbs of my dear Jesus 
 
 May be stretched most tenderh'. 
 
 26, 27. 'As an ark for ship- 
 v/rcckcd creatures, 
 
 Safest harbor to prepare.' id. 
 
LATIN HYMNS 
 
 31 
 
 VEXILLA REGIS 
 
 (Fortunatus) 
 
 These inspiring verses, so much admired by hymnodists, were 
 written in the year 569, when a relic of the true cross, sent by the 
 emperor Justin, was received in solemn procession at Poitiers. Cf. 
 A. E. R., IV, 179. 
 
 Meter: Iambic dimeter, quantitative. 
 
 Vexilla Regis prodeunt, 
 Fulget crucis mysterium. 
 Qua Vita mortem pertulit, 
 Et morte vitam protulit. 
 
 Arbor decora et fulgida, 
 Ornata regis purpura, 
 15 Electa digno stipite 
 
 Tarn sancta membra tangere ! 
 
 5 Quae vulnerata lanceae Beata cujus brachiis 
 
 xvlucrone diro, criminum Pretium pependit saeculi ; 
 
 Ut nos lavaret sordibus, Statera facta corporis, 
 
 Manavit unda et sanguine. 20 Tulitque praedam tartari. 
 
 Impleta sunt quae concinit 
 10 David fideli carmine, 
 Dicendo nationibus : 
 Regnavit a ligno Deus. 
 
 O crux, ave, spes unica. 
 Hoc passionis tempore, 
 Piis adauge gratiam, 
 Reisque dele crimina ! 
 
 25 Te, f ons salutis Trinitas, 
 Collaudet omnis spiritus, 
 Quibus crucis victoriam 
 Largiris, adde praemium. 
 
 Notes — 1. vexilla: the stand- 
 ard meant is most probably "the 
 standard of the Cross". See Dr. 
 Henry's note A. E. R., IV, 190. 
 He translates : 
 
 Behold the banners of the king,, 
 The mystic splendors of the cross. 
 
 11-13. Cf. Ps. XCV, 10. The 
 Italic version of the Psalms had : 
 dicite in nationibus quia Dominus 
 
 regnavit a ligno. A ligno is not 
 found in the Vulgate, but that the 
 above was the version of the vetiis 
 Itala is clear from Tertullian Ad- 
 versus Marcionem III, 19, where 
 he first quotes the text as here 
 given and then argues from the 
 very phrase a ligno, twice again 
 using the expression. 
 
 14. purpura: the Precious 
 
32 
 
 LATIN HYMNS 
 
 Blood is meant. Dr. Henry trans- 
 lates : 
 
 O tree, all splendorous and fair, 
 With the king's purple all be- 
 decked, 
 Worthy and noble, sole elect 
 The Saviour's sacred limbs to 
 bear ! 
 17 etc. Neale renders: 
 
 On whose dear arms, so widely 
 
 flung, 
 The weight of this world's ransom 
 
 hung: 
 The price of human kind to pay 
 And spoil the spoiler of his prey. 
 
 The last two stanzas are not 
 from the pen of Fortunatus. 
 
LATIN HYMNS 
 
 33 
 
 AVE MARIS STELLA 
 
 A very ancient hymn found in a manuscript of the ninth and in 
 several of the eleventh century. Its authorship is uncertain, though it 
 has been tentatively ascribed to Fortunatus. 
 Meter : Trochaic, accentual. 
 
 Ave maris Stella, 
 Dei mater alma, 
 Atque semper virgo, 
 Felix caeli porta. 
 
 5 Sumens illud Ave 
 Gabrielis ore, 
 Funda nos in pace, 
 Mutans Evae nomen. 
 
 Solve vincla reis, 
 10 Profer lumen caecis. 
 Mala nostra pelle, 
 Bona cuncta posce. 
 
 Monstra te esse matrem, 
 Sumat per te preces, 
 15 Qui pro nobis natus, 
 Tulit esse tuus. 
 
 Virgo singularis. 
 Inter omnes mitis, 
 Nos culpis solutos, 
 20 Mites f ac et castos. 
 
 Vitam praesta puram, 
 Iter para tutum, 
 Ut videntes Jesum, 
 Semper collaetemur. 
 
 25 Sit laus Deo Patri, 
 Summo Christo decus, 
 Spiritui Sancto, 
 Tribus honor unus. 
 
 Notes — 1. maris: The early 
 Christians derived Maria from 
 mare, the sea; the word is, of 
 course, of Hebrew origin. In this 
 connection March quotes a beau- 
 tiful stanza of unknown author- 
 ship : 
 Omnes rivi cursim fluunt, 
 Et in sinum maris ruunt, 
 Mare hinc non efHuit ; 
 Ad Mariam tamquam mare 
 Peccatores currunt, quare? 
 
 Quia nullum respuit, 
 O, Maria! 
 
 Semper dulcis, semper pia. 
 
 5-9. Translate : 'Receiving that 
 Ave from the mouth of Gabriel, 
 establish us in peace, changing the 
 name of Eva (into the blessed 
 Ave)\ 
 
 13. John XIX, 27: "Then he 
 said to the disciple, behold thy 
 mother." 
 
 15. tulit: 'deigned'. 
 
34 
 
 LATIN HYMNS 
 
 VENI CREATOR SPIRITUS 
 
 The authorship of this hymn is still uncertain. It has been ascribed 
 to St. Ambrose, to Gregory the Great (d. 604), to Charlemagne, and to 
 Rabanus Maurus. The weight of opinion, based on the evidence of 
 the MSS., is all in favor of Rabanus (776-856), Abbot of Fulda and 
 Archbishop of Mainz. For a thorough discussion of the subject, a 
 commentary and translation, see A. E. R. XVI, 573. 
 
 The hymn is one of the best in the liturgy and possesses a dignity 
 all its own, partly due to its concise and vigorous wording, partly 
 because of its traditional association. For a thousand years has it 
 been used in the Church at the most solemn functions, — the election 
 of popes, the opening of synods, the consecration of bishops, the ordi- 
 nation of priests, the crowning of kings, and on other important occa- 
 sions when the Church solemnly invokes the assistance of the Holy 
 Ghost. 
 
 Meter : Iambic dimeter, quantitative. 
 
 Veni, Creator Spiritus, 
 Mentes tuorum visita, 
 Imple superna gratia 
 Quae tu creasti pectora. 
 
 5 Qui diceris Paraclitus, 
 Altissimi donum Dei, 
 Pons vivus, ignis, caritas, 
 Et spiritalis unctio. 
 
 Tu septiformis munere, 
 10 Digitus paternae dexterae, 
 Tu rite promissum Patris, 
 Sermone ditans guttura. 
 
 Notes — 6. donum Dei: "You 
 shall receive the gift of the Holy 
 Ghost." Acts II, 38. 
 
 7. ignis: Cf. Luke XII, 49. 
 caritas: Cf. Romans V, 5. unc- 
 tio: Cf. I John II, 20, 27. 
 
 9. septiformis: "And the spirit 
 of the Lord shall rest upon him : 
 
 Accende lumen sensibus, 
 Infunde amorem cordibus, 
 15 Infirma nostri corporis 
 Virtute firmans perpeti. 
 
 Hostem repellas longius, 
 Pacemque dones protinus : 
 Ductore sic te praevio 
 20 Vitemus omne noxium. 
 
 Per te sciamus da Patrem, 
 Noscamus atque Filium, 
 Teque utriusque Spiritum 
 Credamus omni tempore. 
 
 the spirit of wisdom and under- 
 standing, the spirit of counsel and 
 fortitude, the spirit of knowledge 
 and of godliness ; and he shall be 
 filled with the spirit of the fear 
 of the Lord." Is. XI, 2, 3. 
 
 10. digitus: "But if I by the 
 finger of God cast out devils," 
 
! 
 
 I 
 
 LATIN HYMNS 
 
 35 
 
 25 Deo Patri sit gloria, 
 Et Filio, qui a mortuis 
 Surrexit, ac Paraclito, 
 In saeculorum saecula. 
 
 Dr. Henry translates : 
 
 O come, Creator Spirit blest, 
 Our longing souls in love em- 
 brace ; 
 And deign to fill each waiting 
 breast 
 Which Thou hast made, with 
 heavenly grace. 
 
 Thou who art called the Paraclete, 
 
 The gift of highest God above, 
 
 The royal priesthood's Unction 
 
 meet. 
 
 The living Fount, the Fire, the 
 
 Love ! Etc. 
 
 Luke XI, 20; "If I by the spirit 
 of God cast out devils," Matth. 
 XII, 28; whence we may infer 
 that 'finger of God' is 'the spirit 
 of God'. 
 
 11. promissum is Vocative. 
 
 rite, 'duly', 'solemnly'; an adverb 
 may modify a participial noun. 
 
 16. perpeti: from per pes, -etis, 
 with the same meaning as per- 
 petuus. 
 
36 LATIN HYMNS 
 
 VENI SANCTE SPIRITUS 
 
 This hymn is unanimously regarded as one of the masterpieces 
 of sacred Latin poetry, "the Golden Sequence." The rhythm is perfect, 
 the verse-scheme a marvel of art : every third verse ends in -ium and 
 rhymes with every other third verse ; in each stanza, moreover, the 
 first line rhymes with the second, the fourth with the fifth. The har- 
 mony is enriched by frequent anaphora and assonance. "It defies com- 
 parison with any other hymn in any other language". — Julian. "The 
 loveliest of all the hymns in the whole circle of Latin sacred poetry." 
 — Trench. 
 
 Julian sums up the question of authorship as follows : "It is 
 clearly not earlier than about the beginning of the thirteenth century. 
 It is certainly neither by Robert II, nor by Hermannus Contractus. 
 The most probable author is Innocent III" (1160-1216). 
 
 Meter : Trochaic dimeter catalectic, accentual. 
 
 Veni Sancte Spiritus, O lux beatissima, 
 
 Et emitte caelitus Reple cordis intima 
 
 Lucis tuae radium. 15 Tuorum fidelium ! 
 Veni, pater pauperum, Sine tuo numine 
 
 5 Veni, dator munerum. Nihil est in homine, 
 
 Veni, lumen cordium ; Nihil est innoxium. 
 
 Consolator optime. Lava quod est sordidum, 
 
 Dulcis hospes animae, 20 Riga quod est aridum, 
 
 Dulce ref rigerium Sana quod est saucium ; 
 
 10 In labore requies, Flecte quod est rigidum, 
 
 In aestu temperies, Fove quod est f rigidum, 
 
 In fletu solatium. Rege quod est devium. 
 
 25 Da tuis fidelibus 
 
 In te confidentibus 
 
 Sacrum septenarium ; 
 
 Da virtutis meritum, 
 
 Da salutis exitum, 
 30 Da perenne gaudium. 
 
LATIN HYMNS 
 
 zy 
 
 Notes — 2. caelitus (adv.) : 
 'from heaven'. 
 
 9. refrigerium: lit. 'coolness', 
 *a cooling' ; hence 'comfort', 
 
 11. aestu: the word means, 
 first, any undulating, waving mo- 
 tion; hence 'heat', 'glow'; in its 
 transferred sense it means 'any 
 unusual emotion of the mind', 
 often referring to passion. Here 
 
 it probably stands for 'unwonted 
 joy', 'exultation'. 
 
 16. numine: 'inspiring grace'. 
 
 19. lava: Cf. John III, 5. 
 
 2i. "And going up to him, 
 bound up his wounds, pouring in 
 oil and wine." Luke X, 34. 
 
 27. septenarium: See note on 
 Veni Creator Spiritus, line 9. 
 
38 LATIN HYMNS 
 
 SALVE REGINA 
 
 (Hermannus Contractus) 
 
 The authorship of this anthem is not yet clearly established, but 
 the most probable opinion assigns it to Hermannus Contractus. Her- 
 mann of Reichenau, usually styled Hermannus Contractus, — the sur- 
 name Contractus being due to the fact that he was a cripple from birth 
 — was born in the year 1013 and at the age of seven, sent to the famous 
 monastery of Reichenau on the island of that name, in Lake Constance, 
 where he died in 1054. He was a man of loving personality, and his 
 physical helplessness was, in a way, compensated for by the most bril- 
 liant gifts of intellect. Not only was he accomplished in Latin, Greek 
 and Arabic, but he attracted attention by his knowledge of theology, 
 astronomy, music and mathematics. He is the author of the earliest 
 medieval chronicle now extant. 
 
 The Salve Regina is the most famous of the four anthems of the 
 Blessed Virgin Mary recited in turn through the year in the Divine 
 Office, the other three being the Alma Redemptoris Mater, the Ave 
 Regina Caelorum and the Regina Caeli. The Alma Redemptoris Mater 
 is also attributed to Hermannus Contractus. The Salve Regina is not 
 a hymn in the technical sense of the word, but its lines are stately and 
 sonorous, and there is a faint rhyming effect that can hardly have been 
 accidental. It has, for centuries, been in use in devotions to the 
 B. V. M., and is now recited by priest and people after every ^ow 
 Mass. In the later Middle Ages, when all Christians were Catholics 
 and regarded Mary as the Star of the Sea, sailors and fishermen used 
 to sing it in stormy w-eather; and we are told that it formed part of 
 the regular evening devotion of Columbus and his crew on their event- 
 ful voyage of discovery. 
 
 Salve Regina, Mater misercordiae, 
 
 Vita, dulcedo et spes nostra, salve. 
 
 Ad te clamamus exules filii Evae; 
 
 Ad te suspiramus gementes et flentes in hac lacrlmarum 
 
 valle. 
 Eja ergo, advocata nostra, illos tuos misericordes oculos 
 
 ad nos converte, 
 Et Jesum, bcncdictum fructum ventris tui, nobis post hoc 
 
 exilium ostende. 
 
 O clemens, o pia, 
 
 O dulcis Virgo Maria. 
 
LATIN HYMNS 
 
 39 
 
 JESU DULCIS MEMORIA 
 
 The writer in Julian's Hymnological Dictionary (ed. 1908) is still 
 inclined to attribute this charming hymn to St. Bernard (1091-1153) 
 with the remark that it is the finest and most characteristic specimen 
 of the Saint's subjective loveliness. But the opinion that it comes 
 from the pen of St. Bernard must now, it appears, be abandoned. 
 Father Blume (see Catholic EncycL, art. "Hymnody") pronounces 
 against it; and in the Irish Ecclesiastical Record for September, 1910, 
 p. 267, we read that "the illustrious Benedictine, Dom Pothier, has dis- 
 covered a copy of the hymn in manuscripts of about the year 1070, in 
 which the ascription is assigned to a Benedictine abbess." The original 
 text consists of fifty-three stanzas. 
 
 Meter : Iambic dimeter, accentual. 
 
 Jesu dulcis memoria, 
 Dans vera cordis gaudia 
 Sed super mel et omnia 
 Ejus dulcis praesentia. 
 
 5 Nil canitur suavius, 
 Auditur nil jucundius, 
 Nil cogitatur dulcius, 
 Quam Jesus, Dei Filius. 
 
 Quando cor nostrum visitas, 
 Tunc lucet ei Veritas, 
 Mundi vilescit vanitas, 
 Et intus f ervet caritas. 
 
 25 Jesu dulcedo cordium, 
 
 Fons vivus, lumen mentium, 
 Excedens omne gaudium, 
 Et omne desiderium. 
 
 Jesu Spes poenitentibus, Jesum omnes agnoscite, 
 
 10 Quam pius es petentibus ! 30 Amorem ejus poscite ; 
 Quam bonus te quaerentibus ! Jesum ardenter quaerite, 
 Sed quid invenientibus ? Quaerendo inardescite. 
 
 Nee lingua valet dicere, 
 Nee littera exprimere : 
 15 Expertus potest credere, 
 Quid sit Jesum diligere. 
 
 Jesu, Rex admirabilis 
 Et triumphator nobilis, 
 Dulcedo inefifabilis, 
 20 Totus desiderabilis. 
 
 Te nostra, Jesu, vox sonet, 
 Nostri te mores exprimant, 
 35 Te corda nostra diligant, 
 Et nunc et in perpetuum. 
 
 Jesu, decus angelicum. 
 In aure dulce canticum, 
 In ore mel mirificum, 
 40 In corde nectar caelicum. 
 
40 
 
 LATIN HYMNS 
 
 Qui te gustant, esuriunt, 
 Qui bibunt, adhuc sitiunt, 
 Desiderare nesciunt 
 Nisi Jesum, quern diligunt. 
 
 Jesu, flos Matris Virginis, 
 Amor nostrae dulcedinis, 
 55 Tibi laus, honor nominis, 
 Regnum beatitudinis. 
 
 i 
 
 45 O Jesu mi dulcissime, Quocunque loco f uero, 
 
 Spes suspirantis animae, Mecum Jesu desidero, 
 
 Te quaerunt piae lacrymae, Quam laetus, cum invenero, 
 
 Te clamor mentis intimae. 60 Quam f elix, cum tenuero ! 
 
 Mane nobiscum Domine, 
 50 Et nos illustra lumine ; 
 Pulsa mentis caligine, 
 Mundum reple dulcedine. 
 
 Jesum quaeram in lectulo, 
 Clauso cordis cubiculo, 
 Privatim et in publico 
 Quaeram amore sedulo. 
 
 65 Sis Jesu nostrum gaudium, 
 Qui es f uturus praemium : 
 Sit nostra in te gloria, 
 Per cuncta semper saecula. 
 
LATIN HYMNS 41 
 
 HORA NOVISSIMA 
 
 (Bernard of Cluny) 
 
 The author of this hymn, born at Morlaix in Bretagne — hence 
 also called Bernard of Morlaix — was a member of the Benedictine 
 order in the monastery of Cluny, in the first half of the twelfth century. 
 The lines here given are from the selection made by Dr. Neale from 
 a long poem of nearly three thousand lines, entitled de contemptn 
 mundi. The greater part of the poem is a bitter satire on the vices of 
 the age. By way of contrast, however, the poet gives, in the first part, 
 "a description of the peace and glory of heaven, of such rare beauty, as 
 not easily to be matched by any medieval composition on the same 
 subject." — Neale, Medieval Hymns, p. 68. Dr. Neale published the 
 hymn with a translation of his own in a booklet bearing the title, "The 
 Rhythm of Bernard de Morlaix, Monk of Cluny, on the Celestial 
 Country." 
 
 Meter : Dactylic hexameter, quantitative. Each verse is divided 
 into three parts without caesura between them, has a tailed rhyme and 
 a feminine leonine rhyme between the two first clauses. The verse- 
 scheme is a very difficult one to handle, and the author of the poem 
 declares that, had it not been for special assistance from on high, he 
 should not have been able to employ it through a poem of such length. 
 
 Hora novissima, tempora pessima sunt, vigilemus ! 
 Ecce minaciter imminet Arbiter Ille supremus: 
 Imminet, imminet, ut mala terminet, aequa coronet. 
 Recta remuneret, anxia liberet, aethera donet. 
 5 Auferat aspera duraque pondera mentis onustae, 
 Sobria muniat, improba puniat, utraque juste. 
 
 Curre, vir optime, lubrica reprime, praefer honesta, 
 Fletibus angere, flendo merebere caelica festa. 
 Luce replebere jam sine vespere, jam sine luna: 
 10 Lux nova, lux ea, lux erit aurea, lux erit una. 
 Patria luminis, inscia turbinis, inscia litis, 
 Give replebitur, amplificabitur Israelitis : 
 
 Notes — The novelty of the have tempted several translators, 
 meter, and the stately rhythm It is interesting to compare their 
 and movement of these verses efforts in rendering the first lines. 
 
42 
 
 LATIN HYMNS 
 
 Patria splendida, terraque florida, libera spinis, 
 
 Danda fidelibus est ibi civibus, his peregrinis. 
 15 Pax erit omnibus ilia fidelibus, ilia beata, 
 
 Irresolubilis, invariabilis, intemerata: 
 
 Pax sine crimine, pax sine turbine, pax sine rixa; 
 
 Meta laboribus, atque tumultibus anchora fixa. 
 
 Hortus odoribus affluet omnibus, hie paradisus, 
 20 Plenaque gratia, plenaque gaudia, cantica, risus; 
 
 Plena redemptio, plena refectio, gloria plena: 
 "Vi, lue, luctibus aufugientibus, exule poena. 
 
 Dr. Coles, who has thirteen trans- 
 lations of the Dies Irae to his 
 credit, translates : 
 
 The last of the hours, iniquity 
 towers, 
 The times are the worst, let us 
 vigils be keeping! 
 Lest the Judge, who is near, and 
 soon to appear, 
 Shall us at His coming find 
 slumbering and sleeping. 
 He is nigh. He is nigh, He de- 
 scends from the sky. 
 For the ending of evil and the 
 right's coronation, 
 The just to reward relief to 
 afford, 
 And the heavens bestow for the 
 saints' habitation. 
 
 Duffield was bold enough to 
 adopt the original meter, which 
 Neale considered quite impossible 
 in English. Here are his first 
 lines : 
 
 These are the latter times, these 
 are not better times : 
 Let us stand waiting. 
 
 Lo ! how, with awfulness, He, first 
 in lawfulness. 
 Comes arbitrating. 
 
 Neale followed the ballad meas- 
 ure and wrote as follows : 
 The world is very evil; 
 
 The times are waxing late : 
 Be sober and keep vigil ; 
 
 The Judge is at the gate: 
 The Judge that comes in mercy, 
 
 The Judge that comes with 
 might. 
 To terminate the evil, 
 
 To diadem the right. 
 
 8. angere: Imperat. Pass., be 
 distressed, 'be contrite'. 
 
 9. "And the city hath no need 
 of the sun, nor of the moon lo 
 shine in it. For the glory of God 
 hath enlightened it, and the Lamb 
 is the lamp thereof." Apoc. XXI, 
 23. 
 
 12. Israelitis: citizens of the 
 new Jerusalem. 
 
 18. meta: goal, i. e. 'end'. 
 
 19. affluet: 'will abound'. 
 
 22. vi, lue: supply aufugiente 
 with both ; lues, plague, hence 
 'sin'. 
 
 i 
 
LATIN HYMNS 43 
 
 Hie breve vivitur, hie breve plangitur, hie breve fletur; 
 
 Non breve vivere, non breve plangere retribuetur. 
 25 O retributio ! stat brevis actio, vita perennis ; 
 
 O retributio ! caelica mansio stat lue plenis. 
 
 Omnibus unica caelica gratia retribuetur, 
 
 Omnibus, omnibus ulcera flentibus accipietur. 
 
 Tunc rosa sanguine, lilia virgine mente micabunt ; 
 30 Gaudia maxima te, pia lacrima te recreabunt. 
 
 Nunc tibi tristia; tunc tibi gaudia; gaudia quanta? 
 
 Vox nequit edere, lumina cernere, tangere planta. 
 
 Post nigra, post mala nost fera scandala, quae caro 
 praestat, 
 
 Absque nigredine lux, sine turbine pax, tibi restat. 
 35 Sunt modo proelia, postmodo praemia. Qualia? Plena: 
 
 Plena refectio, nullaque passio, nuUaque poena. 
 
 Spe modo vivitur, et Sion angitur a Babylone; 
 June tribulatio ; tunc recreatio, sceptra, coronae. 
 
 Qui modo creditur, ipse videbitur, atque scietur: 
 40 Ipse videntibus atque scientibus attribuetur. 
 
 Plena refectio, tunc pia visio, visio Jesu: 
 
 Cor miserabile, corpus inutile, non erit ultra; 
 
 Nulla cadavera, nullaque funera, nulla sepulchra; 
 
 Flendaque gaudia, blandaque proelia carnis abibunt ; 
 45 Fraus, probra, jurgia, — quid moror? OMNIA prava 
 peribunt. 
 
 Gens bene vivida, vitaque florida, fons David undans; 
 Lux erit aurea, terraque lactea, melle redundans. 
 
 24. breve vivere, plangere: tyrs), and the lily will shine in 
 subjects to retribuetur. virgin souls.' 
 
 32. lumina: Nom., supply 
 26. stat lue plenis: 'awaits nequeunt. ple^nta: 'foot;' supply 
 sinful creatures ;' plenis is Dat. neqiiit. 
 
 37. Sion: the Church. Baby- 
 29. rosa etc.: 'the rose will be Ion: the wicked world, or the 
 bright with the blood (of mar- devil. 
 
44 
 
 LATIN HYMNS 
 
 Lux ea vespere, gens lue, funere vita carebit; 
 Jesus habebitur, ipse tenebitur, ipse tenebit. 
 
 50 Jesus amantibus afferet omnibus alta trophaea ; 
 Jesus amabitur, atque videbitur in Galilaea. 
 O bona Patria, lumina sobria te speculantur: 
 Ad tua nomina, sobria lumina collacrymantur : 
 Est tua mentio pectoris unctio, cura doloris, 
 
 55 Concipientibus aethera mentibus ignis amoris. 
 Tu locus unicus, illeque caelicus es paradisus : 
 Non ibi lacrima, sed placidissima gaudia, risus. 
 Est ibi consita laurus, et insita cedrus hysopo ; 
 Sunt radiantia jaspide moenia, clara pyropo. 
 
 60 Hinc tibi sardius, inde topazius, hinc amethystus: 
 Est tua fabrica concio caelica, gemmaque Christus. 
 Tu sine littore, tu sine tempore, fons, modo rivus, 
 Dulce bonis sapis, estque tibi Lapis undique Vivus. 
 Ipse tuus Deus est lapis aureus, est tibi murus 
 
 65 Inviolabilis, insuperabilis, baud ruiturus. 
 
 Est tibi laurea, dos datur aurea, sponsa decora, 
 Primaque Principis oscula suscipis, inspicis ora. 
 Candida lilia, viva monilia, sunt tibi, sponsa: 
 Agnus adest tibi, Sponsus adest tibi, lux speciosa. 
 
 70 Urbs Sion aurea, Patria lactea, cive decora, 
 
 Omne cor obruis, omnibus obstruis et cor et ora. 
 Nescio, nescio, quae jubilatio, lux tibi qualis. 
 
 51. Galilaea: Referring to 
 Matth. XXVIII, 7: "And behold 
 he will go before you into Galilee ; 
 there you will see him." 
 
 52. lumina sobria etc. : 'sad 
 eyes (now) contemplate thee'. 
 
 55. aethera: Ace; 'heaven'. 
 57. ibi, i. e. in heaven. 
 59, 60. Cf. Apoc. XXI, 19 seq. 
 61. 
 "Thy saints build up its fabric 
 
 And the corner stone is Christ." 
 
 — Neale. 
 
 62. 'Thou, (ocean) without 
 shore, thou, (day) without limit.' 
 "And he showed me a river of 
 water of life, clear as crystal, pro- 
 ceeding from the throne of God 
 and of the Lamb." Apoc. XXII, 1. 
 
 63. Lapis undique vivus: Cf. 
 I Peter II, 4. 
 
 70. Urbs Sion: These lines 
 
LATIN HYMNS 
 
 45 
 
 Quam socialia gaudia, gloria quam specialis. 
 Stant Sion atria conjubilantia, martyre plena, 
 75 Cive micantia, Principe stantia, luce serena. 
 Est tibi pascua mitibus afflua, praestita Sanctis; 
 Regis ibi thronus, agminis et sonus est epulantis. 
 
 Gens duce splendida, concio Candida vestibus albis, 
 
 Sunt sine fletibus in Sion aedibus, aedibus almis ; 
 
 80 Pax ibi florida, pascua vivida, viva, medulla, 
 
 Nulla molestia, nulla tragoedia, lacrima nulla. 
 O sacra potio, sacra refectio, pax animarum, 
 
 O pius, O bonus, O placidus sonus, hymnus earum ! 
 
 Urbs Sion inclita, gloria debita glorificandis, 
 85 Tu bona visibus interioribus intima pandis ; 
 
 Intima lumina, mentis acumina, te speculantur ; 
 
 Pectora flammea spe modo, postea sorte, lucrantur. 
 
 Urbs Sion unica, mansio mystica, condita caelo, 
 
 Nunc tibi gaudeo, nunc mihi lugeo, tristor, anhelo: 
 90 O sine luxibus, O sine luctibus, O sine lite, 
 
 Splendida Curia, florida Patria, Patria vitae ! 
 
 have become well known through 
 Neale's translation : 
 Jerusalem the Golden, 
 
 With milk and honey blest, 
 Beneath thy contemplation 
 
 Sink heart and voice oppressed : 
 I know not, O I know not, 
 
 What social joys are there; 
 What radiancy of glory, 
 
 What light beyond compare ! 
 They stand, those halls of Sion, 
 
 Conjubilant with song. 
 And bright with many an angel, 
 
 And all the martyr throng : 
 The Prince is ever in them; 
 
 The daylight is serene ; 
 The pastures of the Blessed 
 
 Are decked in glorious sheen. 
 
 74. Sion: indecl. 
 
 80-84. Duffield in his Latin 
 Hymn — Writers and their HymnSj 
 p. 226, translates: 
 
 Peace doth abide in thee; none 
 hath denied to thee 
 Fruitage undying. 
 Thou hast no weariness ; nought 
 of uncheeriness 
 Moves thee to sighing. 
 Draught of the stream of life, joy 
 of the dream of life. 
 Peace of the spirit ! 
 Sacred and holy hymns, placid and 
 lowly hymns, 
 Thou dost inherit ! 
 91. splendida curia: 
 
46 LATIN HYMNS 
 
 Urbs Sion inclita, turris et edita littore tuto, 
 Te peto, te colo, te flagro, te volo, canto, saluto : 
 Net mentis peto ; nam meritis meto morte perire, 
 95 Nee reticens tego, quod meritis ego filius irae: 
 Vita quidem mea, vita nimis rea, mortua vita, 
 Quippe reatibus exitialibus obruta, trita. 
 Spe tamen ambulo, praemia postulo speque, fideque; 
 Ilia perennia postulo praemia nocte dieque. 
 100 Me Pater optimus atque piissimus ille creavit, 
 In lue pertulit, ex lue sustulit, a lue lavit. 
 
 O bona Patria, num tua gaudia teque videbo? 
 O bona Patria, num tua praemia plena tenebo? 
 Die mihi, flagito ; verbaque reddito, dieque, — Videbis : 
 105 Spem solidam gero : remne tenens ero ? Die, — Retinebis. 
 
 "O princely bow'rs, O land o£ 94. meto: reap, i. e. deserve, 
 
 flowers! 95. quod: Conjunction; sup- 
 
 O Realm and Home of Life." ply sum. 
 
 — Neale. 
 
LATIN HYMNS 
 
 47 
 
 UT JUCUNDAS CERVUS UNDAS 
 
 (Bernard of Cluny) 
 
 The above title is the first line of a very lengthy poem, or "rather 
 cycle of poems or hymns known as the Mariale." It has been attributed 
 to St. Anselm, Archbishop of Canterbury (d. 1109) ; to St. Bernard 
 (d. 1153) ; to Hildebert, Archbishop of Tours (d. 1134) ; and to St. 
 Thomas (d. 1274) ; but is now regarded by hymnodists — and that for 
 good reasons — as the production of Bernard of Cluny. The earliest 
 extant manuscript was written about 1150, and is entitled Invocatio 
 Divinae Sapientiae facta a Bernardo in laudem monacho perpetnae Vir- 
 ginis. The verses breathe devotion in every line and have been much [j 
 in favor with clients of Mary in every age; while their polish and 
 elegance and the rhyme employed mark them out as the work of an 
 accomplished Latin scholar. 
 
 The cento beginning Omni die die Mariae has often been errone- 
 ously attributed to St. Casimir of Poland, who died in 1484. 
 
 Meter: Iambic dimeter, accentual. 
 
 Ut jucundas cervus undas 
 Aestuans desiderat, 
 
 Sic ad rivum Dei vivum 
 Mens fidelis properat. 
 
 5 Sicut rivi fontis vivi 
 
 Praebent refrigerium, 
 Ita menti sitienti 
 Deus est remedium. 
 
 Quantis bonis superponis 
 10 Sanctos tuos, Domine : 
 Sese laedit qui recedit 
 Ab aeterno lumine. 
 
 Vitam laetam et quietam, 
 Qui te quaerit reperit ; 
 15 Nam labor em et dolorem 
 Metit qui te deserit. 
 
 Notes — 1-4. The thought is 
 taken from Ps. XLI, 1 : Qiiemad- 
 modum desiderat cervus etc., "As 
 
 Pacem donas et coronas 
 His qui tibi militant ; 
 Cuncta laeta sine meta 
 20 His qui tecum habitant. 
 
 Heu quam vana, mens 
 humana, 
 
 Visione f alleris ! 
 Dum te curis nocituris 
 
 Imprudenter inseris. 
 
 25 Recordare quis et quare 
 Sis a Deo conditus ; 
 Hujus heres nunc maneres, 
 Si fuisses subditus. 
 
 O mortalis, quantis malis 
 30 Meruisti affici, 
 
 Dum Rectori et Auctor 
 Noluisti subjici. 
 
 the hart panteth after the foun- 
 tains of water, so my soul panteth 
 after thee, O God." 
 
48 
 
 LATIN HYMNS 
 
 Sed majores sunt dolores 
 Inf ernalis carceris ; 
 35 Quo mittendus et torquen- 
 dus 
 Es, si male vixeris. 
 
 Cui mundus est jucundus, 
 
 Suam perdit animam ; 
 Pro re levi atque brevi 
 40 Vitam perdit optimam. 
 
 Ergo cave ne suave 
 
 Jugum spernas Domini ; 
 Nee abjecta lege recta 
 Servias libidini. 
 
 45 Preces funde, pectus tunde, 
 Flendo cor humilia : 
 Paenitenti et gementi 
 Non negatur venia. 
 
 Omni die dig mariae 
 50 Mea laudes anima, 
 Ejus festa, ejus gesta 
 Cole devotissima. 
 
 Contemplare et mirare 
 Ejus celsitudinem ; 
 55 Die felicem genetricem, 
 Die beatam Virginem 
 
 Ipsam cole ut de mole 
 
 Criminum te liberet ; 
 Hanc apella, ne procella 
 60 Vitiorum superet. 
 
 Haec persona nobis dona 
 Contulit caelestia ; 
 
 Haec regina nos divina 
 Illustravit gratia. 
 
 65 Sine fine die reginae 
 
 Mundi laudem, cantica, 
 Ejus bona semper sona, 
 Semper illam praedica. 
 
 Quamvis sciam quod 
 Mariam 
 70 Nemo digne praedicet, 
 Tamen vanus et insanus 
 Est qui illam reticet. 
 
 Ipsa donet ut, quod monet 
 Natus ejus, f aciam : 
 75 Ut finita carnis vita 
 
 Laetus hunc aspiciam. 
 
 O cunctarum f eminarum 
 Decus atque gloria ! 
 Quam electam et evectam 
 80 Scimus super omnia. 
 
 Vitae forma, morum norma, 
 Plenitudo gratiae : 
 
 Dei templum et exemplum 
 Totius justitiae. 
 
 85 Reparatrix, consolatrix 
 Desperantis animae ! 
 A pressura, quae ventura 
 Malis est, me redime. 
 
 Pro me pete ut quiete 
 90 Sempiterna perf ruar : 
 Ne tormentis comburentis 
 Stagni miser obruar. 
 
LATIN HYMNS 49 
 
 Ut sim castus et modestus, 105 Fac me mitem, pelle litem, 
 Dulcis, blandus, sobrius, Compesce lasciviam : 
 
 95 Pius, rectus, circumspectus, Contra crimen da munimen 
 
 Simultatis nescius. Et mentis constantiam. 
 
 Constans, gravis, atque ,, ,. . . 
 
 JN on me liget nee fatiget 
 
 _, . ' , .,. 110 Saeculi cupiditas, 
 
 Benignus, amabilis, 
 
 Simplex, purus et maturus, 
 100 Patiens et humilis. 
 
 Quae indurat et obscurat 
 Mentes sibi subditas. 
 
 Commendare me dignare Da levamen et juvamen 
 
 Christo tuo Filio, Tuum illis jugiter, 
 
 Ut non cadam, sed evadam 115 Tua festa, tua gesta 
 De mundi nauf ragio. Qui colunt alacriter. 
 
50 LATIN HYMNS 
 
 POTESTATE NON NATURA 
 
 (Adam of St. Victor) 
 
 The Abbey of St. Victor, from which the greatest of hymnodists 
 takes his name, lay in the suburb of Paris and was celebrated, especially 
 in the twelfth century, as a school of Theology. "Probably no other 
 religious foundation," says Wrangham, "could boast of such a brilliant 
 triad of doctors of divinity as the one that graced this abbey during 
 that century." These three are Hugh of St. Victor, who was by birth 
 a Saxon; Richard of St. Victor, a native of Scotland; and Adam of 
 St. Victor, who was born either in England or in Brittany. Little is 
 known of Adam's life. In all probability he studied at the University 
 of Paris, entered the monastery as a young man, where he lived the rest 
 of his life and died some time between 1172 and 1192. He was a most 
 prolific hymn writer. His works were published in Paris in 1859, 
 edited by M. Gautier. Upon this edition is based the work of Digby S. 
 Wrangham, The Liturgical Poetry of Adam of St. Victor with Trans- 
 lations into English in the Original Meters, 3 Vols. ; Kegan Paul, 
 Trench and Co. 
 
 Trench (p. 57) says of Adam of St. Victor: "His profound 
 acquaintance with the whole circle of the theology of his time, and 
 eminently with its exposition of Scripture, — the abundant and admirable 
 use, with indeed the drawback already mentioned (fondness for learned 
 allusions) which he makes of it, delivering as he thus does his poems 
 from the merely subjective cast of those, beautiful as they are, of St. 
 Bernard — the exquisite art and variety with which for the most part 
 his verse is managed and his rhymes disposed — their rich melody multi- 
 plying and ever deepening at the close — ^the strength which often he 
 concentrates into a single line — his skill in conducting a story — and 
 most of all, the evident nearness of the things which he celebrates to 
 his own heart of hearts — all these, and other excellencies, render hifti, 
 as far as my judgment goes, the foremost among the sacred Latin 
 poets of the Middle Ages." Neale, himself a competent judge, remarks 
 of the above estimate that "if it have a fault, I think that it hardly 
 does this wonderful poet justice," p. 107. Again, Neale writes: "What 
 are we to think of the genius that could pour forth one hundred 
 Sequences, of which fifty at least are unequaled save by the Dies 
 Irae?" — Medieval Hymns, Preface, X. 
 
 Meter : Trochaic dimeter, accentual. 
 
 The theme is the birth of Christ. 
 
 Potestate, non natura 5 Praedicatus per prophetas, 
 
 Fit Creator creatura, Quern non capit locus, aetas, 
 
 Reportetur ut factura Nostrae sortis intrat metas, 
 
 Factoris in gloria. Non relinquens propria. 
 
LATIN HYMNS 
 
 51 
 
 Caelum terris inclinatur, 
 10 Homo-Deus adunatur, 30 
 
 Adunato f amulatur 
 Caelestis familia. 
 Rex sacerdos consecratur 
 Generalis, quod monstratur 
 15 Cum pax terris nuntiatur 
 
 Et in altis gloria. 35 
 
 Causam quaeris, modum rei ? 
 Causa prius omnes rei, 
 Modus justum velle Dei, 
 20 Sed conditum gratia. .^ 
 
 O quam dulce condimentum. 
 Nobis mutans in pigmentum 
 Cum aceto f el cruentum, 
 Degustante Messia ! 
 
 25 O salubre sacramentum, 
 
 Quod nos ponit in jumentum,45 
 Plagis nostris dans unguen- 
 tum, 
 Ille de Samaria. 
 
 Ille alter Elisaeus 
 Reputatus homo reus, 
 Suscitavit homo Deus 
 Sunamitis puerum. 
 
 Hie est gigas currens f ortis, 
 Qui, destructa lege mortis, 
 Ad amoena primae sortis 
 Ovem f ert in humerum. 
 Vivit, regnat Deus-homo, 
 Trahens orco lapsum pomo ; 
 Caelo tractus gaudet homo 
 Denum complens numerum. 
 
 Patris mater, meta vatum, 
 Ora Patrem, jube natum, 
 Nos ut ducat ad hunc statum 
 Plenum pace, gloria, 
 Quo refecti 
 Visu Dei 
 Cantemus Alleluia. 
 Amen dicant omnia. 
 
 Notes — 3. factura: 'creature.' 
 
 6. quern non etc. : 'whom 
 neither space nor time can con- 
 tain.' 
 
 11, 12. "And behold angels 
 came and ministered to him." 
 Matth. IV, 11. Cf. also Luke II, 
 10-13; XXII, 43. 
 
 19. modus etc.: the way was 
 that chosen by the will of God 
 ever just and kind. 
 
 21. "O how sweet their blended 
 savor." Wrangham. 
 
 22. pigmentum: wine flavored 
 with spices and honey, which is 
 also one meaning of our word 
 
 "pigment." mutans agrees with 
 condimentum. 
 
 23. fel cruentum: object of 
 mutans and also the implied ob- 
 ject of degustante. 
 
 26-28. The reference is to the 
 good Samaritan, cf. Luke X, 34. 
 
 29-32. Eliseus is a type of 
 Christ. For the miracle referred 
 to see 4 Kings IV. 
 
 35. amoena: 'the joys of his 
 first estate.' 
 
 38. orco: Abl. of Separation 
 after trahens. lapsum: 'fallen 
 man.' 
 
52 
 
 LATIN HYMNS 
 
 QUI PROCEDIS AB UTROQUE 
 
 (Adam of St. Victor) 
 
 A hymn for the Feast of Pentecost. 
 Meter : Trochaic, accentual. 
 
 Qui procedis ab utroque, 
 Genitore Genitoque, 
 Pariter Paraclite, 
 Redde linguas eloquentcs, 
 5 Fac f erventes 
 
 In te mentes 
 Flamma tua divite. 
 
 Amor Patris Filiique, 
 Par amborum et utrique 
 10 Compar et consimilis. 
 Cuncta reples, cuncta foves, 
 Astra regis, caelum moves, 
 Permanens immobilis. 
 
 Lumen carum, 
 1 5 Lumen clarum, 
 
 Internarum 
 Tenebrarum 
 Effugas caliginem ; 
 Per te mundi sunt mundati ; 
 20 Tu peccatum et peccati 
 Destruis rubiginem. 
 
 Notes — 11. cuncta: The Holy 
 Ghost inspires and animates all 
 that is supernatural in this world. 
 
 12. regis: He is said to rule 
 over all things in as much as His 
 nature is identical with that of the 
 Father and the Son. 
 
 25 
 
 Veritatem notam f acis 
 Et ostendis viam pacis 
 Et iter justitiae. 
 Perversorum 
 
 Corda vitas, 
 Et bonorum 
 Corda ditas 
 Munere scientiae. 
 
 30 
 
 Te docente 
 
 Nil obscurum, 
 Te praesente 
 Nil impurum ; 
 Sub tua praesentia 
 35 Gloriatur mens jucunda; 
 Per te laeta, per te munda 
 Gaudet conscientia. 
 
 Tu commutas elementa ; 
 Per te suam sacramenta 
 40 Habent efficaciam : 
 Tu nocivam vim repellis, 
 Tu confutas et ref ellis 
 Hostium nequitiam. 
 
 38. elementa: the bread and 
 wine in the Mass. 
 
 39, 40. He is the source of 
 grace. 
 
 51. non comburis: The work 
 of the Holy Spirit is not to de- 
 stroy natural affection but to 
 purify it. 
 
 1 
 
LATIN HYMNS 
 
 53 
 
 45 
 
 50 
 
 55 
 
 60 
 
 65 
 
 Quando venis, 
 
 Corda lenis ; 
 
 Ouando subis 
 
 Atrae nubis 
 Effugit obscuritas ; 
 
 Sacer ignis, 
 
 Pectus ignis 
 
 Non comburis, 
 
 Sed a curis 
 Purgas, quando visitas. 
 
 75 
 
 80 
 
 Mentes prius imperitas 
 
 Et sopitas 
 
 Et oblitas 
 
 Erudis et excitas. 
 
 Foves linguas, formas so- ^^ 
 
 num; 
 
 Cor ad bonum 
 
 Facit pronum 
 
 A te data caritas. 
 
 90 
 O juvamen 
 
 Oppressorum, 
 
 O solamen 
 
 Miserorum, 
 
 Pauperum refugium, 
 
 Da contemptum terrenorum,95 
 
 Ad amorem supernorum 
 
 Trahe desiderium ! 
 
 70 Consolator 
 
 Et f undator, 
 
 Habitator 
 
 Et amator 
 Cordium humilium, 
 Pelle mala, terge sordes, 
 
 Et discordes 
 
 Fac Concordes, 
 Et affer praesidium. 
 
 Tu qui quondam visitasti, 
 Docuisti, confortasti 
 
 Timentes discipulos, 
 Visitare nos digneris ; 
 Nos, si placet, consoleris 
 
 Et credentes populos. 
 
 . Par majestas 
 Personarum, 
 Par potestas 
 Est earum, 
 Et communis Deitas : 
 Tu, procedens a duobus, 
 Coaequalis es ambobus ; 
 In nuUo disparitas. 
 
 Quia tantus es et talis 
 Quantus Pater est et qualis ; 
 
 Servorum humilitas 
 Deo Patri, Filioque 
 Redemptori, Tibi quoque 
 
 Laudes reddat debitas. 
 
 Amen. 
 
54 
 
 LATIN HYMNS 
 
 HERI MUNDUS EXSULTAVIT 
 
 (Adam of St. Victor) 
 
 A hymn in honor of St. Stephen, whose feast is celebrated Decem- 
 ber 26. It is probably the best of the many hymns Adam composed in 
 honor of various saints. 
 
 Meter: Trochaic, accentual. 
 
 Heri mundus exsultavit 
 Et exsultans celebravit 
 
 Christi natalitia ; 
 Heri chorus angelorum 
 5 Prosecutus est caelorum 
 Regem cum laetitia. 
 
 Protomartyr et Levita^ 
 Clarus fide, clarus vita, 
 
 Clarus et miraculis, 
 10 Sub hac luce triumphavit, 
 Et triumphans insultavit 
 
 Stephanus incredulis. 
 
 Fremunt ergo tamquam ferae, 
 Quia victi def ecere 
 15 Lucis adversarii : 
 
 Falsos testes statuunt, 
 Et linguas exacuunt 
 Viperarum filii. 
 
 Agonista, nulli cede, 
 20 Certa certus de mercede, 
 Persevera, Stephane 
 Insta f alsis testibus, 
 Confuta sermonibus 
 Synagogam Satanae. 
 
 25 Testis tuus est in caelis, 
 Testis verax et fidelis, 
 Nomen habes Coronati : 
 Te tormenta decet pati 
 
 30 Pro corona gloriae. 
 
 Pro corona non marcenti 
 Perf er brevis vim tormenti ! 
 
 Te manet victoria. 
 Tibi fiet mors natalis, 
 35 Tibi poena terminalis 
 
 Dat vitae primordia. 
 Plenus Sancto Spiritu, 
 
 Notes — In connection with St. 
 Stephen and his martyrdom read 
 Acts VI, VII. 
 
 7. Levita: Stephen was a dea- 
 con. 
 
 10. sub hac luce: 'on this day'. 
 
 18. "Ye brood of vipers." 
 Matth. Ill, 7; "O generation o^ 
 vipers." id. XII, 34. 
 
 28. The Greek Stephanos means 
 corona. 
 
 49. "Lord Jesus, receive my 
 spirit." Acts VII, 58. 
 
 52. March says 'from Augus- 
 tine (Sermo 315) : "Vestimetita 
 lapidantiuni servahat ut omnium 
 manibiis lapidaret." ' 
 
 55 etc. : "Lord, lay not this sin 
 to their charge." Acts VII, 59. 
 
LATIN HYMNS 
 
 55 
 
 Penetrat intuitu 
 Stephanus caelestia. 
 40 Videns Dei gloriam, 
 
 Crescit ad victoriam, 
 Suspirat ad praemia. 
 
 En a dextris Dei stantem 
 Jesum, pro te dimicantem, 
 45 Stephane, considera : 
 Tibi caelos reserari, 
 Tibi Christum revelari, 
 Clama voce libera. 
 
 Se commendat Salvatori, 
 50 Pro quo dulce ducit mori 
 Sub ipsis lapidibus. 
 Saulus servat omnium 
 Vestes lapidantium, 
 Lapidans in omnibus. 
 
 55 Ne peccatum statuatur 
 His, a quibus lapidatur, 
 Genu ponit, et precatur, 
 
 Condolens insaniae : 
 In Christo sic obdormivit, 
 60 Qui Christo sic oboedivit, 
 Et cum Christo semper vivit, 
 Martyrum primitiae. 
 
56 
 
 LATIN HYMNS 
 
 VOX SONORA NOSTRI CHORI 
 
 (Adam of St. Victor) 
 
 St. Catherine, who forms the theme of this hymn, was the special 
 patron, not only of young maidens and female students, but of philoso- 
 phers, pulpit orators and theologians. But since the eighteenth century 
 devotion to her has lost much of its popularity. The events of her life 
 as told in this graceful poem are based on the Acts of St. Catherine, 
 which no longer exist except in much distorted form. The conclusion 
 of the critics on the subject is "that, if the principal facts forming the 
 outline are to be accepted as true, the multitude of details by which 
 the facts are almost obscured, most of the wonderful narrative with 
 which they are embellished, and the long discourses that are put into 
 the mouth of St. Catherine, are to be rejected as inventions, pure and 
 simple." Catholic Encyclopedia, art. "St. Catherine." 
 
 Meter : Trochaic, accentual. 
 
 Vox sonora nostri chori 
 Nostro sonet Conditori, 
 
 Qui disponit omnia, 
 Per quern dimicat imbellis, 
 5 Per quenx datur et puellis 
 
 De viris victoria ; 
 
 Haec ad gloriam parentum 
 Pulchrum dedit ornamentum 
 1 5 Morum privilegia ; 
 Clara per progenitores, 
 Claruit per sacros mores 
 Ampliori gratia. 
 
 Per quem plebs Alexandrina Florem teneri decoris, 
 
 Feminae non f eminina 
 Stupuit ingenia, 
 10 Cum beata Catharina 
 
 Doctos vinceret doctrina, 
 Ferrum patientia. 
 
 20 Lectionis et laboris 
 Attrivere studia : 
 Nam perlegit disciplinas 
 Saeculares et divinas 
 In adulescentia. 
 
 Notes — 10. Catharina: The 
 
 Latin spelling is true to the deriva- 
 tion of the word from the Greek 
 katharos, meaning 'pure'. The 
 
 English spelling, now generally 
 accepted, is Catherine; but always 
 Katharine. 
 31-36. Cf. Matth. XXV. 
 
LATIN HYMNS 
 
 57 
 
 25 Vas electum, vas virtutum, 
 Reputavit sicut lutum 
 
 Bona transitoria, 
 Et reduxit in contemptum 
 Patris opes et parentum 
 
 30 Larga patrimonia. 
 
 Vasis oleum includens, 
 Virgo sapiens et prudens 
 
 Sponso pergit obvia, 
 Ut, adventus ejus hora, 
 35 Praeparata, sine mora 
 
 Intret ad convivia. 
 
 Sistitur imperatori, 
 Cupiens pro Christo mori, 
 
 Cujus in praesentia 
 40 Quinquaginta sapientes 
 Mutos reddit et silentes 
 
 Virginis facundia. 
 
 Carceris horrendi claustrum, 
 Et rotarum triste plaustrum, 
 45 Famen et jejunia, 
 Et quaecumque fiunt ei, 
 Sustinet amore Dei, 
 Eadem ad omnia. 
 
 Torta superat tortorem, 
 50 Superat imperatorem 
 
 Feminae constantia : 
 Cruciatur imperator, 
 Quia cedit cruentator, 
 
 Nee valent supplicia. 
 
 55 Tandem capite punitur, 
 Et, dum morte mors finitur, 
 
 Vitae subit gaudia. 
 Angelis mox fuit curae 
 Dare corpus sepulturae 
 
 60 Terra procul alia. 
 
 37. imperatori: The emperor 
 Maximinus, 308-314 A. D. 
 
 40-42. sapientes: She refuted 
 the heathen philosophers and was 
 the means of their conversion. 
 
 44. plaustrum: a wagon, or 
 cart; here the 'framework', in 
 which the spiked wheels, the in- 
 struments of her torture, v/ere set. 
 'That dread frame of spike-set 
 wheels.' 
 
 56-60. angelis mox fuit curae : 
 "In the eighth century her body 
 was translated to the monastery 
 of Mount Sinai by holy monks, 
 who in medieval legends were 
 transformed into angels. . . . 
 The monastic habit is known in 
 the East as the 'angelic' habit, 
 whence the error in the text." 
 Wrangham III, 249. 
 
58 
 
 LATIN HYMNS 
 
 DIES IRAE 
 
 (Thomas of Celano) 
 
 "This marvelous hymn is the acknowledged masterpiece of Latin 
 poetry, and the most sublime of all uninspired hymns. . . . The 
 secret of its irresistible power lies in the awful grandeur of the theme, 
 the intense earnestness and pathos of the poet, the simple majesty and 
 solemn music of its language, the stately meter, the triple rhyme, and 
 the vowel assonances, chosen in striking adaptation to the sense — all 
 combining to produce an overwhelming effect, as if we heard the final 
 crash of the universe, the commotion of the opening graves, the 
 trumpet of the archangel summoning the quick and the dead, and saw 
 the king of 'tremendous majesty' seated on the throne of justice and 
 mercy, and ready to dispense everlasting life or everlasting woe." — 
 Schaff, p. 373. 
 
 The hymn was most probably written by Thomas of Celano, a 
 Franciscan of the thirteenth century, the friend and biographer of St. 
 Francis. The recent discovery of a manuscript copy in the Biblioteca 
 Nazionale at Naples, which is thought to date back to 1253, and of 
 another copy of somewhat earlier date, renders the Franciscan author- 
 ship all the more probable. English translations are innumerable. 
 Julian gives the first lines of one hundred and fifty-two. Cf. A. E. R. 
 II, 247. 
 
 Meter: Trochaic dimeter, accentual. 
 
 Dies irae, dies ilia 
 Solvet saeclum in f avilla, 
 Teste David cum Sibylla. 
 
 Notes— 1. Etc. "That day is 
 a day of wrath, a day of tribula- 
 tion and distress, a day of calam- 
 ity and misery, a day of darkness 
 and obscurity, a day of clouds and 
 whirlwinds, a day of the trumpet 
 and alarm." Sophonias I, 15 seq. 
 
 Dr. Henry in A. E. R., loc. c, 
 translates : 
 
 O that day of wrath undying. 
 When the earth, in ashes lying, 
 Shall prove all the prophesying! 
 
 Justice O'Hagan in the Irish 
 Monthly II, 136 (see also Annus 
 Sanctus p. 6) renders : 
 
 Quantus tremor est futurus, 
 5 Quando judex est venturus, 
 Cuncta stricte discussurus ! 
 
 Day of wrath, that day whose 
 knelling 
 
 Gives to flame this earthly 
 dwelling ; 
 
 Psalm and Sibyl thus foretell- 
 ing. 
 
 2. 'Shall melt away the world 
 in glowing ashes.' The conflagra- 
 tion, as March well says, is repre- 
 sented as still at white heat. 
 
 3. teste David: The reference 
 is probably to Ps. XCV, 13; 
 XCVI, 3; CI, 27; though the de- 
 struction of the world by fire is 
 much more clearly foretold by St. 
 
 I 
 
LATIN HYMNS 
 
 59 
 
 Tuba, mirum spargens sonum 
 Per sepulchra regionum, 
 Coget omnes ante thronum. 20 
 
 10 Mors stupebit et natura, 
 Cum resurget creatura 
 Judicanti responsura. 
 
 Liber scriptus proferetur, 
 In quo totum continetur, 
 15 Unde mundus judicetur. 
 
 Judex ergo cum sedebit, 
 Quidquid latet apparebit, 
 Nil inultum remanebit. 
 
 25 
 
 Quid sum miser tunc dic- 
 
 turus, 
 Quern patronum rogaturus, 
 Cum vix Justus sit securus : 
 
 Rex tremendae majestatis, 
 Qui salvandos salvas gratis. 
 Salva me, f ons pietatis. 
 
 Recordare, Jesu pie, 
 Quod sum causa tuae viae ; 
 Ne me perdas ilia die. 
 
 Quaerens me sedisti lassus, 
 Redemisti crucem passus : 
 30 Tantus labor non sit cassus 
 
 Peter, II Peter 3, 10, than by the 
 Psalmist. Indeed, some texts have 
 teste Petro. 
 
 Sibylla: There Is no reference 
 he^'e to the Sibylline books so 
 famous in early Roman history, 
 but to a collection of Sibylline 
 oracles in twelve books dating 
 from the middle of the second 
 century B. C. to the fifth century 
 A. D, written in Greek hexame- 
 ters and containing many pre- 
 tended prophecies. They were re- 
 garded by many of the early 
 Christians as bearing testimony to 
 some of the truths of revelation. 
 While these oracles as such merit 
 little credence, there is in itself 
 nothing absurd in the belief that 
 there existed among the pagans 
 scattered remnants of truth re- 
 vealed in the beginning and 
 handed down from generation to 
 generation, however much dis- 
 torted such truth was bound to 
 become in the course of time. The 
 
 pagan world was groping in the 
 dark, yearning for deliverance and 
 light ; and from this point of 
 view, there is a meaning in the 
 phrase that conveys a real truth, 
 independent of the genuineness of 
 the oracular books. It must not 
 be thought that the retention of 
 the expression in a liturgical 
 hymn implies any sanction of the 
 Sibylline oracles on the part of 
 the Church. 
 
 4-6. Cf. Apoc. VI, 12-17. 
 
 7. "For the trumpet shall 
 sound." I Cor. XV, 52. 
 
 8. sepulchra regionum: the 
 whole world is a tomb. 
 
 13. Cf. Apoc. XX, 12. 
 17. Cf. Matth. X, 26. 
 21. Cf. I Peter IV, 18. 
 
 28. Cf. John IV, 6. "It is said 
 that Dr. Samuel Johnson would 
 repeat this stanza in Latin and 
 burst into floods of tears." — 
 March. 
 
60 
 
 LATIN HYMNS 
 
 Juste judex ultionis, 
 Donum fac remissionis, 
 Ante diem rationis. 
 
 Ingemisco tamquam reus, 
 35 Culpa rubet vultrus meus : 
 Supplicanti parce, Deus. 
 
 Qui Mariam absolvisti, 
 Et latronem exaudisti, 
 Mihi quoque spem dedisti. 
 
 Inter oves locum praesta, 
 Et ab haedis me sequestra, 
 45 Statuens in parte dextra. 
 
 Confutatis maledictis, 
 Flammis acribus addictis, 
 Voca me cum benedictis. 
 
 Oro supplex et acclinis, 
 50 Cor contritum quasi cinis, 
 Gere curam mei finis. 
 
 40 Preces meae non sunt dignae, 
 Sed tu bonus fac benigne 
 Ne perenni cremer igne. 
 
 Lacrimosa dies ilia, 
 Qua resurget ex favilla 
 Judicandus homo reus : 
 
 55 Huic ergo parce, Deus. 
 Pie Jesu Domine, 
 Dona eis requiem. Amen. 
 
 43-45. "And he shall set the 
 sheep on his right hand, but the 
 goats on his left." Matth. XXV, 
 33. 
 
 46. "Depart from me, ye 
 cursed, into everlasting fire." 
 id. 41. 
 
 48. "Come ye blessed of my 
 Father." id. 34. 
 
 52-58. These lines were added 
 to the hymn later; they adapt it 
 to its present purpose in the Mass. 
 
 55. huic: sc mihi; others refer 
 it to homo reus, 'guilty man'. 
 
LATIN HYMNS 
 
 61 
 
 STAB AT MATER DOLOROSA 
 
 The hymn was most probably written by Jacopone da Todi (or de 
 Benedictis), a Francisan lay-brother of the thirteenth century. It is 
 styled by Schaff "the most pathetic, as the Dies Irae is the most sub- 
 lime, hymn of the Middle Ages." "The vividness with which it pictures 
 the weeping mother at the Cross, its tenderness, its beauty of rhythm, 
 its melodious double rhymes almost defying reproduction in another 
 language, and its impressiveness when sung either to the fine plain 
 song melody or in the noble compositions which many of the great 
 masters of music have set to it, go far to justify the place it holds, and 
 has long held, in the Roman Catholic Church." Julian, p. 1081. 
 
 Meter 
 cataletic. 
 
 Trochaic dimeter, accentual. Every third verse is 
 
 Stabat Mater dolorosa 
 Juxta crucem lacrimosa, 
 
 Dum pendebat Filius, 
 Cujus animam gementem, 
 5 Contristatam et dolentem 
 
 Pertransivit gladius. 
 
 Quis est homo, qui non fleret, 
 Matrem Christi si videret, 
 15 In tanto supplicio ? 
 
 Quis non posset contristari, 
 Piam Matrem contemplari 
 Dolentem cum Filio ? 
 
 O quam tristis et afflicta 
 Fuit ilia benedicta 
 
 Mater Unigeniti, 
 10 Quae maerebat et dolebat 
 Pia Mater, dum videbat 
 
 Nati poenas incliti. 
 
 Pro peccatis suae gentis 
 20 Vidit Jesum in tormentis 
 
 Et flagellis subditum ; 
 Vidit suum dulcem Natum 
 Morientem, desolatum, 
 
 Dum emisit spiritum. 
 
 Notes — 1. stabat: "Now there 
 stood by the cross of Jesus his 
 mother." John XIX, 25. 
 
 4. cujus: sc. matris. 
 
 6. "And thy own soul a sword 
 
 of sorrow shall pierce." Luke II, 
 35. 
 
 10, 11. maerebat, dolebat, vi- 
 debat: the repeated rhyme makes 
 the lines very pathetic. 
 
62 
 
 LATIN HYMNS 
 
 25 Eja Mater, fons amor is ! 
 Me sentire vim doloris 
 
 Fac, ut tecum lugeam ; 45 
 Fac, ut ardeat cor meum 
 In amando Christum Deum, 
 
 30 Ut sibi complaceam. 
 
 Sancta Mater, istud agas, 
 Crucifixi fige plagas 
 
 Cordi meo valide ; 
 Tui Nati vulnerati, 
 35 Tam dignati pro me pati, 
 
 Poenas mecum divide. 
 
 Fac me vere tecum flere, 
 Crucifixo condolere, 
 
 Donee ego vixero ; 
 40 Juxta crucem tecum stare, 
 Te libenter sociare 
 
 In planctu desidero. 
 
 Virgo virginum praeclara, 
 Mihi jam non sis amara, 
 
 Fac me tecum plangere ; 
 Fac ut portem Christi mor- 
 tem, 
 Passionis fac consortem 
 
 Ft plagas recolere. 
 
 Fac me plagis vulnerari, 
 50 Cruce hac inebriari, 
 
 Et eruore Filii ; 
 Flammis ne urar succensus, 
 Per te, Virgo, sim def ensus 
 
 In die judicii. 
 
 55 Christe, cum sit hinc exire, 
 Da per Matrem me venire 
 
 Ad palmam victoriae. 
 Quando corpus morietur, 
 Fac, ut animae donetur 
 
 60 Paradisi gloria. 
 
 30. sibi: sc. Christo. 
 
 31. istud agas: 'may you effect 
 this'. 
 
 35. tam: best taken with pati; 
 
 'deigning to suffer so (much). 
 
 47, 48. Supply me in both lines; 
 recolere: 'remember'. 
 
 II 
 
LATIN HYMNS 
 
 63 
 
 PANGE LINGUA 
 
 (St. Thomas) 
 
 The four following hymns are by St. Thomas (1227-1274). They 
 combine in a marvelous degree the clear-cut language of dogma with 
 the sweetness and melody of poetry. Of the Pange Lingua Dr. Neale 
 (Anglican) says that it contests the second place among the hymns of 
 the Western Church with the Vexilla Regis, the Stahat Mater, the Jesu 
 Dulcis Memoria, the Ad Regias Agni Dapes, and one or two others, 
 leaving the Dies Irae in its unapproachable glory. Julian, p. 879. 
 
 While the meaning of these beautiful hymns is perfectly clear, the 
 task of translating them into fitting English involves difficulties that 
 have proved well-nigh insuperable even in the hands of expert trans- 
 lators. This is due partly to the precise theological wording, partly 
 to their deeply devotional tone and the rhythm and assonance of the 
 original Latin. The present hymn, in particular, has, in the words of 
 Neale, become "a bow of Ulysses to translators." See the scholarly 
 article in the A. E. R. II, 200, by Dr. Henry, who also gives a transla- 
 tion of his own. 
 
 Meter: Trochaic dimeter, accentual. Every second verse is 
 catalectic. 
 
 Pange, lingua, gloriosi 
 Corporis mysterium, 
 
 Sanguinisque pretiosi, 
 Quern in mundi pretium, 
 5 Fructus ventris generosi, 
 Rex effudit gentium. 
 
 10 
 
 Nobis datus, nobis natus, 
 Ex intacta Virgine, 
 
 Et in mundo conversatus, 
 Sparso verbi semine, 
 
 Sui moras incolatus 
 Miro clausit ordine. 
 
 Notes — 1. pange: See note 
 on line 1 of the Pange, lingua, by 
 Fortunatus. St. Thomas was thor- 
 oughly familiar with the great 
 hymns composed before his time, 
 and a number of his phrases in 
 these hymns can be traced to his 
 predecessors, particularly to Adam 
 of St. Victor. 
 
 4. in mundi pretium: 'for the 
 
 ransom of the world', i. e. of men. 
 
 5. fructus: in apposition to 
 rex, line 6. generosi: 'noble'; the 
 classical meaning of the word. 
 
 9-12. 
 And amongst mankind conversing 
 
 Seeds of heavenly truth to sow, 
 He at length in wondrous order, 
 
 Closed His sojourn here below. 
 
 — Aylward. 
 
64 
 
 LATIN HYMNS 
 
 In supremae nocte coenae, 25 Tantum ergo Sacramentum 
 Recumbens cum f ratribus. Veneremur cernui : 
 
 Recumbens cum f ratribus, 
 15 Observata lege plene 
 Cibis in legalibus, 
 Cibum turbae duodenae 
 Se dat suis manibus. 
 
 Veneremur cernui 
 Et antiquum documentum 
 
 Novo cedat ritui : 
 Praestet fides supplementum 
 30 Sensuum defectui ! 
 
 Verbum caro panem verum 
 20 Verbo carnem efficit, 
 FJtque sanguis Christi 
 merum ; 
 Et si sensus deficit, 
 Ad firmandum cor sincerum 
 Sola fides sufficit. 
 
 Genitori, Genitoque 
 
 Laus et jubilatio ! 
 Salus, honor, virtus quoque 
 
 Sit et benedictio ! 
 35 Procedenti ab utroque 
 
 Compar sit laudatio ! 
 
 15. lege: the directions pre- 
 scribed by the law of Moses for 
 the eating of the Paschal Lamb. 
 
 17. cibum: Fred. Ace. after 
 dat, line 18. 
 
 19, 20. 'The Word made flesh 
 (Verbum caro) by a word (verbo) 
 
 converts true bread into His flesh.' 
 21. merum =^ vinum, Subjecll 
 Nomin. 
 
 26. cernui: 'bowed down' in 
 reverence. 
 
 27. documentum: *rite'; the 
 Passover is meant. 
 
LATIN HYMNS 
 
 65 
 
 LAUDA SION 
 
 (St. Thomas) 
 
 St. Thomas, at the request of Pope Urban IV, drew up in 1263 the 
 Office and the Mass for the Festival of Corpus Christi. For this pur- 
 pose he wrote the Lauda Sion, the Pange Lingua and the Verbum 
 Supernum. The present hymn forms the Sequence of the Mass for 
 Corpus Christi. Cf. A. E. R. IV, 450. 
 
 Meter: Trochaic dimeter, accentual. Every third verse is cata- 
 lectic. This verse scheme was a favorite with Adam of St. Victor, the 
 prince of hymnodists. It is particularly suited to festive themes. 
 
 Lauda, Sion, Salvatorem, 
 Lauda ducem et pastorem 
 
 In hymnis et canticis. 15 
 
 Quantum potes, tantum aude : 
 5 Quia major omni laude, 
 
 Nee laudare sufficis. 
 
 Laudis thema specialis, 
 Panis vivus et vitalis 
 Hodie proponitur. 
 10 Quem in sacrae mensa 
 cenae, 
 Turbae f ratrum duodenae 
 Datum non ambigitur. 
 
 20 
 
 Sit laus plena, sit sonora. 
 Sit jucunda, sit decora 
 
 Mentis jubilatio. 
 Dies enim solemnis agitur, 
 In qua mensae prima 
 recolitur 
 
 Hujus institutio. 
 
 In hac mensa novi Regis, 
 Novum Pascha novae legis 
 
 Phase vetus terminat. 
 Vetustatem novitas, 
 Umbram f ugat Veritas, 
 
 Noctem lux eliminat. 
 
 Notes — 1. Sion: i. e. the 
 Church. 
 
 7. thema: 'theme', 'subject'. 
 
 10. quem refers to panis, 
 line 8. 
 
 12. datum: supply esse. 
 
 21. phase vetus: 'the ancient 
 Paschal rite'. The Phase (transi- 
 tus, Passover) was the celebration 
 enjoined by God upon the Jews in 
 memory of their deliverance from 
 
 the destroying Angel, who slew 
 all the first-born of the Egyptians. 
 Read Exodus c. XII. 
 
 22-24. The ancient Paschal rite 
 is supplanted by the new, the 
 shadow by the reality, darkness by 
 light. 
 
 26. expressit: 'has enjoined'. 
 
 36. praeter: the dogmas of 
 faith are not against nature, but 
 go 'beyond' it. 
 
66 
 
 LATIN HYMNS 
 
 25 Quod in cena Christus 
 gessit, 
 Faciendum hoc expressit 
 
 In sui memoriam. 
 Docti sacris institutis, 
 Panem, vinum in salutis 
 30 Consecramus hostiam. 
 
 Dogma datur Christianis, 
 Quod in carnem transit panis,-;. 
 
 Et vinum in sanguinem. 
 Quod non capis, quod non 
 vides, 
 35 Animosa firmat fides, 
 
 Praeter rerum ordinem. 
 
 Sub diversis speciebus, 
 Signis tantum et non rebus, 
 
 Latent res eximiae. 
 40 Caro cibus,sanguis potus, 
 Manet tamen Christus totus 
 
 Sub utraque specie. 
 
 A sumente non concisus, 
 Non confractus, non divisus, 
 45 Integer accipitur : 
 
 Sumit unus, sumunt mille, 70 
 
 37, 38. the species, called signa 
 in line 38, are the appearances, or, 
 to use a terminology of the 
 schools, 'accidents,' as opposed to 
 the res, substantia, 'the reality,' 
 'the substance.' 
 
 40. Supply est, or fit. 
 
 48. sumptus: sc. Christus. 
 
 52. mors: "Therefore whoso- 
 ever shall eat this bread, or drink 
 the chalice of the Lord unwor- 
 thily, shall be guilty of the body 
 
 Quantum isti, tantum ille, 
 Nec sumptus consumitur. 
 
 Sumunt boni, sumunt maH, 
 50 Sorte tamen inaequali, 
 
 Vitae, vel interitus : 
 Mors est maUs, vita bonis : 
 Vide paris sumptionis 
 
 Quam sit dispar exitus ! 
 
 Fracto demum Sacramento 
 Ne vacilles, sed memento 
 Tantum esse sub fragment©, 
 
 Quantum toto tegitur. 
 Nulla rei fit scissura, 
 60 Signi tantum fit f ractura, 
 Qua nec status, nec statura 
 
 Signati minuitur. 
 
 Ecce panis Angelorum, 
 Factus cibus viatorum : 
 65 Vere panis filiorum, 
 
 Non mittendus canibus. 
 In figuris praesignatur, 
 Cum Isaac immolatur ; 
 Agnus Paschae deputatur, 
 
 Datur manna patribus. 
 
 and of the blood of the Lord. But 
 let a man prove himself," etc. I 
 Cor. XI, 27 seq. 
 
 58. toto tegitur: 'is contained 
 in the whole.' Christ is present 
 entire in the smallest fragment of 
 the consecrated host. 
 
 59. rei; 'of the substance.' 
 
 62. signati: Christ Jesus, the 
 object signified, as distinguished 
 from the signuni, the sign, line 60. 
 
 63. panis angelorum: "man 
 
LATIN HYMNS 
 
 67 
 
 75 
 
 Bone pastor, panis vere, 
 Jesu, nostri miserere : 
 Tu nos pasce, nos tuere, 
 Tu nos bona f ac videre 
 In terra viventium. 
 
 80 
 
 Tu qui cuncta scis et vales, 
 Qui nos pascis hie mortales, 
 Tuos ibi commensales, 
 Coheredes et sodales 
 Fac sanctorum civium. 
 
 ate the bread of angels." Ps. 
 LXXVII, 25 ; the manna is meant ; 
 cf. also John VI, 31. 
 
 64. viatorum: Cf. our Viat- 
 icum,' provisions for a journey. 
 
 65, 66. "It is not good to take 
 the bread of the children, and to 
 
 cast it to the dogs." Matth. 
 XV, 26. 
 
 68. Cf. Genesis XXII. 
 
 70. Cf. Exodus XVI. 
 
 78. Commensales (cum and 
 mensa) : 'table companions.' 
 
68 
 
 LATIN HYMNS 
 
 VERBUM SUPERNUM 
 
 (St. Thomas) 
 Meter: Iambic dimeter, accentual. 
 
 Verbum supernum prodiens, Se nascens dedit socium, 
 
 Nee Patris linquens dex- 
 
 teram, 
 Ad opus suum exiens, 
 Venit ad vitae vesperam. 
 
 5 In mortem a discipulo 
 Suis tradendus aemulis, 
 Prius in vitae f erculo 
 Se tradidit discipulis. 
 
 Quibus sub bina specie 
 10 Carnem dedit et sanguinem, 
 Ut duplicis substantiae 
 Totum cibaret hominem. 
 
 Convescens in edulium, 
 15 Se moriens in pretium, 
 Se regnans dat in prae- 
 mium. 
 
 O salutaris hostia, 
 Quae caeli pandis ostium, 
 Bella premunt hostilia, 
 20 Da robur, f er auxilium. 
 
 Uni Trinoque Domino 
 Sit sempiterna gloria : 
 Qui vitam sine termino 
 Nobis donet in patria. 
 
 Notes— 3, 4. Cf. "Man shall 
 go forth to his work and to his 
 labor until the evening." Ps. 
 cm, 22. 
 
 6. aemulis: 'enemies/ 
 
 7. 'at the table of life.' 
 
 « 13-16. These wonderful lines 
 express in concise lyric form the 
 whole economy of redemption. 
 
 Aylward in Orby Shipley's Annus 
 Sancttis translates : 
 Our fellow, in the manger lying; 
 Our food within the banquet 
 
 Ou 
 
 room; 
 
 ransom, 
 dying; 
 Our prize, 
 home. 
 
 in His hour of 
 
 in His own kingly 
 
LATIN HYMNS 69 
 
 ADORO TE DEVOTE 
 
 (St. Thomas) 
 
 Meter: Trochaic trimeter catalectic. The first verse has an 
 anacrusis. 
 
 Adoro te devote, latens Deltas, 
 Quae sub his figuris vere latitas. 
 Tibi se cor meum totum subjicit, 
 Quia te contemplans totum deficit. 
 
 5 Visus, tactus, gustus, in te fallitur, 
 Sed auditu solo tuto creditur : 
 Credo quidquid dixit Dei Filius ; » 
 
 Nil hoc verbo veritatis verius. 
 
 In cruce latebat sola Deltas, 
 10 At hlc latet slmul et humanltas, 
 
 Ambo tamen credens atque confitens, 
 Peto quod petlvlt latro paenltens. 
 
 Plagas slcut Thomas non Intueor, 
 Deum tamen meum te confiteor, 
 15 Fac me tlbl semper magls credere, 
 In te spem habere, te dlllgere. 
 
 O memorlale mortis Domini, 
 Panls vlvus, vltam praestans homlnl, 
 Praesta meae mentl de te vlvere, 
 20 Et te 1111 semper dulce sapere. 
 
 Notes — 1. The line is a true 12. latro paenitens: "Lord 
 
 keynote : it brings out the spirit of remember me when thou shalt 
 
 the whole poem — profound faith come into thy kingdom." Luke 
 
 and tender devotion. XXIII, 42. 
 
 2. figuris: 'appearances,* i. e. 13. Cf. John XX, 26 seq. 
 
 of the bread and wine. 18. panis vivus etc. : "I am 
 
 4. totum deficit: 'is wholly the living bread which came down 
 
 lost' in the thought of Thee. from heaven. If any man eat of 
 
70 
 
 LATIN HYMNS 
 
 Pie pelicane, Jesu Domine, 
 Me immundum munda tuo sanguine, 
 Cujus una stilla salvum facer e 
 Totum mundum quit ab omni scelere. 
 
 25 Jesu, quern velatum nunc aspicio, 
 Oro fiat illud quod tarn sitio, 
 Ut te revelata cernens facie 
 Visu sim beatus tuae gloriae. 
 
 this bread, he shall live forever; 
 and the bread that I will give is 
 my flesh for the life of the world." 
 John VI, 51, 52. 
 
 20. et te illi (i. e. menti) : 
 *And grant her ever sweetly to 
 cherish Thee,' . . . dulce is 
 used adverbially. Readers of Hor- 
 
 ace will recollect dulce ridentem, 
 Odes I, 22, 23. 
 
 21. pelicane: the pelican was 
 regarded as a type of Christ, ow- 
 ing to the fact that she was sup- 
 posed to nourish her young, in 
 case of need, with her own blood. 
 
LATIN HYMNS 71 
 
 O DEUS EGO AMO TE 
 
 (St. Francis Xavier) 
 
 Recent investigations make it fairly certain that the original of 
 this poem was a Spanish or Portuguese sonnet, wrtten by St. Francis 
 Xavier in 1546. There are several Latin versions of it. The one here 
 given seems to have appeared first in the Caeleste Palmetum, 
 Cologne, 1669, 
 
 Meter : Iambic dimeter, accentual. 
 
 O Deus ego amo te, Innumeros dolores, 
 
 Nee amo te ut salves me, 10 Sudores et angores, 
 Aut quia non amantes te ^^ mortem, et haec propter 
 
 me, 
 Ac pro me peccatore ! 
 
 Aeterno punis igne. 
 
 5 Tu, tu, mi Jesu, totum me ^ . . 
 
 Cur igitur non amem te, 
 
 Amplexus es in cruce, ^ Jesu amantissime, 
 
 Tulisti clavos, lanceam, 15 ^on, ut in caelo salves me, 
 Multamque ignominiam, Aut ne aeternum damnes me ; 
 
 Nee praemii uUius spe, 
 Sed sicut tu amasti me 
 Sic amo et amabo te 
 20 Solum quia rex meus es, 
 Et solum quia Deus es. 
 
72 LATIN HYMNS 
 
 O ESCA VIATORUM 
 
 "The hymn was probably composed by some German Jesuit o£ the 
 seventeenth century, though it has been by some ascribed to St. Thomas 
 of Aquino." — JuUan, p. 828. It has not been traced farther back than 
 1661. 
 
 Meter: Iambic, accentual. 
 
 O esca viatorum, O lympha, fons amoris, 
 
 O panis angelorum, Qui puro Salvatoris 
 
 O manna caelitum ! E corde profluis ! 
 
 Esurientes ciba, 10 Te sitientes pota ; 
 
 5 Dulcedine non priva Haec sola nostra vota ; 
 
 Cor te quaerentium. His una sufficis. 
 
 O Jesu, tuum vultum, 
 Quern colimus occultum 
 15 Sub panis specie, 
 Fac ut remoto velo, 
 Aperta nos in caelo 
 Cernamus acie. 
 
 Notes — 4. ciba: Imperative of naturally be hoc, but it is attracted 
 
 cibare. priva in the next line is into the number of vota. 
 
 also Imper. 18. acie: 'sight'. 
 
 11. haec: the pronoun would 
 
LATIN HYMNS 
 
 73 
 
 PLAUDITE CAELI 
 
 The hymn is regarded by Mearns (Diet, of Hymnol., p. 1688) as 
 the composition of a Jesuit of the seventeenth century. The theme is 
 the resurrection of Christ. 
 
 Plaudite caeli, 
 Rideat aether, 
 Summus et imus 
 Gaudeat orbis ! 
 5 Transivit atrae 
 Turba procellae : 
 Subiit almae 
 Gloria palmae. 
 
 Currite plenis, 
 Carmina, venis. 
 Fundite laetum, 
 20 Barbita metrum ; 
 Namque revixit, 
 Sicuti dixit, 
 Pius illaesus 
 Funere Jesus. 
 
 Surgite verni, 
 10 Surgite flores, 
 Germina pictis 
 Surgite campis, 
 Teneris mixtae 
 Violis rosae, 
 15 Candida sparsis 
 Lilia calthis. 
 
 25 Plaudite montes, 
 Ludite f ontes ; 
 Resonent valles, 
 Repetunt colles : 
 "lo revixit, 
 
 30 Sicuti dixit, 
 Pius illaesus 
 Funere Jesus." 
 
 Notes 3, 4. 'The highest and 
 lowest parts of the earth' ; i. e. 
 earth and sky. 
 
 7, 8. subiit, etc. : 'the glory of 
 the beautiful palm has appeared' ; 
 a sign of spring and a symbol of 
 victory. 
 
 11, 12. pictis campis: Abl. of 
 place 'where', or Dat. 
 
 16. calthis : caltha, a flower, 
 probably the marigold. 
 
 20. barbita: 'lutes' 
 
 24. funere : 'from the grave'. 
 
74 
 
 LATIN HYMNS 
 
 ECQUIS BINAS 
 
 I have been unable to find any definite clue to the authorship of 
 this little gem of a hymn. Julian makes no mention of the poem; nor 
 is it found in many collections. The text here given is taken from a 
 Hymnarium, published in Halle, Germany, in 1861, in which it is set 
 down as the composition of some Jesuit. 
 
 The theme is the Passion of Christ, the poet expressing himself in 
 loving aspirations addressed to the suffering Savior. 
 
 Meter : Trochaic dimeter, accentual ; every other verse is cata- 
 lectic. 
 
 Ecquis binas columbinas 
 
 Alas dabit animae ? 
 Ut in almam crucis palman 
 
 Evolet citissime, 
 5 In qua Jesus totus laesus 
 
 Orbis desiderium, 
 Et immensus est suspensus, 
 
 Factus improperium ! 
 
 O cor, scande ; Jesu, pande 
 10 Caritatis viscera, 
 Et profunde me reconde 
 
 Intra sacra vulnera ; 
 In superna me caverna 
 Colloca maceriae ; 
 15 Hie viventi, quiescenti 
 Finis est miseriae ! 
 
 O mi Deus, amor meus ! 
 Tune pro me pateris ? 
 Proque indigno, crucis Hgno, 
 20 Jesu, me, suffigeris ? 
 
 Notes — 8. improperium: 're- 
 proach'. 
 
 13, 14. in . . . caverna 
 maceriae: "Arise, my love, my 
 beautiful one, and come: my dove, 
 in the clefts of the rock, in the 
 hollow places of the wall (caverna 
 
 Pro latrone, Jesu bone, 
 Tu in crucem tolleris ? 
 
 Pro peccatis meis gratis. 
 Vita mea, moreris ? 
 
 25 Non sum tanti, Jesu, quanti 
 Amor tuus aestimat ; 
 Heu ! cur ego vitam dego. 
 Si cor te non redamat ? 
 Benedictus sit invictus 
 30 Amor vincens omnia ; 
 Amor fortis, tela mortis 
 Reputans ut somnia. 
 
 Iste fecit, et refecit 
 Amor, Jesu, perditum ; 
 35 O insignis, Amor, ignis, 
 Cor accende f rigidum ! 
 O f ac vere cor ardere, 
 
 Fac me te diligere. 
 Da conjungi, da defungi 
 40 Tecum, Jesu, et vivere ! 
 
 maceriae), show me thy face, let 
 thy voice sound in my cars." Can- 
 ticle II, 13, 14. 
 
 33. fecit, et refecit: created 
 man and redeemed him when he 
 had fallen. 
 
LATIN HYMNS 
 
 75 
 
 AD QUEM DIU SUSPIRAVI 
 
 "This fine hymn was apparently written in Germany between 1800 
 and 1850. It has been ascribed to Prince Alexander Hohenlohc, but 
 we have been unable to trace it definitely to him." — Mearns in Julian's 
 Diet, of Hymnol., p. 1600. The hymn is a prayer of praise and thanks- 
 giving after holy Communion. 
 
 Meter : Trochaic, accentual. 
 
 25 Felix dies, felix hora, 
 
 Ad quern diu suspiravi, 
 
 Jesum tandem habeo. 
 Hunc amplector, quern optavi, 
 
 Quern optavi teneo. 
 5 Omnes meae exsultate 
 
 Facultates animae, 30 
 
 Exsultate, triumphate, 
 
 Et ingresso plaudite. 
 
 Qua me, Jesu, visitas, 
 Pulchra nimis et decora 
 
 Lux, ad me quae properas. 
 Qui te tenet habet satis, 
 
 Quia, qui te possidet, 
 Uberem f elicitatis 
 
 Verae f ontem obtinet. 
 
 Tristis eram et abjectus, 
 10 Eram sine gaudio. 
 Quia aberat dilectus, 
 
 Quem prae cunctis diligo. 
 Sed ut venit et intravit 
 Animae tugurium, 
 ISO quam dulce permeavit 
 Meum cor solatium ! 
 
 Non sic terras umbris tectas 
 Gratus sol illuminat, 
 
 Non sic aestibus dejectas 
 20 Nimbus herbas recreat, 
 
 Sicut animam languentem 
 Refocillat Dominus, 
 
 Hanc tristantem et torpentem 
 Novis donat viribus. 
 
 Quis non tuam admiretur 
 Bonitatem, Domine, 
 35 Si quod facis meditetur 
 Serio examine ! 
 Ad te ruo, ad me ruis, 
 Et me sinis protinus 
 Immiscere meos tuis 
 40 Amplexus amplexibus. 
 
 Notes — 8. ingresso: Dat 
 the participle; supply Jesu. 
 19, 20. aestibus dejectas . 
 
 of 
 
 Nihil eram, me creasti 
 
 Ex obscuro nihilo, 
 Divinaeque me donasti 
 
 Rationis radio. 
 45 Pro me nasci voluisti 
 
 In deserto stabulo, 
 Et finire morte tristi 
 
 Vitam in patibulo. 
 
 herbas: 'grass wilted by the sum- 
 mer heat'. 
 
 22. refocillat: 'revives'; from 
 re and focus (fireplace). 
 
76 
 
 LATIN HYMNS 
 
 Praeter dona quibus ditas 
 50 Ale diebus singulis, 
 Dapes hodie mellitas 
 Datis addis gratiis. 
 O voluptas cordis mei, 
 Jesu dilectissime ! 
 55 In me regna, Fili Dei, 
 Regna, regna libere. 
 
 In me proprium amorem 
 Tam potenter eneces, 
 
 Ut te amem et adorem 
 60 Solum, sicut dignus es ; 
 
 In me tolle quod est puris 
 Grave tuis oculis, 
 
 Ut sic artius Venturis 
 Tibi jungar saeculis. 
 
 65 Oriente sole mane, 
 Occidente vespera. 
 Bone Jesu, mecum mane, 
 Mecum semper habita. 
 Nil abs te, nee mors nee vita, 
 70 Nil abs te me separet ; 
 Unio sit infinita, 
 
 Quam vis nulla terminet ! 
 
 Canam, donee respirabo, 
 Gratiarum cantica ; 
 75 Millies haec iterabo 
 In caelesti patria, 
 Quando te, remoto velo, 
 
 Sicut es, aspiciam 
 Et cum angelis in caelo 
 80 In aeternum diligam. 
 
 58. eneces: Optative Subj., 
 from eneco (destroy utterly). 
 
 63, 64. Venturis saeculis=m 
 futurwn. 
 
 65. mane: 'in the morning'. 
 73. donee respirabo: 'as long 
 as I shall live'. 
 
 i 
 
LATIN HYMNS 17 
 
 APPENDIX 
 
 The Revision of the Hymns of the Breviary Under Urban VIII. 
 
 It is a v^ell known fact that the Humanists in their extravagant 
 admiration for classical forms had little regard, to put it mildly, for 
 the splendid Christian poetry that had seen its golden age in the twelfth 
 and thirteenth centuries and was now on the decline. Indeed, the 
 classical revival was the death knell of Latin hymnody. But this was 
 not all. Radical changes were introduced in the existing hymns of the 
 Church. The ancient hymns of the breviary, often irregular in their 
 prosody, were to don the classical garb and be coerced within the laws 
 of regular meter and Latinity. The process was begun under Leo X, 
 but the real revision took place under Urban VIII, himself a poet and 
 author of the breviary hymns for the feasts of St. Martin and of St. 
 Elizabeth of Portugal. Urban commissioned three Jesuit Fathers to 
 undertake the task of "correction" and bring it to completion. The 
 revised hymns became a part of the breviary in 1632, and have retained 
 their place ever since. Many of these compositions were, no doubt, 
 improved in literary form ; but what they gained in point of style they 
 often lost in simplicity, in vigor and nobility of thought. It must be 
 admitted too that, whatever may be one's standard of Latinity, it was 
 surely a risky thing to attempt to mend the compositions of a Si 
 Ambrose, a Fortunatus or a Prudentius. In view of these facts, and 
 for the further reason that modern scholarship justly regards the 
 integrity of original texts, and particularly ancient texts, with a feeling 
 of respect akin to reverence, hymnologists are unanimous in condemn- 
 ing this revision. 
 
 For the benefit of those who look for concrete illustration and 
 wish to compare some of the present breviary versions with the orig- 
 inal text, we subjoin several examples in parallel columns. 
 
 AD REGIAS AGNI DAPES 
 
 ORIGINAL TEXT REVISED VERSION 
 
 Ad cenam Agni providi Ad regias Agni dapes 
 
 Et stolis albis candidi Stolis amicti candidis 
 
 Post transitum maris rubri Post transitum maris rubri 
 
 Christo canamus principi ; Christo canamus principi ; 
 
78 
 
 LATIN HYMNS 
 
 5 Cujus corpus sanctssimum 
 In ara crucis torridum, 
 Cruore ejus roseo 
 Gustando vivimus Deo. 
 
 5 Divina cujus caritas 
 
 Sacrum propinat sanguinem 
 Almique membra corporis 
 Amor sacerdos immolat. 
 
 Protect! Paschae vespero 
 10 A devastante angelo, 
 Erepti de durissimo 
 Pharaonis imperio. 
 
 Jam Pascha nostrum Chris- 
 
 tus est, 
 Qui immolatus Agnus est, 
 15 Sinceritatis azyma 
 Caro ejus oblata est. 
 
 O vere digna hostia, 
 Per quam f racta sunt tar- 
 
 tara, 
 Redempta plebs captivata 
 20 Redit ad vitae praemia. 
 
 Cum surgit Christus tumulo, 
 Victor redit de barathro, 
 Tyrannum trudens vinculo 
 Et reserans paradisum. 
 
 25 Quaesumus auctor omnium 
 In hoc paschali gaudio, 
 Ab omni mortis impetu 
 Tuum def ende populum. 
 
 Sparsum cruorem postibus 
 10 Vastator horret angelus, 
 Fugitque divisum mare, 
 Merguntur hostes fluctibus. 
 
 Jam Pascha nostrum Chris- 
 tus est, 
 PaschaUs idem victima, 
 15 Et pura puris mentibus 
 Sinceritatis azyma. 
 
 O vera caeli victima, 
 Subjecta cui sunt tartara, 
 Soluta mortis vincula, 
 20 Recepta vitae praemia. 
 
 Victor subactis inferis 
 Tropaea Christus explicat, 
 Caeloque aperto subditum 
 Regem tenebrarum trahit. 
 
 25 Ut sis perenne mentibus 
 Paschale, Jesu, gaudium, 
 A morte dira criminum 
 Vitae renatos Hbera. 
 
 The Matin Hymn for the Paschal Season, now entitled Rex Sempi- 
 ierne Caelihim, was subjected to about as many changes as the Ad 
 Cenam Agni Providi. No one, however, will deny that in both cases 
 the changes were made with consummate art, or say that the verses, 
 
LATIN HYMNS 
 
 79 
 
 while improved in form, are without vigor and poetic spirit. The 
 original of the Rex Setnpiterne Caelitum consists of sixty-four lines 
 and is of uncertain authorship, dating from the fifth or the early sixth 
 century. 
 
 ORIGINAL TEXT 
 
 Rex aeterne, Domine, 
 Rerum creator omnium, 
 Qui eras ante saecula 
 Semper cum Patre Filius. 
 
 5 Qui mundi in primordio 
 Adam plasmasti hominen, 
 Cui tuae imaginis 
 
 • Vultum dedisti similem. 
 
 REVISED VERSION 
 
 Rex sempiterne Caelitum, 
 Rerum creator omnium, 
 Aequalis ante saecula 
 Semper parenti Filius. 
 
 5 Nascente qui mundo f aber 
 Imaginem vultus tui 
 Tradens Adamo, nobilem 
 Limo jugasti spiritum. 
 
 Quem diabolus deceperat, 
 10 Hostis humani generis ; 
 Cujus tu formam corporis 
 Assumere dignatus es, 
 
 Quem editum ex Virgine 
 Pavescit omnis anima, 
 15 Per quem nos resurgere 
 Devota mente credimus ; 
 
 Qui nobis per baptismum 
 Donasti indulgentiam. 
 Qui tenebamur vinculis 
 20 Ligati conscientiae ; 
 
 Qui crucem propter hominem 
 Suscipere dignatus es, 
 Dedisti tuum sanguinem 
 Nostrae salutis pretium. 
 
 Cum livor et fraus daemonis 
 10 Foedasset humanun genus : 
 Tu carne amictus perditam 
 Formam reformas artifex. 
 
 Qui natus olim e Virgine, 
 Nunc e sepulchro nasceris, 
 15 Tecumque nos a mortuis 
 Jubes sepultos surgere. 
 
 Qui pastor aeternus gregem 
 Aqua lavas baptismatis : 
 Haec est lavacrum mentium, 
 20 Haec est sepulcrum crimi- 
 num. 
 
 Nobis diu qui debitae 
 Redemptor affixus cruci, 
 Nostrae dedisti prodigus 
 Pretium salutis sanguinem. 
 
80 LATIN HYMNS 
 
 One must not suppose that equally radical changes were intro- 
 duced in all the hymns. Some remained untouched, while others suf- 
 fered only a few verbal changes. Thus the famous Lenten hymn 
 Ex More Docti Mystico practically retained its old form, except that all 
 the verses of the fifth stanza were reversed, thus : 
 
 ORIGINAL TEXT REVISED VERSION 
 
 Dicamus omnes cernui Flectamus iram vindicem, 
 
 Clamemus atque singuli, Ploremus ante judicem, 
 
 Ploremus ante judicem, Clamemus ore supplici, 
 
 Flectamus iram vindicem. Dicamus omnes cernui. 
 
 But the hymn for the dedication of a church, "a rugged but fine 
 old hymn" (Trench) in its old form, comes out of the process of 
 revision much weakened and almost unrecognizable. The hymn is prob- 
 ably of the sixth or seventh century and of unknown authorship. It^is 
 based on I Peter II, 5 seq. ; Ephes. II, 20; Apoc. XXI. 
 
 ORIGINAL TEXT REVISED VERSION 
 
 Urbs beata Hierusalem, dicta Caelestis urbs Jerusalem, 
 
 pacis visio, Beata pacis visio, 
 
 Quae construitur in caelis Quae celsa de viventibus 
 
 vivis ex lapidibus, Saxis ad astra tolleris, 
 
 Et angelis coornata ut spon- 5 Sponsaeque ritu cingeris 
 
 sata comite ! Mille angelorum millibus. 
 
 Nova veniens e caelo, nup- O sorte nupta prospera, 
 tiali thalamo Dotata Patris gloria, 
 
 5 Praeparata ut sponsata, cop- Respersa sponsi gratia, 
 ulatur Domino. 10 Regina formosissima, 
 
 Plateae et muri ejus ex auro Christo jugata Principi, 
 purissimo ; Caeli corusca civitas. 
 
 Portae nitent margaritis, ady. Hie margaritis emicant, 
 
 tis patentibus Patentque cunctis ostia : 
 
 Et virtute meritorum illuc in- 15 Virtute nanique praevia 
 
 troducitur Mortalis illuc ducitur, 
 
LATIN HYMNS 
 
 81 
 
 Omnis, qui pro Christi nom- Amore Christi percitus 
 ine hie in mundo premitur. Tormenta quisquis sustinet. 
 
 10 Tunsionibus, pressuris expo- Scalpri salubris ictibus, 
 liti lapides 20 Et tunsione plurima, 
 
 Suis coaptantur locis per Fabri polita malleo 
 
 manum artificis, Hanc saxa molem constru- 
 
 Disponuntur permansuri sac- unt, 
 
 ris aedificiis. Aptisque juncta nexibus 
 
 Locantur in fastigio. 
 
 * 
 
 Angularis fundamentum lapi325 Alto ex Olympi vertice 
 
 Christus missus est, 
 Qui compage parietis in utro- 
 que nectitur, 
 15 Quern Sion sancta suscepit, 
 in quo credens permanet. 
 
 Summi Parentis Filius, 
 Ceu monte desectus lapis 
 Terras in imas decidens, 
 Domus supernae et infimae, 
 Utrumque junxit angulum. 
 
 Observe the noble vigor and solemn march of these lines, and 
 compare them with the swiftly running iambics of the revision. The 
 contrast is striking all through, but is overwhelming in the last strophe. 
 The sonorous angularis fundamentum towers mountain high over its 
 iambic parallel, particularly if the latter is read, as it should be, with 
 elision. It need hardly be said that the pagan terminology of the line 
 is highly offensive. 
 
82 LATIN HYMNS 
 
 INDEX 
 
 Accentual Verse, 5, 6. 
 
 Adam of St. Victor, 50. 
 
 Ad Cenam Agni Providi, 11. 
 
 Adoro Te Devote, 69. 
 
 Ad Quern Diu Suspiravi, 75. 
 
 Ad Regias Agni Dapes, 24, 11. 
 
 Aeterne Rerum Conditor, 9. 
 
 Ambrose St., 9. 
 
 Audit Tyrannus Anxius, 22. 
 
 Ave Maris Stella, ZZ. 
 
 Bernard of Clairvaux, St., 39. 
 
 Bernard of Cluny, 41. 
 
 Breviary Hymns, Revision of, 11. 
 
 Caelestis Urbs Jerusalem, 80. 
 
 Catherine St., 56. 
 
 Chnstus Redemptor Gentium, 26. 
 
 Classic Meters and Christian poetry, 6. 
 
 Columba St., 26. 
 
 Compline, 16, 21. 
 
 Dies Irae, 58. 
 
 Ecce Panis Angelorum, 66. 
 
 Ecquis Binas Columbinas, 74. 
 
 Fortunatus, 28. 
 
 Francis Xavier St., 71. 
 
 Heri Mundus Exsultavit, 54. 
 
 Hermannus Contractus, 38. 
 
 Hora Novissima, 41. 
 
 Innocent III., 36. 
 
 Irish Hymnody, 26. 
 
 Jacopone da Todi, 61. 
 
 Jam Lucis Orto Sidere, 15. 
 
 Jerusalem the Golden, 45. 
 
 Jesu Dulcis Memoria, 39. 
 
 Language of Christian Prose and Verse, 4. 
 
 Lauda Sion, 65. 
 
 Lustra Sex, 28, 30. 
 
 Meters of the Hymns, 5, 6, 7. 
 
 Nicctas St., 14. 
 
 None, 16, 20. 
 
 1 
 
^ 
 
 LATIN HYMNS 83 
 
 Nunc Sancte Nobis Spiritus, 18. 
 
 O Deus Ego Amo Te, 71. 
 
 O Esca Viatorum, 72. 
 
 Omni Die Die Mariae, 47, 48. 
 
 O Salutaris Hostia, 68. 
 
 Pange Lingua (Fortunatus), 28. 
 
 Pange Lingua (St. Thomas), 63. 
 
 Plaudite Caeli, 73. 
 
 Potestate Non Natura, 50. 
 
 Prime, 16. 
 
 Pnidentius, 22. 
 
 Qui Procedis Ab Utroque, 52. 
 
 Rabanus Maurus, 34. 
 
 Rector Potens Verax Deus, 19. 
 
 Rerum Deus Tenax Vigor, 20. 
 
 Revision of Breviary Hymns, 77. 
 
 Rex Aeterne Domine, 79. 
 
 Rex Sempiterne Caelitum, 79. 
 
 Salve Regina, 38. 
 
 Salvete Flores Martyrum, 22, 23. 
 
 Secundinus St., 26. 
 
 Sext, 16, 19. 
 
 Splendor Paternae Gloriae, 12. 
 
 Stabat Mater, 61. 
 
 Tantum Ergo Sacramentum, 64. 
 
 Te Deum, 14. 
 
 Te Lucis Ante Terminum, 21. 
 
 Thomas Aquinas St., 63. 
 
 Thomas of Celano, 58. 
 
 Terce, 16, 18. 
 
 Urban VIII, 77. 
 
 Urbs Beata Jerusalem, 80. 
 
 Ut Jucundas Cervus Undas, 47. 
 
 Veni Creator Spiritus, 34. 
 
 Veni Sancte Spiritus, 36. 
 
 Verbum Supernum, 68. 
 
 Vexilla Regis, 31. 
 
 Vox Sonora Nostri Chori, 56. 
 
Date Due 
 
 18 
 
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