The Hymns of Prudentius Part 1

The Hymns of Prudentius.

by Aurelius Clemens Prudentius.

PREFACE

Full fifty years my span of life hath run, Unless I err, and seven revolving years Have further sped while I the sun enjoy.

Yet now the end draws nigh, and by G.o.d's will Old age's bound is reached: how have I spent And with what fruit so wide a tract of days?

I wept in boyhood 'neath the sounding rod: Youth's toga donned, the rhetorician's arts I plied and with deceitful pleadings sinned: Anon a wanton life and dalliance gross (Alas! the recollection stings to shame!) Fouled and polluted manhood's opening bloom: And then the forum's strife my restless wits Enthralled, and the keen l.u.s.t of victory Drove me to many a bitterness and fall.

Twice held I in fair cities of renown The reins of office, and administered To good men justice and to guilty doom.

At length the Emperor's will beneficent Exalted me to military power And to the rank that borders on the throne.

The years are speeding onward, and gray hairs Of old have mantled o'er my brows And Salia's consuls.h.i.+p from memory dies.

What frost-bound winters since that natal year Have fled, what vernal suns reclothed The meads with roses,--this white crown declares.

Yet what avail the prizes or the blows Of fortune, when the body's spark is quenched And death annuls whatever state I held?

This sentence I must hear: "Whate'er thou art, Thy mind hath lost the world it loved: not G.o.d's The things thou soughtest, Whose thou now shalt be."

Yet now, ere hence I pa.s.s, my sinning soul Shall doff its folly and shall praise my Lord If not by deeds, at least with humble lips.

Let each day link itself with grateful hymns And every night re-echo songs of G.o.d: Yea, be it mine to fight all heresies, Unfold the meanings of the Catholic faith, Trample on Gentile rites, thy G.o.ds, O Rome, Dethrone, the Martyrs laud, th' Apostles sing.

O while such themes my pen and tongue employ, May death strike off these fetters of the flesh And bear me whither my last breath shall rise!

I. HYMNUS AD GALLI CANTUM

Ales diei nuntius lucem propinquam praecinit; nos excitator mentium iam Christus ad vitam vocat.

Auferte, clamat, lectulos 5 aegros, soporos, desides: castique recti ac sobrii vigilate, iam sum proximus.

Post solis ortum fulgidi serum est cubile spernere, 10 ni parte noctis addita tempus labori adieceris.

Vox ista, qua strepunt aves stantes sub ipso culmine paulo ante quam lux emicet, 15 nostri figura est iudicis.

Tectos tenebris horridis stratisque opertos segnibus suadet quietem linquere iam iamque venturo die. 20

Ut, c.u.m coruscis flatibus aurora caelum spa.r.s.erit, omnes labore exercitos confirmet ad spem luminis.

Hic somnus ad tempus datus 25 est forma mortis perpetis, peccata ceu nox horrida cogunt iacere ac stertere.

Sed vox ab alto culmine Christi docentis praemonet, 30 adesse iam lucem prope, ne mens sopori serviat:

Ne somnus usque ad terminos vitae socordis opprimat pectus sepultum crimine 35 et lucis oblitum suae.

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

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

Hoc esse signum praescii 45 norunt repromissae spei, qua nos soporis liberi speramus adventum Dei.

Quae vis sit huius alitis, salvator ostendit Petro, 50 ter antequam gallus canat sese negandum praedicans.

Fit namque peccatum prius, quam praeco lucis proximae inl.u.s.tret humanum genus 55 finemque peccandi ferat.

Flevit negator denique ex ore prolapsum nefas, c.u.m mens maneret innocens, animusque servaret fidem. 60

Nec tale quidquam postea linguae locutus lubrico est, cantuque galli cognito peccare iustus dest.i.tit.

Inde est quod omnes credimus, 65 illo quietis tempore quo gallus exsultans canit Christum redisse ex inferis.

Tunc mortis oppressus vigor, tunc lex subacta est tartari, 70 tunc vis diei fortior noctem coegit cedere.

Iam iam quiescant inproba, iam culpa furva obdormiat, iam noxa letalis suum 75 perpessa somnum marceat.

Vigil vicissim spiritus quodc.u.mque restat temporis, dum meta noctis clauditur, stans ac laborans excubet. 80

Iesum ciamus vocibus flentes, precantes, sobrii: intenta supplicatio dormire cor mundum vetat.

Sat convolutis artubus 85 sensum profunda oblivio pressit, gravavit, obruit vanis vagantem somniis.

Sunt nempe falsa et frivola, quae mundiali gloria 90 ceu dormientes egimus: vigilemus, hic est veritas.

Aurum, voluptas, gaudium, opes, honores, prospera, quaec.u.mque nos inflant mala, 95 fit mane, nil sunt omnia.

Tu, Christe, somnum dissice, tu rumpe noctis vincula, tu solve peccatum vetus novumque lumen ingere. 100

I. HYMN AT c.o.c.k-CROW

Awake! the s.h.i.+ning day is born!

The herald c.o.c.k proclaims the morn: And Christ, the soul's Awakener, cries, Bidding us back to life arise.

Away the sluggard's bed! away The slumber of the soul's decay!

Ye chaste and just and temperate, Watch! I am standing at the gate.

After the sun hath risen red 'Tis late for men to scorn their bed, Unless a portion of the night They seize for labours of the light.

Mark ye, what time the dawn draws nigh, How 'neath the eaves the swallows cry?

Know that by true similitude Their notes our Judge's voice prelude.

When hid by shades of dark malign On beds of softness we recline, They call us forth with music clear Warning us that the day is near.

When breezes bright of orient morn With rosy hues the heavens adorn, They cheer with hope of gladdening light The hearts that spend in toil their might.

Though sleep be but a pa.s.sing guest 'Tis type of death's perpetual rest: Our sins are as a ghastly night, And seal with slumbers deep our sight.