The Hymns of Prudentius Part 21

"Alexander is not dead, but lives above the stars and his body rests in this tomb."

IV

15 Prudentius here, as again in v. 160, emphasises his belief in the procession of the Holy Ghost from the Father and the Son. The "filioque" clause was not actually added to the Nicene Creed till the Council of Toledo (589 A.D.), but the doctrine was expressly maintained by Augustine, and occurs in a Confession of Faith of an earlier Synod of Toledo (447 A.D.?), and in the words of Leo I.

(_Ep. ad Turib._, c. 1), "_de utroque processit._" The addition was not embodied into the Creed as used at Rome as late as the beginning of the ninth century. (_Vid._ Harnack, _Hist. of Dogma_, iv. 132.) Prudentius probably followed, as regards the Trinity, the doctrine generally held by the Spanish Church of his day; in many points it is difficult (cf. note on iii. 2), but appears to be derived partly from Tertullian and partly from Marcellus.

59 The identification of the Habakkuk of this legend (_vid._ the Apocryphal "Bel and the Dragon") with the O. T. prophet is erroneous.

This version of the story of Daniel is sometimes represented in the frescoes of the Catacombs, where the subject is a very favourite one, as is natural in an age when the cry "_Christiani ad leones_"

so often rang through the streets of Rome.

V

1 There has been much doubt as to the t.i.tle and scope of this hymn.

Some early editors (_e.g._, Fabricius and Arevalus) adopt the t.i.tle "_ad incensum cerei Paschalis_," or "_de novo lumine Paschalis Sabbati_," and confine its object to the ceremonial of Easter Eve, which is specially alluded to in ll. 125 _et seq._ Others, following the best MSS., give the simpler t.i.tle used in this text, and regard it as a hymn for daily use. This view is supported by the weight of evidence: the position of the hymn among the first six (none of which are for special days), and the fact that the Benediction of the Paschal Candle was not in use, at any rate in Rome, in the pontificate of Zacharias (_ob._ 752 A.D.) point in this direction.

In the Spanish Church particularly the very ancient custom of praying at the hour when the evening lamps were lighted had developed into the regular office of the _lucernarium_, as distinct from Vespers. The Mozarabic Breviary (seventh century) contains the prayers and responses for this service, and the Rule of St. Isidore runs: "In the evening offices, first the lucernarium, then two psalms, one responsory and lauds, a hymn and prayer are to be said." St. Basil also writes: "It seemed good to our fathers not to receive in silence the gift of the evening light, but to give thanks as soon as it appeared." It is probable, therefore, that Prudentius intended the hymn for daily use, and that after speaking of G.o.d as the source of light, and His manifestations in the form of fire to Moses and the Israelites, his thoughts pa.s.s naturally, though somewhat abruptly, to the special festival--Easter Eve--on which the sanctuaries were most brilliantly illuminated. The question is fully discussed by Brockhaus (_A. Prudentius Clemens in seiner Bedeutung fur die Kirche seiner Zeit_), and Roesler (_Der catholische Dichter A. Prudentius_). Part of this hymn is used in the Mozarabic Breviary for the First Sunday after Epiphany, at Vespers, being stanzas 1, 7, 35, 38-41.

7 The words _incussu silicis_ are perhaps reminiscent of the Spanish ceremonial of Easter Eve, when the bishop struck the flint, lighting from it first a candle, then a lamp, from which the deacons lighted their candles; these were blessed by the bishop, and the procession from the _processus_ into the church followed.

21 Cf. Vaughan, _The Lampe_:--

"Then thou dost weepe Still as thou burn'st, and the warm droppings creepe To measure out thy length."

119 The _folium_ here is probably the ancient _malobathrum_, generally identified as the Indian cinnamon. The Arab traders who brought this valuable product into the Western markets, surrounded its origin with much mystery.

125 The following stanzas, in which Prudentius elaborates the beautiful fancy that the sufferings of lost spirits are alleviated at Eastertide, have incurred the severe censure of some of the earlier editors. Fabricius calls it "a Spanish fabrication," while others, as Cardinal Bellarmine, declare that the author is speaking "poetically and not dogmatically." That such a belief, however, was actually held by some section of the ancient Church is evident from the words of St. Augustine (_Encheiridion_, c. 112): _Paenas d.a.m.natorum certis temporum intervallis existiment, si hoc eis placet, aliquatenus mitigari, dummodo intelligatur in eis manere ira Dei, hoc est ipsa d.a.m.natio._ "Let men believe, if it so please them, that at certain intervals the pains of the d.a.m.ned are somewhat alleviated, provided that it be understood that the wrath of G.o.d, that is d.a.m.nation itself, abides upon them."

140 It is somewhat startling to find Prudentius speaking of the Holy Eucharist in terms which would recall to his contemporary readers Virgilian phraseology and the honeyed cake (_liba_) used in pagan sacrifice. It must be remembered, however, that in the early days of the Church paganism and Christianity flourished side by side for a considerable period; and we find various pagan practices allowed to continue, where they were innocent. Thus the bride-cake and the bridal-veil are of heathen origin; the mirth of the Saturnalia survives, in a modified form, in some of the rejoicings of Christmas; and the flowers, which had filled the pagan temples during the Floralia, were employed to adorn G.o.d's House at the Easter festival.

141 The brilliant illumination of churches on Easter Eve is very ancient. According to Eusebius, Constantine "turned the mystical vigil into the light of day by means of lamps suspended in every part, setting up also great waxen tapers, as large as columns, throughout the city." Gregory of Nyssa also speaks of "the cloud of fire mingling with the rays of the rising sun, and making the eve and the festival one continuous day without interval of darkness."

153 Cf. _Paradise Lost_, iii. 51:--

"So much the rather thou, Celestial Light, s.h.i.+ne inward, and the mind through all her powers Irradiate."

VI

The last seven stanzas of this hymn are used in the Moz. Brev. at Compline on Pa.s.sion Sunday, and daily until Maundy Thursday.

56 Cf. Job. vii. 14: "Then Thou scarest me with dreams, and terrifiest me through visions."

95 In the translation of this stanza the explanation of Nebrissensis is adopted, an early editor of Prudentius (1512) and one of the leaders of the Renaissance in Spain. He considers that "the few of the impious who are condemned to eternal death" are the incurable sinners, _immedicabiles_. Others attempt to reconcile these words with the general belief of the early Church by maintaining that _non pii_ is not equivalent to _impii_, but rather refers to the cla.s.s that is neither decidedly good nor definitely bad, and that the mercy of G.o.d is extended to the majority of these. A third view is that the poet is speaking relatively, and means that few are condemned in proportion to the number that deserve condemnation.

In whatever way the words are explained, it is interesting to find an advocate of "the larger hope" in the fourth century.

105 Cf. Rev. xvii. 8: "The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and is about to come up out of the abyss, and to go into perdition."

109 Cf. 2 Thess. ii. 4: "The son of perdition, who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called G.o.d, or that is wors.h.i.+pped; so that he as G.o.d sitteth in the temple of G.o.d, showing himself that he is G.o.d."

127 The phrase _rorem subisse sacrum_ would suggest baptism by sprinkling, except that Prudentius uses the word loosely elsewhere.

Immersion was undoubtedly the general practice of the early Church, "clinical" baptism being allowed only in cases of necessity.

128 The anointing with oil showed that the catechumen was enrolled among the spiritual priesthood, and with the unction was joined the sign of the Cross on the forehead.

VII

1 This entire hymn is used in the Moz. Brev., divided into fifteen portions for use during Lent.

27 The word _sacerdos_ here, as in ix. 4, is used in the sense of "prophet"; but in both pa.s.sages there is some idea of the exercise of priestly functions. Elijah may be called "priest" from his having offered sacrifice on Mount Carmel, and David from his wearing the priestly ephod as he danced before the Ark.

69 The old editors discuss these lines with much gravity, and mostly come to the conclusion that "locusts" were "a kind of bird, of the length of a finger, with quick, short flight"; while the "wild honey" was not actual honey at all, but "the tender leaves of certain trees, which, when crushed by the fingers, had the pleasant savour of honey."

76 A gloss on one of the Vat. MSS. adds: "This is not authorised; for John merely baptized with water, and not in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost; therefore his baptism was of no avail, save that it prepared the way for Christ to baptize." Many of the Fathers, however, while expressly affirming that John's baptism differed from that of Christ, allowed that the stains of sin were washed away by the former. St. Chrysostom draws this distinction: "There was in John's baptism pardon, but not without repentance; remission of sins, but only attained by grief."

100 The story of Jonah, as a type of the Resurrection, is one of the most frequent subjects of the frescoes of the Catacombs. In one very ancient picture, a man in a small boat is depicted in the act of placing the prophet in the very jaws of the whale.

115 Two stanzas are omitted in the text, which depict the sufferings of Jonah with a wealth of detail not in accordance with modern taste. For the sake of giving a complete text, we append them here:--

"_Transmissa raptim praeda ca.s.sos dentium eludit ictus incruentam transvolans inpune linguam, ne retentam mordicus offam molares dissecarent uvidi, os omne transit et palatum praeterit._

_Ternis dierum ac noctium processibus mansit ferino devoratus gutture, errabat illic per latebras viscerum, ventris recessus circ.u.mibat tortiles anhelus extis intus aestuantibus._"

194 Prudentius appears to have believed that the mystery of the Incarnation was concealed from Satan, and that the Temptation was an endeavour to ascertain whether Jesus was the Son of G.o.d or no. Cf. Milton, _Par. Reg._ i.:--

"Who this is we must learn, for Man he seems In all his lineaments, though in his face The glimpses of his Father's glory s.h.i.+ne."

VIII

9 The day of twelve hours appears to have been adopted by the Romans about B.C. 291. Ambrose (_de virginibus_, iii. 4), commenting on Ps. cxix. and the words "Seven times a day do I praise thee,"

declares that prayers are to be offered up with thanksgiving when we rise from sleep, when we go forth, when we prepare to take food, when we have taken it, at the hour of incense, and lastly, when we retire to rest. He probably alludes to private prayer. The stanza here indicates that the second hour after midday has arrived, when the fasting ended and the midday meal was taken.

14 The word _festum_, as in vii. 4, indicates a special fast day.

Until the sixth century, fasting was simply a penitential discipline and was not used as a particular mode of penance. In the fourth century it was a fairly common practice as a preparation for Holy Communion. Fasting before Baptism was a much earlier practice.

The stated fasts of the Western Church were (1) _annual_, that is, ante-paschal or Lent; (2) _monthly_, or the fasts of the four seasons in the 1st, 4th, 7th and 10th months; (3) _weekly_, on Wednesday and Friday. There was also the fast of the Rogations and the Vigils or Eves of holy days. It is doubtful whether all these were in vogue as early as Prudentius.

33 This pa.s.sage on the Shepherd reminds us of one of the most common pictorial representations of the Catacombs. Christian art owed something to paganism in this matter; ancient sculptures represent the G.o.d Pan with a goat thrown across his shoulders and a Pan's pipe in his hand; while the poets Calpurnius and Tibullus both refer to the custom of carrying a stray or neglected lamb on the shoulders of the shepherd. Going further back, the figure is common in the O. T. to express G.o.d's care over His people. Our Lord therefore used for His own purpose and transfigured with new meaning a familiar figure. The gradual transition from paganism to Christianity is curiously ill.u.s.trated by the fact that in several of the Catacomb bas-reliefs and paintings the Good Shepherd holds in His outstretched hand a Pan's pipe. See Maitland's _Church in the Catacombs_, p. 315, for a woodcut of the Good Shepherd with a lamb over His shoulders, two sheep at His feet, a palm tree (or poplar) on either side, and a Pan's pipe in His right hand; and also the frontispiece for a reproduction from the Cemetery of St. Peter and St. Marcellinus.

IX

1 This hymn, which first introduced into sacred song the trochaic metre familiar in Greek Tragedy and the Latin adaptations of it, supplies the Moz. Brev. with some stanzas for use during Holy Week.