Yet another translation error: Virgo prudéntum comitáta cœtum; St. Catherine of Sienna

In the first stanza, line 3:  noctis horréndæ rémovet tenébras: should be translated 'she removes the darkness of the fearful night'.

Tempus Paschale: ad Officium lectionis: ad libitum: saec. X Lætáre, cælum, désuper: correction

The 3rd stanza, the fourth verse, victus dedit victóriam, should be translated 'living he gave the victory'.

SS. PHILIPPI ET IACOBI

Ad Officium lectionis: novus

Philíppe, summæ honóribus

vocatiónis énitens,

cum cive Petro príncipe

qua mente Christum díligis!

At ipse amóris íntima

tibi repéndit pígnora,

tibíque Patris dísserit

suæque vitæ dógmata.

Nec te minus compléctitur,

Iacóbe, Christi cáritas,

qui frater eius díceris

sed et colúmna Ecclésiæ.

Almæ Sion qui præsides

primus gregi claríssimo,

nos usque scriptis próvidis

verbum salútis édoces.

O vos, beáti, nóbili

Iesum proféssi sánguine,

spe nos fidéque cúrrere

date in supérnam pátriam,

Ut, quando mansiónibus

iam Patris immorábimur,

simul canámus pérpetim

in Trinitátis glóriam. Amen.

O Philip, glittering with the honors of the highest calling, along with your fellow citizen Peter the prince of the Apostles, you loved Christ. Who rewarded you with most intimate pledges of love and explained to you the truth of the relationship between his own life and the Father. No less did the love of Christ embrace you, O James, you who were called his brother and pillar of the Church.  You who first presided over the glorious flock of your own city, Jerusalem, and taught from the holy scripture the word of salvation. O you apostles, blessed and noble, who shed your blood for Jesus, grant that we may run faithfully to our heavenly fatherland.  That, when we dwell in the Father’s mansions, we may forever sing the glory of the Trinity. Amen.

Common of Apostles: Eastertide: Lauds: Saec. X

These two hymns are taken from a much longer hymn, 44 lines, the first part of which is Aurora lucis rutilat, the hymn for Paschaltide Lauds in the Liturgica Horarum.

Claro pascháli gáudio

sol mundo nitet rádio,

cum Christum iam Apóstoli

visu cernunt corpóreo.

Osténsa sibi vúlnera

in Christi carne fúlgida,

resurrexísse Dóminum

voce faténtur pública.

Rex, Christe, clementíssime,

tu corda nostra pósside,

ut tibi laudes débitas

reddámus omni témpore.

Esto perénne méntibus, etc.

Sit, Christe, tibi glória,

qui regno mortis óbruto,

pandísti per Apóstolos

vitæ lucísque sémitas. Amen.

The sun shines its rays upon the world with bright paschal joy, when the Apostles recognize by sight Christ in his body. To them the wounds of Christ are revealed shining in the flesh, with their voice they proclaim openly that the Lord has risen. O Christ, most merciful King, take possession of our hearts, that we may at all times offer you due praise. … To you, O Christ, be glory, who, when the kingdom of death was overwhelmed, revealed to the Apostles, the paths of life and life. Amen.

Common of Apostles: Eastertide: Vespers: Saec. V

Tristes erant Apóstoli

de nece sui Dómini,

quem morte crudelíssima

sævi damnárant ímpii.

Sermóne blando Angelus

prædíxit muliéribus:

«In Galilæa Dóminus

vidéndus est quantócius».

Illæ dum pergunt cóncitæ

Apóstolis hoc dícere,

vidéntes eum vívere,

ósculant pedes Dómini.

Quo ágnito, discípuli

in Galilæa própere

pergunt vidére fáciem

desiderátam Dómini.

Esto perénne méntibus, etc.

Sit, Christe, tibi glória, etc.

The apostles were sadden by the death of their Lord, whom the savage ungodly had condemned to a most cruel death. With a pleasing word the angel proclaimed to the women: “In Galilee very soon the Lord will be seen”.  As they excitedly made their way to tell the Apostles, seeing him alive, they kissed his feet. Once they knew, the disciples made haste to Galilee, longing to see the face of the Lord.

S. IOSEPH OPIFICIS

Ad Officium lectionis: Evaristus antverpensis 1968

Te, pater Ioseph, ópifex colénde,

Názaræ felix látitans in umbra,

vócibus lætis humilíque cuncti

  corde canámus.

Régiam stirpem tenuémque victum

mente fers æqua tacitúsque portas,

sacra dum multo mánuum labóre

  pígnora nutris.

O faber, sanctum spéculum fabrórum,

quanta das plebi documénta vitæ,

ut labor sudans ut et officína

  sanctificétur.

Qui carent escis, míseros fovéto;

témpera effrénos perimásque lites;

mýsticus Christus pátriæ sub umbræ

  tégmine crescat.

Qui Deus trinus simul unus exstas,

qui pater cunctis opiféxque rerum,

fac patrem Ioseph imitémur actu,

  morte imitémur. Amen.

O father Joseph, venerable worker, happily hidden in the shadows of Nazareth, we all sing to you with humble hearts and glad voices. With a mind at peace in poverty you kept your royal lineage secret, while with the great labor of your hands you nourished your holy pledge. O worker, holy example to all workers, by your life you give such great witness to the people that vocation is sanctified in labor by sweat of the brow. Show your favor to those who lack food, the wretched, soften the unbridled and destroy strife; that the mystery of Christ may grow under the shade of a father’s roof. O God, both three and one, you who are the Father to all and craftsman of all things, grant that we may imitate Joseph in our deeds and in a holy death. Amen

Ad Laudes matutinas

Auróra solis núntia,

mundi labóres éxcitans,

fabri sonóram málleo

domum salútat Názaræ.

Salve, caput domésticum,

sub quo supérnus Artifex,

sudóre salso róridus,

exércet artem pátriam.

Altis locátus sédibus

celsæque Sponsæ próximus,

adésto nunc cliéntibus,

quos vexat indigéntia.

Absíntque vis et iúrgia,

fraus omnis a mercédibus,

victus cibíque cópiam

mensúret una párcitas.

Sit Trinitáti glória,

quæ, te precánte, iúgiter

in pace nostros ómnium

gressus viámque dírigat. Amen.

Dawn the herald of the sun arouses the workers of the world, the sound of the carpenter’s hammer greets in the house of Nazareth. Hail, O head of the family, who under the supreme Builder, drenched in salty sweat you exercise your fatherly craft. Raised to the highest abodes, next to the heavenly Bride, now assist your petitioners who are vexed with poverty. May violence and conflicts, all fraud in wages, be gone; may abstinence alone be the measure of the abundance of goods and food. To the Trinity be glory, who, by Joseph’s prayers, ever direct the steps of all in the way of peace. Amen.  

Ad Vesperas: Hieronymus Casanate

Te, Ioseph, célebrent ágmina cælitum,

te cuncti résonent christíanum chori,

qui, clarus méritis, iunctus es ínclitæ

  casto fœdere Vírgini.

Almo cum túmidam gérmine cóniugem

admírans, dúbio tángeris ánxius,

afflátu súperi Fláminis ángelus

  concéptum púerum docet.

Tu natum Dóminum stringis, ad éxteras

Ægýpti prófugum tu séqueris plagas;

amíssum Sólymis quæris et ínvenis,

  miscens gáudia flétibus.

Eléctos réliquos mors pia cónsecrat

palmámque eméritos glória súscipit;

tu vivens, súperis par, frúeris Deo,

  mira sorte beátior.

Nobis, summa Trias, parce precántibus;

da Ioseph méritis sídera scándere,

ut tandem líceat nos tibi pérpetim

  gratum prómere cánticum. Amen.

O Joseph, the heavenly hosts celebrate you, and all the choirs of Christendom resound your praise, you who with merits bright are joined in a chaste bound with the glorious Virgin. When you were surprised at your wife pregnant with her loving child, anxiously you were seized by doubt, an angel told you that the child was conceived by the breath of the heavenly Spirit.  You took the newborn Lord that you might follow him on the journey to the far-off land of Egypt; you searched for and found him, when he was lost in Jerusalem, your joy mingled with weeping.  A holy death consecrates other chosen men and glory and palms of victory greet the deserving; but you living had a more blessed and wondrous lot, you were here with God like those in heaven. Highest Trinity, grant to us by the merits of Joseph to reach the stars that at last we may sing forever to you a canticle of thanks. Amen.

S. CATHARINÆ SENENSIS

There was an earlier office of St. Catherine before the Pius II/ Schifaldo office. One presumes that these two fine hymns belonged to the earlier office. Certainly these older hymns are to be preferred over the later compositions. The hymn for the Office of Readings nicely combines the customary reference to the wise virgins with the themes of nuptial spirituality, the ecstasy of St. Catherine and the stigmata. The second hymn is more generic but perhaps we can detect just a bit of St. Catherine’s work for the restoration of the unity of the papacy in the line feróces mulces ánimos.

Ad Officium lectionis: saec. XIV

Virgo prudéntum comitáta cœtum

óbviam sponso véniens paráta,

noctis horréndæ rémovet tenébras

  lámpade pura.

Ille fulgéntem nítidis lapíllis

ánulum miri tríbuit decóris

vírgini dicens: «Tibi trado sancti

  pignus amóris».

Mota flagrántis stímulo calóris

mentis excéssu rápitur frequénti,

fixa dum portat Catharína membris

  vúlnera Christi.

Unde ter felix quater et beáta

in sinu sponsi requiévit almi,

inter illústres ánimas reláta

  lux nova cæli.

Sit Deus cæli résidens in arce,

trinus et simplex benedíctus ille,

qui potens totum stábili gubérnat

  órdine mundum. Amen.

A virgin in the company of the wise virgins comes prepared to meet the bridegroom  and remove the fearful darkness of night with an unsullied lamp. A bright ring glittering with  shining stones, wondrous in beauty, he gives to the virgin, saying “I hand over to you a pledge of my holy love.” Moved by a prick of burning heat Catherine is caught up in rapture beyond human thought, while she carries fixed in her body the wounds of Christ.  Whence three times happy and four times blessed she rested on the breast of her nourishing spouse, she is now a new light brought among the illustrious souls of heaven.  Blessed be God Triune and simple residing in the height of heaven who powerfully governs the world in a certain order. Amen.

Ad Laudes matutinas & Ad Vesperas: Saec. XIV

Te, Catharína, máximis

nunc venerámur láudibus,

cunctæ lumen Ecclésiæ,

sertis ornáta plúrimis.

Magnis aucta virtútibus

et vita florens ínclita,

húmili mente ac strénua

per crucis pergis trámitem.

Stella vidéris pópulis

salúbris pacis núntia;

mores restáuras óptimos,

feróces mulces ánimos.

Sancto compúlsa Spíritu,

igníta verba lóqueris,

quæ lucem sapiéntiæ,

æstus amóris íngerunt.

Tuis confísos précibus,

virgo dilécta Dómino,

nos caritáte cóncitos

fac Sponsi regna quærere.

You, O Catherine, now we venerate with the greatest praises, light of the whole Church, adorned with many garlands. Enriched with great virtues and flourishing with a noble life, a humble and strong soul you trod the way of the cross. You appeared as a star to the people, a herald of saving peace; you restored the best ways of life and calmed angry souls. Driven by the Holy Spirit you spoke fiery words which engendered the light of wisdom and ardor of love. O virgin beloved by the Lord, make us, who trust in your prayers, aroused by love to seek the kingdom of your spouse.

St. Catherine of Sienna: Dominican Breviary Hymns I

 

Fr. Aquinas Byrnes: “The three hymns of St. Catherine's Office give some basis to Dom Gueranger's severe, but too general, criticism that Dominican Offices are marked by "an accent of triumph and pomp of language" (Orate Fratres, February 23, 1930). We could wish, for the sake of this great saint, that the poet, whether Pius II or Schifaldo, had been less humanistic and more Christian in singing her praises”. Pope Pius II, if he is the author, at least has the excuse of being from Sienna and naturally was carried away somewhat with a local saint.The Cambridge History of Fifteenth-Century Music argues that the Dominican philologist,  Thomasso Schifaldo of Marsala, wrote the office requested by the Dominican Superior to do so. The hymns nowhere mentions the Dominican Order but they also do not refer much to Sienna. Schifaldo also claims the office as his own work, although most of the manuscripts attribute it to Pope Pius II.  Perhaps the sophistication of the meter does point to Schifaldo's expertise. 

Vespers:

Haec tuae Virgo monumenta laudis,

Quae tuis laeti Catharina sacris

Hoc quidem pacto modulamur omnes,

Perfer Olympo.

Si satis digne nequeant referri,

Annuas nobis veniam, precamur:

Non sumus tanti ingenii, fatemur,

Optima Virgo.

Quis fuit dignas modulatus unquam

Virginis laudes? Quis in orbe toto

Feminae invictae peritura nunquam

Carmina pandet?

Praedita exemplis Catharina claris,

Moribus praestans, sapiens abunde,

Temperans, fortis, pia, justa, prudens,

Aethera scandis.

Quem latet virtus facinusque clarum,

Quo nequit dici sanctius per orbem?

Vulnerum formam miserara Christi

Exprimis ipsa.

Nam brevis, maesta: miseraeque vita:

Et malis cunctis penitus refertae

Fortiter spernens pretiosa quaeque

Sidera adisti.

Gratias summas habeamus omnes

Filio magni Genitoris almo:

Spiritum sanctum veneremur, et sit

Laus tamen una. Amen.

O Virgin Catherine, these are the memorials of your praises, which we all gladly sing on your holy day, with this provision, that you carry them to heaven. If they are not sufficiently worthy to be so offered, we pray that you favor us with pardon: we confess that we are not of such genius, O noble Virgin. Who is ever worthy to sing the praises of a virgin? Who in all the world can sing in merely perishable hymns of an invincible woman? O Catherine, revealing bright examples, outstanding habits, abundant wisdom, temperance, bravery, holy, just, prudent, you climbed up to heaven. To whom is hidden your virtue and glorious deeds, by which no one can be called more holy throughout the world? You in mercy revealed the pattern of the wounds of Christ. That which was temporary, sad and wretched in life, completely filled with all evils, you bravely spurned and drew near to the stars.  Let us all give highest thanks to the Son of the mighty Father, let us worship the Holy Spirit, with equal praise. Amen.