Wednesday, January 22, 2020

Prudentius on St. Vincent Martyr






Iam carceralis caecitas

splendore lucis fulgurat,

duplexque morsus stipitis

ruptis cavernis dissilit.



Agnoscit hic Vincentius

adesse, quod speraverat,

tanti laboris praemium,

Christum datorem luminis.



Cernit deinde, fragmina

iam testularum mollibus

vestire semet floribus

redolente nectar carcere.



Quin et frequentes angeli

stant ac loquuntur cominus:

quorum unus ore augustior

conpellat his dictis virum:



“Exurge, martyr inclite,

exurge securus tui,

exurge et almis coetibus

noster sodalis addere.



“Decursa iam satis tibi

paenae minacis munia,

pulcroque mortis exitu

omnis peracta est passio.



“O miles invictissime,

fortissimorum fortior,

iam te ipsa saeva et aspera

tormenta victorem tremunt.



“Spectator haec Christus deus

conpensat aevo intermino,

propriaeque conlegam crucis

larga coronat dextera.



“Pone hoc caducum vasculum

conpage textum terrea,

quod dissipatum solvitur,

et liber in caelum veni.”





Now dazzling gleams, O wonder!

Through the dark chamber wave:

Now burst the stocks asunder,

Yawns wide the dungeon-cave.



At once Vincentius haileth

The prize of hard won fight:

Bright Hope o’er gloom prevaileth,

Tis Christ who gives the light.



Sweet flow’rets are enwreathing

Those jagged shards and stones;

Strange nectar scents are breathing

Around that house of groans.



Angels their voices blended

Close to the dying man,

And one in form more splendid

Than all the rest, began.



“Arise, thou glorious Martyr,

All anxious care dismiss,

In Heaven is sealed thy charter,

Come range with us in bliss.



“Thy race is run, and vanished

The trial pangs accurst;

By death triumphant banished,

Torture has done her worst.



“O warrior staunch and peerless,

O bravest of the brave,

The palm to thee, the fearless,

Aghast those torments gave.



“O’er fellow-sufferer bending

The Christ, whose love o’erflows,

With crown of life unending

Indemnifies his woes.



“Come, disenthralled spirit,

Leave here this fragile shell,

Come heavenward and inherit

Fit home wherein to dwell.”


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