Prudentius Psychomachia: Difference between revisions
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=== [[LATIN_parente|parente]] [[LATIN_inenarrabili|inenarrabili]] [[LATIN_atque|atque]] [[LATIN_uno|uno]] [[LATIN_satus|satus]], === | === [[LATIN_parente|parente]] [[LATIN_inenarrabili|inenarrabili]] [[LATIN_atque|atque]] [[LATIN_uno|uno]] [[LATIN_satus|satus]], === | ||
''born from a single, unknowable parent,'' | |||
=== [[LATIN_cibum|cibum]] [[LATIN_beatis|beatis]] [[LATIN_offerens|offerens]] [[LATIN_uictoribus|uictoribus]] === | === [[LATIN_cibum|cibum]] [[LATIN_beatis|beatis]] [[LATIN_offerens|offerens]] [[LATIN_uictoribus|uictoribus]] === | ||
''offering food to the blessed victors'' | ''offering food to the blessed victors'' |
Revision as of 01:33, 27 September 2007
Comments on this "edition"
- Can't comment on spans of lines easily. Maybe add the comment where the span begins?
- One way to annotate lines is to use a fourth-level header (==== X ====) to break them out (the other three levels already being in use to designate Book → Section → Line).
- NO, that won't work. Instead, lines would have to be fourth-level and subsections would have to be third level ...
- Three levels is plenty. I'm sure we can work around this problem by putting larger comments under the first line of a section.
- To return straight to the editable text after editing a line (rather than to the table of contents), just click "hide" on the table of contents before starting to edit.
- I'm wondering about the best heading for the pages on individual words. Is "LATIN senex" what we want? Or just "senex"? Or something else more specific to this author or work or line?
Psychomachia
Preface
Senex fidelis, prima credendi uia,
Faithful old man, first path of believing,
Abram, beati seminis serus pater,
Abram, father late in life of a blessed progeny
adiecta cuius nomen auxit syllaba,
whose name grew with an added syllable
Abram parenti dictus, Abraham Deo,
called Abram by his parent, Abraham by God
senile pignus qui dicauit uictimae,
who dedicated as a sacrificial victim the child of his old age
docens ad aram cum litare quis uelit,
teaching that, when someone wants to sacrifice at the altar,
quod dulce cordi, quod pium, quod unicum
that which is sweet to the heart, that which is loyal, that which is unique
deo libenter offerendum credito,
must be offered willingly with faith in God.
pugnare nosmet cum profanis gentibus
He urged us to fight with profane peoples
suasit, suumque suasor exemplum dedit,
and as he urged gave his own example
nec ante prolem coniugalem gignere
that one does not beget legitimate progeny
deo placentem, matre uirtute editam,
pleasing to God, born from mother Virtue,
quam strage multa bellicosus spiritus
before the warlike spirit has conquered with much carnage
portenta cordis saeuientis uicerit.
the raging monsters of the heart.
literally: the monsters of the raging heart (transferred epithet).
uinctum feroces forte reges ceperant
Savage kings by chance had captured and bound
Loth inmorantem criminosis urbibus
Lot while he was dwelling in the criminal cities
Sodomae et Gomorrae, quas fouebat aduena
of Sodom and Gomorrha, which he inhabited as an immigrant,
pollens honore patruelis gloriae.
powerful thanks to the honor accorded his uncle's glory.
Abram sinistris excitatus nuntiis
Abram, roused by sinister news,
audit propinquum sorte captum bellica
heard that his kinsman, captured by chance of war,
seruire duris barbarorum uinculis:
was serving in the harsh chains of barbarians.
armat trecentos terque senos uernulas,
He armed three hundred and thrice six home-bred slaves,
The number 318 is given a symbolic interpretation below, lines 56-58.
pergant ut hostis terga euntis caedere,
to hurry and attack the rearguard of the enemy as they went.
quem gaza diues ac triumphus nobilis
(the enemy) whom rich treasure and noble triumph
captis tenebant inpeditum copiis.
was keeping hindered with captured troops.
quin ipse ferrum stringit et plenus deo
Indeed the man himself drew his sword and, full of God,
reges superbos mole praedarum graues
defeated and put to flight haughty kings, weighed down by the mass of spoils,
pellit fugatos, sauciatos proterit,
(defeated and put them to flight), crushed and bloodied them,
frangit catenas et rapinam liberat:
broke the chains and freed the booty:
aurum, puellas, paruulos, monilia,
gold, girls, boys, jewellery
greges equarum, uasa, uestem, buculas.
herds of horses, furniture, clothing, heifers.
Loth ipse ruptis expeditus nexibus
Lot himself, freed from the broken chains,
attrita bacis colla liber erigit.
raised as a free man his neck, worn down by the links.
Abram triumphi dissipator hostici
Abram, banisher of the enemy's triumph,
redit recepta prole fratris inclytus
returned famous, due to the recovery of his brother's son,
ne quam fidelis sanguinis prosapiam
lest a force of wicked kings possess
uis pessimorum possideret principum.
any family of faithful blood.
adhuc recentem caede de tanta uirum
The priest bestowed celestial food upon him
donat sacerdos ferculis caelestibus,
(Abram) still fresh from such a great slaughter of men,
dei sacerdos, rex et idem praepotens,
a priest of God (bestowed this), and likewise a very powerful king,
origo cuius fonte inenarrabili
whose origin from a secret, unknowable source
secreta nullum prodit auctorem sui,
brings forth no author of itself,
Melchisedech's parentage is not recorded in the Bible.
Melchisedech, qua stirpe, quis maioribus
Melchisedech, from what family, from what ancestors,
ignotus, uni cognitus tantum deo.
it is unknown, known only to the one God.
mox et triformis angelorum trinitas
And later a three-formed trio of angels
senis reuisit hospitis mapalia,
visited the hut of their aged host
et iam uietam Sarra in aluum fertilis
And now Sarra, fertile in her already aged womb
munus iuuentae mater exsanguis stupet,
is stunned at the gift of youth, a withered mother,
herede guadens, et cachinni paenitens.
rejoicing in her heir, and regretting her laughter.
haec ad figuram praenotata est linea,
This line has been marked out in advance figuratively
quam nostra recto uita resculpat pede:
which our life can retrace with a straight step:
uigilandum in armis pectorum fidelium,
there must be armed vigilance in the hearts of the faithful
omnemque nostri portionem corporis,
and every part of our body
quae capta foedae seruiat libidini,
that serves in captivity to foul lust,
domi coactis liberandam uiribus;
must be freed by forces gathered at home;
nos esse large uernularum diuites,
we are greatly rich in home-bred slaves,
si quid trecenti bis nouenis additis
if we know what three hundred with twice nine added
possint figura nouerimus mystica.
can do through mystic symbolism.
mox ipse Christus, qui sacerdos uerus est,
Later Christ himself, who is the true priest,
parente inenarrabili atque uno satus,
born from a single, unknowable parent,
cibum beatis offerens uictoribus
offering food to the blessed victors
paruam pudici cordis intrabit casam,
monstrans honorem trinitatis hospitae.
animam deinde spiritus conplexibus
pie maritam, prolis expertem diu,
faciet perenni fertilem de semine,
tunc sera dotem possidens puerpera
herede digno patris inplebit domum.
Main Text
1-20: Introduction and Invocation of Christ
Christe, graues hominum semper miserate labores,
qui patria uirtute cluis propriaque, sed una,
(unum namque deum colimus de nomine utroque,
non tamen et solum, quia tu deus ex patre, Christe)
dissere, rex noster, quo milite pellere culpas
mens armata queat nostri de pectoris antro,
exoritur quotiens turbatis sensibus intus
seditio atque animam morborum rixa fatigat,
quod tunc praesidium pro libertate tuenda
quaeue acies furiis inter praecordia mixtis
obsistat meliore manu. nec enim, bone ductor,
magnarum virtutum inopes neruisque carentes
Christicolas uitiis populantibus exposuisti.
ipse salutiferas obsesso in corpore turmas
depugnare iubes, ipse excellentibus armas
artibus ingenium, quibus ad ludibria cordis
oppugnanda potens tibi dimicet et tibi uincat.
uincendi praesens ratio est, si comminus ipsas
uirtutum facies et conluctantia contra
uiribus infestis liceat portenta notare.
21-39: Duel between Faith and The Worship of the Old Gods