Project Gutenberg's The Hymns of Prudentius, by Aurelius Clemens Prudentius

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Title: The Hymns of Prudentius

Author: Aurelius Clemens Prudentius

Release Date: February 7, 2005 [EBook #14959]

Language: Latin and English

Character set encoding: ASCII

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THE HYMNS of PRUDENTIUS

TRANSLATED by R. MARTIN POPE.

MDCCCCV PUBLISHED BY J.M. DENT
AND CO: ALDINE HOUSE LONDON W C

CATHEMERINON LIBER
OF
PRUDENTIUS

HYMNS FOR THE CHRISTIAN'S DAY

NEWLY TRANSLATED INTO
ENGLISH VERSE

PRAEFATIO

Per quinquennia iam decem,
ni fallor, fuimus: septimus insuper
annum cardo rotat, dum fruimur sole volubili.
Instat terminus et diem
vicinum senio iam Deus adplicat. 5
Quid nos utile tanti spatio temporis egimus?
Aetas prima crepantibus
flevit sub ferulis: mox docuit toga
infectum vitiis falsa loqui, non sine crimine.
Tum lasciva protervitas, 10
et luxus petulans (heu pudet ac piget)
foedavit iuvenem nequitiae sordibus ac luto.
Exin iurgia turbidos
armarunt animos et male pertinax
vincendi studium subiacuit casibus asperis. 15
Bis legum moderamine
frenos nobilium reximus urbium,
ius civile bonis reddidimus, terruimus reos.
Tandem militiae gradu
evectum pietas principis extulit 20
adsumptum propius stare iubens ordine proximo.
Haec dum vita volans agit,
inrepsit subito canities seni
oblitum veteris me Saliae consulis arguens:
ex quo prima dies mihi 25
quam multas hiemes volverit et rosas
pratis post glaciem reddiderit, nix capitis probat.
Numquid talia proderunt
carnis post obitum