Laurel · Prudentius · The Hymns of Prudentius

Hymn for the Epiphany

Prudentius (348–413) · 1905

iambic tetrameter · AABB · 208 lines · from The Hymns of Prudentius

Lift up your eyes, whoe'er ye beThat fare the new-born Christ to see:For yonder is the shining signOf grace perennial and divine.

What means this star, whose piercing raysOutshine the sun's resplendent blaze?'Tis token sure that God is comeIn mortal flesh to make His home.

No courtier of the realms of nightNor monthly moon's bright acolyte,This star directs the course of day,Sole sovereign of the heavenly way.

Although the Bears their track retrace,Nor wholly their clear beams efface,Yet ofttimes 'neath the dun cloud's hazeThey hide themselves from mortal gaze.

But yon Star's glory hath no end,Nor to the depths can it descend:It ne'er is whelmed by envious cloudThat seeks its beauty to enshroud.

Now let the baleful comet die,The brood of blazing Sirius fly:God's orb shall quench their sultry heatsAnd drive them from their haughty seats.

Lo! from the regions of the mornWherein the radiant sun is born,The Persian sages see on highGod's ensign shining in the sky.

Soon as its rising beams prevailThe starry hosts in order pale:E'en Lucifer durst not upraiseThe silvery splendours of his face.

Who is this sovereign (they enquire)That lords it o'er the ethereal choir?'Fore whom the heavens bow down afraid,Of all the worlds of light obeyed?

Sure 'tis the sign most reverendOf Being that doth know no end:Of One in state sublime arrayedEre sky and chaos yet were made.

This is the King of Israel,Of all in Gentile lands that dwell:The King to Abram and his seedThroughout all ages erst decreed.

To him 'twas given his progenyAs stars innumerous to see:First of believers! moved to slayHis only son, so God to obey.

Behold the Flower of David shine,Of Jesse's root the Branch benign:The sceptre spread with blossoms rareWields o'er the world its lordship fair.

Roused by the portent of the skyThe sages fix their gaze on high,And speed them 'neath the furrowed wayMarked by the star's effulgent ray.

At length its flaming steps it stayedPoised over where the Child was laid:Straightway with downcast mien it shedIts splendours on the sacred Head.

Whereat the travellers outpourOf Eastern gifts their treasure-store,Myrrh and sweet-smelling frankincense,Gold meet for regal opulence.

Behold herein the triple signOf Thy pure being, King divine:Seeing the Father willed in TheeTo plant a threefold majesty.

The gift of gold thee King proclaims:Thee God the fragrant incense names:The myrrh declares that Death shall thrustWithin the tomb Thy body's dust.

Ah! that dark sepulchre, whose foldGod's body quenched in death doth hold:Yet shall He from that durance wakeAnd Death's strong prison-fetters break.

O Bethlehem! no longer thouThe least of cities: all shall vowThat thou art greatest on the earth:For thou man's King didst bring to birth.

Yea thou didst on thy bosom bearThe All-loving Father's only heir:Man of the Thunderer's Spirit madeAnd God in human flesh arrayed.

The prophets witnessed to the bondWhich sealed to Him the realm profound:The Father's Kingdom He receivedAnd the vast legacy perceived.

All things are His in sea and sky,In hell beneath, in heaven on high:From East to setting sun, in feeHe holds the earth's immensity.

Distraught, the tyrant base doth hearThat now the King of Kings draws nearTo reign in David's seat of stateAnd Israel's empire dominate.

"Betrayed are we," he maddened cries,"Our throne's usurper doth arise:Go, soldiers, go with sword in handAnd slay all babes within my land.

"Spare no male child: each nurse's robeYour scrutinizing steel must probe:Spare not the suckling infant, thoughO'er mother's breast its life-blood flow.

"On Bethlehem our suspicion falls,On every hearth within its walls:Lest mothers with love's tender zealSome manly scion may conceal."

With daggers drawn the infuriate crewUpon their murderous errand flew:Each latest offspring of the wombTo bloody death they foully doom.

Ah tiny limbs! 'twas hard to knowHow best to strike the fatal blow:Too wide the sword-blades are to smiteThose throats so silken-fragile, slight.

O horrid sight! the tender bonesAre dashed against the jagged stones:Sightless and mangled there they lie,Poor babes! untimely doomed to die.

Perchance the still deep river lavesTheir bodies thrust into the waves:The current with their sighing sighs,Sobs with their latest, broken cries.

Ye flowers of martyrdom, all hail!Of rising morn pure blossoms frail!By Jesu's foe were ye downcast,Like budding roses by the blast.

Lambs of the flock too early slain,Ye first fruits of Christ's bitter pain!Close to His very altar, gayWith palms and crowns, ye now do play.

Of what avail is deed so vile?Doth Herod gain by murderous guile?Of all to death so foully doneEscapes triumphant Christ alone.

Amidst that tide of infant goreAlone He wins the sheltering shore:The virgin's Child survives the stroke,When every mother's heart was broke.

Thus Moses 'scaped the mad decreeOf evil Pharaoh and set freeThe flock of God, prefiguring soChrist spared from fate's malignant blow.

Vain too the king's hostilityWho framed the pitiless decreeThat Israel's mothers should not rearTo manhood's strength their offspring dear.

Quickened by love, a woman's mindFound means to thwart that law unkind,And, falsely true, the child concealedDestined to be his people's Shield.

On him it was that God did placeThe august priesthood's holy grace,The law on stony tablets writDid to his trembling hands commit.

And may we not with prophet's eyeIn such a hero Christ descry?The proud Egyptian's might he brokeAnd freed his kinsmen from the yoke.

So we by Error's might hemmed roundWere by our Captain's strength unbound:His foe He wounded in the fightAnd saved us from Death's horrid night.

Cheering by sign of flame their feet,Moses renewed with waters sweetHis folk, albeit purifiedFrom stain, what time they crossed the tide.

And he, remote on peaceful height,Amalek's banded hosts did smite:He prayed with arms stretched out above,Foreshadowing the Cross of Love.

Yet truer Jesus surely he,Who after many a victoryAnd labours long the tribes' renownWith promised heritage did crown;

Who when the waters rose on highAnd now the Jordan's bed was dry,Set up twelve stones of memory,Types of apostles yet to be.

Rightly the Wise Men said, I ween,That they Judaea's King had seen,Since noble deeds of other daysProphetic chant the Saviour's praise.

Of those old rulers He is KingWho did to Jacob judgment bring,King of the Mother Church divine,God's ancient and God's present Shrine.

Of Ephraim's sons He is adored:Manasseh's sacred house as LordReveres Him: to His might the seedOf brethren twelve their fealty plead.

Nay, each degenerate race hath fledIts shameful rites and orgies dread:Grim Baal in glowing furnace castSinks to the earth, forsook at last.

Idols smoke-blackened, wooden-hewn,Of brass and stone, in dust are strewn:The chiselled deities downtrod:For all confess in Christ their God.

Rejoice all peoples, Jewry, Rome,Fair Hellas, Thrace, Aegyptus' home:Persians and Scythian land forlorn,Rejoice: the world's great King is born!

Behold your Chief! His praise forth tell:Ye sick, ye hale, all heaven and hell:Ay, you whose vital spark hath sped:For lo! in Him e'en Death is dead.

Words in this poem 52

yonder adv.: At a distance, but within view. [OE. yonder, ýonder; cf. OD. ginder, Goth. jaindr there. Yond, adv.]
outshine v. i.: To shine forth.
courtier n.: One who is in attendance at the court of a prince; one who has an appointment at court. [From Court.]
acolyte n.: One who has received the highest of the four minor orders in the Catholic church, being ordained to carry the wine and water and the lights at the Mass. [LL. acolythus, acoluthus, Gr. acolyte.]
retrace v. t.: To trace back, as a line. [Pref. re- + trace: cf. F. retracer. Cf. Retract.]
ofttimes adv.: Frequently; often. [Oft + time. Cf. -wards.]
envious a.: Malignant; mischievous; spiteful. [OF. envios, F. envieux, fr. L. invidiosus, fr. invidia envy. See Envy, and cf. Invidious.]
enshroud v. t.: To cover with, or as with, a shroud; to shroud. Churchill.
sirius n.: The Dog Star. See Dog Star.
shall v. i.: To owe; to be under obligation for. [OE. shal, schal, imp. sholde, scholde, AS. scal, sceal, I am obliged, imp. scolde, sceolde, inf. sculan; akin to OS. skulan, pres. skal, imp. skolda, D. zullen,]
haughty a.: High; lofty; bold. [OE. hautein, F. hautain, fr. haut high, OF. also halt, fr. L. altus. See Altitude.]
morn n.: The first part of the day; the morning; -- used chiefly in poetry. [OE. morwen, morgen, AS. morgen; akin to D. morgen, OS. morgan, G. morgen, Icel. morginn, morgunn, Sw. morgon, Dan. morgen, Goth. maúrgins. Cf. Morrow, Morning.]
starry a.: Abounding with stars; adorned with stars.
upraise v. t.: To raise; to lift up.
reverend a.: Worthy of reverence; entitled to respect mingled with fear and affection; venerable. [F. révérend, L. reverendus, fr. revereri. See Revere.]
chaos n.: An empty, immeasurable space; a yawning chasm. [L. chaos chaos (in senses 1 & 2), Gr. Chasm.]
dwell v. i.: To delay; to linger. [OE. dwellen, dwelien, to err, linger, AS. dwellan to deceive, hinder, delay, dwelian to err; akin to Icel. dvelja to delay, tarry, Sw. dväljas to dwell, Dan. dv]
sceptre n.: A staff or baton borne by a sovereign, as a ceremonial badge or emblem of authority; a royal mace. [F. sceptre, L. sceptrum, from Gr. shaft. See Shaft, and cf. Scape a stem, shaft.]
portent n.: That which portends, or foretoken; esp., that which portends evil; a sign of coming calamity; an omen; a sign. [L. portentum. See Portend.]
effulgent a.: Diffusing a flood of light; shining; luminous; beaming; bright; splendid. [L. effulgens, -entis, p. pr. of effulgere.]
stayed a.: Staid; fixed; settled; sober; -- now written staid. See Staid.
straightway adv.: Immediately; without loss of time; without delay.
whereat adv.: At which; upon which; whereupon; -- used relatively.
outpour n.: A flowing out; a free discharge.
opulence n.: Wealth; riches; affluence. Swift [L. opulentia: cf. F. opulence. See Opulent.]
sepulchre n.: The place in which the dead body of a human being is interred, or a place set apart for that purpose; a grave; a tomb. [OE. sepulcre, OF. sepulcre, F. sépulcre, fr. L. sepulcrum, sepulchrum, fr. sepelire to bury.]
durance n.: Continuance; duration. See Endurance. [OF. durance duration, fr. L. durans, -antis, p. pr. durare to endure, last. See Dure, and cf. Durant.]
bethlehem n.: A hospital for lunatics; -- corrupted into bedlam. [Heb. b house of food; b house + lekhem food, lakham to eat. Formerly the name of a hospital for the insane, in London, which had been the priory of St. Mary of ]
didst: , the 2d pers. sing. imp. of Do.
immensity n.: The state or quality of being immense; inlimited or immeasurable extension; infinity; vastness in extent or bulk; greatness. [L. immensitas: cf. F. immensité.]
distraught p. p.: Torn asunder; separated. [OE. distract, distrauht. See Distract, a.]
dominate v. t.: To predominate over; to rule; to govern. [L. dominatus, p. p. of dominari to dominate, fr. dominus master, lord. See Dame, and cf. Domineer.]
usurper n.: One who usurps; especially, one who seizes illegally on sovereign power; as, the usurper of a throne, of power, or of the rights of a patron.
infuriate a.: Enraged; rading; furiously angry; infuriated. [It. infuriato, p. p. of infuriare. See Infuriate, v. t.]
womb n.: The belly; the abdomen. [OE. wombe, wambe, AS. wamb, womb; akin to D. wam belly, OS. & OHG. wamba, G. wamme, wampe, Icel. vömb, Sw. v&mb, Dan. vom, Goth. wamba.]
foully v.: In a foul manner; filthily; nastily; shamefully; unfairly; dishonorably.
horrid a.: Rough; rugged; bristling. [L. horridus. See Horror, and cf. Ordure.]
sightless a.: Wanting sight; without sight; blind.
martyrdom n.: The condition of a martyr; the death of a martyr; the suffering of death on account of adherence to the Christian faith, or to any cause. [Martyr + -dom.]
amidst prep.: In the midst or middle of; surrounded or encompassed by; among. [OE. amidde, amiddes, on midden, AS. on middan, in the middle, fr. midde the middle. The s is an adverbial ending, originally marking the genitive; the t is a la]
broke v. i.: To transact business for another. Brome. [See Broker, and cf. Brook.]
pharaoh n.: A title by which the sovereigns of ancient Egypt were designated. [Heb. paroh; of Egyptian origin: cf. L. pharao, Gr. Faro.]
unkind a.: Having no race or kindred; childless. [See Kin kindred.]
descry: , Discovery or view, as of an army seen at a distance.
folk n.: In Anglo-Saxon times, the people of a group of townships or villages; a community; a tribe. [AS. folc; akin to D. volk, OS. & OHG. folk, G. volk, Icel. f, Sw. & Dan. folk, Lith. pulkas crowd, and perh. to E. follow.]
albeit conj.: Even though; although; notwithstanding. [OE. al be although it be, where al is our all. Cf. Although.]
heritage a.: That which is inherited, or passes from heir to heir; inheritance. [OE. heritage, eritage, OF. heritage, eritage, F. héritage, fr. hériter to inherit, LL. heriditare. See Hereditable.]
rightly adv.: Straightly; directly; in front. [AS. richtlice.]
ween v. i.: To think; to imagine; to fancy. [OE. wenen, AS. w, fr. w hope, expectation, opinion; akin to D. waan, OFries. w, OS. & OHG. wan, G. wahn delusion, Icel. van hope, expectation, Goth. w, and D. w]
downtrod a.: Trodden down; trampled down; abused by superior power.
jewry n.: Judea; also, a district inhabited by Jews; a Jews' quarter. [OE. Jewerie, OF. Juierie, F. Juiverie.]
forlorn a.: Deserted abandoned; lost. [OE., p.p. of forlesen to lose utterly, AS. forleósan (p.p. forloren); pref. for- + leósan (in comp.) to lose; cf. D. verliezen to lose, G. verlieren, Sw. förlor]

Definitions and etymologies from Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913.

About this text

Hymn for the Epiphany is in the public domain. This text is taken from The Hymns of Prudentius, Project Gutenberg ebook #14959; the transcription's header, footer and licence were removed and nothing else was changed. You may copy, print and reuse it freely.

Cite as: Prudentius, Hymn for the Epiphany, in The Hymns of Prudentius (1905), text of Project Gutenberg ebook #14959, Laurel, https://laurelpoetry.com/poem/prudentius-hymns/hymn-for-the-epiphany.html, id L23688.

Form and metre

Hymn for the Epiphany is 208 lines in 52 stanzas of 4 lines each. The rhyme scheme is AABB, complete in 43 of its 52 stanzas. The metre is iambic tetrameter, measured from the stress the words themselves fix (confidence 90%).

See other poems in iambic tetrameter.

Measured by Laurel's pipeline, not copied from a handbook: how stress and metre are counted, how rhyme is lettered, how a drifted rhyme is found. Where the dictionary cannot confirm a rhyme the letter is withheld, not guessed.

Rhyme words, stanza by stanza

The word that ends each line, lettered by the rhyme it makes; a dash is a line whose rhyme the dictionary could not confirm.

1 AABB be^A · see^A · sign^B · divine^B
2 AABB rays^A · blaze^A · come^B · home^B
3 AABB night^A · acolyte^A · day^B · way^B
4 AABB retrace^A · efface^A · haze^B · gaze^B
5 AABB end^A · descend^A · cloud^B · enshroud^B
6 AABB die^A · fly^A · heats^B · seats^B
7 AABB morn^A · born^A · high^B · sky^B
8 AA-- prevail^A · pale^A · upraise · face
9 AABB enquire^A · choir^A · afraid^B · obeyed^B
10 AABB reverend^A · end^A · arrayed^B · made^B
11 AABB israel^A · dwell^A · seed^B · decreed^B
12 --AA progeny · see · slay^A · obey^A
13 AABB shine^A · benign^A · rare^B · fair^B
14 AABB sky^A · high^A · way^B · ray^B
15 AABB stayed^A · laid^A · shed^B · head^B
16 AABB outpour^A · store^A · frankincense^B · opulence^B
17 AA-- sign^A · divine^A · thee · majesty
18 AABB proclaims^A · names^A · thrust^B · dust^B
19 AABB fold^A · hold^A · wake^B · break^B
20 AABB thou^A · vow^A · earth^B · birth^B
21 AABB bear^A · heir^A · made^B · arrayed^B
22 --AA bond · profound · received^A · perceived^A
23 AAA- sky^A · high^A · fee^A · immensity
24 AABB hear^A · near^A · state^B · dominate^B
25 AABB cries^A · arise^A · hand^B · land^B
26 AABB robe^A · probe^A · though^B · flow^B
27 AABB falls^A · walls^A · zeal^B · conceal^B
28 AABB crew^A · flew^A · womb^B · doom^B
29 AABB know^A · blow^A · smite^B · slight^B
30 AABB bones^A · stones^A · lie^B · die^B
31 AABB laves^A · waves^A · sighs^B · cries^B
32 AABB hail^A · frail^A · downcast^B · blast^B
33 AABB slain^A · pain^A · gay^B · play^B
34 AA-- vile^A · guile^A · done · alone
35 AABB gore^A · shore^A · stroke^B · broke^B
36 AABB decree^A · free^A · so^B · blow^B
37 --AA hostility · decree · rear^A · dear^A
38 AABB mind^A · unkind^A · concealed^B · shield^B
39 AABB place^A · grace^A · writ^B · commit^B
40 AABB eye^A · descry^A · broke^B · yoke^B
41 AABB round^A · unbound^A · fight^B · night^B
42 AABB feet^A · sweet^A · purified^B · tide^B
43 AABB height^A · smite^A · above^B · love^B
44 --AA he · victory · renown^A · crown^A
45 AA-A high^A · dry^A · memory · be^A
46 AABB ween^A · seen^A · days^B · praise^B
47 AABB king^A · bring^A · divine^B · shrine^B
48 AABB adored^A · lord^A · seed^B · plead^B
49 AABB fled^A · dread^A · cast^B · last^B
50 AABB hewn^A · strewn^A · downtrod^B · god^B
51 AABB rome^A · home^A · forlorn^B · born^B
52 AABB tell^A · hell^A · sped^B · dead^B

Scansion, line by line

Each line with its syllable count and the stresses the words themselves fix: / stressed, ˘ unstressed, · a syllable the word leaves free and the metre decides. Read against iambic tetrameter. How this is done.

Line	Syl.	Stress
Lift up your eyes, whoe'er ye be	7	·······
That fare the new-born Christ to see:	8	········
For yonder is the shining sign	8	·/˘··/˘·
Of grace perennial and divine.	8	··˘/˘·˘/
What means this star, whose piercing rays	8	·····/˘·
Outshine the sun's resplendent blaze?	8	/···˘/˘·
'Tis token sure that God is come	8	·/˘·····
In mortal flesh to make His home.	8	·/˘·····
No courtier of the realms of night	8	·/˘·····
Nor monthly moon's bright acolyte,	8	·/˘··/˘·
This star directs the course of day,	8	··˘/····
Sole sovereign of the heavenly way.	8	·/˘··/˘·
Although the Bears their track retrace,	8	······˘/
Nor wholly their clear beams efface,	8	·/˘···˘/
Yet ofttimes 'neath the dun cloud's haze	8	·/˘·····
They hide themselves from mortal gaze.	8	··˘/·/˘·
But yon Star's glory hath no end,	8	···/˘···
Nor to the depths can it descend:	8	······˘/
It ne'er is whelmed by envious cloud	8	·····/˘·
That seeks its beauty to enshroud.	8	···/˘·˘/
Now let the baleful comet die,	8	···/˘/˘·
The brood of blazing Sirius fly:	9	···/˘/˘˘·
God's orb shall quench their sultry heats	8	·····/˘·
And drive them from their haughty seats.	8	·····/˘·
Lo! from the regions of the morn	8	···/˘···
Wherein the radiant sun is born,	8	···/˘···
The Persian sages see on high	8	·/˘/˘···
God's ensign shining in the sky.	8	·/˘/˘···
Soon as its rising beams prevail	8	···/˘·˘/
The starry hosts in order pale:	8	·/˘··/˘·
E'en Lucifer durst not upraise	8	·/˘˘··˘/
The silvery splendours of his face.	8	·/˘/˘···
Who is this sovereign (they enquire)	9	···/˘·˘/˘
That lords it o'er the ethereal choir?	9	·····˘/˘/
'Fore whom the heavens bow down afraid,	9	···/˘··˘/
Of all the worlds of light obeyed?	8	······˘/
Sure 'tis the sign most reverend	8	·····/˘˘
Of Being that doth know no end:	8	·/˘·····
Of One in state sublime arrayed	8	····˘/˘/
Ere sky and chaos yet were made.	8	···/˘···
This is the King of Israel,	8	·····/˘˘
Of all in Gentile lands that dwell:	8	···/····
The King to Abram and his seed	8	···˘/···
Throughout all ages erst decreed.	8	···/˘·˘/
To him 'twas given his progeny	9	···/˘·/˘˘
As stars innumerous to see:	8	··˘/˘˘··
First of believers! moved to slay	8	··˘/˘···
His only son, so God to obey.	9	·/˘····˘/
Behold the Flower of David shine,	8	˘/·/·/˘·
Of Jesse's root the Branch benign:	8	·/˘···˘/
The sceptre spread with blossoms rare	8	·/˘··/˘·
Wields o'er the world its lordship fair.	8	·····/˘·
Roused by the portent of the sky	8	···/˘···
The sages fix their gaze on high,	8	·/˘·····
And speed them 'neath the furrowed way	8	·····/˘·
Marked by the star's effulgent ray.	8	····˘/˘·
At length its flaming steps it stayed	8	···/˘···
Poised over where the Child was laid:	8	········
Straightway with downcast mien it shed	8	/˘·/····
Its splendours on the sacred Head.	8	·/˘··/˘·
Whereat the travellers outpour	8	˘/·/˘˘·/
Of Eastern gifts their treasure-store,	8	·/˘··/˘·
Myrrh and sweet-smelling frankincense,	8	···/˘/˘·
Gold meet for regal opulence.	8	···/˘/˘˘
Behold herein the triple sign	8	˘/˘/·/˘·
Of Thy pure being, King divine:	8	···/˘·˘/
Seeing the Father willed in Thee	8	/˘·/˘···
To plant a threefold majesty.	8	···/·/˘˘
The gift of gold thee King proclaims:	8	······˘/
Thee God the fragrant incense names:	8	···/˘/··
The myrrh declares that Death shall thrust	8	··˘/····
Within the tomb Thy body's dust.	8	·····/˘·
Ah! that dark sepulchre, whose fold	7	·······
God's body quenched in death doth hold:	8	·/˘·····
Yet shall He from that durance wake	8	·····/˘·
And Death's strong prison-fetters break.	8	···/˘/˘·
O Bethlehem! no longer thou	8	·/˘··/˘·
The least of cities: all shall vow	8	···/˘···
That thou art greatest on the earth:	8	···/˘···
For thou man's King didst bring to birth.	8	········
Yea thou didst on thy bosom bear	8	·····/˘·
The All-loving Father's only heir:	9	··/˘/˘/˘·
Man of the Thunderer's Spirit made	8	······/·
And God in human flesh arrayed.	8	···/˘·˘/
The prophets witnessed to the bond	8	·/˘/˘···
Which sealed to Him the realm profound:	8	······˘/
The Father's Kingdom He received	8	·/˘/˘·˘/
And the vast legacy perceived.	8	···/˘˘˘/
All things are His in sea and sky,	8	········
In hell beneath, in heaven on high:	8	·····/··
From East to setting sun, in fee	8	···/˘···
He holds the earth's immensity.	8	····˘/˘˘
Distraught, the tyrant base doth hear	8	˘/·/˘···
That now the King of Kings draws near	8	········
To reign in David's seat of state	8	···/˘···
And Israel's empire dominate.	8	·/˘/˘/˘·
"Betrayed are we," he maddened cries,	8	˘/···/˘·
"Our throne's usurper doth arise:	8	/·˘/˘·˘/
Go, soldiers, go with sword in hand	8	·/˘·····
And slay all babes within my land.	8	········
"Spare no male child: each nurse's robe	8	·····/˘·
Your scrutinizing steel must probe:	8	·/˘·˘···
Spare not the suckling infant, though	8	···/˘/˘·
O'er mother's breast its life-blood flow.	8	·/˘·····
"On Bethlehem our suspicion falls,	9	·/˘·/˘/˘·
On every hearth within its walls:	8	·/˘·····
Lest mothers with love's tender zeal	8	·/˘··/˘·
Some manly scion may conceal."	8	·/˘/˘·˘/
With daggers drawn the infuriate crew	10	·/˘··˘/˘··
Upon their murderous errand flew:	8	···/˘/˘·
Each latest offspring of the womb	8	·/˘/····
To bloody death they foully doom.	8	·/˘··/˘·
Ah tiny limbs! 'twas hard to know	8	·/˘·····
How best to strike the fatal blow:	8	·····/˘·
Too wide the sword-blades are to smite	8	········
Those throats so silken-fragile, slight.	8	···/˘/˘·
O horrid sight! the tender bones	8	·/˘··/˘·
Are dashed against the jagged stones:	8	··˘·····
Sightless and mangled there they lie,	8	/˘·/˘···
Poor babes! untimely doomed to die.	8	··˘/˘···
Perchance the still deep river laves	8	˘/···/˘·
Their bodies thrust into the waves:	8	·/˘·····
The current with their sighing sighs,	8	·/˘··/˘·
Sobs with their latest, broken cries.	8	···/˘/˘·
Ye flowers of martyrdom, all hail!	8	·/·/˘˘··
Of rising morn pure blossoms frail!	8	·/˘··/˘·
By Jesu's foe were ye downcast,	8	·/˘···/·
Like budding roses by the blast.	8	·/˘/˘···
Lambs of the flock too early slain,	8	·····/˘·
Ye first fruits of Christ's bitter pain!	8	·····/˘·
Close to His very altar, gay	8	···/˘/˘·
With palms and crowns, ye now do play.	8	········
Of what avail is deed so vile?	8	··˘/····
Doth Herod gain by murderous guile?	8	·/˘··/˘·
Of all to death so foully done	8	·····/˘·
Escapes triumphant Christ alone.	8	˘/˘/˘·˘/
Amidst that tide of infant gore	8	˘/···/˘·
Alone He wins the sheltering shore:	8	˘/···/˘·
The virgin's Child survives the stroke,	8	·/˘·˘/··
When every mother's heart was broke.	8	·/˘/˘···
Thus Moses 'scaped the mad decree	8	·/˘···˘/
Of evil Pharaoh and set free	8	·/˘/˘···
The flock of God, prefiguring so	9	·········
Christ spared from fate's malignant blow.	8	····˘/˘·
Vain too the king's hostility	8	····˘/˘˘
Who framed the pitiless decree	8	···/˘˘˘/
That Israel's mothers should not rear	8	·/˘/˘···
To manhood's strength their offspring dear.	8	·/···/··
Quickened by love, a woman's mind	8	/˘···/˘·
Found means to thwart that law unkind,	8	······˘/
And, falsely true, the child concealed	8	·/˘···˘/
Destined to be his people's Shield.	8	/˘···/˘·
On him it was that God did place	8	········
The august priesthood's holy grace,	8	·/˘/˘/˘·
The law on stony tablets writ	8	···/˘/˘·
Did to his trembling hands commit.	8	···/˘·˘/
And may we not with prophet's eye	8	·····/˘·
In such a hero Christ descry?	8	···/˘·˘/
The proud Egyptian's might he broke	8	··˘/˘···
And freed his kinsmen from the yoke.	8	········
So we by Error's might hemmed round	8	···/˘···
Were by our Captain's strength unbound:	8	··//˘·˘/
His foe He wounded in the fight	8	···/˘···
And saved us from Death's horrid night.	8	·····/˘·
Cheering by sign of flame their feet,	8	/˘······
Moses renewed with waters sweet	8	/˘˘/·/˘·
His folk, albeit purified	8	··˘/˘/˘·
From stain, what time they crossed the tide.	8	········
And he, remote on peaceful height,	8	··˘/·/˘·
Amalek's banded hosts did smite:	8	···/˘···
He prayed with arms stretched out above,	8	········
Foreshadowing the Cross of Love.	8	˘/˘˘····
Yet truer Jesus surely he,	8	·/˘/˘/˘·
Who after many a victory	9	···/˘·/˘˘
And labours long the tribes' renown	8	·/˘···˘/
With promised heritage did crown;	8	·/˘/˘˘··
Who when the waters rose on high	8	···/˘···
And now the Jordan's bed was dry,	8	···/˘···
Set up twelve stones of memory,	8	·····/˘˘
Types of apostles yet to be.	8	··˘/˘···
Rightly the Wise Men said, I ween,	8	/˘······
That they Judaea's King had seen,	7	·······
Since noble deeds of other days	8	·/˘··/˘·
Prophetic chant the Saviour's praise.	8	˘/˘··/˘·
Of those old rulers He is King	8	···/˘···
Who did to Jacob judgment bring,	8	···/˘/˘·
King of the Mother Church divine,	8	···/˘·˘/
God's ancient and God's present Shrine.	8	·/˘··/˘·
Of Ephraim's sons He is adored:	8	·/˘···˘/
Manasseh's sacred house as Lord	8	···/˘···
Reveres Him: to His might the seed	8	˘/······
Of brethren twelve their fealty plead.	8	·/˘··/˘·
Nay, each degenerate race hath fled	8	··˘/˘···
Its shameful rites and orgies dread:	8	·/˘··/˘·
Grim Baal in glowing furnace cast	9	·/˘·/˘/˘·
Sinks to the earth, forsook at last.	8	····˘/··
Idols smoke-blackened, wooden-hewn,	8	/˘·/˘/˘·
Of brass and stone, in dust are strewn:	8	········
The chiselled deities downtrod:	8	·/˘/˘˘··
For all confess in Christ their God.	8	··˘/····
Rejoice all peoples, Jewry, Rome,	8	˘/·/˘/˘·
Fair Hellas, Thrace, Aegyptus' home:	8	········
Persians and Scythian land forlorn,	8	/˘·/˘·˘/
Rejoice: the world's great King is born!	8	˘/······
Behold your Chief! His praise forth tell:	8	˘/······
Ye sick, ye hale, all heaven and hell:	8	·····/··
Ay, you whose vital spark hath sped:	8	···/˘···
For lo! in Him e'en Death is dead.	8	········

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More by Prudentius

The Hymns of Prudentius