Hymnus Ad Incensum Lucernae
Inventor rutili, dux bone, luminis,qui certis vicibus tempora dividis,merso sole chaos ingruit horridum,lucem redde tuis Christe fidelibus.
Quamvis innumero sidere regiamlunarique polum lampade pinxeris,incussu silicis lumina nos tamenmonstras saxigeno semine quaerere:
Ne nesciret homo spem sibi luminisin Christi solido corpore conditam,qui dici stabilem se voluit petram,nostris igniculis unde genus venit.
Pinguis quos olei rore madentibuslychnis aut facibus pascimus aridis:quin et fila favis scirpea floreispresso melle prius conlita fingimus.
Vivax flamma viget, seu cava testulasucum linteolo suggerit ebrio,seu pinus piceam fert alimoniam,seu ceram teretem stuppa calens bibit.
Nectar de liquido vertice fervidumguttatim lacrimis stillat olentibus,ambustum quoniam vis facit igneaimbrem de madido flere cacumine.
Splendent ergo tuis muneribus, Pater,flammis mobilibus scilicet atria,absentemque diem lux agit aemula,quam nox cum lacero victa fugit peplo.
Sed quis non rapidi luminis arduammanantemque Deo cernat originem?Moyses nempe Deum spinifera in rubovidit conspicuo lumine flammeum.
Felix, qui meruit sentibus in sacriscaelestis solii visere principem,iussus nexa pedum vincula solvere,ne sanctum involucris pollueret locum.
Hunc ignem populus sanguinis inclitimaiorum meritis tutus et inpotens,suetus sub dominis vivere barbaris,iam liber sequitur longa per avia:
qua gressum tulerant castraque caerulaenoctis per medium concita moverant,plebem pervigilem fulgure praevioducebat radius sole micantior.
Sed rex Niliaci littoris invidofervens felle iubet praevalidam manumin bellum rapidis ire cohortibusferratasque acies clangere classicum.
Sumunt arma viri seque minacibusaccingunt gladiis, triste canit tuba:hic fidit iaculis, ille volantiapraefigit calamis spicula Gnosiis.
Densetur cuneis turba pedestribus,currus pars et equos et volucres rotasconscendunt celeres signaque bellicapraetendunt tumidis clara draconibus.
Hic iam servitii nescia pristinigens Pelusiacis usta vaporibustandem purpurei gurgitis hospitarubris littoribus fessa resederat.
Hostis dirus adest cum duce perfido,infert et validis praelia viribus:Moyses porro suos in mare praecipitconstans intrepidis tendere gressibus:
praebent rupta locum stagna viantibusriparum in faciem pervia, sistiturcircumstans vitreis unda liquoribus,dum plebs sub bifido permeat aequore.
Pubes quin etiam decolor asperisinritata odiis rege sub inpioHebraeum sitiens fundere sanguinemaudet se pelago credere concavo:
ibant praecipiti turbine percitafluctus per medios agmina regia,sed confusa dehinc unda revolviturin semet revolans gurgite confluo.
Currus tunc et equos telaque naufragaipsos et proceres et vaga corporanigrorum videas nare satellitum,arcis iustitium triste tyrannicae.
Quae tandem poterit lingua retexerelaudes Christe tuas? qui domitam Pharonplagis multimodis cedere praesulicogis iustitiae vindice dextera.
Qui pontum rapidis aestibus inviumpersultare vetas, ut refluo in salosecurus pateat te duce transitus,et mox unda rapax devoret inpios.
Cui ieiuna eremi saxa loquacibusexundant scatebris, et latices novosfundit scissa silex, quae sitientibusdat potum populis axe sub igneo.
Instar fellis aqua tristifico in lacufit ligni venia mel velut Atticum:lignum est, quo sapiunt aspera dulcius;uam praefixa cruci spes hominum viget.
Inplet castra cibus tunc quoque ninguidus,inlabens gelida grandine densius:his mensas epulis, hac dape construunt,quam dat sidereo Christus ab aethere.
Nec non imbrifero ventus anhelitucrassa nube leves invehit alites,quae conflata in humum, cum semel agminafluxerunt, reduci non revolant fuga.
Haec olim patribus praemia contulitinsignis pietas numinis unici,cuius subsidio nos quoque vescimurpascentes dapibus pectora mysticis.
Fessos ille vocat per freta seculidiscissis populum turbinibus regensiactatasque animas mille laboribusiustorum in patriam scandere praecipit.
Illic purpureis tecta rosariisomnis fragrat humus calthaque pinguiaet molles violas et tenues crocosfundit fonticulis uda fugacibus.
Illic et gracili balsama surculodesudata fluunt, raraque cinnamaspirant et folium, fonte quod abditopraelambens fluvius portat in exitum.
Felices animae prata per herbidaconcentu parili suave sonantibushymnorum modulis dulce canunt melos,calcant et pedibus lilia candidis.
Sunt et spiritibus saepe nocentibuspaenarum celebres sub Styge feriaeilla nocte, sacer qua rediit Deusstagnis ad superos ex Acheronticis.
Non sicut tenebras de face fulgidasurgens oceano Lucifer inbuit,sed terris Domini de cruce tristibusmaior sole novum restituens diem.
Marcent suppliciis tartara mitibus,exultatque sui carceris otiofunctorum populus liber ab ignibus,nec fervent solito flumina sulphure.
Nos festis trahimus per pia gaudianoctem conciliis votaque prosperacertatim vigili congerimus preceextructoque agimus liba sacrario.
Pendent mobilibus lumina funibus,quae suffixa micant per laquearia,et de languidulis fota natatibuslucem perspicuo flamma iacit vitro.
Credas stelligeram desuper areamornatam geminis stare trionibus,et qua bosporeum temo regit iugum,passim purpureos spargier hesperos.
O res digna, Pater, quam tibi roscidaenoctis principio grex tuus offerat,lucem, qua tribuis nil pretiosius,lucem, qua reliqua praemia cernimus.
Tu lux vera oculis, lux quoque sensibus,intus tu speculum, tu speculum foris,lumen, quod famulans offero, suscipe,tinctum pacifici chrismatis unguine.
Per Christum genitum, summe Pater, tuum,in quo visibilis stat tibi gloria,qui noster Dominus, qui tuus unicusspirat de patrio corde paraclitum.
Per quem splendor, honos, laus, sapientia,maiestas, bonitas, et pietas tuaregnum continuat numine triplicitexens perpetuis secula seculis.
Words in this poem 30
- chaos n.
- An empty, immeasurable space; a yawning chasm. [L. chaos chaos (in senses 1 & 2), Gr. Chasm.]
- redde
- obs. imp. of Read, or Rede.
- unde a.
- Waving or wavy; -- applied to ordinaries, or division lines. [F. ondé.]
- quin n.
- A European scallop (Pecten opercularis), used as food. [Prov.
- flere n.
- One who flees. Ld. Berners.
- splendent a.
- Shining; glossy; beaming with light; lustrous; as, splendent planets; splendent metals. See the Note under 3d Luster, 4. [L. splendens, -entis, p. pr. of splendere to shine.]
- ergo conj.
- Therefore; consequently; -- often used in a jocular way. [L.]
- scilicet adv.
- To wit; namely; videlicet; -- often abbreviated to sc., or ss. [L., fr. scire licet you may know.]
- sanctum n.
- A sacred place; hence, a place of retreat; a room reserved for personal use; as, an editor's sanctum. Sanctum sanctorum Etym: [L.] , the Holy of Holies; the most holy place, as in the Jewish temple. [L., p.p. of sanctire to consecrate.]
- gens n.
- A clan or family connection, embracing several families of the same stock, who had a common name and certain common religious rites; a subdivision of the Roman curia or tribe. [L. See Gentle, a.]
- tandem adv.
- One after another; -- said especially of horses harnessed and driven one before another, instead of abreast. [L. tandem at length (of time only), punningly taken as meaning, lengthwise.]
- plebs n.
- The commonalty of ancient Rome who were citizens without the usual political rights; the plebeians; -- distinguished from the patricians.
- decolor v. t.
- To deprive of color; to bleach. [Cf. F. décolorer, L. decolorare. Cf. Discolor.]
- proceres n.
- An order of large birds; the Ratitæ; -- called also Proceri.
- nare n.
- A nostril. B. Jonson. [L. naris.]
- silex n.
- Silica, SiO2 as found in nature, constituting quarz, and most sands and sandstones. See Silica, and Silicic. [L., a finit, a pebblestone.]
- instar v. t.
- To stud as with stars.
- aqua n.
- Water; -- a word much used in pharmacy and the old chemistry, in various signification, determined by the word or words annexed. [L. See Ewer.]
- epulis n.
- A hard tumor developed from the gums.
- humus n.
- That portion of the soil formed by the decomposition of animal or vegetable matter. It is a valuable constituent of soils. Graham. [L., the earth, ground, soil.]
- folium n.
- A leaf, esp. a thin leaf or plate. [L., a leaf.]
- quod v.
- Quoth; said. See Quoth.
- suave a.
- Sweet; pleasant; delightful; gracious or agreeable in manner; bland. [L. suavis sweet, pleasant: cf. F. suave. See Sweet, and cf. Suasion.]
- dulce v. t.
- To make sweet; to soothe.
- novum n.
- A game at dice, properly called novem quinque (L., nine five), the two principal throws being nine and five.
- fervent a.
- Hot; glowing; boiling; burning; as, a fervent summer. [F. fervent, L. fervens, -entis. p.pr. of fervere o the boiling hot, to boil, glow.]
- passim adv.
- Here and there; everywhere; as, this word occurs passim in the poem. [L.]
- summe n.
- The aggregate of two or more numbers, magnitudes, quantities, or particulars; the amount or whole of any number of individuals or particulars added together; as, the sum of 5 and 7 is 12. [OE. summe, somme, OF. sume, some, F. somme, L. summa, fr. summus highest, a superlative from sub under. See Sub-, and cf. Supreme.]
- tuum n.
- Lit., thine; that which is thine; -- used in meum and tuum. See 2d Meum.
- dominus n.
- Master; sir; -- a title of respect formerly applied to a knight or a clergyman, and sometimes to the lord of a manor. Cowell. [L., master. See Dame.]
Definitions and etymologies from Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913.
About this text
Hymnus Ad Incensum Lucernae 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, Hymnus Ad Incensum Lucernae, in The Hymns of Prudentius (1905), text of Project Gutenberg ebook #14959, Laurel, https://laurelpoetry.com/poem/prudentius-hymns/hymnus-ad-incensum-lucernae.html, id L23674.
Form and metre
Hymnus Ad Incensum Lucernae is 164 lines in 41 stanzas of 4 lines each. The metre is trochaic hexameter, measured from the stress the words themselves fix (confidence 80%).
See other poems in trochaic hexameter.
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 AA-- luminisA · dividisA · horridum · fidelibus
- 3 -AA- luminis · conditamA · petramA · venit
- 4 A--A madentibusA · aridis · floreis · fingimusA
- 12 -A-A invido · manumA · cohortibus · classicumA
- 14 A--A pedestribusA · rotas · bellica · draconibusA
- 16 -A-A perfido · viribusA · praecipit · gressibusA
- 17 A-A- viantibusA · sistitur · liquoribusA · aequore
- 23 A-A- loquacibusA · novos · sitientibusA · igneo
- 34 A-A- mitibusA · otio · ignibusA · sulphure
- 36 A-A- funibusA · laquearia · natatibusA · vitro
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 trochaic hexameter. How this is done.
| Line | Syl. | Stress |
|---|---|---|
| Inventor rutili, dux bone, luminis, | 11 | ˘/˘········ |
| qui certis vicibus tempora dividis, | 12 | ············ |
| merso sole chaos ingruit horridum, | 10 | ···/˘····· |
| lucem redde tuis Christe fidelibus. | 9 | ········· |
| Quamvis innumero sidere regiam | 10 | ·········· |
| lunarique polum lampade pinxeris, | 10 | ·········· |
| incussu silicis lumina nos tamen | 11 | ······/˘··· |
| monstras saxigeno semine quaerere: | 10 | ·········· |
| Ne nesciret homo spem sibi luminis | 12 | ····/˘······ |
| in Christi solido corpore conditam, | 11 | ·/˘········ |
| qui dici stabilem se voluit petram, | 12 | ·······/···· |
| nostris igniculis unde genus venit. | 12 | ······/˘/˘·· |
| Pinguis quos olei rore madentibus | 10 | ·········· |
| lychnis aut facibus pascimus aridis: | 12 | /˘·········· |
| quin et fila favis scirpea floreis | 10 | ··/˘······ |
| presso melle prius conlita fingimus. | 10 | ·········· |
| Vivax flamma viget, seu cava testula | 12 | ·······/˘··· |
| sucum linteolo suggerit ebrio, | 10 | ·········· |
| seu pinus piceam fert alimoniam, | 10 | ·/˘······· |
| seu ceram teretem stuppa calens bibit. | 12 | ············ |
| Nectar de liquido vertice fervidum | 11 | /˘········· |
| guttatim lacrimis stillat olentibus, | 12 | ············ |
| ambustum quoniam vis facit ignea | 10 | ·········· |
| imbrem de madido flere cacumine. | 10 | ·········· |
| Splendent ergo tuis muneribus, Pater, | 11 | /˘/˘·····/˘ |
| flammis mobilibus scilicet atria, | 12 | ······/˘˘/˘˘ |
| absentemque diem lux agit aemula, | 10 | ·········· |
| quam nox cum lacero victa fugit peplo. | 12 | ············ |
| Sed quis non rapidi luminis arduam | 11 | ··········· |
| manantemque Deo cernat originem? | 11 | ···/˘······ |
| Moyses nempe Deum spinifera in rubo | 11 | /˘········· |
| vidit conspicuo lumine flammeum. | 9 | ·····/˘·· |
| Felix, qui meruit sentibus in sacris | 11 | /˘········· |
| caelestis solii visere principem, | 10 | ·········· |
| iussus nexa pedum vincula solvere, | 11 | ··········· |
| ne sanctum involucris pollueret locum. | 12 | ·/˘········· |
| Hunc ignem populus sanguinis incliti | 12 | ············ |
| maiorum meritis tutus et inpotens, | 11 | ·····/····· |
| suetus sub dominis vivere barbaris, | 11 | ···/˘˘····· |
| iam liber sequitur longa per avia: | 12 | ·/˘/˘˘···/˘˘ |
| qua gressum tulerant castraque caerulae | 10 | ·········· |
| noctis per medium concita moverant, | 11 | ···/˘······ |
| plebem pervigilem fulgure praevio | 10 | ·········· |
| ducebat radius sole micantior. | 10 | ···/˘˘···· |
| Sed rex Niliaci littoris invido | 11 | ··········· |
| fervens felle iubet praevalidam manum | 11 | ··········· |
| in bellum rapidis ire cohortibus | 11 | ·/˘········ |
| ferratasque acies clangere classicum. | 9 | ········· |
| Sumunt arma viri seque minacibus | 11 | ··········· |
| accingunt gladiis, triste canit tuba: | 10 | ········/˘ |
| hic fidit iaculis, ille volantia | 10 | ·········· |
| praefigit calamis spicula Gnosiis. | 11 | ······/˘˘·· |
| Densetur cuneis turba pedestribus, | 11 | ··········· |
| currus pars et equos et volucres rotas | 11 | ·········/˘ |
| conscendunt celeres signaque bellica | 10 | ·········· |
| praetendunt tumidis clara draconibus. | 12 | ······/˘···· |
| Hic iam servitii nescia pristini | 10 | ·········· |
| gens Pelusiacis usta vaporibus | 11 | ··········· |
| tandem purpurei gurgitis hospita | 11 | /˘········· |
| rubris littoribus fessa resederat. | 12 | ············ |
| Hostis dirus adest cum duce perfido, | 11 | ··········· |
| infert et validis praelia viribus: | 11 | ··········· |
| Moyses porro suos in mare praecipit | 10 | /˘/˘······ |
| constans intrepidis tendere gressibus: | 11 | ··········· |
| praebent rupta locum stagna viantibus | 11 | ··········· |
| riparum in faciem pervia, sistitur | 11 | ··········· |
| circumstans vitreis unda liquoribus, | 11 | ··········· |
| dum plebs sub bifido permeat aequore. | 10 | ·········· |
| Pubes quin etiam decolor asperis | 11 | /˘···˘/˘··· |
| inritata odiis rege sub inpio | 10 | ·········· |
| Hebraeum sitiens fundere sanguinem | 9 | ········· |
| audet se pelago credere concavo: | 12 | ˘/·/········ |
| ibant praecipiti turbine percita | 11 | ······/˘··· |
| fluctus per medios agmina regia, | 11 | ···/˘˘····· |
| sed confusa dehinc unda revolvitur | 12 | ············ |
| in semet revolans gurgite confluo. | 10 | ·········· |
| Currus tunc et equos telaque naufraga | 11 | ··········· |
| ipsos et proceres et vaga corpora | 12 | ···/˘˘···/˘˘ |
| nigrorum videas nare satellitum, | 10 | ·········· |
| arcis iustitium triste tyrannicae. | 9 | ········· |
| Quae tandem poterit lingua retexere | 11 | ·/˘···/˘··· |
| laudes Christe tuas? qui domitam Pharon | 9 | ········· |
| plagis multimodis cedere praesuli | 11 | ··········· |
| cogis iustitiae vindice dextera. | 9 | ········· |
| Qui pontum rapidis aestibus invium | 11 | ··········· |
| persultare vetas, ut refluo in salo | 11 | ···/˘····/˘ |
| securus pateat te duce transitus, | 10 | ·········· |
| et mox unda rapax devoret inpios. | 11 | ··········· |
| Cui ieiuna eremi saxa loquacibus | 12 | ············ |
| exundant scatebris, et latices novos | 12 | ··········/˘ |
| fundit scissa silex, quae sitientibus | 11 | ····/˘····· |
| dat potum populis axe sub igneo. | 10 | ·········· |
| Instar fellis aqua tristifico in lacu | 13 | ˘/··/˘······· |
| fit ligni venia mel velut Atticum: | 11 | ··········· |
| lignum est, quo sapiunt aspera dulcius; | 12 | ··˘/········ |
| uam praefixa cruci spes hominum viget. | 12 | ············ |
| Inplet castra cibus tunc quoque ninguidus, | 11 | ··········· |
| inlabens gelida grandine densius: | 10 | ·········· |
| his mensas epulis, hac dape construunt, | 10 | ···˘/˘···· |
| quam dat sidereo Christus ab aethere. | 10 | ·········· |
| Nec non imbrifero ventus anhelitu | 12 | ············ |
| crassa nube leves invehit alites, | 9 | ········· |
| quae conflata in humum, cum semel agmina | 13 | ········/˘··· |
| fluxerunt, reduci non revolant fuga. | 12 | ··········/˘ |
| Haec olim patribus praemia contulit | 11 | ··········· |
| insignis pietas numinis unici, | 11 | ··········· |
| cuius subsidio nos quoque vescimur | 9 | ········· |
| pascentes dapibus pectora mysticis. | 11 | ··········· |
| Fessos ille vocat per freta seculi | 11 | ··········· |
| discissis populum turbinibus regens | 12 | ··········/˘ |
| iactatasque animas mille laboribus | 11 | ··········· |
| iustorum in patriam scandere praecipit. | 11 | ··········· |
| Illic purpureis tecta rosariis | 10 | ·········· |
| omnis fragrat humus calthaque pinguia | 10 | /˘··/˘···· |
| et molles violas et tenues crocos | 9 | ··˘/˘···· |
| fundit fonticulis uda fugacibus. | 12 | ············ |
| Illic et gracili balsama surculo | 12 | ············ |
| desudata fluunt, raraque cinnama | 10 | ·········· |
| spirant et folium, fonte quod abdito | 11 | /˘·/˘˘····· |
| praelambens fluvius portat in exitum. | 11 | ··········· |
| Felices animae prata per herbida | 11 | ˘/˘········ |
| concentu parili suave sonantibus | 11 | ··········· |
| hymnorum modulis dulce canunt melos, | 11 | ·········/˘ |
| calcant et pedibus lilia candidis. | 11 | ······/˘··· |
| Sunt et spiritibus saepe nocentibus | 11 | ··········· |
| paenarum celebres sub Styge feriae | 9 | ···/˘˘··· |
| illa nocte, sacer qua rediit Deus | 9 | ········· |
| stagnis ad superos ex Acheronticis. | 12 | ············ |
| Non sicut tenebras de face fulgida | 11 | ··········· |
| surgens oceano Lucifer inbuit, | 10 | ·····/˘˘·· |
| sed terris Domini de cruce tristibus | 11 | ·/˘/˘˘····· |
| maior sole novum restituens diem. | 8 | ··/˘···· |
| Marcent suppliciis tartara mitibus, | 11 | ··········· |
| exultatque sui carceris otio | 10 | ···/˘····· |
| functorum populus liber ab ignibus, | 12 | ······/˘···· |
| nec fervent solito flumina sulphure. | 11 | ·/˘········ |
| Nos festis trahimus per pia gaudia | 11 | ·······/˘·· |
| noctem conciliis votaque prospera | 10 | ·······˘/˘ |
| certatim vigili congerimus prece | 11 | ··········· |
| extructoque agimus liba sacrario. | 11 | ··········· |
| Pendent mobilibus lumina funibus, | 11 | /˘····/˘··· |
| quae suffixa micant per laquearia, | 10 | ·········· |
| et de languidulis fota natatibus | 12 | ············ |
| lucem perspicuo flamma iacit vitro. | 11 | ·········/˘ |
| Credas stelligeram desuper aream | 11 | ··········· |
| ornatam geminis stare trionibus, | 10 | ···/˘····· |
| et qua bosporeum temo regit iugum, | 11 | ··········· |
| passim purpureos spargier hesperos. | 10 | ˘/········ |
| O res digna, Pater, quam tibi roscidae | 11 | ····/˘·/··· |
| noctis principio grex tuus offerat, | 10 | ·········· |
| lucem, qua tribuis nil pretiosius, | 9 | ········· |
| lucem, qua reliqua praemia cernimus. | 11 | ··········· |
| Tu lux vera oculis, lux quoque sensibus, | 12 | ··/˘········ |
| intus tu speculum, tu speculum foris, | 12 | ···/˘˘·/˘˘·· |
| lumen, quod famulans offero, suscipe, | 11 | /˘········· |
| tinctum pacifici chrismatis unguine. | 11 | ··········· |
| Per Christum genitum, summe Pater, tuum, | 11 | ·······/˘/˘ |
| in quo visibilis stat tibi gloria, | 12 | ·······/·/˘˘ |
| qui noster Dominus, qui tuus unicus | 11 | ···˘/˘····· |
| spirat de patrio corde paraclitum. | 10 | ·········· |
| Per quem splendor, honos, laus, sapientia, | 10 | ··/˘······ |
| maiestas, bonitas, et pietas tua | 9 | ··˘/˘···· |
| regnum continuat numine triplici | 10 | ·········· |
| texens perpetuis secula seculis. | 11 | ··········· |
The reader shows the same poem with its rhymes coloured and a stress row above each line, the notes beside their stanzas, and any word's definition on a tap; the analysis page takes the whole book apart. How every part of this site was made.