Hymnus Epiphaniae
Quicumque Christum quaeritis,oculos in altum tollite,illic licebit viseresignum perennis gloriae.
Haec stella, quae solis rotamvincit decore ac lumine,venisse terris nuntiatcum carne terrestri Deum.
Non illa servit noctibussecuta lunam menstruam,sed sola caelum possidenscursum dierum temperat.
Arctoa quamvis siderain se retortis motibusobire nolint, attamenplerumque sub nimbis latent.
Hoc sidus aeternum manet,haec stella nunquam mergitur,nec nubis occursu abditaobumbrat obductam facem.
Tristis cometa intercidat,et si quod astrum Siriofervet vapore, iam Deisub luce destructum cadat.
En Persici ex orbis sinu,sol unde sumit ianuam,cernunt periti interpretesregale vexillum Magi.
Quod ut refulsit, cetericessere signorum globi,nec pulcher est ausus suamconferre formam Lucifer.
Quis iste tantus, inquiunt,regnator astris inperans,quem sic tremunt caelestia,cui lux et aethra inserviunt.
Inlustre quiddam cernimus,quod nesciat finem pati,sublime, celsum, interminum,antiquius caelo et chao.
Hic ille rex est gentiumpopulique rex Iudaici,promissus Abrahae patrieiusque in aevum semini.
Aequanda nam stellis suacognovit olim germinaprimus sator credentium,nati inmolator unici.
Iam flos subit Davidicusradice Iesse editus,sceptrique per virgam virensrerum cacumen occupat.
Exin sequuntur percitifixis in altum vultibus,qua stella sulcum traxeratclaramque signabat viam.
Sed verticem pueri suprasignum pependit inminens,pronaque submissum facecaput sacratum prodidit.
Videre quod postquam Magi,eoa promunt munera,stratique votis offerunttus, myrrham, et aurum regium.
Agnosce clara insigniavirtutis ac regni tui,puer o, cui trinam Paterpraedestinavit indolem.
Regem Deumque adnuntiantthesaurus et fragrans odorturis Sabaei, ac myrrheuspulvis sepulcrum praedocet.
Hoc est sepulcrum, quo Deus,dum corpus extingui sinitatque id sepultum suscitat,mortis refregit carcerem.
O sola magnarum urbiummaior Bethlem, cui contigitducem salutis caelitusincorporatum gignere.
Altrice te summo Patrihaeres creatur unicus,homo ex tonantis spirituidemque sub membris Deus.
Hunc et prophetis testibusisdemque signatoribus,testator et sator iubetadire regnum et cernere:
Regnum, quod ambit omniadiva et marina et terreaa solis ortu ad exitumet tartara et caelum supra.
Audit tyrannus anxiusadesse regum principem,qui nomen Israel regatteneatque David regiam.
Exclamat amens nuntio,successor instat, pellimur;satelles i, ferrum rape,perfunde cunas sanguine.
Mas omnis infans occidat,scrutare nutricum sinus,interque materna uberaensem cruentet pusio.
Suspecta per Bethlem mihipuerperarum est omniumfraus, ne qua furtim subtrahatprolem virilis indolis.
Transfigit ergo carnifexmucrone destricto furenseffusa nuper corpora,animasque rimatur novas.
Locum minutis artubusvix interemptor invenit,quo plaga descendat patensiuguloque maior pugio est.
O barbarum spectaculum!inlisa cervix cautibusspargit cerebrum lacteumoculosque per vulnus vomit.
Aut in profundum palpitansmersatur infans gurgitem,cui subter artis faucibussingultat unda et halitus.
Salvete flores martyrum,quos lucis ipso in limineChristi insecutor sustulit,ceu turbo nascentes rosas.
Vos prima Christi victima,grex inmolatorum tener,aram ante ipsam simplicespalma et coronis luditis.
Quid proficit tantum nefas,quid crimen Herodem iuvat?unus tot inter funerainpune Christus tollitur.
Inter coaevi sanguinisfluenta solus integerferrum, quod orbabat nurus,partus fefellit virginis.
Sic stulta Pharaonis maliedicta quondam fugeratChristi figuram praeferensMoyses, receptor civium.
Cautum et statutum ius erat,quo non liceret matribus,cum pondus alvi absolverent,puerile pignus tollere.
Mens obstetricis sedulaepie in tyrannum contumaxad spem potentis gloriaefurata servat parvulum:
Quem mox sacerdotem sibiadsumpsit orbis conditor,per quem notatam saxeislegem tabellis traderet.
Licetne Christum nosceretanti per exemplum viri?dux ille caeso Aegyptioabsolvit Israel iugo.
At nos subactos iugitererroris inperio gravidux noster hoste sauciomortis tenebris liberat.
Hic expiatam fluctibusplebem marino in transiturepurgat undis dulcibus,lucis columnam praeferens:
Hic praeliante exercitu,pansis in altum brachiis,sublimis Amalech premit,crucis quod instar tunc fuit.
Hic nempe Iesus verior,qui longa post dispendiavictor suis tribulibuspromissa solvit iugera.
Qui ter quaternas deniquerefluentis amnis alveofundavit et fixit petras,apostolorum stemmata.
Iure ergo se Iudae ducemvidisse testantur Magi,cum facta priscorum ducumChristi figuram finxerint.
Hic rex priorum iudicum,rexere qui Iacob genus,dominaeque rex ecclesiae,templi et novelli et pristini.
Hunc posteri Efrem colunt,hunc sancta Manasse domusomnesque suspiciunt tribusbis sena fratrum semina.
Quin et propago degenerritum secuta inconditum,quaecumque dirum fervidisBaal caminis coxerat,
fumosa avorum numinasaxum, metallum, stipitem,rasum, dolatum, sectile,in Christi honorem deserit.
Gaudete quidquid gentium est,Iudaea, Roma, et Graecia,Aegypte, Thrax, Persa, Scytha,rex unus omnes possidet.
Laudate vestrum principemomnes beati, ac perditi,vivi, inbecilli ac mortui:iam nemo posthac mortuus.
Words in this poem 30
- decore v. t.
- To decorate; to beautify. [Cf. F. décorer. See Decorate.]
- sola n.
- A leguminous plant (Æschynomene aspera) growing in moist places in Southern India and the East Indies. Its pithlike stem is used for making hats, swimming-jackets, etc. [Native name.]
- quod v.
- Quoth; said. See Quoth.
- luce n.
- A pike when full grown. Halliwell. [OF. lus, L. lucius a kind of fish.]
- unde a.
- Waving or wavy; -- applied to ordinaries, or division lines. [F. ondé.]
- regale n.
- A prerogative of royalty. Johnson. [LL. regale, pl. regalia, fr. L. regalis: cf. F. régale. See Regal.]
- conferre v.
- To bring together for comparison; to compare. [L. conferre to bring together, contribute, consult; con- + ferre to bear: cf. F. conférer. See 1st Bear.]
- cognovit n.
- An instrument in writting whereby a defendant in an action acknowledges a plaintiff's demand to be just. Mozley & W. [L., he has acknowledged.]
- primus n.
- One of the bishops of the Episcopal Church of Scotland, who presides at the meetings of the bishops, and has certain privileges but no metropolitan authority. Internat. Cyc. [L., the first.]
- caput n.
- The head; also, a knoblike protuberance or capitulum. [L., the head.]
- aurum n.
- Gold. Aurum fulminans (See Fulminate. [L.]
- insignia n.
- Distinguishing marks of authority, office, or honor; badges; tokens; decorations; as, the insignia of royalty or of an order. [L. insigne, pl. insignia, fr. insignis distinguished by a mark; pref. in- in + signum a mark, sign. See Ensign, Sign.]
- puer n.
- The dung of dogs, used as an alkaline steep in tanning. [Etymol. uncertain.]
- thesaurus n.
- A treasury or storehouse; hence, a repository, especially of knowledge; -- often applied to a comprehensive work, like a dictionary or cyclopedia. [L. See Treasure.]
- testator n.
- A man who makes and leaves a will, or testament, at death. [L.: cf. F. testateur.]
- ambit n.
- Circuit or compass. [L. ambitus circuit, fr. ambire to go around. See Ambient.]
- audit n.
- An audience; a hearing. [L. auditus a hearing, fr. audire. See Audible, a.]
- omnium n.
- The aggregate value of the different stocks in which a loan to government is now usually funded. M'Culloch. [L., of all, gen. pl. of omnis all.]
- ergo conj.
- Therefore; consequently; -- often used in a jocular way. [L.]
- carnifex n.
- The public executioner at Rome, who executed persons of the lowest rank; hence, an executioner or hangman. [L., fr. caro, carnis, flesh + facere to make.]
- plaga n.
- A stripe of color. [L. plaga a blow, a welt, a stripe.]
- cervix n.
- The neck; also, the necklike portion of any part, as of the womb. See Illust. of Bird. [L.]
- coronis n.
- In Greek grammar, a sign ['] sometimes placed over a contracted syllable. W. W. Goodwin. [Gr. Cornice.]
- quid n.
- A portion suitable to be chewed; a cud; as, a quid of tobacco. [See Cud.]
- solus a.
- Alone; -- chiefly used in stage directions, and the like. [L.]
- quondam a.
- Having been formerly; former; sometime. [L., formerly.]
- pignus n.
- A pledge or pawn. [L.]
- premit v. t.
- To premise. Donne.
- instar v. t.
- To stud as with stars.
- quin n.
- A European scallop (Pecten opercularis), used as food. [Prov.
Definitions and etymologies from Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913.
About this text
Hymnus Epiphaniae 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 Epiphaniae, in The Hymns of Prudentius (1905), text of Project Gutenberg ebook #14959, Laurel, https://laurelpoetry.com/poem/prudentius-hymns/hymnus-epiphaniae.html, id L23687.
Form and metre
Hymnus Epiphaniae is 208 lines in 52 stanzas of 4 lines each. The metre is trochaic tetrameter, measured from the stress the words themselves fix (confidence 83%).
See other poems in trochaic 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.
- 6 A--A intercidatA · sirio · dei · cadatA
- 9 A--A inquiuntA · inperans · caelestia · inserviuntA
- 13 AA-- davidicusA · editusA · virens · occupat
- 22 AA-- testibusA · signatoribusA · iubet · cernere
- 31 --AA palpitans · gurgitem · faucibusA · halitusA
- 35 A--A sanguinisA · integer · nurus · virginisA
- 42 A-A- fluctibusA · transitu · dulcibusA · praeferens
- 48 -AA- colunt · domusA · tribusA · semina
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 tetrameter. How this is done.
| Line | Syl. | Stress |
|---|---|---|
| Quicumque Christum quaeritis, | 7 | ······· |
| oculos in altum tollite, | 8 | ········ |
| illic licebit visere | 7 | ······· |
| signum perennis gloriae. | 6 | ······ |
| Haec stella, quae solis rotam | 8 | ·/˘·/˘·· |
| vincit decore ac lumine, | 8 | ··˘////˘ |
| venisse terris nuntiat | 6 | ··/˘·· |
| cum carne terrestri Deum. | 6 | ······ |
| Non illa servit noctibus | 8 | ········ |
| secuta lunam menstruam, | 7 | ······· |
| sed sola caelum possidens | 8 | ·/˘····· |
| cursum dierum temperat. | 7 | ······· |
| Arctoa quamvis sidera | 7 | ······· |
| in se retortis motibus | 9 | ··/······ |
| obire nolint, attamen | 7 | ······· |
| plerumque sub nimbis latent. | 7 | ·····/˘ |
| Hoc sidus aeternum manet, | 8 | ······˘/ |
| haec stella nunquam mergitur, | 8 | ·/˘····· |
| nec nubis occursu abdita | 9 | ········· |
| obumbrat obductam facem. | 8 | ········ |
| Tristis cometa intercidat, | 9 | ········· |
| et si quod astrum Sirio | 7 | ······· |
| fervet vapore, iam Dei | 6 | ······ |
| sub luce destructum cadat. | 7 | ······· |
| En Persici ex orbis sinu, | 9 | ·····/˘·· |
| sol unde sumit ianuam, | 7 | ·/˘···· |
| cernunt periti interpretes | 8 | ·····˘/˘ |
| regale vexillum Magi. | 8 | ˘/˘˘/˘/˘ |
| Quod ut refulsit, ceteri | 8 | ········ |
| cessere signorum globi, | 7 | ······· |
| nec pulcher est ausus suam | 8 | ···˘/··· |
| conferre formam Lucifer. | 7 | ˘/··/˘˘ |
| Quis iste tantus, inquiunt, | 6 | ······ |
| regnator astris inperans, | 8 | ········ |
| quem sic tremunt caelestia, | 7 | ······· |
| cui lux et aethra inserviunt. | 8 | ········ |
| Inlustre quiddam cernimus, | 7 | ······· |
| quod nesciat finem pati, | 7 | ······· |
| sublime, celsum, interminum, | 8 | ˘/······ |
| antiquius caelo et chao. | 7 | ······· |
| Hic ille rex est gentium | 7 | ···˘/·· |
| populique rex Iudaici, | 7 | ······· |
| promissus Abrahae patri | 7 | ······· |
| eiusque in aevum semini. | 7 | ······· |
| Aequanda nam stellis sua | 7 | ······· |
| cognovit olim germina | 8 | ˘/˘····· |
| primus sator credentium, | 7 | /˘····· |
| nati inmolator unici. | 9 | ········· |
| Iam flos subit Davidicus | 8 | ········ |
| radice Iesse editus, | 6 | /˘···· |
| sceptrique per virgam virens | 7 | ·····/˘ |
| rerum cacumen occupat. | 8 | ········ |
| Exin sequuntur perciti | 8 | ········ |
| fixis in altum vultibus, | 8 | ········ |
| qua stella sulcum traxerat | 8 | ·/˘····· |
| claramque signabat viam. | 6 | ······ |
| Sed verticem pueri supra | 8 | ······/˘ |
| signum pependit inminens, | 8 | ········ |
| pronaque submissum face | 6 | ······ |
| caput sacratum prodidit. | 8 | ˘/······ |
| Videre quod postquam Magi, | 7 | ·····/˘ |
| eoa promunt munera, | 6 | ······ |
| stratique votis offerunt | 7 | ······· |
| tus, myrrham, et aurum regium. | 8 | ····/˘·· |
| Agnosce clara insignia | 8 | ··/˘˘/˘˘ |
| virtutis ac regni tui, | 8 | ···//··· |
| puer o, cui trinam Pater | 8 | /˘····/˘ |
| praedestinavit indolem. | 8 | ········ |
| Regem Deumque adnuntiant | 6 | ······ |
| thesaurus et fragrans odor | 8 | ˘/˘···/˘ |
| turis Sabaei, ac myrrheus | 8 | /˘··//·· |
| pulvis sepulcrum praedocet. | 8 | ········ |
| Hoc est sepulcrum, quo Deus, | 8 | ·˘/····· |
| dum corpus extingui sinit | 8 | ·/˘····· |
| atque id sepultum suscitat, | 8 | ········ |
| mortis refregit carcerem. | 8 | /˘······ |
| O sola magnarum urbium | 8 | ·/˘····· |
| maior Bethlem, cui contigit | 7 | ······· |
| ducem salutis caelitus | 8 | ········ |
| incorporatum gignere. | 7 | ······· |
| Altrice te summo Patri | 7 | ······· |
| haeres creatur unicus, | 6 | ······ |
| homo ex tonantis spiritu | 9 | /˘······· |
| idemque sub membris Deus. | 6 | ······ |
| Hunc et prophetis testibus | 8 | ········ |
| isdemque signatoribus, | 7 | ······· |
| testator et sator iubet | 8 | ˘/˘····· |
| adire regnum et cernere: | 7 | ······· |
| Regnum, quod ambit omnia | 7 | ···/˘·· |
| diva et marina et terrea | 9 | /˘·˘/˘··· |
| a solis ortu ad exitum | 9 | ·/˘······ |
| et tartara et caelum supra. | 9 | ·······/˘ |
| Audit tyrannus anxius | 7 | /˘····· |
| adesse regum principem, | 6 | ······ |
| qui nomen Israel regat | 8 | ···/˘˘·· |
| teneatque David regiam. | 6 | ··/˘·· |
| Exclamat amens nuntio, | 7 | ···˘/·· |
| successor instat, pellimur; | 8 | ˘/˘····· |
| satelles i, ferrum rape, | 6 | ······ |
| perfunde cunas sanguine. | 6 | ····/˘ |
| Mas omnis infans occidat, | 8 | ·/˘····· |
| scrutare nutricum sinus, | 7 | ·····/˘ |
| interque materna ubera | 8 | ··˘/˘··· |
| ensem cruentet pusio. | 6 | ······ |
| Suspecta per Bethlem mihi | 8 | ········ |
| puerperarum est omnium | 9 | ····˘//˘˘ |
| fraus, ne qua furtim subtrahat | 8 | ········ |
| prolem virilis indolis. | 8 | ········ |
| Transfigit ergo carnifex | 8 | ···/˘/˘˘ |
| mucrone destricto furens | 7 | ······· |
| effusa nuper corpora, | 8 | ·····/˘˘ |
| animasque rimatur novas. | 8 | ······/˘ |
| Locum minutis artubus | 8 | ········ |
| vix interemptor invenit, | 8 | ········ |
| quo plaga descendat patens | 8 | ·/˘····· |
| iuguloque maior pugio est. | 8 | ······˘/ |
| O barbarum spectaculum! | 8 | ········ |
| inlisa cervix cautibus | 8 | ···/˘··· |
| spargit cerebrum lacteum | 7 | ··/˘˘·· |
| oculosque per vulnus vomit. | 8 | ······/˘ |
| Aut in profundum palpitans | 8 | ········ |
| mersatur infans gurgitem, | 8 | ········ |
| cui subter artis faucibus | 8 | ···/˘··· |
| singultat unda et halitus. | 9 | ········· |
| Salvete flores martyrum, | 7 | ··/···· |
| quos lucis ipso in limine | 8 | ······˘/ |
| Christi insecutor sustulit, | 9 | /˘······· |
| ceu turbo nascentes rosas. | 7 | ·/˘/˘/˘ |
| Vos prima Christi victima, | 8 | ·/˘/˘··· |
| grex inmolatorum tener, | 8 | ······/˘ |
| aram ante ipsam simplices | 9 | ··/˘····· |
| palma et coronis luditis. | 9 | /˘·˘/˘··· |
| Quid proficit tantum nefas, | 8 | ········ |
| quid crimen Herodem iuvat? | 8 | ········ |
| unus tot inter funera | 8 | ···˘/··· |
| inpune Christus tollitur. | 7 | ······· |
| Inter coaevi sanguinis | 7 | ˘/····· |
| fluenta solus integer | 7 | ····/˘˘ |
| ferrum, quod orbabat nurus, | 8 | ········ |
| partus fefellit virginis. | 8 | ········ |
| Sic stulta Pharaonis mali | 8 | ······/˘ |
| edicta quondam fugerat | 8 | ···/˘··· |
| Christi figuram praeferens | 8 | /˘······ |
| Moyses, receptor civium. | 7 | /˘˘/˘·· |
| Cautum et statutum ius erat, | 9 | ········· |
| quo non liceret matribus, | 8 | ········ |
| cum pondus alvi absolverent, | 9 | ········· |
| puerile pignus tollere. | 6 | ˘//˘·· |
| Mens obstetricis sedulae | 7 | ······· |
| pie in tyrannum contumax | 8 | ········ |
| ad spem potentis gloriae | 6 | ······ |
| furata servat parvulum: | 8 | ········ |
| Quem mox sacerdotem sibi | 8 | ········ |
| adsumpsit orbis conditor, | 8 | ···/˘··· |
| per quem notatam saxeis | 7 | ······· |
| legem tabellis traderet. | 8 | ········ |
| Licetne Christum noscere | 6 | ······ |
| tanti per exemplum viri? | 8 | ···˘/˘·· |
| dux ille caeso Aegyptio | 7 | ······· |
| absolvit Israel iugo. | 8 | ···/˘˘·· |
| At nos subactos iugiter | 8 | ········ |
| erroris inperio gravi | 8 | ········ |
| dux noster hoste saucio | 6 | ······ |
| mortis tenebris liberat. | 8 | /˘······ |
| Hic expiatam fluctibus | 7 | ······· |
| plebem marino in transitu | 9 | ··˘/˘···· |
| repurgat undis dulcibus, | 8 | ········ |
| lucis columnam praeferens: | 8 | ········ |
| Hic praeliante exercitu, | 7 | ······· |
| pansis in altum brachiis, | 7 | ······· |
| sublimis Amalech premit, | 8 | ······˘/ |
| crucis quod instar tunc fuit. | 7 | ···˘/·· |
| Hic nempe Iesus verior, | 6 | ······ |
| qui longa post dispendia | 7 | ······· |
| victor suis tribulibus | 7 | /˘····· |
| promissa solvit iugera. | 8 | ········ |
| Qui ter quaternas denique | 7 | ······· |
| refluentis amnis alveo | 7 | ······· |
| fundavit et fixit petras, | 8 | ······/˘ |
| apostolorum stemmata. | 8 | ········ |
| Iure ergo se Iudae ducem | 8 | ·/˘//··· |
| vidisse testantur Magi, | 7 | ·····/˘ |
| cum facta priscorum ducum | 8 | ········ |
| Christi figuram finxerint. | 8 | /˘······ |
| Hic rex priorum iudicum, | 7 | ······· |
| rexere qui Iacob genus, | 7 | ·····/˘ |
| dominaeque rex ecclesiae, | 6 | ······ |
| templi et novelli et pristini. | 10 | ···˘/˘···· |
| Hunc posteri Efrem colunt, | 8 | ········ |
| hunc sancta Manasse domus | 7 | ···/˘·· |
| omnesque suspiciunt tribus | 7 | ······· |
| bis sena fratrum semina. | 8 | ·/˘····· |
| Quin et propago degener | 8 | ·····/˘˘ |
| ritum secuta inconditum, | 9 | ········· |
| quaecumque dirum fervidis | 7 | ······· |
| Baal caminis coxerat, | 8 | /˘······ |
| fumosa avorum numina | 9 | ········· |
| saxum, metallum, stipitem, | 8 | ········ |
| rasum, dolatum, sectile, | 7 | ·····/˘ |
| in Christi honorem deserit. | 9 | ·/˘······ |
| Gaudete quidquid gentium est, | 8 | ······˘/ |
| Iudaea, Roma, et Graecia, | 7 | ··/˘··· |
| Aegypte, Thrax, Persa, Scytha, | 7 | ······· |
| rex unus omnes possidet. | 7 | ······· |
| Laudate vestrum principem | 7 | ······· |
| omnes beati, ac perditi, | 8 | ···//··· |
| vivi, inbecilli ac mortui: | 10 | ······//·· |
| iam nemo posthac mortuus. | 7 | ·/˘···· |
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.