Rhythm in Honor of the Holy Virgin Mary
This is the only cataleptic iambic dimeter in Damian’s poetic corpus its metrical structure and expressive flow, closer to the laus than to the hymn, can also be compared to that of other rhythms which seem to represent a freer form of meditative prayer.
1.
O genitrix aeterni,
Virgo Maria, verbi,
Quae vox, quae lingua carnis
Par erit tuae laudis?
O mother of the eternal word,
Virgin Mary,
What voice, what tongue of man
Will be equal to your praise?
2.
Tu nova maris stella,
Celsa poli fenestra,
Scala, quae caelum terris
Iungis, ima supernis.1
O new star of the sea,
High window of heaven,
The ladder, which joins earth to
Heaven, the lowest to on high.
3.
Immensum concepisti,
Parentem reperisti;
Fit factor ex factura,
Creans ex creatura.
You conceived the greatest,
You discovered the parent;
The maker came from what He wrought,
The creator from the created.
4.
Quem mundus ferre nequit,
Totum vulva concepit;
Quo circuitur aether,
Puellae clausit venter.
Whom the world cannot bear,
Your womb brought forth in full;
Where the firmament surrounds,
The maiden’s womb enclosed.
5.
Servi forma indutus,
Divina non exutus
Suscepit quidem tua
Sed non amisit sua.
Appearing as a servant,
Without shedding the divine
Indeed he took up yours
But did not send his from.
6.
Oritur ortus rerum,
Fit antiquus dierum.2
Orbis origo coepit,
Factus ex his, quae fecit.
The origin of all things is born,
The ancient of days comes into being.
The world begins with his beginning,
Having been made from this, that he made.
7.
Conceptus fecundavit,
Natus non violavit.
Intravit et exivit
Sed clausam dereliquit.
Having been conceived, he made fruitful,
His birth did not dishonor her.
He entered and he left
But she remained intact.
8.
Tu Aaron es virga,3
Fecunda licet sicca,
Quae germen protulisti
Sed virgo permansisti.
You are as the rod of Aaron,
Which produced a sprout
Fruitful although dry,
Yet the virgin doth abide.
9.
Te rubus praelucebat,
Qui ardens non ardebat,4
Quae sine aestu mentis
Fructum dedisti ventris.
The thorn bush light shone on you,
And blazing was not burned,
As without desire’s heat
You yield the fruit of your womb.
10.
Es ante partum virgo
Sed post virginum virgo;
Crevit in ortu prolis
Integritas pudoris.
You are a virgin before the birth
But after you are the virgin of virgins;
The purity of your modesty came
In the birth of your child.
11.
Est angelorum cibus5
Tuo lacte nutritus;
Qui mari praebet undas,
Papillae sugit guttas.
He is the food of angels
Who is nourished by your milk;
He who grants waves to the sea,
He sucks drops from your nipples.
12.
Geris in sinu prolem,
Qui terrae librat molem.6
Foves a quo foveris,
Servas a quo tueris.
You bear a child in your folds,
Who balances the mass of the world.
You love him by whom you will be loved,
You protect him who will keep you safe.
13.
Blandire, mater, caro,
Qui te creavit, nato;
Oscula grata fige,
Fasciis membra cinge.
Dearly soothe your son, mother,
He who created you;
Fix kisses on that beloved child,
Wrap his limbs with swaddling clothes.
14.
Amplectere caelestem,
Quem genuisti, regem,
Cui servit sol et luna
Et omnis creatura.
Embrace the one from heaven,
Whom you, have born, O queen,
He whom the sun and moon doth serve
As do all creatures.
15.
Chori virtutum tremunt,
Quem viles panni tegunt;
Pavet caelum et terra,
Quem baiulat puella.
The choirs of virtues tremble,
Whom rags doth swaddle;
Heaven and earth are struck with fear,
Whom the girl doth carry.
16.
Vagit in sinu matris,
Regnat in throno patris.
Legem matris observat,
Mundi iura gubernat.
He cries in the folds of his mother,
He reigns on the throne of the Father.
He attends to the laws of his mother,
He governs the world with his laws.
17.
Tu fontis fons viventis,7
Oriens orientis,
Liber ille signatus
Lectori viro datus.8
You spring of the living fountain,
Rising sun of the east,
That sealed book
Given to man to read.
18.
Tu porta templi clausa,
Superni regis aula,
Aerarium talenti,
Per quod sumus redempti.
You closed door of the temple,
Palace of the king on high,
Holder of that treasure,
By which we are redeemed.
19.
Hortus deliciarum,
Odor suavitatum,9
Tu ager ille plenus,
Cui benedixit Deus.10
Garden of delights,
Scent of sweetness,
You are that fertile field,
Which God has blessed.
20.
Ex te botrus egressus,
Qui crucis prelo pressus
Vino rigat arentes
Sancti Spiritus mentes.
From you came forth the grapes,
Which the cross as a press has let flow
With that wine he irrigates minds
Thirsting for the Holy Spirit.
21.
Es et terra caelestis,
Ferax lactis et mellis,11
Ex qua veritas orta
Tollit errorum dogma.
And you are the earth of heaven,
Fruitful with milk and honey,
From which truth arose
Removing the laws of errors.
22.
Arcem nobilitatis
De prolis stirpe trahis,
Filia quidem regum
Sed mater regis regum.
From the lineage of your children
You draw a citadel of nobility,
Daughter indeed of kings
But mother of the king of kings.
23.
Salve iam, virgo feta,
Ave, gratia plena;
Nostrum «Ave» digneris
Ut illud Gabrielis.12
Greetings now, fruitful virgin,
Hail, full of grace;
Deemed worthy of our praise
As Gabriel did say.
24.
Ille dum te salutat,
Evae nomen commutat.
Reduc nos, virgo sancta,
Unde est nequam lapsa.
In greeting you,
He restores Eve’s name.
Lead us back, holy virgin,
From where the demons fell.
25.
Tu solve, quod debemus,
Averte, quod timemus,
Impetra, quod optamus,
Perfice, quod speramus.
Redeem what our debts,
Turn away what we fear,
Bring to pass what we wish for,
Accomplish what we hope for.
26.
Sit salus trinitati,
Sit decus unitati,
Cui lex et ordo rerum
Per omne paret aevum.
Amen.
May there by praise to the Trinity,
May there me glory to the Unity,
Through whom the law and order of things
Must obey through all the ages.
Amen.
1 Gen 28:12
viditque in somnis scalam stantem super terram et cacumen illius tangens caelum angelos quoque Dei ascendentes et descendentes per eam
And he saw in his sleep a ladder standing upon the earth, and the top thereof touching heaven: the angels also of God ascending and descending by it;
2 Dan 7:9
aspiciebam donec throni positi sunt et antiquus dierum sedit vestimentum eius quasi nix candidum et capilli capitis eius quasi lana munda thronus eius flammae ignis rotae eius ignis accensus
I beheld till thrones were placed, and the ancient of days sat: his garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like clean wool: his throne like flames of fire: the wheels of it like a burning fire.
3 8. Ex 7:9-12 (and Num 17)
cum dixerit vobis Pharao ostendite signa dices ad Aaron tolle virgam tuam et proice eam coram Pharao ac vertatur in colubrum
When Pharao shall say to you, Shew signs; thou shalt say to Aaron: Take thy rod, and cast it down before Pharao, and it shall be turned into a serpent.
ingressi itaque Moses et Aaron ad Pharaonem fecerunt sicut praeceperat Dominus tulitque Aaron virgam coram Pharao et servis eius quae versa est in colubrum
So Moses and Aaron went in unto Pharao, and did as the Lord had commanded. And Aaron took the rod before Pharao and his servants, and it was turned into a serpent.
vocavit autem Pharao sapientes et maleficos et fecerunt etiam ipsi per incantationes aegyptias et arcana quaedam similiter
And Pharao called the wise men and the magicians; and they also by Egyptian enchantments and certain secrets, did in like manner.
proieceruntque singuli virgas suas quae versae sunt in dracones sed devoravit virga Aaron virgas eorum
And they every one cast down their rods, and they were turned into serpents: but Aaron’s rod devoured their rods.
4 Ex 3:2
apparuitque ei Dominus in flamma ignis de medio rubi et videbat quod rubus arderet et non conbureretur
And the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he saw that the bush was on fire, and was not burnt.
5 Ps 77:25
panem angelorum manducavit homo cibaria misit eis in abundantiam
Man ate the bread of angels: he sent them provisions in abundance.
6 Is 40:12
quis mensus est pugillo aquas et caelos palmo ponderavit quis adpendit tribus digitis molem terrae et libravit in pondere montes et colles in statera
Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and weighed the heavens with his palm? who hath poised with three fingers the bulk of the earth, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance?
7 IO 4:14
sed aqua quam dabo ei fiet in eo fons aquae salientis in vitam aeternam
But the water that I will give him shall become in him a fountain of water, springing up into life everlasting.
8 Is 29:11
et erit vobis visio omnium sicut verba libri signati quem cum dederint scienti litteras dicent lege istum et respondebit non possum signatus est enim
And the vision of all shall be unto you as the words of a book that is sealed which when they shall deliver to one that is learned, they shall say: Read this: and he shall answer: I cannot, for it is sealed.
Apoc 5:1
et vidi in dextera sedentis super thronum librum scriptum intus et foris signatum sigillis septem
And I saw, in the right hand of him that sat on the throne, a book, written within and without, sealed with seven seals.
9 Cant 4:11-12
favus distillans labia tua sponsa mel et lac sub lingua tua et odor vestimentorum tuorum sicut odor turis
Thy lips, my spouse, are as a dropping honeycomb, honey and milk are under thy tongue; and the smell of thy garments, as the smell of frankincense.
hortus conclusus soror mea sponsa hortus conclusus fons signatus
My sister, my spouse, is a garden enclosed, a garden enclosed, a fountain sealed up.
10 Gen 27:27 (when Esau comes to Abraham)
accessit et osculatus est eum statimque ut sensit vestimentorum illius flagrantiam benedicens ait ecce odor filii mei sicut odor agri cui benedixit Dominus
He came near, and kissed him. And immediately as he smelled the fragrant smell of his garments, blessing him, he said: Behold, the smell of my son is as the smell of a plentiful field, which the Lord hath blessed.
11 Cant 4:11
favus distillans labia tua sponsa mel et lac sub lingua tua et odor vestimentorum tuorum sicut odor turis
Thy lips, my spouse, are as a dropping honeycomb, honey and milk are under thy tongue; and the smell of thy garments, as the smell of frankincense.
12 Lc 1:26-28
in mense autem sexto missus est angelus Gabrihel a Deo in civitatem Galilaeae cui nomen Nazareth
And in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God into a city of Galilee, called Nazareth,
ad virginem desponsatam viro cui nomen erat Ioseph de domo David et nomen virginis Maria
To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David: and the virgin’s name was Mary.
et ingressus angelus ad eam dixit have gratia plena Dominus tecum benedicta tu in mulieribus
And the angel being come in, said unto her: Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.
