Prudentius: LIBER PERISTEPHANON

Bis nouem noster populus sub uuo
martyrum seruat cineres sepulcro,
Caesaraugustam uocitamus urbem,
res cui tanta est. Plena magnorum domus angelorum
non timet mundi fragilis ruinam
tot sinu gestans simul offerenda
munera Christo. Cum deus dextram quatiens coruscam
nube subnixus ueniet rubente
gentibus iustam positurus aequo
pondere libram,

Twice nine our people under one
keeps the ashes of the martyrs in the sepulcher,
we call the city Caesaraugusta,
to which such a thing belongs. The house, full of great angels,
does not fear the ruin of the fragile world,
carrying in her bosom so many gifts to be offered at once
to Christ. When God, shaking his coruscant right hand,
supported on a ruddy cloud, will come
to set for the nations a just
balance with equal weight,

orbe de magno caput excitata
obuiam Christo properanter ibit
ciuitas quaeque pretiosa portans
dona canistris. Afra Carthago tua promet ossa,
ore facundo Cypriane doctor,
Corduba Acisclum dabit et Zollum
tresque coronas. Tu tribus gemmis diadema pulchrum
offeres Christo, genetrix piorum
Tarraco, intexit cui Fructuosus
sutile uinclum.

with head raised from the great world
each city will hasten to go to meet Christ,
bearing precious gifts in canisters.
African Carthage will bring forth your bones,
O Cyprian, eloquent-mouthed doctor;
Córduba will give Acisclus and Zoillus,
and three crowns. And you with three gems a fair diadem
will offer to Christ, genetrix of the pious,
Tarraco, for which Fructuosus intertwined
a delicate stitched bond.

Nomen hoc gemmae strofio inligatae est,
emicant iuxta lapides gemelli
ardet et splendor parilis duorum
igne corusco. Parua Felicis decus exhibebit
artubus sanctis locuples Gerunda,
nostra gestabit Calagurris ambos,
quos ueneramur. Barchinon claro Cucufate freta
surget et Paulo speciosa Narbo,
teque, praepollens Arelas, habebit,
sancte Genesi.

This is the name of the gem bound in a strophium (headband),
twin stones flash beside it;
and the equal splendor of the two burns
with coruscating fire. Opulent Gerunda will exhibit a small honor of Felix
in holy limbs; our Calagurris will bear both,
whom we venerate. Barchinon, relying on the famous Cucufas,
will rise, and fair Narbo with Paul;
and you, preeminent Arelas, will have,
holy Genesius.

Lusitanorum caput oppidorum
urbs adoratae cineres puellae
obuiam Christo raplens ad aram
porriget ipsam. Sanguinem Iusti, cui Pastor hacrct,
ferculum duplex geminumque donum
ferre Conplutum gremio iuuabit
membra duorum. Ingeret Tingis sua Cassianum,
festa Massylum monumenta regum,
qui cinis gentes domitas coegit.

Lusitania’s head of towns,
the city will extend the adored maiden’s ashes,
hastening to meet Christ, snatching her to the altar,
and will proffer her herself. The blood of Justus, to whom Pastor adheres,
Complutum will delight to bear in its bosom on a double bier and as a twin gift
the limbs of the two. Tingis will bring in its own Cassianus,
the festive monuments of the Massylian kings,
whose ash compelled the tamed nations.

ad iuga Christi.

to the yokes of Christ.

Singulis paucae, tribus aut duobus,
forsan et quinis aliquae placebunt
testibus Christi prius hostiarum
pignere functae. Tu decem sanctos reuehes et octo,
Caesaraugusta studiosa Christo,
uerticem flauis oleis reuincta,
pacis honore. Sola in occursum numerosiores
martyrum turbas domino parasti,
sola praediues pietate multa
luce frueris.

To single ones, a few; to three or to two,
perhaps even to fives, some will be pleasing—
witnesses of Christ, having first fulfilled
the pledge of victims. You will bring back ten and eight holy ones,
Caesaraugusta, studious for Christ,
your summit wreathed with golden olives,
with the honor of peace. You alone have prepared for the encounter
more numerous throngs of martyrs for the Lord,
you alone, rich in much piety,
enjoy the light.

Vix parens orbis populosa Poeni,
ipsa uix Roma in solio locata
te, decus nostrum, superare in isto
munere digna est. Omnibus portis sacer inmolatus
sanguis exclusit genus inuidorum
daemonum et nigras pepulit tenebras
urbe piata. Nullus umbrarum latet intus horror;
pulsa nam pestis populum refugit,
Christus in totis habitat plateis,
Christus ubique est.

Hardly the populous parent of the world of the Punic race,
even Rome herself, seated on her throne, hardly
is worthy to surpass you, our glory, in this
office. At all the gates the sacred immolated
blood has shut out the race of envious demons
and has driven the black darknesses, with the city atoned,
from the city. No horror of shades lurks within;
for the plague, beaten back, flees the people,
Christ dwells in all the streets,
Christ is everywhere.

Martyrum credas patriam coronis
debitam sacris, chorus unde surgens
tendit in caelum niueus togatae
nobilitatis. Inde, Vincenti, tua palma nata est,
clerus hic tantum peperit triumfum,
hic sacerdotum domus infulata
Valeriorum. Saeuus antiquis quotiens procellis
turbo uexatum tremefecit orbem,
tristior templum rabies in istud
intulit iras.

You would believe a fatherland of martyrs indebted with sacred crowns, whence a chorus arising stretches to heaven, snow-white with the togate nobility. Thence, Vincent, your palm was born, here the clergy brought forth so great a triumph, here the filleted house of the priests, the Valerii. As often as a savage whirlwind with ancient storms made the world, harried, to tremble, a grimmer frenzy against this temple brought in its wraths.

Nec furor quisquam sine laude nostrum
cessit aut clari uacuus cruoris,
martyrum semper numerus sub omni
grandine creuit. Nonne, Vincenti, peregri necandus
martyr his tetris tenui notasti
sanguinis rore speciem futuri
morte propinqua? Hoc colunt ciues, uelut ipsa membra
caespes includat suus et paterno
seruet amplectens tumulo beati
martyris ossa.

Nor did any fervor of ours yield without laud,
or empty of bright blood; the number of martyrs
has ever grown beneath every hailstorm.
Did you not, Vincent, doomed to be slain abroad as a pilgrim,
in these gloomy things with a slight dew of blood
mark the semblance of what was to come,
with death near at hand? This the citizens revere, as though their very limbs
their own sod enclosed, and, clasping, in a paternal
tomb preserved the bones of the blessed
martyr.

Noster est, quamuis procul hinc in urbe
passus ignota dederit sepulcri
gloriam uictor prope litus altae
forte Sagynti. Noster et nostra puer in palestra
arte uirtutis fideique oliuo
unctus horrendum didicit domare
uiribus hostem. Nouerat templo celebres in isto
octies partas deciesque palmas,
laureis doctus patriis eadem
laude cucurrit.

He is ours, although far from here in a city unknown, having suffered, he has given the glory of a sepulcher, a victor near the shore of lofty Sagynti by chance.
He is ours too; as a boy in our palestra, anointed with the olive of the art of virtue and faith, he learned to subdue the horrendous enemy with his powers.
He had known in this temple the celebrated palms won eight times and ten times, taught by native laurels he ran with the same praise.

Hic et, Encrati, recubant tuarum
ossa uirtutum, quibus efferati
spiritum mundi, uiolenta uirgo,
dedecorasti. Martyrum nulli remanente uita
contigit terris habitare nostris,
sola tu morti propriae superstes
uiuis in orbe. Viuis ac poenae seriem retexis
carnis et caesae spolium retentans,
taetra quam sulcos habeant amaros
uulnera, narras.

Here too, Encrati, lie reclining the bones of your virtues,
by which, savage maiden, the spirit of the world,
violenta virgo, you disgraced. As, with life remaining to none of the martyrs,
it has not fallen to any to inhabit our lands,
you alone, surviving your own death,
live in the orb. You live and reweave the series of your penalty,
retaining the spoil of your hewn flesh,
and you recount how baleful wounds
have bitter furrows.

Barbarus tortor latus omne carpsit,
sanguis inpensus, lacerata membra,
pectus abscisa patuit papilla
corde sub ipso. Iam minus mortis pretium peractae est,
quae uenenatos abolens dolores
concitam membris tribuit quietem
fine soporo. Cruda te longum tenuit cicatrix
et diu uenis dolor haesit ardens,
dum putrescentes tenuat medullas
tabidus umor.

Barbarous torturer tore the whole side,
blood expended, limbs lacerated,
the chest, with the nipple cut off, lay open
just beneath the heart itself. Now the price of death once accomplished is less,
which, abolishing the venomous pains,
has granted to the limbs a sudden quiet
with a soporific end. A raw cicatrix held you long,
and for a long time a burning pain clung in your veins,
while a tabid humor thins the rotting marrow,
a tabid humor.

Inuidus quamuis obitum supremum
persecutoris gladius negarit,
plena te, martyr, tamen ut peremptam
poena coronat. Vidimus partem iecoris reuulsam
ungulis longe iacuisse pressis,
mors habet pallens aliquid tuorum
te quoque uiua. Hunc nouum nostrae titulum fruendum
Caesaraugustae dedit ipse Christus,
iuge uiuentis domus ut dicata
martyris esset.

Envious, although the persecutor’s sword denied the final death,
yet full penalty crowns you, martyr, as though slain.
We have seen a part of the liver torn away
to have lain far off by pressed-in claws,
pale death holds something of yours even with you alive.
Christ himself gave to our Caesaraugusta this new title to enjoy,
that the perpetual house of the living martyr might be dedicated.

Ergo ter senis sacra candidatis
diues Optato simul et Luperco
perge conscriptum tibimet senatum
pangere psalmis! Ede Successum, cane Martialem!
mors et Vrbani tibi concinatur,
Iuliam cantus resonet simulque
Quintilianum. Publium pangat chorus et reuoluat,
quale Frontonis fuerit tropaeum,
quid bonus Felix tulerit, quid acer
Caecilianus,

Therefore, for the thrice-six sacred white-robed ones,
rich with Optatus and with Lupercus together,
go on to compose for yourself, in psalms, your senate enrolled!
Bring forth Successus, sing Martial!
and let the death of Urban be harmonized for you,
let song resonate Julia and likewise
Quintilian. Let the chorus compose Publius and recount
what sort of trophy Fronto had,
what the good Felix bore, what the keen
Caecilianus.

quantus, Euoti, tua bells sanguis
tinxerit, quantus tua, Primitiue,
tum tuos uiuax recolat triumfos
laus, Apodemi. Quattuor posthinc superest uirorum
nomen extolli renuente metro,
quos Saturninos memorat uocalos
prisca uetustas. Carminis leges amor aureorum
nominum parui facit et loquendi
cura de sanctis uitiosa non est
nec rudis umquam.

how great, Euotus, your blood has dyed your wars,
how great, yours, Primitivus;
then let enduring praise recall your triumphs,
Apodemus. After this it remains that the name of four men be exalted,
though the meter refuses,
whom pristine antiquity remembers as Saturnian-voiced.
The love of golden names makes little of the laws of song,
and the care of speaking about the saints is not faulty
nor ever rude.

Plenus est artis modus adnotatas
nominum formas recitare Christo,
quas tenet caeli liber explicandus
tempore iusto. Octo tunc sanctos recolet decemque
angelus coram patre filioque
urbis unius regimen tenentes
iure sepulcri. Quin ad antiquum numerum trahetur
ulna post poenae specimen puella
morsque Vincenti, cui sanguis hinc est
fons et honoris

Full is the measure of the art to recite to Christ the annotated forms of names,
which the book of heaven, to be unfolded, holds at the right time. Then the angel will recall eight and ten saints
before the Father and the Son, holding the governance of one city
by right of the sepulcher. Moreover, to the ancient number there will be drawn
the ulna after the maiden’s specimen of punishment, and death for Vincent,
for whom blood from here is a fount and of honor.

[additis Gaio -- nee enim silendi --
teque, Crementi, quibus incruentum
ferre prouenit decus ex secundo
laudis agone. Ambo confessi dominum steterunt
acriter contra fremitum latronum,
ambo gustarunt leuiter saporem
martyriorum]. Haec sub altari sita sempiterno
lapsibus nostris ueniam precatur
turba, quam seruat procerum creatrix
purpureorum.

[with Gaius added — for they are not to be kept silent —
and you, Crementius, to whom it proved to bear a bloodless
honor from the second contest of praise. Both, confessors of the Lord, stood
fiercely against the roaring of bandits,
both lightly tasted the savor
of martyrdoms]. These, set beneath the everlasting altar,
beg pardon for our lapses,
a throng which the creatress of purple-clad grandees
preserves.

Nos pio fletu, date, perluamus
marmorum sulcos, quibus est operta
spes, ut absoluam retinaculorum
uincla meorum. Sterne te totam generosa sanctis
ciuitas mecum tumulis, deinde
mox resurgentes animas et artus
tota sequeris.

Grant that we, with pious weeping, may thoroughly wash
the grooves of the marbles, in which hope lies covered,
so that I may absolve the bonds of my restraints. Lay yourself wholly down, noble city, with me upon the holy
tombs; then
soon the souls and limbs rising again
you, entire, will follow.