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Click to printAdam of St. Victor. "In Honor of St. Augustine." Global Medieval Sourcebook.

Transcription by Runqi Zhang .

In Honor of St. Augustine | Hymnus in honorem Sancti Augustini

Source Information

In Honor of St. Augustine | Hymnus in honorem Sancti Augustini

by Adam of St. Victor

Text Source:

Cambridge, Corpus Christi College, MS 253, ff.140v-141r

Responsibility Statement:
  • Transcription by Runqi Zhang
  • Translation by Runqi Zhang
  • Encoded in TEI P5 XML by Runqi Zhang
Editorial Principles:

Transcriptions and translations are encoded in XML conforming to TEI (P5) guidelines. The original-language text is contained within <lem> tags and translations within <rdg> tags.

The Latin text presented here has been transcribed from ​​Cambridge, Corpus Christi College, MS 253, ff.140v-141r. A digitization of this manuscript can be viewed online here: https://parker.stanford.edu/parker/catalog/dy778wn8940. All occurrences of the letters “u” and “v” are preserved in their original form. Contractions have been expanded (expansions are not indicated). Punctuation follows the original but with modernized punctuation marks. Capitalization follows modern conventions.

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Published by The Global Medieval Sourcebook.

The Global Medieval Sourcebook is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Interni festi gaudia nostra sonet armonia. Let the harmony of the feast inside our heart sound our happiness,
n
Note:

Quo mens in se pacifica vera frequentat sabbata. Through which our spirit is at peace in itself and keeps the Sabbath truly.
Mundi cordis laetitia odorans uera gaudia. Let the joy of the pure heart spread
n
Note:

Literal meaning is “spread the scent of”. The use of sensory vocabulary here reinforces the idea that the listeners are intended to experience heaven through all their senses.

true happiness,
Quibus praegustat avida quae sit sanctorum gloria. Through which the faithful one shall have a foretaste of the glory of the saints.
5
Qua laetatur in patria caelicolarum curia. With this glory, the court of the heavenly beings rejoices in their homeland,
n
Note:

Here and below, I translated "patria" as "homeland", but it could also be translated as "fatherland".

Regem donantem praemia sua cernens in gloria. Beholding the king in glory, who is offering his own prizes:
Beata illa patria quae nescit nisi gaudia Blessed is that homeland that knows nothing but happiness,
nam cives huius patriae non cessant laudes canere. For the people of that land do not stop singing its praises.
Quos ille dulcor afficit quem nullus maeror inficit These are the ones whom sweetness affects and no sorrow infects,
10
quos nullus hostis impetit nullusque turbo concutit. Whom no enemy attacks, and no mob strikes.
Ubi dies clarissima melior est quam milis. There it is the brightest day, better than a thousand days,
Luce lucens praefulgida plena Dei notitia. Shining with a shining light, full of knowledge of God
Quam mens humana capere nec lingua valet promere. That the human mind may not capture nor the tongue express
Donec vitae victoria commutet haec mortalia. Until the victory of life entirely alters these mortal beings,
15
Quando Deus est omnia: vita virtus scientia. When God is everything: life, virtue, knowledge,
Victus vestis et cetera quae uelle potest mens pia. Nourishment, garments, and all other things that a pious mind can wish for.
Hoc in hac valle misera meditetur mens sobria. A sober mind meditates upon this
n
Note:

That is, the ideas about heaven and the afterlife presented above.

in this miserable valley:
Hoc per soporem sentiat hoc attendat dum uigolat. So that it
n
Note:

The mind.

may sense this through sleep and pay attention to it while awake,
Quo mundi post exsilia coronetur in patria. And after periods of exile from the world, may be crowned in the homeland
n
Note:

This refers to heaven.

,
20
Ac in decoris gloria regem laudet per saecula. And in the glory of beauty, may praise the King
n
Note:

This refers to God.

through all ages.
Harum laudum praeconia imitatur ecclesia. The Church imitates the proclamation of these praises
Cum recensentur annua sanctorum natalitia. When the annual birthdays of the saints are counted;
n
Note:

This refers to the celebration of the saints’ lives through liturgies which are repeated annually.

Dum post peracta proelia digna redduntur praemia. While after the battles have been fought, worthy gifts are distributed
Pro passione rosea pro castitate candida. For rosy passion and for white chastity,
n
Note:

This is a deliberate color contrast, indicating that the visual sense is being drawn on here too.

25
Datur et torques aurea pro doctrina catholica. And a golden wreath is given for the catholic teaching
Qua praefulget Augustinus in summi regis curia. On account of which Augustine shines forth in the court of the Supreme King
n
Note:

This refers to God.

.
Cuius librorum copia fides firmatur unica. Through the abundance of his
n
Note:

This refers to Augustine.

books, the single faith is strengthened
Hinc et mater ecclesia uitat errorum devia. And the Mother Church avoids straying into error.
Huius sequi vestigia ac praedicare dogmata. May our Mother grant that we follow in his footsteps and preach his teachings
30
Fide recta ac fervida det nobis mater gratia. Amen. with grace with righteous and ardent faith. Amen.
n
Note:

The syntax of this line and the penultimate line has been adjusted in the translation for clarity.

Interni festi gaudia nostra sonet armonia. Let the harmony of the feast inside our heart sound our happiness,
n
Note:

Quo mens in se pacifica vera frequentat sabbata. Through which our spirit is at peace in itself and keeps the Sabbath truly.
Mundi cordis laetitia odorans uera gaudia. Let the joy of the pure heart spread
n
Note:

Literal meaning is “spread the scent of”. The use of sensory vocabulary here reinforces the idea that the listeners are intended to experience heaven through all their senses.

true happiness,
Quibus praegustat avida quae sit sanctorum gloria. Through which the faithful one shall have a foretaste of the glory of the saints.
5
Qua laetatur in patria caelicolarum curia. With this glory, the court of the heavenly beings rejoices in their homeland,
n
Note:

Here and below, I translated "patria" as "homeland", but it could also be translated as "fatherland".

Regem donantem praemia sua cernens in gloria. Beholding the king in glory, who is offering his own prizes:
Beata illa patria quae nescit nisi gaudia Blessed is that homeland that knows nothing but happiness,
nam cives huius patriae non cessant laudes canere. For the people of that land do not stop singing its praises.
Quos ille dulcor afficit quem nullus maeror inficit These are the ones whom sweetness affects and no sorrow infects,
10
quos nullus hostis impetit nullusque turbo concutit. Whom no enemy attacks, and no mob strikes.
Ubi dies clarissima melior est quam milis. There it is the brightest day, better than a thousand days,
Luce lucens praefulgida plena Dei notitia. Shining with a shining light, full of knowledge of God
Quam mens humana capere nec lingua valet promere. That the human mind may not capture nor the tongue express
Donec vitae victoria commutet haec mortalia. Until the victory of life entirely alters these mortal beings,
15
Quando Deus est omnia: vita virtus scientia. When God is everything: life, virtue, knowledge,
Victus vestis et cetera quae uelle potest mens pia. Nourishment, garments, and all other things that a pious mind can wish for.
Hoc in hac valle misera meditetur mens sobria. A sober mind meditates upon this
n
Note:

That is, the ideas about heaven and the afterlife presented above.

in this miserable valley:
Hoc per soporem sentiat hoc attendat dum uigolat. So that it
n
Note:

The mind.

may sense this through sleep and pay attention to it while awake,
Quo mundi post exsilia coronetur in patria. And after periods of exile from the world, may be crowned in the homeland
n
Note:

This refers to heaven.

,
20
Ac in decoris gloria regem laudet per saecula. And in the glory of beauty, may praise the King
n
Note:

This refers to God.

through all ages.
Harum laudum praeconia imitatur ecclesia. The Church imitates the proclamation of these praises
Cum recensentur annua sanctorum natalitia. When the annual birthdays of the saints are counted;
n
Note:

This refers to the celebration of the saints’ lives through liturgies which are repeated annually.

Dum post peracta proelia digna redduntur praemia. While after the battles have been fought, worthy gifts are distributed
Pro passione rosea pro castitate candida. For rosy passion and for white chastity,
n
Note:

This is a deliberate color contrast, indicating that the visual sense is being drawn on here too.

25
Datur et torques aurea pro doctrina catholica. And a golden wreath is given for the catholic teaching
Qua praefulget Augustinus in summi regis curia. On account of which Augustine shines forth in the court of the Supreme King
n
Note:

This refers to God.

.
Cuius librorum copia fides firmatur unica. Through the abundance of his
n
Note:

This refers to Augustine.

books, the single faith is strengthened
Hinc et mater ecclesia uitat errorum devia. And the Mother Church avoids straying into error.
Huius sequi vestigia ac praedicare dogmata. May our Mother grant that we follow in his footsteps and preach his teachings
30
Fide recta ac fervida det nobis mater gratia. Amen. with grace with righteous and ardent faith. Amen.
n
Note:

The syntax of this line and the penultimate line has been adjusted in the translation for clarity.

Critical Notes
Translation
Line number 1
Note:

Translation
Line number 3
Note:

Literal meaning is “spread the scent of”. The use of sensory vocabulary here reinforces the idea that the listeners are intended to experience heaven through all their senses.

Translation
Line number 5
Note:

Here and below, I translated "patria" as "homeland", but it could also be translated as "fatherland".

Translation
Line number 17
Note:

That is, the ideas about heaven and the afterlife presented above.

Translation
Line number 18
Note:

The mind.

Translation
Line number 19
Note:

This refers to heaven.

Translation
Line number 20
Note:

This refers to God.

Translation
Line number 22
Note:

This refers to the celebration of the saints’ lives through liturgies which are repeated annually.

Translation
Line number 24
Note:

This is a deliberate color contrast, indicating that the visual sense is being drawn on here too.

Translation
Line number 26
Note:

This refers to God.

Translation
Line number 27
Note:

This refers to Augustine.

Translation
Line number 30
Note:

The syntax of this line and the penultimate line has been adjusted in the translation for clarity.

Sorry, but there are no notes associated with any currently displayed witness.