The Latin Hymn-writers and Their Hymns

by Samuel Willoughby Duffield

II.

Aeterna Christi numera, et martyrum, Illuminans altissimus, Orabo mente dominum, (from Bis ternas horas,) Splendor paternae gloriae.

These are the probable hymns.

III.

Apostolorum passio, Conditor alme siderum, Consors paterni luminis, Hic est dies verus Dei, Jam lucis orto sidere, Nunc sancte nobis Spiritus, O lux beata Trinitas, Obduxere polum nubila coeli, O rex aeterne domine, Rector potens, verax Deus, Rerum Deus tenax vigor, Somno refectis artubus, Squalent arva soli pulvere multo, Summae Deus clementiae, Tristes erant apostoli.

These have, for one reason or another, been assigned to Ambrose. It is to be remembered that the Tristes erant is a part of the Aurora lucis rutilat, and that in many cases the hymns are very much intermingled. A rigid designation is therefore impossible. The fourth class comprehends what may be called Ambrosiani—the Sedulian and Gregorian and other hymns being simply excluded from the list.

IV.

Aeternae lucis conditor, Agnis beatae virginis, Apostolorum supparem, A solis ortus cardine Et usque, Aurora lucis rutilat, Bis ternas horas explicans, Certum tenentes ordinem, Christe coelorum conditor, Christe cunctorum dominator alme, Christe qui lux es et dies, Christe rex coeli domine, Christe redemptor gentium, Cibis resumptis congruis, Coeli Deus sanctissime, Convexa solis orbita, Dei fide, qua vivimus, Deus aeterni luminis, Deus qui certis legibus, Deus qui claro lumine, Deus qui coeli lumen es, Dicamus laudes Domino, Diei luce reddita, Fulgentis auctor aetheris, Gesta sanctorum martyrum, Grates tibi Jesu novas, Hymnum dicamus Domino, Immense coeli conditor, Jam cursus horae sextae, Jam lucis splendor rutilat, Jam sexta sensim volvitur, Jam surgit hora tertia, Et nos, Jam ter quaternis trahitur, Jesu corona celsior, Jesu corona virginum, Jesu nostra redemptio, Magnae Deus potentiae, Magni palmam certaminis, Mediae noctis tempus est, Meridie orandum est, Miraculum laudabile, Mysteriorum signifer, Mysterium ecclesiae, Nox atra rerum contegit, Optatus votis omnium, Perfectum trinum numerum, Plasmator hominis Deus, Post matutinas laudes, Rerum creator optime, Sacratum hoc templum Dei, Saevus bella serit barbarus horrens, Stephano primo martyri, Telluris ingens conditor, Te lucis ante termium, Tempus noctis surgentibus, Ter hora trina volvitur, Ternis ter horis numerus, Tristes nunc populi, Christe redemptor, Tu Trinitatis unitas, Verbum supernum prodiens, a Patre, Victor, Nabor, Felix pii, Vox clara ecce intonat.

While these are often known to be mere paraphrases of Ambrose’s own homilies, or imitations of his hymns, they are as frequently found to possess his spirit and almost the very forms of his verse. Thus Daniel says of the Ter hora trina that it is “not unworthy of Ambrose himself.” We also find many cases where the Roman Breviary has altered the first line as well as changed the arrangement of the stanzas.

The last class are those hymns, formerly called Ambrosian, but now known to be the work of other hands. They are given with their authors’ names appended.