Carmina Inedita

UNEDITED POEMS. (From the Sacred Anecdotes of D. de Levis, pp. 17, 20.) OBSERVATION. It is certain and beyond doubt that the very first of all writers who noted that many of Damasus’s poems had perished, and indeed the better ones, was the most eminent Cardinal Baronius, in his entry for the year 384, sections 31 and following. And although Martius Milezius Sarazanius collected from the Palatine manuscripts published by Gruter, and was the first to illustrate those which Federicus Ubaldinus later published in complete form, nevertheless, in his most recent edition of the works of Saint Damasus, enlarged and with the addition of opuscula falsely attributed to the same most blessed pope, published at Rome in 1754, and the most distinguished Antonius Maria Mereuda, speaking of the poems with Saint Jerome in the Catalogue of Illustrious Men, chapter 3, concluded in a similar manner. For we learn from Saint Jerome that he had talent in composing verses and published many short works, which they admit they do not possess in their entirety. Since, therefore, a parchment codex of the library of Novalesa, marked A. B., perhaps written in the ninth or tenth century, containing the Epistles of the Blessed Apostle Paul with the prefaces of Blessed Jerome, has come into my hands, I found at the beginning some poems inscribed to the Lord Damasus, among which were these. But these, however, are not found in the edition of the works of Saint Damasus, nor in those of Merenda, nor of the most distinguished Galland, volume VI of the Library of the Fathers, N. V.

were considered, unpublished, and very similar in style, would be lost, we have taken care to publish them, so as to gratify those eager for ecclesiastical matters, and so that each person may compare these, which we bring to light, with the published ones: we have been content to note a few things. Although these poems teem with many errors in the old manuscripts, I have not chosen to correct them, so that their antiquity may appear genuine. POEM I. On the Epistles of the Apostle St. Paul. Here are many sacred things, here are many worldly things; From these, if any please you, take the poems, read them. You see meadows full of thorns, and an abundance of flowers; If you wish to take the thorns, take the roses. Here the twin venerable volumes of the law shine forth, The new and the old are stored here together. POEM II. In Praise of the Blessed Apostle Paul. Saul was once a surname rightly held, For as an emeritus he presses true teachings. Who, finally, thoroughly led by the true light, Was worthy of the name Paul, as he deserved? Deprived of the light of the mind, he once forbade sacred things; When he recovers his sight, he abandons all wrongdoing. He hands down to the Gentiles the true teachings of the master, And summons all with honey-sweet doctrine. He unlocks blessed secrets for dull hearts, Which he prepares, full of radiance, for the darkness at last. He shines like the sun, scattering rays throughout the world, And gleams more clearly in all his words. He seeks the heights, rapt, following celestial words, Which it is scarcely permitted to utter with a human mouth. He is overwhelmed by waves, submerged for the name of Christ, He is struck, innocent, with manifold blows.

This the Victor suffers, bearing through the flesh the marks of Christ, and he ascends the bright heights of heaven. If you, whoever you are, read and inquire, what he had ordered to be, look to what remains, which will be expedient. And you, worshipping him with incense, will cleave to the court where the foul one, the devil, can never be. Safe was he, cast down from the highest summit of the firmament; we choose companions freely and honorably. The Easter of the wool-bearers flourishes without threshold, the morea; behold, I doubt that rest there is full. A high rumor will be in the kingdom when we proceed; terror will be for the fallen, as the good man seeks the heights. Who will be able to recount the promised rewards of the heavens? Hail, dear Father, receive what you seek. CARMEN III. On the Punishment of the Redeemer. The punishment of the Redeemer was this way full of sorrow: Spittle, scourges, the bore, the cross, the sponge of fury. The onset of horror, and myrrh of flavor, thorns of terror, gall, nails, paleness, and of sorrow the cry, the equal of grief, the lance, the drop of blood: The heart of the sinner the pious signs of love break.

Note. This was extracted from our paper manuscript in quarto, as it is commonly called, marked I. N. 1000, in which are present the Meditations of the blessed Bernard, abbot, on the passion of Christ according to the seven canonical hours, written in the fourteenth century. Let the learned consult poem VI on the titles of the Savior, page in Gallandius cited above.