Poems, Volume 1

10. DISCOURSE OF THE MARTYR ST. ROMANUS AGAINST THE PAGANS

190 AURELIUS PRUDENTIUS CLEMENS 10. DISCOURSE OF THE MARTYR ST. ROMANUS AGAINST THE PAGANSl Romanus, champion staunch of Christ's divinity, Come, make my silent tongue vibrate within my mouth; Bestow on me, though mute, the gift of tuneful song And grant that I may hymn thy glorious miracles, For thou dost know the dumb are given power to speak. 5 1. The fact that this hymn is found either before or after the other martyr hymns in all the manuscripts has led some editors to believe that it was written as a separate book and that it is the work to which Prudentius refers in line 40 of the Preface: conculcet sacra gentium. See Bergman, Prolegomena, pp. XII and XIII. The poem appears first as Hymn 10 of the Peru· tephanon in the edition of Sichard published in 1527, and this order has been retained by subsequent editors. St. Romanus was a deacon of Caesarea, who suffered martyrdom at Antioch during the persecution of Diocletian, probably during the year 804. The earliest extant account of him is found in the Martyrs of Palestine by Eusebius. Between the years 887 and 898 St. John Chrysostom preached several panegyrics on the martyrs, among which are two sermons on St. Romanus (PG 50.605·618). The details of the passion as recounted by Prudentius are in the main those related by Eusebius and St. John Chrysostom. St. Romanus is listed in the Martyrology of St. Jerome on November 17. The Roman Martyrology mentions him on November 18 with the boy martyr Barula, who is mentioned, but not by name, by St. John Chrysostom and Prudentius. The HYMNS The cruel butcher tore from out thy throat the tongue That made sweet music on thy palate's sounding strings, But could not render mute the lips that praised their God. The voice that testifies to truth cannot be stilled, Though it be forced to gasp through severed 191 passageways.2 10 I stammer out my halting words with feeble tongueS And strain at measures harsh and unmelodious, But if thou dew supernal on my heart wilt shed And inundate my thirsty soul with spiritual milk,' My grating voice then will breathe sweet harmonies.II 15 These precepts the Messias to his apostles gave, As written down for us by the Evangelist: 'When driven to declare my sacred mysteries, Be not solicitous beforehand for your words; That moment I will give you all that you shall say.'8 20 Mozarabic Missal contains a Mass for St. Romanus on November 18. in which reference is made to the traditional incidents of his martyrdom and the boy is honored by the name of Theodulus (PL 85.914-926). A saint named Theodota is listed with St. Romanus in the Martyrology of St. Jerome. Twelve lines from the poem of Prudentius are found in the hymn for Vespers of the martyr's feast in the Mozarabic Breviary (PL 86.1249). 2. Cf. Lucan, De bello civili 2.181-182. S. Cf. Ps. 21.16. 4. Cf. 1 Cor. lOA. 5. Cf. Vergil, Aeneid 110458. 6. Cf. Matt. 10.19. 192 AURELIUS PRUDENTIUS CLEMENS Of myself I am dumb, but Christ most eloquent Will use my tongue to speak words full of light and power. He will describe the roaring tempests Satan raised In final throes of rage as he was being quelled, A scourge in his last frenzy viler than before. 25 Thus does a serpent wounded by a spear Gnaw at the steel, and made more savage by his pain, He grips it with his teeth and shakes it back and forth; But driven farther in, the lance remains secure, Unconscious of the futile threats of mordant fangs. 30 Galerius, so it happened, ruled the Roman world, A tyrant cruel, as the ancient records tell, Relentless, obdurate, implacable, and vile. An edict he had sent throughout his wide domain That any man who wished to live must Christ deny. 35 Then, through the Roman emperor's mouth that Serpent spoke Who, coming from the sepulchers, once cried aloud: 'Why earnest Thou before the time to end my rule? Spare me, 0 Son of God Most High, or give command That I possess the bodies of this herd of swine.'7 40 The prefect Asclepiades with energy Directed that his minions go and carry off The people of the Church from holy shrines of prayer And...