A solis ortus cardine
An Ambrosian Nativity Hymn
For Christmas
Words: A Solis Ortus Cardine (In nativitate domini, ad laudes), with notes, Derived from Paean Alphabeticus de Christo, with notes, by Caelius Sedulius, 5th Century
Source: Francis Andrew March, ed., Latin hymns, with English notes: For use in schools and colleges (American Book Company, 1874), Hymn XX, pp. 42-44.
AMBROSIANI
XX. HYMNUS DE NATIVITATE DOMINI.
1 A solis ortus cardine
Et usque terrć limitem
Christum canamus principem,
Natum Marić virginis.
2 Gaudete, quicquid gentium, 5
Indaea, Roma et Graecia,
Aegypte, Thrax, Persa, Scytba,
Rex unus omnes possidet.
3 Laudate vestrum principem,
Omnes beati ac perditi, 10
Vivi, imbecilli ac mortuis,
lam nemo post haec mortuus.
4 Fit porta Christi pervia
Referta plena [gratia,]
Transitque rex et permanet 15
Clausa ut fuit per saecula.
5 Genus superni numinis
Processit aula virginis,
Sponsus, redemptor, conditor,
Suae gigas ecclesiae. 20
6 Honor matris et gaudium,
Immensa spes credentium,
Per atra mortis pocula
Resolvit nostra crimina.
7 Lapis de monte veniens 25
Mundumque replens gratia,
Quem non praecisum manibus
Vates vetusti nuntiant.
8 Qui verbum caro factus est
Praeconio angelico, 30
De claustris virginalibus
Virginis virgo natus est.
9 Rorem dederunt aethera
Nubesque iustum fuderunt, 35
Patens excepit dominum
Terra salutem generans.
10 Mirabilis conceptio:
Christum protulit sobolem
Ut virgo partum funderet, 40
Post partum virgo sisteret.
11 Exultet omnis anima,
Nunc redemptorem gentium
Mundi venisse dominum
Redimere quos condidit. 45
12 Creator cuncti generis,
Orbis quem totus non capit,
In tua, sancta genitrix,
Sese reclausit viscera.
13 Quem pater ante tempora 50
Deus Deumque genuit,
Matris alma virginitas
Cum tempore partum edidit.
14 Tollens cuncta facinora
Et donans sancta munera, 55
Augmentum lucis adferens,
Tenebris damnum inferens.
Notes
Also found in, and minor corrections made from:
-
Hermann Adalbert. Daniel, Thesaurus Hymnologicus. Volume 1 of 5. (Halis: Sumptibus Eduardi Anton, 1846), #20, p. 21.
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Philip Schaff, Christ in Song. Volume 1 of 2. A New Edition, Revised and Enlarged. (New York: Anson D. F. Randolph & Co., 1895), "From Where The Rising Sun Goes Forth," pp. 40-43.
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Philip Wackernagel has three versions of this hymn in Volume 1 of his five volume work, Das Deutsche Kirchenlied von der ästesten Beit bis zu Unfang des XVII. Jahrhunderts. (Leipzig, Drud und Berlag von B. G. Leubner, 1864):
#49, A Solis Ortus Cardine, In nativitate domini, ad laudes, p. 46 (7 verses).
#52, A Solis Ortus Cardine, In hypapanti, sive in purificatione S. Marić, et omnibus eius festivitatibus, pp. 47-48 (15 verses).
#53, A solis ortus cardine, Hymnus de nativitate domini, pp. 48-49 (14 verses).
The following notes to this carol are from Francis Andrew March, ed., Latin hymns, with English notes: For use in schools and colleges (American Book Company, 1874), Notes, 239-240.
Hymn XX.
Daniel's Thesaurus, 1, 21; Wackernagel, 1, 47; Schaff, Christ in Song, p. 40. It had been early attributed to Ambrose; but the theory has later found favor that it was an old abecedary, made up from several poems. Attempts have been made by Daniel and Wackernagel to restore the verses which remain to alphabetic order. Of the stanzas, 1 is from Sedulius, page 59; 2, 3 are from Prudentius, Cathemerinon xii.: see p. 244, 247; 4, 5, 6 are a separate hymn used in the church on the day of the purification of the Virgin, and perhaps by Ambrose; the others have not been found.
Theme. The birth of Christ.
Line 1. Psalm cxii., 3. A solis ortu usque ad occasum laudabile nomen.—2. Et usque: in Sedulius, see page 59, ad usque, the more common idiom, is found.—5. Quicqnid: supply est, which is expressed after gentium in Prudentius.—12. Post haec: in Prudentius posthac, No one is to die who is in Christ.—13. Ezek. xliv., 1-3. Porta haec clausa erit: rum aperietur et mr nam, transihit per eam, qumiiam Dem Dominus Israel ingressus est per eam. This passage was understood of the womb of the Virgin Mary.— 14. Luke i., 28. Ave gratia plena.—15. Compare Hymn IV., line 10, page 12:
"His beauteous portal, full of grace,
Is hallowed for the King to pass.
The King doth pass; the folded door
Abideth folded as before."—Schaff.
—18. Processit aula: so procedit aula, on page 12, IV., 13,14.— 20. Uigas: see note on Hymn IV., 15, p. 227.-25. Dan. ii., 34; Isaiah xxviii., 16; Eph. ii., 20; 1 Cor. iii., 11; 1 Peter ii., 4, 6, 7. —33. Isaiah xlv., 8. Rorate, coeli, desuper, et nubes pluant justum; aperiatur terra et germinet salvatorem.—39. Ut, in such a manner that.—42. Compare Hymn IV., 1, p. 12.—43. Compare Sedulius, page 59, lines 7, 8:
'' Ut carne carnem liberans
Ne perderet quos condidit."
—45. Similar expressions are in Damasus, Fortunatus, and elsewhere.—50. Deumque: genuit ante tempora, Deumque genuit.— 53. Supply venit.
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