A solis ortus cardine
Words by Cœlius Sedulius, c. 450
(Or Caelius Sedulius)
Also the author of the epic Paschale Carmen
Paschale Opus
Cantemus, socii, Domino
1. A solis ortus cardine
Adusque terre limitem
Christum canamus principem
Natum Maria virgine.
2. Beatus auctor seculi
Servile corpus induit,
Ut carne carnem liberans
Non perderet, quos condidit.
3. Caste parentis viscera
Celestis intrat gratia,
Venter puelle baiulat
Secreta, que non noverat.
4. Domus pudici pectoris
Templum repente fit Dei,
Intacta nesciens virum
Verbo creavit filium
5. Enixa est puerpera,
Quem Gabriel predixerat ,
Quem matris alvo gestiens
Clausus Johannes senserat.
6. Feno iacere pertulit,
Presepe non abhorruit
Parvoque lacte pastus est,
Per quem nec ales esurit.
7. Gaudet chorus celestium,
Et angeli canunt Deum,
Palamque fit pastoribus
Pastor creator omnium .
8. Hostis Herodes impie,
Christum venire quid times?
Non eripit mortalia,
Qui regna dat celestia.
9. Ibant magi, qua venerant,
Stellam sequentes previam,
Lumen requirunt lumine,
Deum fatentur munere.
10. Katerva matrum personat
Collisa deflens pignora,
Quorum tyrannus milia
Christo sacravit victimam.
11. Lavacra puri gurgitis
Cekstis agnus attigit ,
Peccata qui mundi tulit
Nos abluendo sustulit.
12. Miraculis dedit fidem
Habere se Deum patrem,
Infirma sanans corpora
Et suscitans cadavera.
13. Novum genus potentie!
Aque rubescunt hydrie,
Vinumque iussa fundere
Mutavit unda originem.
14. Orat salutem servulo
Nixus genu centurio ,
Credentis ardor plurirnus
Extinxit ignes febriurn
15. Petrus per undas arubulat
Christi levatus dextera;
Natura quam negaverat,
Fides paravit semitam.
16. Quarta die iam fetides
Titam recepit Lazarus
Mortisque liber vinculis
Factus superstes est sibi.
17. Rivos cruoris torridi
Contacta vestis obstruit:
Fletu rigante supplicis
Arent fluenta sanguinis.
18. Solutus omni corpore
Iussus repente surgere
Suis vicissim gressihus
Eger vehebat lectulum,
19. Tunc ille Judas carnifcx
Ausus magistrum tradere
Pacem ferebat osculo,
Quam non habebat pectore
20. Verax datur fallacibus,
Pium flagellat impius,
Crucique fixus innocens
Coniunctus est latronibus
21. Xeromurram post sabbatum
Quedam vehebant compares,
Quas allocutus angelus
Vivum sepulcro non tegi .
22. Ymnis, venite, dulcibus
Omnes canamus subditum
Christi triumpho tartarum,
Qui nos redemit venditus.
23. Zelum draconis invidi
Et os leonis pessimi
Calcavit unicus Dei
Seseque celis reddidit.
Source: The Latin Library; Also found at Intratext Digital Library
Excerpts from this poem, "A Solis Ortus Cardine" (verses 1-7), and "Hostis Herodes impie" (verses 8-11), can be widely found on the World Wide Web.
This poem by Cœlius Sedulius was written in the first half of the fifth century, in twenty-three stanzas, entitled Paean Alphabeticus de Christo: "a song of triumph to Christ, according to the letters of the alphabet. " The first letter of each of the 23 verses follows the pattern: A, B, C, D, E, etc.
Two hymns have been created from this poem; one beginning with the first stanza, "A solis ortus cardine;" the other, beginning with the eighth stanza, "Hostis Herodis Impie." Both have been translated by Luther: "Christum wir sollen loben schon," and "Was fürchtst du Feind Herodes sehr." There are seven English translations of Luther’s version of the first part, and about twelve renderings based upon the Latin original. Some translators include Rev. John Mason Neale, 1852, Rev. J. Ellerton, 1870, Danish translator Claus Mortensen, 1528, and Søren Poulsøn Judichær (Gotlænder), author and minister in Slangerup.
Hymns on this site based on A Solis Ortus Cardine:
Hymns on this site based on Hostis Herodis Impie:
When Christ's Appearing Was Made Known, John Mason Neale
Why, Impious Herod Shouldst Thou Fear, Percy Dearmer
Why, Impious Herod, Vainly Fear, John Mason Neale
The complete text, dating from the 8th century, is found in a manuscript in the British Museum and also in many editions of the works of Sedulius.
Carl P. E. Springer writes that a hymn for the Feast of the Holy Innocents has also been derived from this poem. The De Innocentibus rubric begins with the 10th verse:
Katerva matrum personat
Collisa deflens pignora,
Quorum tyrannus milia
Christo sacravit victimam.
The remainder of the rubric is the following stanzas.
9. Ibant magi, qua venerant,
Stellam sequentes previam,
Lumen requirunt lumine,
Deum fatentur munere.11. Lavacra puri gurgitis
Cekstis agnus attigit ,
Peccata qui mundi tulit
Nos abluendo sustulit.13. Novum genus potentie!
Aque rubescunt hydrie,
Vinumque iussa fundere
Mutavit unda originem.
See: Carl P. E. Springer, The Manuscripts of Sedulius - A Provisional Handlist (Philadelphia: American Philosophical Society, 1995), p. 14, n. 34 (Carl P. E. Springer Transactions of the American Philosophical Society New Ser., Vol. 85, No. 5 (1995), pp. i-xxii+1-244). A knowledge of Latin and German are helpful to fully understand this article (I possess neither). However, the Introduction can be read profitably without knowledge of these languages.
See also Springer, "Sedulius' A Solis Ortus Cardine: The Hymn and Its Tradition, " Ephemerides Liturgicae 101 (1987), 69-75.
Note that the Bach Cantatas website, citing Grove's Music, states: "... the following four (beginning ‘Katerva matrum personat’) for the Feast of the Holy Innocents." This would be verses 10-13, above, different from Springer's enumeration. See Sedulius.
As I do not read Latin, I am unable to provide a translation, nor have I located a translation on the World Wide Web.
For links to the full text of Paschale Carmen, see Sedulius (link opens in a new window at an external site, The Latin Library.
