Whoever
thinks that the history of Christian dogmas is one of peace and serenity is
utterly wrong: monks and bishops fighting with each other at synods – and not
only with words. Often the divisions
were not only ideological, but also ethnical and theological points were used
to underline ones background.
One of
the issues was the status of Maria. Maria worship started in Egypt in the
second century, which explains why she has taken over traits of Isis. Isis was
originally an Egyptian goddess, but in the Hellenistic period, her cult spread
over the Roman Empire as one of the many mystery cults. Indeed, Christianity
was one of these cults too and the formation of this religion cannot be
understood without knowledge of its socio-religious context. In popular
devotion Maria had risen to the status of goddess, which is theologically impossible,
but somehow her importance had to be theologically defined. At the first
council of Ephesus in 431 she got the status of `Theotokos’ Mother of God. Much to the dislike of Nestorius,
patriarch of Constantinople, and his followers. They were of the opinion that
no one could be called Mother of God. At the same council Nestorius was
condemned as heretical and had to flee to Persia. Why is it that the more reasonable
theologians of the ancient church are the first to be condemned? Take Arius
(`the Trinity is a philosophical monstrum and Jesus is not God’) or Pelagius
(`there is free will!’). Well, only God
knows.
All this
came to my mind when I recently made a translation of the following hymn. A
friend had asked a translation for a choir for their program booklet and of
course I was willing to do so. I have no
clue how old this hymn is, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it is from before
1000. I would be glad to exchange a
couple of Maria hymns for couple of hymn to Isis: almost nothing has survived, just one hymn
discovered in Nag Hammadi.
The
Latin is quite simple with here and there mediaeval words.
Ave spes
et salus
infirmorum
,
desperatorum
revocatrix.
revocatrix (f.)): one who calls back
Salve
fax coelestis
luminosa
,
copiosa
consolatrix.
Laude
plus laudabilis
coeli
terraeque gyro gyrus: circular motion
dominaris
; dominor (+abl.): to rule over
Virgo
venerabilis
materque
sine viro
nuncuparis,
nuncupo: to call, name (nomen + capio)
Summi
regis nostri
plasmatoris
plasmator – oris (m,): creator
sedes
amoris sedes, –es (f.): seat, foundation
trinitatis.
aberrati
sumus
in hac
via,
virgo Maria,
male
stamus
in
peccatis multis
constituti
, constitutus: placed, set
per te
soluti in
order that we may become released by you
ut
fiamus.
Da tuo
juvamine juvamen , –aminis (n.): aid, help
delectamenta
carnis superare, delectamentum (n.): pleasure
ut sine
gravamine gravamen, -aminis (n.): trouble,
hindrence
die novissimo queamus stare die novissimo:
youngest day. queo quivi quitum: be able
coram
justo judice coram (+ abl.): before the eyes of
congaudendo
et non
flendo
cum
damnatis.
Hoc
perpendat perpendo perpendi (-ere) to consider
homo
mundi levis,
haec
vita brevis
cito
cedit,
mors
perennis
post hoc
minitatur, minitor minatus: to threathen
non
terminatur, termino: to limit, bound
malos
Iaedit.
Curta
delectatio curtus: short
peccantibus
suavis reputata,
longa
castigatio
pro hac
est in inferno praeparata,
a qua
nos digneris custodire, dignor dignatus: to be worthy
sed fac
nos ire
cum
beatis
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