Prudentius

War rages, horrid war
Even in our bones; our double nature sounds
With armèd discord.

Aurelius Prudentius Clemens (348 – c. 413) was a Roman Christian poet. His most influential poem, the Psychomachia is an allegory of the inner struggle between vice and virtue.

Quotes

• Fervent bella horrida, fervent
  ossibus inclusa fremit et discordibus armis
  non simplex natura hominis.
  • War rages, horrid war
    Even in our bones; our double nature sounds
    With armèd discord.
  • Psychomachia, line 902; translation from C. S. Lewis The Allegory of Love (London: Oxford University Press, [1936] 1975) p. 72.

• Nunc suscipe, terra, fovendum,
  gremioque hunc concipe molli.
  Hominis tibi membra sequestro,
  generosa et fragmina credo.
  • Take him, earth, for cherishing,
    To thy tender breast receive him.
    Body of a man I bring thee,
    Noble even in its ruin.
  • "Hymnus X: Ad Exequias Defuncti", line 125 ; translation from Helen Waddell Mediaeval Latin Lyrics (London: Constable, [1929] 1943) p. 45.

• Illic, precor, optime ductor,
  famulam tibi praecipe mentem,
  genitali in sede sacrari
  quam liquerat exsul et errans.
  • Take, O take him, mighty Leader,
    Take again thy servant's soul,
    To the house from which he wandered
    Exiled, erring, long ago.
  • "Hymnus X: Ad Exequias Defuncti", line 165; translation from Helen Waddell Mediaeval Latin Lyrics (London: Constable, [1929] 1943) p. 47.

External links

• Profile in The Catholic Encyclopedia
• The Christian Classics Ethereal Library
• Works by Prudentius at Project Gutenberg - Latin and English of the Cathemerinon
• Prudentius at The Latin Library
• Liber peristephanon - Latin text.
• Opera Omnia by Migne Patrologia Latina with analytical indexes
• Prudentius framework of personality used to validate psychometric test