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E06546: Aldhelm, in his prose On Virginity, names *John the Baptist (S00020) as an exemplary virgin. Written in Latin in southern Britain, for the nuns at the monastery at Barking (south-east Britain), c. 675/686.
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posted on 2018-09-20, 00:00 authored by bsavillAldhelm, prose On Virginity, 23
Iohannes, sacer materna nondum editus matrice profeta, veteris instrumenti meta et prima rudi dumtaxat regnante gratia asperrimae poenitudinis lima, vox verbi salebrosos complanans anfractus, praeco regis saluberrimum Christi devulgans adventum, supernae prolis paranymphus primitivae dispensans ecclesiae rudimentum, nonne pro integritate castimoniae totius castitatis auctorem polo patente, voce per aethera tonante, spiritu in simulacro alitis descendente Iordanis gurgite tinctum, mundus mundum et virgo virginem baptizasse describitur? Quique torrido castitatis ardore flagrans vetitos regalis tori hymeneos compescens olidarumque polluta nuptiarum contubernia aporians asperrimae invectionis severitate coercuit et huius rei gratia putidos ergastuli squalores libenter laturus purpureo carnis cruore rubris fibrarum rivulis decurso sacram redemptoris passionem misticis praesagminibus portenderat.
'JOHN THE BAPTIST, a holy prophet even before he had issued from the maternal womb, the boundary of the ancient text [i.e. the last of the Old Testament prophets] and the first file of the roughest penalty while an infant grace held sway, a voice smoothing out the rough divergencies of the Word, a herald proclaiming the saving advent of Christ the king, the bridegroom's assistant regulating the first principles of the primitive Church: is he not, because of the integrity of his chastity, described as being baptized - himself pure and a virgin - a pure virgin, the author of all chastity, submerged in the river Jordan with the heavens opening, with the voice thundering through the skies and with the Spirit descending in the likeness of a dove? (It is the same John the Baptist), who, burning with the torrid ardour of chastity, reproving the forbidden nuptials of the king's [i.e. Herod's] marriage and putting a check on the polluted cohabitation of a reeking union, resisted (them) with the severity of harshest invective; and for the sake of this he was ready to endure willingly the putrid squalor of a prison; (and) with the crimson gore of his flesh, poured out in the ruby rivulets of his entrails, he portended in mystical tropology the holy passion of (our) Redeemer.'
Text: Ehwald 1919, 253-4. Translation: Lapidge and Herren 1979, 79-80.
Iohannes, sacer materna nondum editus matrice profeta, veteris instrumenti meta et prima rudi dumtaxat regnante gratia asperrimae poenitudinis lima, vox verbi salebrosos complanans anfractus, praeco regis saluberrimum Christi devulgans adventum, supernae prolis paranymphus primitivae dispensans ecclesiae rudimentum, nonne pro integritate castimoniae totius castitatis auctorem polo patente, voce per aethera tonante, spiritu in simulacro alitis descendente Iordanis gurgite tinctum, mundus mundum et virgo virginem baptizasse describitur? Quique torrido castitatis ardore flagrans vetitos regalis tori hymeneos compescens olidarumque polluta nuptiarum contubernia aporians asperrimae invectionis severitate coercuit et huius rei gratia putidos ergastuli squalores libenter laturus purpureo carnis cruore rubris fibrarum rivulis decurso sacram redemptoris passionem misticis praesagminibus portenderat.
'JOHN THE BAPTIST, a holy prophet even before he had issued from the maternal womb, the boundary of the ancient text [i.e. the last of the Old Testament prophets] and the first file of the roughest penalty while an infant grace held sway, a voice smoothing out the rough divergencies of the Word, a herald proclaiming the saving advent of Christ the king, the bridegroom's assistant regulating the first principles of the primitive Church: is he not, because of the integrity of his chastity, described as being baptized - himself pure and a virgin - a pure virgin, the author of all chastity, submerged in the river Jordan with the heavens opening, with the voice thundering through the skies and with the Spirit descending in the likeness of a dove? (It is the same John the Baptist), who, burning with the torrid ardour of chastity, reproving the forbidden nuptials of the king's [i.e. Herod's] marriage and putting a check on the polluted cohabitation of a reeking union, resisted (them) with the severity of harshest invective; and for the sake of this he was ready to endure willingly the putrid squalor of a prison; (and) with the crimson gore of his flesh, poured out in the ruby rivulets of his entrails, he portended in mystical tropology the holy passion of (our) Redeemer.'
Text: Ehwald 1919, 253-4. Translation: Lapidge and Herren 1979, 79-80.
History
Evidence ID
E06546Saint Name
John the Baptist : S00020Saint Name in Source
IohannesRelated Saint Records
Type of Evidence
Literary - OtherLanguage
- Latin