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E06553: Aldhelm, in his prose On Virginity, names *Ambrose (bishop of Milan, ob. 397, S00490) 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, 26
Ambrosium vero superni nectaris ambrosia redolentem sub taciturnitatis velamento delitescere non patiar, cuius mellifluam dogmatum dulcedinem et purae virginitatis praerogativam pulchra praesagia portendebant, siquidem, infantulus cum in cunis supinus quiesceret, ex improviso examen apium ora labraque sine periculo pausantis complevit, quae ingrediendi et egrediendi per tenera pueruli labella certatim vices frequentabant ac demum genitore Ambrosio eventum rei praestulante et, a berna, quae altrix infantis fuerat, ne abigerentur, imperante supernis caeli climatibus per aethera evolantes catervatim mortalium visus aufugiunt. Qualis autem vel quantus idem patriarcha virtutum gloria et miraculorum signis effulserit, neminem reor expertum, nisi qui gesta conversationis illius a Paulino , viro venerabili, digesta didicerit.
'I shall not indeed allow AMBROSE, redolent with the ambrosia of heavenly nectar, to lie hidden behind a veil of silence – (Ambrose), whose mellifluous sweetness of doctrine and the privilege of pure virginity were prefigured by beautiful omens since, when as a baby he was lying quietly on his back in his cradle, a swarm of bees unexpectedly filled the mouth and lips of the resting child without any danger, and eagerly jostled for room to come and go through the child's tender lips; and, at length, with Ambrose's father awaiting the outcome of the event and commanding that (the bees) not be driven off by the servant-girl, who was the child's nurse, (the bees), flying away through the atmosphere to heavenly regions of the sky, fled in swarms from the sight of mortals. In what way and how greatly this same patriarch shone through the glory of his virtues and the signs of his miracles, I think no-one (will have discovered), except someone who has studied the accomplishments of his life as set forth by the venerable Paulinus.'
Text: Ehwald 1919, 260. Translation: Lapidge and Herren 1979, 84-5.
Ambrosium vero superni nectaris ambrosia redolentem sub taciturnitatis velamento delitescere non patiar, cuius mellifluam dogmatum dulcedinem et purae virginitatis praerogativam pulchra praesagia portendebant, siquidem, infantulus cum in cunis supinus quiesceret, ex improviso examen apium ora labraque sine periculo pausantis complevit, quae ingrediendi et egrediendi per tenera pueruli labella certatim vices frequentabant ac demum genitore Ambrosio eventum rei praestulante et, a berna, quae altrix infantis fuerat, ne abigerentur, imperante supernis caeli climatibus per aethera evolantes catervatim mortalium visus aufugiunt. Qualis autem vel quantus idem patriarcha virtutum gloria et miraculorum signis effulserit, neminem reor expertum, nisi qui gesta conversationis illius a Paulino , viro venerabili, digesta didicerit.
'I shall not indeed allow AMBROSE, redolent with the ambrosia of heavenly nectar, to lie hidden behind a veil of silence – (Ambrose), whose mellifluous sweetness of doctrine and the privilege of pure virginity were prefigured by beautiful omens since, when as a baby he was lying quietly on his back in his cradle, a swarm of bees unexpectedly filled the mouth and lips of the resting child without any danger, and eagerly jostled for room to come and go through the child's tender lips; and, at length, with Ambrose's father awaiting the outcome of the event and commanding that (the bees) not be driven off by the servant-girl, who was the child's nurse, (the bees), flying away through the atmosphere to heavenly regions of the sky, fled in swarms from the sight of mortals. In what way and how greatly this same patriarch shone through the glory of his virtues and the signs of his miracles, I think no-one (will have discovered), except someone who has studied the accomplishments of his life as set forth by the venerable Paulinus.'
Text: Ehwald 1919, 260. Translation: Lapidge and Herren 1979, 84-5.
History
Evidence ID
E06553Saint Name
Ambrose, bishop of Milan, ob. 397 : S00490Saint Name in Source
AmbrosiusRelated Saint Records
Type of Evidence
Literary - OtherLanguage
- Latin
