Sedulius (sometimes with the
nomenCoelius or Caelius, both of doubtful authenticity)[1] was a
Christianpoet of the first half of the 5th century.
Biography
Extremely little is known about his life. "Sedulius" is the
Latin form of the
Irish name "Siadhal".[2] The only trustworthy information, contained in his two letters to
Macedonius, recounts that he devoted his early life, perhaps as a teacher of
rhetoric, to secular literature. Late in life he converted to
Christianity, or, if a Christian before, began to take his faith more seriously.[3]
One medieval commentary states that he resided in Italy.[1]Isidore of Seville (
c. 560 – 636) and the
Gelasian decree refer to him as a
presbyter.[4]
Works
His fame rests mainly upon a long poem, Carmen paschale, based on the four
gospels. In style a bombastic imitator of
Virgil, he shows, nevertheless, a certain freedom in the handling of the Biblical story, and the poem soon became a quarry for the minor poets.[4] His description of the
Four Evangelists in Carmen Paschale became well-known; the English translation below is from
Springer (2013, p. 21).
Hoc Matthaeus agens hominem generaliter implet;
Marcus ut alta fremit uox per deserta leonis;
Iura sacerdotii Lucas tenet ore iuuenci;
More uolans aquilae uerbo petit astra Iohannes.
Matthew plays the role of the whole human race;
Mark roars like the loud voice of a lion through the wilderness;
Luke holds the office of the priesthood with the face of an ox;
Flying like an eagle, John reaches for the stars with his word.
His other writings include an
Abecedarian hymn in honour of Christ, A solis ortus cardine, consisting of twenty-three
quatrains of
iambic dimeters. This poem has partly passed into the
liturgy, the first seven quatrains forming the Christmas hymn "A solis ortus cardine";[5] and the
Epiphany hymn, "Hostis Herodes impie." A "Veteris et novi Testamenti collatio" in
elegiac couplets has also come down.[4]
Victoria Panagl (Bearb.), Sedulius, Opera Omnia, Ex Recensione Iohannis Huemer (Corpus Scriptorum Ecclesiasticorum Latinorum, 10), Wien, 2007, XLVII, 532 S.
Springer, Carl P. (2013), Sedulius, The Paschal Song and Hymns, Ancient Israel and Its Literature, vol. 35, SBL Press,
ISBN978-1589837447
^"Biography of Sedulius (5th century poet) at Christian Classics Ethereal Library". Archived from
the original on 2015-09-24. Retrieved 2011-03-05. Sedulius [...] a 5th-cent. poet, of whose life very few details are known. The only trustworthy information is given by his two letters to Macedonius, from which we learn that he devoted his early life, perhaps as a teacher of rhetoric, to heathen literature. Late in life he became converted to Christianity, or, if a Christian before, began to take a serious view of his duties.
^This incipit was borrowed for the
CarolingianPlanctus de obitu Karoli; see Peter Godman (1985), Latin Poetry of the Carolingian Renaissance (Norman: University of Oklahoma Press), 206–211.
Roger P H Green, Latin Epics of the New Testament: Juvencus, Sedulius, Arator, Oxford UP 2008
ISBN978-0-19-928457-3 (reviewed by Teresa Morgan in the article "Poets for Jesus", Times Literary Supplement 4 April 2008 p 31).