No More Learning

Analecta," vol. i. , p, 363,
^'^ See the Benedictines' "L'Art de Veri-
fier les Dates," tome i. Chronologic His- torique des Empereurs, pp. 400, 401.
Scriptorum
Majoris
February 12. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 493
authority, we should suppose, to reconcile it with the silence of Gennadius,^^
that Sedulius' writings were not generally known, until many years after he
had composed them.
Having remained in Italy, for some time, he resolved to journey yet
further, and accordingly he visited Achaia. 49 Here, it is said, he composed some of his works, and read most learned lectures, for the great instruction ofmany. 5° FromGreecehepassedintoAsia,ashasbeenstatedbyvarious writers. However, in some accounts, the order of his travels is differently
5' arranged.
He sought Spain, it has been stated, as the country where he might properlyengageinacourseofmissionarylabour. There,asweread,hewas actively engaged in preaching the word of God. Wherever he was, we cannot doubt, but his eloquent and holy discourses produced fruit in abun- dance. Likethevolantandindustriousbee,whichthrougheverypartofthe globe seeks out flowers, whence sweet juices are extracted, and then con- vertedintohoney; sodidthisholyandlearnedmandrawfromthecountries, through which he passed, materials replenishing his stores of knowledge, with taste and genius combined, so that within the hive of his own breast, the aroma and sweetness of heavenly wisdom were preserved. s^ From the inspired writings, also, were his words drawn, to inspire others with a love of truth, which all science should subserve. His very name, Cselius Sedulius, admirably signified the nature and object of his labours ; for, his life was sedulously employed, in looking towards heavenly things, while his- piety and eloquence both combined to raise others above the mere concerns of this world. " ^3
Regarding the rank he held in the Church, different opinions are enter- tained. 54 Sigebertus,Trithemius,andFitzsimon,withagreatnumberofother writers, style him a bishop. ss It has been stated, too, that he ruled over a see, called Orretana, in Spain. s^ Were Sedulius a bishop, however. Pope Gelasius should be likely to call him so, and not merely to style him " venerabilem virum. " However,itseemsclear,thatherosenohigherinstation,thanto the rank of a priest. 57 Yet, the title Antistes, has been given to him, by some of the ancients. 5S Still this proves nothing to the contrary. ss He is
regarded,
as
having
been
only
a St. Isidore of priest, by
Seville,
^° and
by
*^ See an account of him and of his writ- ings in Cardinal Bellarmin, " De Scrip- toribus Ecclesiasticis,"pp. 185, 186, "Ope- rum," tomus Septimus.
49 According to Trithemius, and other writers.
Appendix ad Acta
s° See
Colgan's
" Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
nise," xii. Februarii. Appendix ad Acta
Ven, Sedulii, cap. ii,, iv,, pp. 320 to 325,
5^ See Wills' "Lives of Illustrious and Distinguished Irishmen," vol. i. , part i. , first period, p. 106,
52 See Ussher's " Britannicarum Ecclesi- arum Antiquitates. " cap. xvi. , p, 403. Six-
tus Senensis writes regarding him
alter Appollonius Tianseus fugientem sa- pientium toto terrarum orbe perquirens, Britanniam, Hispaniam, Galliam, Italiam, Graeciam, et Asiam miro discendi ardore
"
perlustravit.
ts See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
:
" Velut
The reasons for and against the state- ments of many writers are well examined, S4 See Colgan's Acta Sanctorum Hiber- in that historic dissertation, affixed by
niae," xii. Februarii. Vita Venerabilis Se- dulii, cap. ii. , p. 316.
niee," xii. Februarii.
Ven. Sedulii, cap. iii. , p. 322.
"
tholicas Ibernife Compendium," tomus i. ,
lib, iv. , cap, xii,, p. 53.
56 See Bishop Tanner's Bibliotheca
Britannico-Hibernica," &c. , 659. p.
57 So is he called, by Cardinal Bellarmin, and by Labbe, The latter states, that no ancient writer styles him a bishop. See
"Operum," tomus Septimus. De Scrip- toribus Ecclesiasticis, pp. 149, 150.
ss Xwo acrostic panegyrics found in the editionofCellarius, Sigebertus of Gembloux, Trithemius, and an anonymous writer Melli-
ss See O'Sullevan Beare's
Historise Ca-
"
Fabricius, c, 2, apply this title to him,
censis in the
Bibliotheca Ecclesiastica" of
"
Origines Ecclesise," book ii. , chap, xix. , sect. 14.
^° See " De Illustribus Ecclesise Scrip- toribus," at Sedulius.
^'
59 See Bingham's
*'
494 LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS. [February
many other writers. ^^ This is the conclusion, at which most arrive, who take care to investigate such evidence, as remains to us regarding him.
This celebrated and venerable Sedulius was considered, even when a
^='
"
See Colgan's Acta Sanctonim Hiber- Antiquitates," cap, xvi. , pp. 402, 403. Yet,
as a most erudite and scholar. ^^ He was
elegant profoundly
young man,
versed in a knowledge of the Sacred Scriptures. ^3 He excelled equally, in the writing of Latin verse and prose. ^* By a certain writer,^^ it has been said, that without being eloquent, Seduhus borrowed the rhetorical affectation and subtlety of his period ; while, he loves to moralize and to draw his homilies from the Church Fathers. His verse is by no means inhar- monious. ^^ He is more the orator, than the poet ; under his pen the Gospel and the Life of Jesus Christ receive an allegorical treatment, afterwards ren-
dered more familiar to readers in the middle ages. ^7
Cselius Sedulius wrote the " Carmen following works,^^
*' " De Signis et Virtutibus," lib. i. ;7o
Paschale,"
Qesta et Miracula '* "
Christi,"
Super utroque Testamento," lib. ii. ;
" Collectanea in lib. xiv. Paulum,"
-p
;
"Ad Corinthios," lib. ii. ; "Ad Galatas," lib. i. ; "Ad Ephesios," lib. i. ;
" " Ad Philippenses," lib. i. ;
Ad Colossenses," lib. i. ;
" Ad Thessaloni-
" Ad """
censes," lib. ii. ;
Ad Philemonem," lib. i.
saice," lib. ii. ;
Ad Csesarem lib. i. Theodosium,"
Timotheum," lib. ii. ;
discipulum," De Factis Christi
Ad ;
lib. i.
;
;
pro-
Exhortatorium ad Fi-
In Editionem Donati,"
Hebraeos," ""
'P ""
nise," xii. Februarii. De Venerabili Sedulio Scriptore et Doctore eximio, cap. iii. , p. 316.
^3 See Wills' "Lives of Illustrious and Distinguished Irishmen," vol. i. , part i. , first period, p. 106.
Labbe takes him to task, and states, that this work had been written, by Sedulius Scottus, who lived in the times of Charle- magne, and of his son Ludovicus Pius, as proved by those writers quoted in it. The
three foregoing works are attributed to him "
Epistolae ad Diversos," lib. i. 'p
deles," lib. i. ;74 ""
lib. i* 76 In Prisciani Volumen," lib. i. ^^ Carmina Diversi Generis,"
j;
" ;78
Veteris et Novi Testament! CoUectio. " 79 This latter is a sort of
lib. i.
collection of texts Irom the Old and New Testaments. These are arranged
Labbe, to Cardinal Bellarmin's account of 7= Ussher, who compiles his catalogue of Caius Caelius Sedulius. See "Operum" the works of the elder Sedulius, on the au-
tomus Septimus. asticis, p. 150.
It has been said,
lib. v. ^
^^'
lib. iv. In Psalmos Davidicos," lib. i. ;
" In Paulum ad Romanes," lib. i.
" Ad Titum lib. i.
De Scriptoribus Ecclesi- thority of Trithemius, attributes this work "
'* Trithemius, in Additis ad Cronicon in Hanmer's Chronicle of Ireland," p. 93.
Esesebii, a. d. 434.
^^ M. Ampere, in an article written for
** Revue des deux Mondes. "
^^
See Dr. Wilham Smith's Dictionary of GreekandRomanMythology,"vol. iii. , p. 765.
"7 M. Ampere's criticism. Sometimes
this work is called "De Divinis Mirabili-
bus. "
73 Trithemius has it, "Ad Theodosium Imperatorum," lib. i. Others have it in- tituled "Ad Theodosium Augustum," lib. i. See Bale, Hanmer, Richard Broughton,
andColgan.
T> This work is noted in the list of Tri-
themius.
75 This commences with " Sedulius Scoti*
gena, dilec. " In Colgan's time, this work, he thought, had not been published. Tri- themius, Bale, Hanmer, and other authors, have the present textual enumeration.
7^ "In Secundam editionem Donati," it
is styled by Trithemius. Colgan sees no
reason for rejecting the authenticity of this work, as Donatus lived before Caius Caelius Sedulius.
77 "In Majus Volumen Priscini," it is styled by Trithemius. Colgan says Priscian lived after the time of our author.
78 The foregoing catalogue of his works
is given by John Bale, in "Scriptorum 1I«
lustrium nunc An« Majoris Brytannise, quam
gliam et Scotiam vocant," cent, xiv. , num.
^^
There seem to be good reasons, how-
ever, for referring the authorship of tracts among them, to some other Sedulius. See
*'
Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae," xii. Februarii. Appendix ad Acta Ven. Sedulii,
cap. v. , pp. 325, 326.
"9 Trithemius notes only four books, in
"Catalogus Scriptorum Ecclesiasticorum. " Labbe and others have five.
7° This is admitted, by most writers, to be a genuine production of the elder Sedu- lius. Yet, Colgan had not seen it, or the following tract.
Colgan's
7' Trithemius has ** De Miraculis prosaice," lib. ii. Also, Hanmer.
Christi,
.
to him. See Britannicarum Ecclesiarum
February 12. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 495
in such a manner, as to enable the reader to compare the two dispensations.
That metre employed is the elegiac distich. The expressions are arranged with laborious ingenuity, and in such a way, that the first penthemimer of
the hexameter, in each couplet, recurs as the penthemimer of the penta-
meter. ^° The " de ^^ attributed to Sedulius, a suc- Hymnus Christo," gives
cinct account of the life and miracles of Christ, from the Incarnation to the Ascension. ^^ The authenticity of an epigram, attributed to Sedulius,
and " De Tabula Orbis Terrarum intituled,
jussu
Theodosii
Junioris Impera-
toris— ^3 is more than doubtful^* The
facta/' following poems
are ascribed to
him " Mirabilium Divinorum " Collatio Veteris et Novi Testamenti," ;"
^5 inelegiacverse; a"Hymnus,"inIambicdimeters; and"DeVerbiIncarna- tione. " ^^ His " Carmen Paschale " manifests an agreeable and facile style, as also lucidity, learning, and sufficient purity of language, considering the time when it was written ; yet, it is not free from faults against prosody. ^7 His language is formed upon the model of Virgil, while his descriptions are neither coarse, nor exaggerated. His prose, however, presents a singular contrast, the style being harsh and affected, while the syntax and phraseology are alike barbarous. ^^ Bayle merely follows le Pere Labbe, Du Pin,^9 and Moreri, of whose dissertations h—e has given only a very brief summary. 9°
This
" Carmen Paschale," Bayle specially admires. 9^ However, he remarks, that the criticism of Mre. Moreri, on his literary qualifications, requires to be re- vised. This criticism, indeed, has bpen expressed, notwithstanding the ob- servation, in very guarded terms. 92 In some manuscripts of the " Carmen Paschale," a "Prasfacio," in eight elegiac couplets, is addressed to the reader, and a " Dedicatio ad Theodosium Augustum," in fifteen hexa- meters. If the inscription of the latter be genuine, the poem could not have been written, after a. d. 450, for in that year Theodosius the Younger
and — sceptical cynical
writer whose critical
the have way,
opinions, by beengreatlyoverrated haspraisedverymuchontrust,thegeniusofSedulius, as also his noble and great soul. Those poetic thoughts, contained in the
ix. , p. 187. In most cases, too, the com- mencing words of the respective works, are presented. Hanmer follows this enumera- tion.
^
79 Labbe allows this to be a genuine work
thologia Latina," v. 115, or No. 274, ed Meyer. Wernsdorf, Poet. Lat. Min. , vol. iv,, p. 499.
84 See Dr. William Smith's "Dictionary
of Greek and Roman Mythology," vol. iii. ,
p. 765.
83 Labbe allows this to be a genuine pro-
duction of the elder Sedulius.
^° "
The Imperial Dictionary of Universal Biography," vol. iii. , p. 944.
*'
87 See Mre, Louis Moreri's
Dictionnaire Historique," tome ix. , p. 312.
of the elder Sedulius. on it.
See Colgan's remarks
**°
•*
Thus :
Primus ad ima ruii magna de luce super- bus ;
Sic homo cum tumuit pi'imus ad ima ruit. ''
Le Gfand
To this device the grammarians have given the name of kTravaXtj^g. See Dr. William
Greek and Roman Mythology," vol. iii. , p.
765.
*» See Mre. L. Ellies Du Pin's "Nou-
velle Bibliotheque des Auteurs Ecclesiasti- ques," &c. , tome iii. Ar^. Sedulius.
Smith's "
Mythology," vol. iii. , p. 765.
^'-
This is a genuine production of Se- dulius, according to Labbe.
2^ "The first line begins with the letter A, the fifth line with the letter B, the ninth with C, the thirteenth with D, and so on at intervals of four lines until a complete al- phabet has been finished, the whole being wound up by a s—ort of epilogue in two elegiac distichs. " Dr. William Smith's "Dictionary of Greek and Roman Myth-
ology," vol. iii. , p. 765.
^3 It is to be found in Burmann's " An-
Dictionary
of Greek and Roman
82
Dr. William Smith's "Dictionary of
"
9° See
dam, A. D. 1730, folio,
9,1 See Smith's "Dictionary of Roman
and Greek Biography. " Arf. Sedulius.
9= "
See Mre. Louis Moreri's Le Grand
Dictionnaire Historique," tome ix. Article, Sedulius (Caius Ccelius, ou Coecilius), p, 312.
Dictionaire Historique et Criti- que," par Mr. Pierre Bayle, tome iv. , at Sedulius, pp. 184, 185. The fourth edition, by Mr. Des Maizeau, published at Amster-
496 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [February 12.
died. There is also an introductory epistle, addressed to the abbot
Macedonius. At his request, Sedulius is said to have executed a prose
version of his poem. 93 This prose version has been preserved, and it
was published, in Paris, a. d. 1585, by Francis Juret, from a manuscript,
the property of F. Pithon. Sigebertus maintains, however, that the work
of Sedulius was first composed in prose and then versified. y* Yet, such an
account is directly at variance with the words of the letter. There is
some doubt, as to the number of books into which the " Carmen Paschale "
should be divided. The writer, Anonymus Mellicensis, states, that it con-
sists of two ; Isodorus and Honorius agree, that there are three, one being
devoted to the signs and miracles commemorated in the Old Testament,
while two are given to the sacraments and miracles of Christ. Trithemius
expressly names four, and this seems to have been the arrangement contem-
plated by the author, as may be gleaned from the explanatory epistle to
Macedonius. 95 Although the manuscripts vary, still all the best distribute
this poem into five books. No doubt, the chief work of Sedulius was the
"CarmenPaschale. " Itisdividedgenerallyintofourbooks. Thefirstbook
begins with the creation of the world, and it embraces the most remarkable
histories in the Old Testament f^ the other books contain a Life of Jesus
Christ, who is regarded as the true Pasch. Hence the title of this poem is
derived. 97 It is v/ritten in heroic verse. 9^ On this matter, the foremost of
Irish poets has indulged in some misplaced witticism, unworthy the Catholic
feeling,dignityandcharacterofanaccomplishedpoetandhistorian. 59 The
expressions of Sedulius' poem are noble and grand ; his thoughts are imagi-
native and elevated, while the force of his genius renders his verses deserv-
ing of great commendation. This poem has been frequently printed.
Sedulius himself is said to have translated it into prose. We have both one
and the other version, with an acrostic hymn, containing an abridged Life
'°°
of Jesus Christ.
It is thought, the '' Carmen Paschale" '°' had been printed so early as
1473,i^Gothicletter,andinfolios—ize. ^°^ Theeditionsofit,whicharebest
'
as written heroicis versibus ;' but by an un-
lucky clerical error, the word 'hereticis,' was in the course of time, substituted for
"heroicis," brought our Irish poet into much disgrace at Rome, and led some canon-
'
See Dr. William Smith's "Die- tionary of Greek and Roman Mythology," vol. iii. , p. 765.
5* See Mre. Louis Moreri's '* Le Grand
sively.
Dictionnaire tome Historique,"
^"^ See Du Pin's " Histoire des Auteurs
ix,, p. 312. 97 It has been inserted in the " Bibliothe-
que des Peres. "
^ In the " Decretum" Gratiani, pars pri-
ma, dist. xv. , c. iii. , are found the follow- ing words : "Item venerabilis viri Sedulii pascale opus, quod heroicis descripsit versi- bus, insigni Jaude proferrimus," p. 52.
59 In his "History of Ireland," Moore
the Leipzig edition, printed in Gothic
known, may thus be enumerated
letter, and in 4to, a. d. 1499—the Milan edition, in 8vo, a. d. 1501, or 1502— the Saragossa edition, in 4to, a. d. 15 15—an edition in 1541—one in 1564—
:
93 See Labbe in his historic Dissertation to Cardinal Bellarmin's notices of Caius Cob- lius Sedulius.
s< See Catalogus, cap. vi.
95 It is not improbable, that Sedulius may,
at one time, have intended the miracles of ists, it is said, to the wise decision, Omnia
the Old Testament to constitute a separate work, and it may even be urged, that his words apply to the New Testament exclu-
poemata esse heretica. '" See vol. i. , chap, x. ,note. Did Mr. Moore believe this report ? If he did not, was it altogether worthy of him, toleadanun-Catholicreadertodraw fromhis pages an unjust and a false inference? His remarks, too, are borrowed from the scep- tical Bayle.
Ecclesiastiques," tome iii. , pars ii. , pp. 176, 177. Likewise Arator, Cassiodorus, and Fortunatus.
'°'
Labbe enumerates some of the follow- ing editions of the elder Sedulius' poems,
'°^
Sometimes, this work is divided into five, and sometimes only into four, books. It wasdedicatedto the Emperor Theodosius II.
""
In praising the Paschale Opus See M. le Dr. Hoefer's Nouvelle Biogra-
observes
of Sedulius, Pope Gelasius had described it phie Generale," tome xliii. , col, 682.
:
February 12. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 497
the Paris edition, a. d. 1585—another in 1614—that of Halle, 8vo, a. d.
1704—that of Louvain, in 4to, a. d. 1761—that of Rome, in 4to, a. d. 1794. The latter one of these is that which is most esteemed. '°3
Besides the work, already mentioned, other writers attribute to him
"Collectanea in S*. Mathsei Evangelium ;" '°4 "Expositio super primam
""
;" ;"
logists have not yet sufficiently applied themselves to the task of distinguish- ing, between the genuine and the spurious works of the elder Sedulius. ^°7
Several very beautiful hymns, which are sung or recited in the Church,
have been composed, by this eminent Christian poet. ^°^ He is the author
of two the most admired in the Roman " A solis ortus car- hymns, Breviary,
dine," of Avhich an elegant English poetical version has been given, by a dis-
Editionem Donati '°5 In volumen Prisciani
In Secundam
" In Artem
-majus
;"
" Collectanea in
Donati Editionem
Pauli. " Yet,variouslearnedmenattributethefourlasttractstoaSedulius, who flourished a. d. 818. '°'^ However, as Labbd well remarks, recent philo-
Eutychii /'
Epistolas
D.
" changedto"CrudelisHerodesDeum. ""° Invariouspassagesofhiswrit-
tinguished Irish poet ;^°9 as also,
Hostis Herodes impie," afterwards
Mother of God.
Thus does he address her
King, who rules heaven and earth for ever and ever. " In another place, he
:
describes the origin of the Virgin, in the following manner " As the soft
rose buds forth all thornless from the thorny briar, and becomes but more beautiful by the contrast with its parent stock, even so was it with Mary, while from the cursed race of Eve she springs forth a new virgin to expiate the former's guilt ; that thus while the first corrupt nature lay subject to the sad slavery of death, with the birth of Christ, man might be regenerated, casting aside the sinful stain of the ancient flesh. " And, in another place,
:
using the same simile, he adds " As the rose, all beautiful and soft, is
born from the thorny trunk, so from the race of sinful Eve, Mary, a second
virgin, comes forth, beaming in sacred light, to cancel the crime of the first "^
virgin. "
It is related, that his writings had been collected after his death, "^ by
the Consul Turcius Rufius Asterius. "^ This happened, therefore, in the year 496. "4 The most elaborate editions are those of Cellarius ;"S of
^^^ The attributed to following epigram,
Tercius Ruffus or Rufius Asterius, is found
affixed to some — of the elder manuscriptcopies
Sedulius manifests the— devotion to the
ings, greatest holy
" :
^°3 See col. ibid. ,
683.
^°4 The manuscript of this tract is kept in
Paris. Allusion is made to this
James Sirmond, in his ninth book on Apo- linaris Sidonius, n. 4.
^°5 MS. Gresham, ^^^ "
43.
SeeUssher's BritannicanimEcclesia-
rum Antiquitates," cap, xvi. , p. 408. Yet, as Colgan remarks, Eutychius flourished before the elder Sedulius,
"7 See his historic dissertation to the ob- servations of Cardinal Bellarmin, regarding Caius Cselius Sedulius, "Operum," tomus septimus. De Scriptoribus Ecclesiasticis, p. 151.
^°^
At Lyons has been printed Coelii Se- dulii Aratoris Sacra Poesis, i2mo. It ap- peared A. D. 1688.
'°9 See Denis Florence McCarthy's Poets
and Dramatists of Ireland, vol. i.