No More Learning

^^ See Wills' "Lives of Illustrious and Distinguished Irishmen," vol. i. , part i. , first period, p. 106.
3° After citing the opinion of Stanihurst,
Dr. Hanmer " Sedulius was not observes,
only of Irish birth, but also the light of all Ireland. " He closes this question in the
following quaint and illogical manner: " And to shut up this challenge of all sides, I find that there was a second Sedulius, a man of no lesse fame and learning, and hee is said to bee a Scottish man, theirfore let Ireland being more antient than Scotland take the first, and Scotland the last. " See " Chronicle, of Ireland," p. 95.
Colgan, and of Rev. Dr. Lanigan. ^^ "
num. ix. , p. 187.
^"^ *'
See Ussher's Britannicarum Ecclesi-
arumAntiquitates,"cap. xvi. , p,403.
v. , num. 115, p. 201.
" Antonio remarks, that if Sedulius were
a Spaniard, Isidorus would be likely to
^'^ " See
Bibliotheca Hispana Vetus," &c. , tomus i. , lib. iii. Nicolas Antonio states, that Sedulius, the Poet, is acknowledged by certain writers to have derived his Sootic origin, from Hibernia, while he deserves to be classed among the Spanish writers, cap.
class ibid.
him, among
the
Spanish
writers. See
^3 See Dr. Lanigan's "Ecclesiastical His- tory of Ireland," vol. i. , chap, i. , sect, viii. ,
p. 18.
"
bernite," xii. Februarii. De Venerabili
^+ See Colgan's
Acta Sanctorum Hi-
Sedulio, Scriptore et Doctore eximio, p. 315.
="5 See John Bale's " Scriptorum Illus- trium Majoris Brytannia;, quam nunc An-
See Bishop Tanner's
492 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAIIVTS. [February i
he was a Hibernian. s'' This proof, however, must rest on more solid ground.
He is said, first to have passed into Britain. Thence, he travelled to Gaul,
and afterwards into Italy,32 where his genius was exercised, in the study of
poetry and philosophy. We find it stated, by Convseus, in his list of Irish
Saints, that Sedulius was a bishop, and that his high character was rendered
illustrious, throughout all European provinces, while he was specially vene- rated at Rome. 33
As to the precise time, in which this illustrious poet and theologian lived, it is said, by some writers, that he flourished in the time of Cqnstans and
Constantine, or about a. d. 340 to 350. 34 Albertus Stadensis, and other authors,thinkheshouldbeassignedtoabouttheyear378. 35 However,itis
generally agreed, that he flourished, during the earlier half of the fifth century. 36 He is said to have lived under the Emperor Theodosius, the
Younger,37 who reigned from the year 408 to 450. 38 Colgan places him about the same period,39 as also Cave and Bishop Tanner. 4° Bale says he flourished, while Fergus II. reigned in Scotland, after the miserable destruc- tion of his kingdom by the Romans. '^^
It is difficult to explain, why a notice of Sedulius does not appear in that catalogue of illustrious men and ecclesiastical writers,^^ furnished by Gena- dius,43 a priest of the church at Marseilles,44 were his works published before the close of the fifth century. ^s In opposition to Ussher's calculation, a
passage is quoted from ancient manuscripts,^^ in which Sedulius is expressly stated to have written his books, in the time of Theodosius the Younger, and of Valentinian III. The latter was Emperor of the West, from the year 424,tothe16thofMarch,a. d. 455. '*7 Ifthismustbeconsidered,asdecisive
3* See D. Petrus Lombardus, "De 4' See " Regno
lUustrium Hibernia;, Sanctomm Insulas, Commen- Brytanniae, quam nunc Angliam et Scotiam
tarius," cap, xiii. , pp. 60, 61. Dr. Moran's edition.
vocant," cent, xiv. , num. ix. , p. 187.
4^ This is one of his best known and most esteemed works, having a great historic and biographical value, since it is regarded as a continuation of St. Jerome's highly interest- ing biographies, reaching to the end of the
fourth century.
*3 His writings seem to date from 467,
and to end at 493.
4'» While praised, by several writers, for his great erudition, some Catholic authors aver, that his works savour of Semipela-
'*
The Imperial Dictionary of Uni-
3^ See
versal Biography," vol. iii. , p. 944.
*'
33 See O'SuUevan Beare's
tholicse Iberniaj Compendium," tomus i. , lib, iv. , cap. x,, p. 49. The date of his festival, however, is not given at this pas-
sage.
34 Cardinal Bellarmin states, that those,
who make Sedulius a contemporary with
Constantine, the son of Constantine the
Great, are in error. With Trithemius, gianism.
Bellarmin thinks his era was 430, See
"Operum," tomus Septimus, I)e Scrip-
"s The fullest and most authentic account
of Genadius, of his writings, and of the
Chronological and Historical Tables," No. 29.
*'
in these words : Incipit ars Sedulii poetse,
Methode pour etudier I'Histoire," tome ii. , chap, xxi. ,
qui primo laicus in Italia philosophiam di- dicit ; postea cum aliis metrorum generibus heroicum metrum Macedonio consulente docuit in Achaia ; libros suos scripsit tem- pore Impp. minoris Theodosii filii Arcadii
38 See M. I'Abbe Lenglet's
PP- 53, 54.
39 See "Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae, at
HistoriDs Ca-
various editions of his works, as published, '* "
toribus Ecclesiasticis, p. 149,
35 See Philip Labbe's Dissertatio His- will be found in the Histoire Literaire de
torica," 7did. , p. 150. la France," tome ii. , siecle v. , pp. 632 to 36 See S, Austin Allibone's "Critical 643-
*^
of Pithoeus, while Mabillon quotes from a codex, belonging to the monastery of Lerins,
Labbe gives it from an old manuscript " *'
Dictionary of English Literature," vol. ii. , p. 1989.
37 He succeeded Arcadius. See Blair's
xii. Februarii. Appendix ad Acta S. et Valentiniani /ilii Constantii. "—"Vetera
Sedulii, cap, iv. , pp. . 322 to 325,
'*" According to Cave, he flourished in
434, pp. 336, 450. Also, Bishop Tanner. •'Bibliotheca Britannico-Hibemica, p. 660.
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.