\ 96. LATIN HYMNS AND HYMNISTS. 425
variously ascribed to Charlemagne,1 to Gregory the Great,2 also to Alcuin, and even to Ambrose, without any good reason. It appears first in 898, is found in the MS. containing the Poems of Rabanus Maurus, and in all the old German Bre viaries; it was early and repeatedly translated into German,3 and agrees very well in thought and expression with his treatise on the Holy Spirit.4
We give the original with two translations.5
1 By Tomasi (I. 375) and even Daniel (I. 213, sq. ; IV. 125), apparently also by Trench (p. 167). Tomasi based his view on an impossible tradition reported by the Bollandists (Acta SS. Apr. 1, 587), that Notker sent to Charlemagne (who died a hundred years before) his sequence Sancti Spiritus adsit nobis gratia, and received in response the Veni, Creator Spiritus from the emperor (whose Latin scholarship was not sufficient for poetic composition). The author of the article "Hymns" in the 9th ed. of the " Encycl. Brit." revives the legend, but removes the anachronism by substituting for Charle magne his nephew, Charles the Bald (who was still less competent for the task).
2 By Mone (I. 242, note), Koch, Wackernagel. Hone's reasons are ''the classical metre with partial rhymes, and the prayer-like treatment."
3 In the twelfth and thirteenth century (Komm, Schopfer, hciliger Geist), as also by Luther (Komm, Gott Schopfer, heiliger Geist), by Konigsfeld (Komm, Schopfer, heiPgcr Geist, erfreu), and others. The oldest German translator (as reported by Daniel, I. 214), says that he who recites this hymn by day or by night, is secure against all enemies visible or invisible.
4 As contained in his work De Universo 1. I. c. 3 (in Migne's edition of the Opera, V. 23-26). Here he calls the Holy Spirit digitus Dei (as in the hymn), and teaches the double procession which had come to be the prevailing doctrine in the West since the adoption of the Filioque at the Synod of Aix in 809, though under protest of Leo III. against its insertion into the Nicene Creed. The scanning of Paracletus with a long penultimate differs from that of other Latin poets (Paracletos).
5 The Latin text is from Brower, as reprinted in Migne (VI. 1657), with the addition of the first doxology. The first translation is by Robert Campbell, 1850, the second by Rev. S. W. Duffield, made for this work, Feb. 1884. Other English versions by Wither (1623), Drummond (1616), Cosin (1627), Tate (1703), Dryden (1700), Isaac Williams (1839), Bishop Williams (1845), Mant ("Come, Holy Ghost, Creator blest"), Benedict ("Spirit, heavenly life bestowing"), MacGill ("Creator Holy Spirit! come"), Morgan (''Creator Spirit, come in love"), in the Marquess of Bute's Breviary (" 'Come, Holy Ghost, Creator come"). See nine of these translations in Odenheimcr and Bird, Songs of the Spirit, N. Y. 1871, p. 167-180. German versions are almost as numerous. Comp. Daniel, I. 213 ; IV. 124; Mone, I.-242; Koch, I. 74 sq.
FOURTH PEEIOD. A. D. 590-1049.
Veni, Creator Spiritus, Mentes tuorum visita. Imple superna gratia Quce tu creasti pectora.
Qui Paracletus dicerist Donum Dei altissimi, Fons vivus, ignis, charitas, Et spirit alis unctio.
Tu septiformis munere, Dextrce Dei tu digitus, Tu, rite Promissum Patris, Sermone ditans guttura.
Accende lumen sensibus, Infunde amor em cordibus; Inftrma nostri corporis, Virtute firmans perpetim.1
Hostem repellas longius, Pacemque dones protinus. Ductore sic te prcevio, Vitemus omne noxium.
Per te sciamus, da Patrem, Noscamus atque Filium, Te utriusque Spiritum, Credamus omni tempore.
[Sit laus Patri cum Filio, Sancto simul Paracleto, Nobisque mittat Filius Charisma Sancti Spiritus.} 2
Creator, Spirit, Lord of Grace, O make our hearts Thy dwelling-place, And with Thy might celestial aid The souls of those whom Thou hast made.
Come from the throne of God above, O Paraclete, O Holy Dove, Come, Oil of gladness, cleansing Fire, And Living Spring of pure desire.
O Finger of the Hand Divine, The sevenfold gifts of Grace are Thine, And touched by Thee the lips proclaim All praise to God's most holy Name.
Then to our souls Thy light impart, And give Thy Love to every heart Turn all our weakness into might, O Thou, the Source of Life and Light.
Protect us from the assailing foe, And Peace, the fruit of Love, bestow; Upheld by Thee, our Strength and
Guide, No evil can our steps betide.
Spirit of Faith, on us bestow The Father and the Son to know ; And, of the Twain, the Spirit, Thee : Eternal One, Eternal Three.
To God the Father let us sing; To God the Son, our risen King ; And equally with These adore The Spirit, God for evermore.
[Prcesta hoc Pater piissime , Patrique compar unice, Cum Spiritu Paracleto, Regnans per omne sceculum.] 2
1 Perpetim, adv., perpetually, constantly. Some copies read perpeti (homperpes).
3 The concluding conventional benediction in both forms is a later addition. The first is given by Daniel (I. 214), and Mone (I. 242), the second in the text of Rabanus Maurus. The scanning of Paracletes differs in both from that in the second stanza.