Bright Maximinus...

A dove looked in

through the lattice windows,

where, before its face,

balm exuded

from bright Maximinus.

The warmth of the sun kindled

and in the shadows shone brightly,

whence a jewel arose

in the building of the temple,

a heart of the purest rich devotion.

He, the lofty tower,

of Lebanon's wood and cypress wrought,

with jacinth and carnelian was adorned,

the city surpassing the arts

of other artists.

The swift hart himself hastened

to the fountain of the purest water,

flowing from the strongest stone

which has diffused the sweet spices.

O painters*,

ye which be in the sweetest green

of the gardens of the king,

ascending to the height,

when ye have finished the holy sacrifice

with the rams.

This artist shines among you

the wall of the temple

he who desired the wings of an eagle

by kissing the nurse Wisdom,

in the glorious fecundity of the Church.

O Maximinus

thou art a mountain and a valley,

and in both thou appearest a high edifice,

where the he-goat with the elephant went out

and Wisdom has been in sweetness.

Thou art strong

and sweet in the ceremonies

and in the gleaming* of the altar

ascending as an aromatic smoke

to the column of praise.

Where thou intercedest for the people

who reach out to the mirror of light

to whom there is praise on high.

This is a translation of bl. Hildegard of Bingen's famous Sequence Columba Aspexit I made five years ago. It might read like gibberish to you but the Latin itself is hardly of the stuff of Catullus, even if the musick is exquisite. It seems that Emma Kirkby's superb rendering has disappeared from YouTube, never mind. I must say I bewail the loss of so many Sequences from the Roman Rite. I always admired the "florid imprecision" (to borrow from Fr Hunwicke) of the divers uses of that once glorious rite.

*Painters is used here to denote "pigmentarii."

*Coruscatione denotes tremulous light, as of light seen through the leaves of trees.