Sedulius (sometimes with the nomen Coelius or Caelius, both of doubtful authenticity)[1] was a Christian poet of the first half of the 5th century.
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]
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; |
Matthew plays the role of the whole human race; |
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]
