medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Please forgive me if this question has already been thoroughly aired and my
own point covered previously.
Are you aware of the prophecy of the fighting red and white dragons,
representing the Britons and the Saxons, in the early 9th Cambro-Latin work,
Historia Brittonum, ca. 829/30 AD, often attributed to Nennius?
Rhodri
-----Original Message-----
From: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
[mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Tim Henderson
Sent: 23 April 2001 10:05
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [M-R] Fw: Lion and dragon symbolism
medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Dare I reopen the thread (and perhaps I should have done it yesterday with
St. George's dragon in mind !) by mentioning that I have just realised that
the First Vespers hymn from Low Sunday to Ascension was "Chorus nove
hierusalem" (at least it was in the York Breviary and presumably also in
Sarum):
Chorus nove hierusalem novam meli dulciedinem promat collens cum sobriis
paschale festum gaudiis
Quo Christus invictus leo dracone surgens obruto dum voce viva personat a
morte functos excitat .......
The English Hymnal gives the author as St. Fulbert of Chartres c. 1000 and
has two translations :
Ye choirs of new Jerusalem,
To sweet new strains attune your theme ;
The while we keep, from care released,
With sober joy our Paschal feast :
When Christ, unconquer'd Lion, first
The dragon's chains by rising burst :
And while with living voice he cries,
The dead of other ages rise....... [ translated JM Neale]
Ye choirs of new Jerusalem,
Your sweetest notes employ,
The Paschal victory to hymn
In strains of holy joy.
How Judah's lion burst his chains,
And crushed the serpent's head ;
And brought with him from death's domains,
The long-imprisoned dead. [ translated R Campbell]
Regards,
Tim
----- Original Message -----
From: Tim Henderson <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Saturday, August 26, 2000 12:20 PM
Subject: Lion and dragon symbolism
> This reminded me of the Sarum Processionale for the Rogation Days :"
> Praeterea in principio processionis deferatur draco, tribus vexillis
rubeis
> praecedentibus, secundo loco leo, tertio loco cetera vexilla.......". But
on
> Ascension Day the order changes with the vanquished dragon (with its long
> train having been stoned to a fraction of its original size ?) coming
behind
> the banners of the lion and the cross.
>
> The Golden Legend :" In some churches and especially in France,the custom
> obtains of carying a dragon with a long tail stuffed with straw or some
such
> material : the first two days it is carried in front of the cross, and the
> third day, with the tail empty, behind the cross. The significance of this
> is that on the first day, before the Law, and on the second, under the
Law,
> the devil reigned in this world, but on the third day, the day of grace,
he
> was expelled from his realm by the passion of Christ."
>
> The Sarum Missal litany for the returm of the procession starts "
> Kyrieleyson . Qui precioso sanguine mundum eripuisti de maledicti fauce
> draconis ....."
>
> Regards,
> Tim
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Long, Thomas <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Wednesday, August 09, 2000 3:29 AM
> Re: Lion symbolism (More!)
>
>
> > Fast by them stand at Christ's left hand
> > the Lion fierce and fell,
> > The Dragon bold, that Serpent old,
> > that hurried Souls to Hell.
> > There also stand, under command,
> > Legions of Sprights unclean,
> > And hellish Fiends, that are no friends
> > to God nor unto Men. (stanza 36)
> >
> > I searched resources (bestiaries, reproductions of Judgment images,
emblem
> > books) at Yale's Beinecke, Sterling, and Art/Architecture libraries, but
> > couldn't find medieval or patristic analogues for the lion AND the
dragon
> > restrained beside Christ at the Last Judgment. Am aware of scriptural
> > allusions to lion as satanic, of course (1 Pt. 5:8; Daniel in the den;
Ps
> > 91:13) Any suggestions?
> >
> > Tom Long
> >
> >
>
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