,,the ,,papers ,,of ,,the ,,hymn ,,society ,carl ,f4 ,price ,editor ,,ix ,christian ,hymns of the ,first ,three ,centuries by ,ruth ,ellis ,messenger1 ,ph4,d4 ,,the ,,hymn ,,society ,,of ,,america ,new ,york ,city #aidb ,,papers ,,of ,,the ,,hymn ,,society ,carl ,f4 ,price1 ,editor ,i4 ,the ,hymns of ,john ,bunyan4 ,by ,louis ,f4 ,benson1 ,d4,d4 ,,ii4 ,the ,religious ,value of ,hymns4 ,by ,william ,p4 ,merrill1 ,d4,d4 ,,iii4 ,the ,praise of the ,virgin in ,early ,latin ,hymns4 ,by ,ruth ,ellis ,messenger1 ,ph4,d4 ,,iv4 ,the ,significance of the ,old ,french ,psalter4 ,by ,professor ,waldo ,selden ,pratt1 ,l4,h4,d41 ,mus4,d4 ,v4 ,hymn ,festival ,programs4 ,,vi4 ,what ,is a ,hymn8 ,by ,carl ,f4 ,price1 ,m4,a4 ,,vii4 ,an ,account of the ,bay ,psalm ,book4 ,by ,henry ,wilder ,foote1 ,d4,d4 ,,viii4 ,lowell ,mason3 an ,appreciation of ,his ,life and ,work4 ,by ,henry ,lowell ,mason4 ,,ix4 ,christian ,hymns of the ,first ,three ,centuries4 ,by ,ruth ,ellis ,messenger1 ,ph4,d4 ,x4 ,addresses at the ,twentieth ,anniversary of the ,hymn ,society of ,america4 ,,xi4 ,hymns of ,christian ,patriotism4 ,,xii4 ,luther and ,congregational ,song4 ,by ,luther ,d4 ,reed1 ,d4,d41 ,a4,e4,d4 ,,xiii4 ,isaac ,watts and his ,contribution to ,english ,hymnody4 ,by ,norman ,victor ,hope1 ,m4,a41 ,ph4,d4 ,,xiv4 ,latin ,hymns of the ,middle ,ages4 ,by ,ruth ,ellis ,messenger1 ,ph4,d4 ,,xv4 ,revival of ,gregorian ,chant1 ,its ,influence on ,english ,hymnody4 ,by ,j4 ,vincent ,higginson1 ,mus4,b41 ,m4,a4 ,copies of these papers at #be cents each may be obtained from the ,executive ,secretary of the ,hymn ,society4 ,note3 ,inquire before ordering as some numbers are temporarily out of print4 ,dr4 ,reginald ,l4 ,mc,all1 #bbfh ,sedgwick ,avenue ,new ,york #ec1 ,n4 ,y4 ,copyright1 #aidb1 by ,hymn ,society of ,america ,reprinted #aidi ,christian ,hymns of the ,first ,three ,centuries ,i4 ,introduction ,there is no part of the general field of ,christian hymnology so baffling to the student or so full of difficulties as the one under consideration in this paper4 ,many accounts of the subject are in existence but are far from conclusive4 ,this is due1 first of all1 to the unexpected scarcity of original sources4 ,when one views the rise of ,christianity from its inception to the period of the ,council of ,nicaea1 #cbe1 its numerical growth from a handful of original adherents to millions of followers at the time of the ,edict of ,milan1 #cac1 its literary development from early scattered records to the works of the great ,greek and ,latin fathers1 one cannot help inquiring1 ,what has become of their hymns8 ,another puzzling aspect of the study is the complex historical background against which the progress of ,christianity appears4 ,the peace and constructive progress of the ,augustan era1 in which ,christianity was founded1 have often been cited as factors contributing to its evolution and spread4 ,but this is not the whole story4 ,the civilization of that day1 especially in the eastern ,mediterranean lands most concerned1 was largely ,hellenistic1 of mingled ,greek and oriental features which were necessarily wrought into the fabric of the new religion4 ,an understanding of pre-,augustan conditions1 in which these diverse historical and literary trends were merged1 is essential1 for without it the subject is unintelligible4 ,a further problem which confronts the student is that of interpretation4 ,it is well known that any general treatment of early ,christianity is apt to conform to the point of view of the author4 ,the study of hymnology1 like that of other features of the early ,church1 is apt to be affected by the opinion of the commentator4 ,it is no wonder that the field has been neglected and that the accounts of it are vague1 incomplete and unsatisfactory4 ,in fact1 the task of re-examining the mass of extant records of early ,christianity and other relevant material1 which might illuminate the subject of hymnology1 seems never to have been undertaken with this purpose in view4 ,it is1 actually1 too vast a project for the casual student and certainly has not been attempted here4 ,our best accounts of early ,christian hymnody are often subordinated to a general history of ,christian hymns4 ,this is the case with the article1 entitled1 ,hymnes1 by ,h4 ,leclercq1 in the ,dictionnaire ,d' ,archeologie ,chretienne et de ,liturgie1 probably the best short account in any language1 containing a section on the hymnology of the first three centuries4#a ,charles ,stanley ,phillips drew generously from this source for the first chapter of ,hymnody1 ,past and ,present1 which is written from the liturgical standpoint4#b ,independent studies are rare4 ,among them1 ,die ,hymnendichtung des fruehen ,christentums by ,josef ,kroll1 a distinguished classical philologist1 deserves a much wider circulation and should be translated for the benefit of ,english readers4#c ,in view of the dearth of available material in ,english1 it has seemed timely to approach the whole subject from a new standpoint4 ,in this study1 the extant hymnic sources will be presented objectively4 ,groups of hymns will be used to illustrate the types current in the period4 ,in connection with them1 the related historical and literary influences will be noted4 ,let us abandon at once our contemporary connotation of the word hymn which is derived ultimately from the hymns of ,ambrose1 #cdj-cig1 that is1 a metrical lyric constructed in stanzas4 ,in the pre-,ambrosian period ,christian hymns were largely of the psalm type1 to be chanted in rhythmic periods without rhyme4 ,not only should the word hymn be conceived in terms of ancient thought1 but also the futile attempt to differentiate among psalms1 hymns and canticles should be avoided4 ,specialists in liturgical matters testify to the confusion existing among ancient writers in the use of these words and to the uncertainty of definition which results4#d ,it is better not to multiply difficulties but to hold fast to the actual texts which we know were used in ,christian worship4 ,,ii4 ,old ,testament ,hymns ,at the threshold of ,christianity the student crosses from the literary environment of the ,old ,testament into that of the ,new4 ,but in actual practice the ,hebrew psalms were never given up1 and to this day are treasured in every branch of the faith4 ,in the early centuries they formed the bulk of ,christian hymnody4 ,references to their use appear throughout the ,new ,testament and are familiar to all4 ,and1 moreover1 the influence of the ,hebrew psalms upon the composition of new hymns is apparent even in the ,gospels4 ,keeping these important facts in mind regarding the psalms1 the student may pass on to other hymnic sources in the ,old ,testament4 ,many striking lyrical passages in the ,hebrew scriptures1 uttered or perhaps repeated in moments of emotional fervor1 were used by later worshippers to express a similar attitude toward the ,divine4#e ,among these may be cited the ,songs of ,moses1 ,i will sing unto the ,lord1 for he hath triumphed gloriously 7,ex4 #ae3a-ai71 ,give ear1 ,o ye heavens1 and ,i will speak2 and hear1 ,o earth1 the words of my mouth 7,deut4 #cb3a-dc72 ,hannah's ,song of ,thanksgiving1 ,my heart rejoiceth in the ,lord 7,i ,sam4 #b3a-aj72 the great hymns in the ,book of ,isaiah1 ,holy1 holy1 holy is the ,lord of hosts 7,isa4 #f3c71 ,we have a strong city2 salvation will ,god appoint for walls and bulwarks 7,isa4 #bf3a-ba71 the second part of which begins1 ,with my soul have ,i desired thee in the night 7,isa4 #bf3i-ba72 ,jonah's ,song1 ,i cried by reason of my affliction unto the ,lord 7,jonah #b3b-i72 the ,song of ,habbakuk1 ,o ,lord1 ,i have heard thy speech1 and was afraid 7,hab4 #c3b-ai7 ,the apocryphal addition to the ,book of ,daniel1 known as the ,song of the ,three ,holy ,children1 may be considered with ,old ,testament lyrics4 ,comprising sixty-seven verses1 it was added to ,daniel #c3bc1 but1 strictly speaking1 its date1 author and original language are unknown4 ,it is probable that it is of ,hebrew authorship and belongs to the first century1 ,b4 ,c4 ,its use1 however1 is unquestioned4#f ,the first part1 ,blessed art ,thou1 ,o ,lord of our fathers1 is the familiar ,benedictus es1 ,domine2 and the second part1 ,o all ye works of the ,lord1 bless ye the ,lord1 is the ,benedicite1 omnia opera4 ,the term canticle1 mentioned above1 has been applied in a general sense to such lyrics from the ,old ,testament and also from the ,new4 ,in practice1 says ,james ,mearns1 it means those ,songs of ,holy ,scripture which have been selected for ecclesiastical use and are appended to1 or incorporated with1 the ,psalter or other parts of the ,divine ,office4#g ,both ,eastern and ,western ,churches early made official use of the ,old ,testament canticles1#h while the ,greek ,church elaborated upon them in formal metrical compositions1 called canons1 or groups of odes based upon an acrostic structure1 a distinctive feature of ,greek hymnody from the seventh century4#i ,it was only natural that the hymnody of the ,old ,testament should have exerted a marked influence upon ,christian practice4 ,the ,old ,testament tradition was very strong4 ,familiar phraseology was ready at hand for the composition of new canticles which were often mere centos from the ,psalms or other portions of the ,hebrew scriptures4 ,it should be recalled that ,christianity not only arose in the ,semitic environment but also was for some years localized chiefly in the oriental sections of the ,roman ,empire1 and that it was affected by oriental ideas and modes of expression4 ,even after ,greek and ,roman influences were strongly felt1 hymnology retained this traditional ,semitic character and pagan lyrics were held in suspicion4 ,,iii4 ,new ,testament ,hymns ,the transition1 therefore1 to the canticles of the ,new ,testament was easy and perhaps inevitable4 ,the ,benedictus1 ,blessed be the ,lord ,god of ,israel 7,luke #a3fh-gi71 spoken by ,zacharias1 the ,nunc dimittis1 ,lord1 now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace 7,luke #b3bi-cb71 by ,simeon1 and above all the ,magnificat1 ,my soul doth magnify the ,lord 7,luke #a3df-ee71 from the lips of the ,virgin ,mother1 are among the most famous of early ,christian hymns1 which1 together with the song of the angelic host at the birth of ,jesus1 the ,gloria in excelsis1 ,glory to ,god in the highest 7,luke #b3ad71 appear within the ,gospel narratives4 ,in the remaining portions of the ,new ,testament other hymn fragments are found4 ,some of these are direct quotations from known sources4#aj ,in the ,book of ,revelation 7#d3h71 reference is made to the words of ,isaiah 7#f3c71 ,holy1 holy1 holy1 ,lord ,god ,almighty1 a passage which has survived in the ,western ,church in the expanded form of the ,tersanctus1 and in the ,eastern ,church as the ,hymnus ,angelicus4 ,in the same ,book 7,rev4 #ae3c71 the ,song of ,moses 7,ex4 #ae3a-aj7 is recalled4 ,some passages are considered parts of familiar pieces otherwise unknown4 ,the quotation in the ,epistle to the ,ephesians1 ,awake thou that sleepest 7,eph4 #e3ad71 may fall into this group or be considered a free rendering of certain passages in ,isaiah4#aa ,the faithful sayings from the ,epistles to ,timothy and to ,titus have also been viewed in this light4#ab ,the passage opening ,for if we be dead with him1 we shall also live with him 7,,ii ,tim4 #b3aa-ac71 possesses a marked lyrical character4 ,the lines beginning ,who is the blessed and only ,potentate1 the ,king of kings and ,lord of lords 7,i ,tim4 #f3ae-af71 reveal poetic features of a generally oriental style1 framing the ,old ,testament content4 ,certain digressions in the ,epistles1 in which formulas of belief or of praise rise to a sure and effective climax1 have the qualities of sustained hymns3 ,god was manifest in the flesh1 justified in the ,spirit1 seen of angels1 preached unto the ,gentiles1 believed on in the world1 received up into glory 7,i ,tim4 #c3af71 ,who did no sin1 neither was guile found in his mouth3 who1 when he was reviled1 reviled not again2 when he suffered1 he threatened not2-- -- -- --7,i ,peter #b3bb-be71 above all1 ,who1 being in the form of ,god1 thought it not robbery to be equal with ,god2 ,but made himself of no reputation1 and took upon him the form of a servant-- -- -- -- ,that at the name of ,jesus every knee should bow1 of things in heaven1 and things in earth1 and things under the earth2 ,and that every tongue should confess that ,jesus ,christ is ,lord1 to the glory of ,god the ,father 7,philippians #b3 #f-aa74 ,poetic refrains are obvious in the following3 ,for of him1 and through him1 and to him1 are all things3 to whom be glory for ever 7,rom4 #aa3cf71 ,unto him be glory in the church by ,christ ,jesus1 throughout all ages1 world without end 7,eph4 #c3ba71 ,now unto the ,king eternal1 immortal1 invisible1 the only wise ,god1 be honour and glory for ever and ever 7#a ,tim4 #a3ag74 ,the ,apostle ,paul and other writers of the ,new ,testament1 who quote freely from a variety of sources1 have used fragments of hymns to reinforce their teachings or with a devotional purpose4 ,one gains from such citations a text only1 or a fragment of text4 ,singing is not implied4 ,the apocalyptic vision of the ,book of ,revelation1 however1 contains several magnificent hymns of praise which testify not alone to the form and content of the early hymn but also to the practice of worship in song4 ,the praises of the heavenly host are mirrored in the praises of the congregation upon earth4#ac ,and they sung a new song1 saying1 ,thou art worthy to take the book1 and to open the seals thereof 7,rev4 #e3i-aj71 ,worthy is the ,lamb that was slain to receive power1 and riches1 and wisdom1 and strength1 and honour1 and glory1 and blessing 7,rev4 #e3ab-ad71 ,blessing1 and glory1 and wisdom1 and thanksgiving1 and honour1 and power1 and might1 be unto our ,god for ever and ever 7,rev4 #g3ab71 ,great and marvellous are thy works1 ,lord ,god ,almighty2 just and true are thy ways1 thou ,king of saints 7,rev4 #ae3c-d71 ,alleluia3 for the ,lord ,god omnipotent reigneth 7,rev4 #ai3f74 ,from the point of view of the evolution of ,christian hymns1 the hymns in the ,book of ,revelation are perhaps the most significant in the ,new ,testament because they exhibit varied elements1 from ,judaism1 from ,christianity and from the mingling of the two4#ad ,it is interesting to re-read the ,new ,testament in the search for hymns1 but one should remember that the field is controversial4 ,some commentators would suggest that the entire #acth chapter of ,i ,corinthians is a hymn1 beginning1 ,though ,i speak with the tongues of men and of angels4#ae ,a moderate rather than an extreme position1 however1 upon the identity of hymn sources in the ,new ,testament seems more likely to be productive of a genuine appreciation of the style1 subject matter and number of primitive ,christian hymns4 ,traces of poetic improvisation1 which is so closely allied to hymnody1 must be seriously considered at this point4 ,the art of improvisation belongs to no one age or country4 ,it happens that the ,greeks had practiced it for centuries and that illustrations exist from the time of ,homer4 ,to the ,hellenized orient it was familiar4 ,the ,greeks of ,cilicia and of the region about ,antioch and ,tarsus1 as ,dr4 ,george ,dwight ,kellogg reminds us1 seem to have cultivated the art and become famous4 ,he also suggests that the gift of tongues refers to this art and that ,paul himself possessed the poetic talent in no small degree4#af ,it is only natural to assume that1 among the early ,christians1 certain individuals would react to the influence of heightened emotion in outbursts of poetic expression4 ,passages in the ,book of ,acts may refer to the use of such hymns1 for example1 in the case of the ,gentiles at ,caesarea1 who speak with tongues and magnify ,god 7,acts #aj3de-df71 or the ,ephesians who spake with tongues1 and prophesied 7,acts #ai3f71 or perhaps the disciples on the ,day of ,pentecost 7,acts #b3d74 ,irenaeus1 a second century father of the ,church and bishop of ,lyons1 referring to the scene at ,pentecost1 mentions the singing of a hymn on that occasion4#ag ,the nature of improvisations is fugitive4 ,they arise from individual inspiration and1 even if expressed in familiar phrases1 are not remembered or recorded by the singer or hearer4 ,to whatever degree improvisation played a part in early ,christian hymnody1 to that same degree we lack corresponding literary survivals4 ,possibly this is one explanation of the dearth of sources which we now deplore4 ,on the whole1 the hymnic evidence found in the ,new ,testament points to a predominant ,hebrew influence4 ,both in the use of psalms and other ,old ,testament hymns and in the phraseology of new hymns1 the ,christians found themselves more at home in the traditional forms of expression4 ,features of style1 such as parallelism1 uniformity and the repetition of words or word order1 were not necessarily restricted to ,hebrew poetry but might be found in other oriental sources--a consideration to which further attention will be given later4#ah ,still we may assume that the influence of ,judaism in form as well as subject matter was supreme4 ,,iv4 ,liturgical ,hymns ,christian practice reveals a third type of ,hebrew influence1 the liturgical1 which brought about the use of the psalms in public worship1 together with other elements familiar in the synagogue4 ,at the close of a service of this kind1 made up of prayers1 readings1 psalms and preaching1 the eucharist was celebrated4 ,early writings1 for example1 the ,apologia of ,justin ,martyr1 #ajj8-afe1ai the ,didache#bj and the ,apostolic ,constitutions1#ba testify to a somewhat fixed type of worship1 which1 varying in details1 seems to foreshadow the liturgical models of the fourth century4 ,briefly stated1 the ,didache1 or ,teaching of the ,twelve ,apostles1 is a second century treatise1 the second part of which includes a ritual of baptism1 fasting and the eucharist4#bb ,a series of eucharistic prayers is here recorded1 beginning1 ,eucharistoumen soi1 pater hemon1 ,we thank ,thee1 our ,father1 offered at stages of the communion ritual where we approach the heart of ,christian worship4#bc ,at this point1 hymn and prayer origins merge4 ,many ,christians of our own day1 perhaps the majority1 regard the true hymn as a prayer offered in direct address to ,god4 ,throughout the history of ,christian hymns the two forms of worship have overlapped or been identical4 ,hymn and prayer were also associated in ancient cults1 and the chorus of a ,greek drama offers an illustration of the superb proportions which this act of worship may assume4 ,charles ,stanley ,phillips1 who has recently translated anew the eucharistic prayer of the ,didache1 thinks of it as not a true hymn1 but a source and model of hymnody4#bd ,improvised eucharistic prayer was interrupted by congregational refrains which provided another opportunity for the evolution of hymns4 ,as a matter of fact1 in all ages1 expressions of thanksgiving1 attending the celebration of the eucharist1 have inspired many of the finest hymns of the faith4 ,the ,apostolic ,constitutions is a manual in eight books1 of ecclesiastical discipline1 doctrine and worship1 including the ,didache4#be ,dating from the fourth or fifth century1 more probably the fourth1 it represents the practice of an earlier period well within the scope of this study and1 in the opinion of ,brightman1 was compiled in ,antioch or its neighborhood4#bf ,since ,greek was the prevailing language in the ,christian world of that day1 it became the liturgical language of early ,christianity for the first three centuries4 ,even in ,rome and other large cities of ,italy1 ,greek was used4 ,in ,italy1 with these exceptions and in the western provinces1 ,latin was employed1 finally superseding ,greek as the official language of the ,western ,church4#bg ,the following hymns appear in the seventh book of the ,apostolic ,constitutions3 ,a morning hymn1 ,doxa en hypsistois theo1 ,gloria in excelsis1 ,glory to ,god in the highest2#bh an evening hymn1 ,aineite paides1 ,ye children praise the ,lord1#bi which includes ,soi prepei ainos1 ,te decet laus1 ,praise becomes ,thee1 and ,nyn apolyeis ton doulon sou1 ,nunc dimittis1 ,now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace2 and a prayer at dinner1 ,eulogetos ei1 ,thou art blessed1 ,o ,lord1 who nourishest me from my youth4#cj ,in the eighth book of the ,apostolic ,constitutions and also in the ,liturgy of ,st4 ,james we have the ,tersanctus1 ,hagios1 hagios1 hagios1 ,holy1 holy1 holy4 ,in another part of the same ,liturgy the ,trisagion appears1 ,ho trisagios hymnos11 ,holy ,god1 holy mighty1 holy immortal1 ,have mercy upon us4#ca ,an evening hymn1 ,phos hilaron1 ,joyful light1 is mentioned by ,basil in the fourth century as very old4 ,it was sung at vespers in the ,eastern ,church3#cb ,o gladsome light1 ,o grace ,of ,god the ,father's face4#cc ,among ancient liturgical hymns the ,te deum should be mentioned4 ,it is attributed to ,nicetas1 ,bishop of ,remesiana in ,dacia1 and dated from the end of the fourth century4 ,it appears to be a combination of three distinct parts4 ,the first thirteen verses1 or parts one and two1 probably originated earlier than the fourth century and may have been inspired by ,cyprian1 ,bishop of ,carthage1 #bjj-beh1 who wrote in terms almost identical with the phrases of this early section1 used of prophets1 apostles and martyrs4#cd ,biblical sources1 especially the canticles1 now appear as liturgical hymns1 either in their original form or in an enlarged version4#ce ,the use of canticles1 more particularly in their variations1 is of supreme interest to the hymnologist1 because it offers a theory of the origin of ,christian hymnody apart from liturgical interpolations or from the psalms4 ,clement of ,rome urged the ,corinthians to unite in the spirit of praise as expressed in the seraphic chorus of ,isaiah's vision1 ,holy1 holy1 holy is the ,lord of ,hosts3 the whole earth is full of his glory1 associating it with the praise of the angelic ministrants1 ten thousand times ten thousand1 beheld by ,daniel 7,dan4 #g3aj74 ,the same hymn had been heard in the apocalyptic mysteries of the ,book of ,revelation4 ,very early it was incorporated in the liturgy of the eucharist1 continuing an ageless form of the praise of ,god from the old dispensation into the new4 ,the evolution of the ,great ,doxology from the words of the angelic song1 ,glory to ,god in the highest1 to the ,gloria in excelsis illustrates the expanding thought of the ,church1 corresponding to the growth of the ,christian body within the culture of the ,roman ,empire4 ,again1 the ,gloria illustrates ,hellenistic features of poetic style1 bespeaking the oriental influences which had entered into ,greek literature4#cf ,note the repetition of the clauses1 ,we praise thee1 we bless thee1 we worship thee1 we glorify thee1 we give thanks to thee for thy great glory1 of the invocation1 ,o ,lord ,god1 heavenly ,king1 ,god the ,father almighty1 ,o ,lord1 the only-begotten ,son1 ,jesus ,christ2 ,o ,lord ,god1 ,lamb of ,god1 ,son of the ,father1 of the relative clause1 ,that takest away the sins of the world1 have mercy upon us4 ,thou that takest away the sins of the world1 receive our prayer4 ,thou that sittest at the right hand of ,god the ,father1 have mercy upon us1 of the pronoun1 ,for thou only art holy2 thou only art the ,lord2 thou only1 ,o ,christ1 with the ,holy ,ghost1 art most high in the glory of ,god the ,father4 ,it is quite superfluous to analyze further the values of a poetic form which has helped to make the ,gloria one of the truly magnificent ,christian hymns of all ages4#cg ,postponing for the present a more detailed inquiry into stylistic origins1 we may regard the group of liturgical hymns here presented as a source collection of the utmost importance4 ,it reveals not only the continuity of the ,old and ,new ,testament hymnology but also the evolution of worship in song into the early ,christian era4 ,the fact that worship was chiefly liturgical in this period and hymns were therefore liturgical appears an inevitable conclusion4 ,v4 ,contemporary ,pagan and ,heretical ,hymns ,christianity expanded1 as we have seen1 in the environment of eastern ,mediterranean culture4 ,its original heritage was that of ,judaism1 but within the first century it had entered upon the conquest of the ,gentile world4 ,as that conquest proceeded and the penetration of new ideas into pagan thought continued1 a corresponding reaction of paganism upon the new faith took place4 ,with the general aspects of this phenomenon all are familiar4 ,it is significant here only in the field of lyrical expression4 ,the period of pagan influence in the sense of an imprint from ,greek and ,roman literature is also the period of impact with pagan heretical ideas derived either from current philosophies or the practices of mystery religions4 ,once more the chart and compass offered by the direct extant sources are the best guides through the cross currents of the literature in our possession4 ,representative pagan poetry must be examined1 at least of a few general types1 in order to establish what influence1 if any1 was exerted upon contemporary ,christian hymns4 ,regarding the classical influence1 per se1 a large number of ,greek hymns were in existence when ,christianity was founded1#ch and ,roman lyrics were appearing in that very century4 ,paul was obviously acquainted with the ,hymn of ,cleanthes1 a ,stoic writer of the third century1 ,b4,c41 for he quoted his words on the ,areopagus4 ,the original passage to which ,paul refers has been translated as follows3 ,thee it is meet that mortals should invoke1 ,for we ,thine offspring are and sole of all ,created things that live and move on earth ,receive from ,thee the image of the ,one4#ci ,it is evident that the ,christian hymns embedded in the books of the ,new ,testament were not constructed after a classical model of this type4 ,the influence of ,old ,testament poetry was too strong1 the associations of paganism repellant and1 moreover1 the ,greek poetry1 familiar to the average man of that day1 quite different4 ,the older ,greek hymns1 such as the ,homeric ,hymns1 the ,odes of ,pindar1 the choruses of ,greek tragedy1 were produced in the ,hellenic or pre-,hellenic ages which had been followed by more than two centuries of ,hellenistic culture4 ,dr4 ,edward ,delavan ,perry1 writing of ,hellenistic poetry1 said1 ,other forms of poetry1 particularly the lyric1 both the choral and the 'individual1' died out almost completely4#dj ,there remain1 then1 only the extant hymns of the mystery cults4 ,in spite of many references to the use of singing in connection with these religions1 very few specimens of their hymns actually survive4 ,the mystery religion was a sacramental religion which stressed the approach to ,deity through rite and liturgy after a severe probation and an oath pledging to secrecy4#da ,the leading cults were those associated with ,orpheus1 the ,magna ,mater 7,cybele7 and ,attis1 ,mithra1 ,serapis1 ,isis1 ,adonis1 and especially the ,eleusinian ,mysteries1 which flourished for twelve centuries1 ending with their extinction by the ,christians in #cig4db ,during the period under consideration in this study ,isis was honored in all parts of the ,graeco-,roman world4 ,an authentic hymn to ,isis appears in the writings of ,apuleius 7b4 #abe71 who describes a procession in honor of the goddess and gives the words of the chorus1 closing1 ,thy divine countenance and most holy deity ,i shall guard and keep forever in the secret place of my heart4 ,variants of the ,isis cult hymn or hymns have been preserved in inscriptions2 for example1 a hymn of some fifty lines from ,cyme in ,aeolia1 ,i am ,isis the sovereign of the whole land4#dc ,liturgical survivals of the cult of ,mithra are almost unknown4 ,franz ,cumont1 the great student of ,mithraism1 quotes one hymn fragment only1 ,hail bridegroom1 hail thou new light6#dd ,he is of the opinion1 however1 that the ,manichaean song mentioned by ,augustine1 #ced-dcj1 affords some idea of ,mithraic poetry4 ,the song or hymn in question represents a chief divinity surrounded by twelve minor divinities1 symbolizing the seasons1 all clothed with floral tributes4#de ,cumont also suggests that hero hymns were in existence1 celebrating the exploits of the gods4#df ,the so-called ,liturgy of ,mithra1 a magic formula not considered by ,cumont1 contains hymn fragments1 one of which begins1 ,lord1 hail1 potentate of the water1 hail1 ruler of the earth1 hail1 potentate of the spirit4#dg ,hippolytus1 a presbyter of ,rome who died in #bcf1 in his ,refutation of all ,heresies1 quotes certain hymns in praise of ,attis3 ,whether thou art the race of ,saturn or happy ,jupiter1 and ,i will hymn ,attis1 son of ,rhea4#dh ,here1 as in so many cases1 our information concerning pagan hymns is derived from an opponent1 a ,christian writer and defender of orthodox religion1 but this circumstance in no way affects the validity of the text4 ,for the ,orphic cult which had the longest period of influence1 we possess what may be termed a hymn book containing eighty-seven hymns4 ,it has been variously dated from the third century1 ,b4,c41 to the fourth or fifth century1 ,a4,d4 ,with a mental reservation as to the relevancy of the citations1 we find that some of these hymns in praise of the gods are full of dignity1 for instance1 ,mother of ,gods1 great nurse of all1 draw near1 ,divinely honored1 and regard my prayer4#di ,so debatable is the subject of the ,orphic hymns1 both in respect to date and usage1 that they offer little or no assistance to the student who is interested in a possible influence upon ,christian hymnology4#ej ,sooner or later1 one must turn to the land of ,egypt1 if one desires a complete picture of early ,christian culture4 ,the mystery of the ,egyptian ,isis1 mentioned above1 was one element in the background of the times1 illustrative of the religious syncretism which had been fostered throughout the ,ptolemaic period4 ,the identification of the ,egyptian ,thot with the ,greek ,hermes is reflected in the ,hermetic literature of which the ,poimandres is the oldest known writing4#ea ,from this source a hymn of praise is derived3 ,by thy blessing my spirit is illumined1 and a thanksgiving hymn1 ,holy is ,god1 the ,father of all the universe4#eb ,summarizing the ,greek influence1 both ,hellenic and ,graeco-oriental1 upon ,christian hymnology1 it is difficult1 if not impossible1 to trace any connection between the classic ,greek hymns or the hymns of mystery cults1 and those of the new faith4 ,if more sources were available1 a valid conclusion might be reached4 ,at present1 a tentative conclusion involves the recognition of the vigorous protest and revolt against pagan ideas revealed in contemporary prose writings1 in turn evoked by the actual pressure which was exerted upon ,christianity by alien cults4 ,the twentieth century has produced an impressive literature centered about the mystery religions and the problem of their influence upon ,christianity2 but in the field of hymnology there have been discovered only the faintest of traces4 ,these are wholly stylistic4 ,christian hymns which reveal the characteristics of the repetition of direct address1 or of relative clauses or predicates1 previously mentioned1 illustrate poetic forms which are1 in the final analysis1 oriental rather than ,greek4#ec ,it is a satisfaction to the classicist1 who is interested in the history of this subject1 that the classical meters1 ignored at this period1 were destined to be revived at a later date4 ,they were used to some extent from the fourth century4 ,it was reserved for the court poets of the ,carolingian circle of the ninth century to restore the old lyric meters4 ,the ,sapphic meter in its ,horatian form not only was a favorite among medieval ,latin hymn writers1 but also it has found an occasional imitator in the course of the centuries even to modern times4#ed ,while hymn sources derived from oriental cults are extremely scanty1 those originating in ,gnosticism are much more numerous and suggestive in their relation to ,christian hymnology4 ,gnosticism is not so much the name of a particular philosophy or definite system of belief1 as it is a point of view1 which sought to harmonize the speculative achievement of ,greek thought with the oriental myths and with ,christian teachings4 ,the philosophical interpretation of pagan mythology was extended to ,hebrew and ,christian tradition4 ,thus1 in accordance with the tenets of ,neoplatonism1 the primeval being has produced the universal mind and1 in turn1 mind has produced the soul which in contact with evil phases of matter has lost its original purity4 ,therefore1 the soul must retrace its steps until it reaches the final stage of reunion with the origin of all being4 ,it is easy to understand how a variety of meanings may be read into a simple statement like the above4 ,it is also easy to understand that the possibilities of confusion arising in the first three centuries of ,christian history were matters of the utmost concern to contemporary ,christian writers and dogmatists4 ,the period abounded in heresies and misunderstandings1 to the discussion of which the ablest minds of the ,church were devoted4 ,quotations from these authors furnish many of the extant hymns composed by ,gnostics1 either within or without the ,christian fold4 ,the range of literary excellence1 of spiritual connotation and of intelligibility of subject matter in the so-called ,gnostic hymns is so wide that it is difficult to evaluate them4 ,to the modern reader they vary from the mere rigmarole to the genuinely inspiring hymn4 ,perhaps the best known and certainly one of the loftiest expressions of ,gnostic ideas is the ,hymn of the ,soul1 which is found in the ,apocryphal ,acts of ,thomas4 ,dating from the first half of the third century1 the ,acts of ,thomas recounts the missionary preaching of the ,apostle ,thomas in ,india4 ,while in prison1 he chants this hymn1 beginning1 ,when ,i was an infant child in the palace of my father4#ee ,it has no connection with the narrative but relates in allegorical fashion the return of the soul1 which has been awakened from its preoccupation with earthly matters1 to the higher state of heavenly existence4 ,here is a theme congenial to ,christian thought and orthodox in its theology when extricated from the popular concepts of the times4#ef ,the actual authorship of the ,hymn of the ,soul1 which is found in the ,syriac version of the ,acts alone1 is unknown1 but it has been attributed to some disciple of the ,syrian ,bardesanes1 a ,christian ,gnostic who lived in the second half of the second century4#eg ,there seems to be no doubt that ,bardesanes was himself influential as a hymn writer and that he was representative of a group of poets who were beginning to employ contemporary rhythms set to melodies familiar in daily secular life4#eh ,the ,acts of ,thomas contains a second hymn1 ,the damsel is the daughter of light1 a poem of oriental imagery1 personifying the divine wisdom as a bride4#ei ,the apocryphal ,acts of ,john1 dating from the middle of the second century1 yields a third hymn1 the ,hymn of ,jesus4 ,in the ,gospel narrative of the last supper1 ,jesus and his disciples1 before going to the ,mount of ,olives1 sing a hymn together4 ,it is not identified but is generally believed to be a part of the ,hallel or group of ,passover ,psalms1 #aac-aah4 ,the writer of the ,acts of ,john represents ,jesus as using a new hymn which opens1 ,glory be to ,thee1 ,father4 ,it contains a long series of antitheses1 as follows3 ,i would be saved and ,i would save1 ,i would be loosed and ,i would loose1 ,i would be wounded and ,i would wound1 ,i would be borne and ,i would bear1 etc4 ,the hymn concludes1 ,a way am ,i to thee1 a wayfarer4#fj ,variants of the ,hymn of ,jesus are extant1 one of which has been preserved by ,augustine1 the ,hymn of the ,priscillianists1 which came to him from a correspondent in ,spain4#fa ,hippolytus1 whose ,refutation of all ,heresies has been mentioned in another connection1 discusses the ,gnostic sect of the ,naasenes4 ,he quotes one of their hymns1 beginning1 ,the world's producing law was ,primal ,mind1 in which ,jesus is represented as the guide of mankind to the attainment of celestial knowledge4#fb ,the system of ,valentinus1 a ,gnostic leader1 is also discussed and a psalm of his authorship is quoted3 ,i behold all things suspended in air by spirit1 a didactic presentation of ,gnostic thought4#fc ,it is composed in dactylic meter1 affording another illustration of the adoption of popular rhythms in the hymnology of the heretical sects4 ,a ,gnostic hymn to the ,highest ,god from a third century ,coptic source may be cited3 ,thou art alone the eternal and thou art alone the deep and thou art alone the unknowable1 etc4#fd ,whatever impression may be created upon the modern mind by the perusal of ,gnostic poetry1 its influence was admitted by contemporary ,christians and combatted by every means in their power4 ,the ,gnostic leaders1 unhampered by ,hebrew traditions of religious poetry1 were able to make use of popular forms and popular concepts4 ,they met the trend of the times more than halfway4 ,heretical groups of all varieties of opinion were using hymns as a means of expressing their beliefs and persuading possible adherents4 ,at the opening of the fourth century1 ,arius appeared1 the leader of the group whose theology was rejected at the ,council of ,nicaea1 #cbe1 and whose hymns were met and overcome by the verses of ,ambrose4 ,such was the influence of heretical upon orthodox hymnody4 ,,vi4 ,early ,christian ,hymns ,turning once more to the authentic ,christian hymns of the first three centuries and this time omitting those which appear in liturgical sources1 we observe three distinct linguistic groups1 the ,syriac1 the ,greek and the ,latin4 ,the most familiar of the ,syriac hymns were written by ,ephraem ,syrus 7b4 #cjg71 who strove to counteract the influence of the ,gnostic poets1 especially that of his countryman1 ,bardesanes4 ,strictly speaking1 he belongs to the first half of the fourth century but should be considered by the student who is tracing the continuity of this subject4 ,his hymns are metrical in the sense of having lines with a fixed number of syllables and strophic divisions4 ,an ,easter hymn opens thus3 ,blessed be the ,messiah ,who has given us a hope ,that the dead shall rise again4 ,a hymn for the ,lord's ,day begins1 ,glory be to the good ,who hath honoured and exalted ,the first day of the week4#fe ,it is possible that the hymns of ,ephraem were influenced by the ,syriac ,odes of ,solomon1 discovered in #aiji1 which were produced in the first century4 ,whether the ,odes themselves are of ,gnostic or ,christian origin cannot be definitely asserted but the probability of the latter is strong4 ,for a full discussion of this most interesting but highly controversial topic the work of special commentators must be consulted4#ff ,the intrinsic interest of the collection demands more than a passing comment4 ,ode ,,vi opens1 ,as the hand moves over the harp and the strings speak1 ,so speaks in my members the ,spirit of the ,lord1 and ,i speak by ,his love4#fg ,ode ,,ix1 ,open your ears ,and ,i will speak to you1 ,give me your souls1 ,that ,i may also give you my soul4#fh ,ode ,,xxix1 ,the ,lord is my hope3 ,in ,him ,i shall not be confounded ,for according to ,his praise ,he made me1 ,and according to ,his goodness even so ,he gave unto me4#fi ,ode ,,xxxi1 in which ,jesus speaks1 #f4 ,come forth1 ye that have been afflicted and receive joy #g4 ,and possess your souls by grace2 and take to you immortal life4 #h4 ,and they condemned me when ,i rose up1 me who had not been condemned4 #i4 ,and they divided my spoil though nothing was due to them4#gj ,forty-two in number1 the ,odes reveal a true inspiration1 novel and significant from the religious and the literary standpoint4 ,they preserve the tradition of the ,old ,testament hymns1 yet breathe the spiritual life of the new revelation4 ,their chief interest lies in the possibility that they illustrate a valid ,christian poetry of a very early date4 ,if it is true1 as the editors suggest1 that the ,odes emanate from ,antioch1#ga we have further evidence of the spirit of worship in that city with which early ,christian liturgical forms are so closely associated4 ,the tradition of ,syriac hymnody1 of which these illustrations alone may be given from the early period1 did not come to an end as ,christianity moved westward4 ,it was continued through thirteen centuries and is preserved in the ,nestorian and other branches of the ,syrian ,christian ,church4 ,before the main stream of hymnody in the ,greek language is traced1 two sources from the second century will serve as an introduction4 ,the first of these is the ,epistle to ,diognetus1 by an unknown author1 possibly a catechumen of the ,pauline group4#gb ,it contains four selections1 biblical in their phraseology1 the first three of which express the redemptive mission of the ,son of ,god3 ,as a king sends his son who is also a king1 so sent ,he ,him1 ,he did not regard us with hatred nor thrust us away1 ,he1 being despised by the people4 ,the fourth admonishes the ,christian to union with the mind of ,god1 ,let your heart be your wisdom4#gc ,the second source is a passage from a sermon on ,the ,soul and ,body1 written by ,melito of ,sardis1 a bishop and philosopher who was martyred in #agj4 ,the author pictures all creation aghast at the crucifixion of ,jesus1 saying1 ,what new mystery then is this8 ,the ,judge is judged and holds his peace2 ,the ,invisible one is seen and is not ashamed2 4 4 4 ,the ,celestial is laid in the grave1 and endureth6 ,what new mystery is this8#gd ,whether admissible as a hymn or not1 this passage blends1 in a most striking way1 oriental and ,greek elements employed in the expression of ,christian belief4 ,authentic ,greek hymnody begins with ,clement of ,alexandria1 #agj-bbj4 ,he is the author of a work of instruction for catechumens1 the ,paedagogus1 to which is appended a ,hymn to ,christ the ,savior1 ,hymnos tou soteros ,christou1 beginning1 ,stomion polon4 ,it is a hymn of praise and thanksgiving on the part of those newly received into the ,church4 ,christ is addressed in the familiar oriental imagery of the guide and shepherd1 but the theme is rendered in a poetic style1 which1 by the use of short lines and the anapest1 heightens the effect of ecstatic devotion4 ,bridle of colts untamed1 ,over our wills presiding2 ,flight of unwandering birds1 ,our flight securely guiding1-- -- -- --#ge ,the modern adaptation of ,clement's hymn1 ,shepherd of ,tender ,youth1 by ,henry ,m4 ,dexter1 #ahdf1 while preserving in a measure the spirit of this piece1 in no way reproduces the original4 ,the ,stomion polon of ,clement is representative of a theme which pervades ,christian hymnody in all ages1 the joy and enthusiasm of the initiate or the admonition and encouragement addressed to the ,christian who stands upon the threshold of a new life4 ,the ,odes of ,solomon have been interpreted in these terms4#gf ,again1 the theme is preserved in the so-called ,amherst papyrus1 which consists of a hymn of twenty-five tripartite lines1 a catechism or liturgy for the newly baptized4 ,originating in the third century1 it appears in fragmentary form but sufficiently complete to make clear its language and purport1 as illustrated in the following3#gg ,that thou mayest receive life eternal ,thou hast escaped the hard law of the unjust 444 4 4 4 ,seek to live with the saints1 seek to receive life1 ,seek to escape the fire4 ,hold the hope that thou hast learnt4 ,the day that the master has appointed for thee is known to no man4 4 4 4 ,tell the glad tidings unto children saying3 the poor have received the kingdom1 the children are the inheritors4#gh ,the ,amherst papyrus is a part of the new store of knowledge from antiquity which has been opened up within recent years by the discovery and study of papyri4 ,this branch of archaeology and palaeography has made available new fields of research in the study of early ,christianity hitherto unfamiliar4 ,in #aibj1 among the ,oxyrhynchus papyri was discovered a fragment of a ,christian hymn4 ,it appears on the back of a strip which records a grain account of the first half of the third century4 ,the hymn has a musical setting1 the earliest example of ,christian church music extant4 ,the fragment consists of the conclusion only1 so that the length and subject matter of the hymn as a whole are unknown4 ,creation is enjoined to praise ,father1 ,son and ,holy ,ghost1 in the form of a doxology4 ,the meter is anapestic and purely quantitative4#gi ,the ,hymn of ,thekla1 ,anothen parthenoi1 appears in the ,banquet of the ,ten ,virgins1 a work of ,methodius1 ,bishop of ,olympus and ,patara in ,lydia1 who was martyred at ,chalcis in #cab4 ,it is a hymn of twenty-four stanzas sung by ,thekla1 each followed by a refrain sung by the chorus1 ,i keep myself pure for ,thee1 ,o ,bridegroom1 and holding a lighted torch ,i go to meet ,thee4#hj ,once more1 a traditional theme in ,christian hymnody is set forth1 familiar from biblical as well as classical connotations and perpetuated either in the praise of virginity or in the form of the mystic union of ,christ and the ,church4 ,it is customary in presenting the subject of ,greek hymn writers to pass from ,clement of ,alexandria to ,gregory of ,nanzianzus and ,synesius of ,cyrene1 poets of the fourth century who mark the beginning of a new era beyond the limits of this study4 ,they are mentioned here only as a reminder of the long succession of great poets who created and maintained ,greek hymnody throughout the ancient and medieval centuries4 ,contemporary with the development of ,greek hymns1 the literature of the ,church was moving toward its destination in ,latin culture4 ,as ,latin became a liturgical language the service hymns1 already cited1 appeared in their ,latin form4 ,perhaps this is one reason why the production of original ,latin hymns was so long postponed4 ,it was not until the middle of the fourth century that the hymns of ,hilary of ,poitiers1 the first ,latin hymn writer1 appeared4 ,his authentic hymns are three in number3 ,o ,thou who dost exist before time is a hymn of seventy verses in honor of the ,trinity1 ,the ,incarnate ,word hath deceived thee1 7,death7 an ,easter hymn1 and ,in the person of the ,heavenly ,adam1 a hymn on the theme of the temptation of ,jesus4#ha ,hilary1 like his ,greek contemporaries1 stands at the beginning of a new era1 but it was ,ambrose1 and not he1 who inaugurated the tradition of the medieval ,latin hymn4 ,so far no mention has been made of the fact that the early period of ,christian history was characterized by persecution4 ,as a rule sporadic and intermittent1 it was periodically severe4 ,at all times ,christians1 if not actually persecuted1 were objects of suspicion to the ,roman government4 ,we owe to the official zeal of ,pliny the ,younger1 who was a proconsul in ,bithynia in #aab1 our first glimpse of ,christian worship from the point of view of the outsider4 ,in a letter to the ,emperor ,trajan on the subject of the ,christians1 he says that1 as a part of their service at sunrise1 they chanted a hymn1 antiphonally1 to ,christ as a ,god4#hb ,speculation as to the identity of this hymn has never ceased among students4 ,leclercq summarizes the theories as follows3 ,it is a morning hymn later attributed to ,hilary4 ,it is the morning hymn of the ,greek liturgy4 ,it is the morning hymn of the ,apostolic ,constitutions4 ,it is the ,great ,doxology4#hc ,since they are all unsatisfactory as identifications1 we remain in ignorance on this point4 ,a recent study of ,pliny's letter by ,casper ,j4 ,kraemer1 a classicist1 proposes the translation of the words carmen dicere1 to chant a psalm4#hd ,this most interesting suggestion is in thorough harmony with our knowledge of the continuity of the use of the psalms in public worship at this time4 ,,vii4 ,conclusion ,reviewing the total pagan influence1 both ,greek and ,latin1 upon ,christian hymnody1 it must be understood that1 in comparison with ,semitic pressure in its wider implication1 as well as the strictly ,hebraic1 pagan influence was relatively slight4 ,it was a matter of centuries before the ,hebrew psalms were permitted any rivals whatever in the usage of worship1 except other biblical citations or such poems as might be produced by unquestioned churchmen4 ,even these were sparingly used1 for psalmi idiotici1 as the novel and original compositions were called1 were forbidden by the ,church and a new hymnody was thus stifled at its very birth4 ,in a period of confusion marked by the rival use of hymns on the part of the orthodox and non-orthodox1 it was felt that worship must be safeguarded4 ,only after the appearance of the modern vernacular languages in ,europe in the period of the ninth century1 when the liturgy had been set apart in the ,latin tongue1 was any real freedom permitted in the composition of new hymns4 ,by that time the clergy were the poets and ,latin their chosen medium of expression4#he ,by the time of ,ambrose in the fourth century1 however1 ,greek and oriental elements had long since merged in other aspects of civilization and1 in the course of time1 ,christian hymns felt the effect of a universal development4 ,there was a certain departure from biblical models and an emancipation from the old poetic forms in favor of the trend toward accent and rhyme4 ,after all1 a new religion had come into existence which demanded an authentic expression of a spiritual aspiration beyond that of the ,old ,testament models1 just as ,isaac ,watts in the eighteenth century turned from the tradition of psalmody to an original presentment of the new revelation in ,christ4 ,are we to suppose that the ,christians in the ,mediterranean world of the first three centuries1 representing the average inhabitant of these lands1 had no hymns except those cited above8 ,or others like them8 ,if they had1 we are unacquainted with them4 ,it is fair to assume that secular poetry and music eventually exerted an influence upon hymnody4 ,at least the beginning of such influence was apparent in the adoption of popular meters by heretical poets1 as well as by the orthodox4#hf ,later1 ,ambrose perpetuated aspects of popular verse and perhaps music as well4#hg ,but there is no evidence at hand to support the assumption of a popular hymnody enjoyed either in connection with worship or independently of it4 ,the problem of music is outside the province of this paper but is involved in any serious study of hymnology at any period of its development4 ,here the student is almost totally at a loss for manuscript evidence bearing musical notation from the primitive period4 ,the ,oxyrhynchus hymn is a solitary example4#hh ,this does not mean that the subject is altogether obscure4 ,many statements about ,christian practice1 inspired by biblical precedent1 are found in patristic literature4 ,the traditions both of ,hebrew music and of the early ,church are well known4 ,it seems clear that melody only was employed and that it was1 for the most part1 unaccompanied4 ,instrumentation was opposed and forbidden in public worship of a liturgical nature4#hi ,no student can leave the consideration of early ,christian hymnology without a sense of defeat4 ,the past cannot be forced to yield the hidden knowledge of which it is the custodian4 ,sources are very scanty1 especially in proportion to other literary remains of early ,christianity4 ,specifically1 there is no collection of hymns in existence which might correspond to a modern hymnary4 ,on the contrary1 isolated examples or groups appear from place to place and from time to time in varied forms4 ,but in one respect our evidence is sure1 if not complete4 ,springing from the culture and the vicissitudes of the age1 ,christian hymns of the early ,church1 as in every other stage of its development1 not only express the spiritual aspiration of the time but also respond to the challenge of a new day4 #a;,h4 ,le,clercq1 ,hymnes1 ,dictionnaire ,d' ,archeologie ,chretienne1 etc4 7,paris1 ,letouzey1 #aibe71 vol4 #af1 #bhbf-bibh2 ,part ,i1 ,hymnographie des trois premiers siecles1 #bhbf-bhei4 #b;,c4 ,s4 ,phillips1 ,hymnody1 ,past and ,present 7,london1 ,s4 ,p4 ,c4 ,k41 #aicg74 #c;,j4 ,kroll1 ,die ,hymnendichtung des fruehen ,christentums1 ,die ,antike1 #b 7#aibf71 #beh-bha4 #d;,j4 ,mearns1 ,canticles of the ,christian ,church 7,cambridge1 ,un4 ,press1 #aiad71 #a2 ,f4 ,cabrol1 ,cantiques1 ,dictionnaire ,d' ,archeologie ,chretienne1 etc41 vol4 #b 7#b71 #aigf4 #e;,all biblical passages quoted in this paper are given in the ,king ,james ,version of the ,english ,bible4 #f,r4 ,h4 ,charles1 ,the ,apocrypha and ,pseudepigrapha of the ,old ,testament 7,oxford1 ,clarendon ,press1 #aiac71 vol4 ,i1 #fbg-fbi4 #g;,j4 ,mearns1 op4 cit4 7see note #d71 #a4 #h;,f4 ,cabrol1 op4 cit4 7see note #d71 #aigf-aigg4 #i;,j4 ,julian1 ,dictionary of ,hymnology 7,london1 ,john ,murray1 #ahib71 ,canons1 #dfa1 #dfc4 #aj,quotations from the ,psalms are not included in this paper4 #aa;,c4 ,h4 ,toy1 ,quotations in the ,new ,testament 7,new ,york1 ,scribners1 #ahhd71 #aii-bjj4 #ab;,e4 ,f4 ,scott1 ,the ,pastoral ,epistles 7,new ,york1 ,harper1 no date71 #ad4 #ac;,j4 ,kroll1 op4 cit4 7see note #c71 #bfd4 #ad,m4 ,dibelius1 ,a ,fresh ,approach to the ,new ,testament and ,early ,christian ,literature 7,new ,york1 ,scribners1 #aicf71 #bdg4 #ae,r4 ,reitzenstein1 ,die ,hellenistischen ,mysterienreligionen 7,leipzig1 ,teubner1 #aibg71 #crd edition1 #che4 #af;,g4 ,d4 ,kellogg1 ,the ,ancient ,art of ,poetic ,improvisation1 a paper read at the meeting of the ,classical ,association of the ,atlantic ,states1 ,april #bf1 #aidj2 ,j4 ,kroll1 op4 cit4 7see note #c71 #bei4 #ag;,contra ,haereses1 ,,iii1 xvii1 #b2 ,migne 7,,pg71 ,,vii1 #ibi-icj4 ,for a recent commentator1 see ,f4 ,j4 ,foakes-,jackson1 ,the ,acts of the ,apostles 7,london1 ,hodder and ,stoughton1 #aica71 #aj-ac4 #ah,note the citation1 ,i ,tim4 #f3ae-af1 supra1 p4 #g1 in which the repetition of the relative clause produces a stylistic effect4 #ai;,justin ,martyr1 ,apologia pro ,christianis1 #fg2 ,migne 7,,pg71 ,,vi1 #dcj4 ,translation from ,ante-,nicene ,fathers 7,new ,york1 ,scribners1 #ahii71 ,i1 #ad4 #bj;,didache1 xiv2 ,translation from ,ante-,nicene ,fathers1 ,,vii1 #cha4 #ba;,apostolic ,constitutions1 ,,ii1 lvii2 ,translation from ,ante-,nicene ,fathers1 ,,vii1 #dba-dbb4 #bb;,ante-,nicene ,fathers1 ,,vii1 #cga-cgf2 ,catholic ,encyclopedia1 ,,iv1 #ggi;f2 ,encyclopedia ,britannica1 eleventh edition1 ,,vii-,,viii1 #bji;f4 #bc;,didache1 ix2 ,translation from ,ante-,nicene ,fathers1 ,,vii1 #chj4 #bd;,hymnody ,past and ,present1 #af-ag4 #be;,f4 ,e4 ,brightman1 ,liturgies1 ,eastern and ,western 7,oxford1 ,clarendon ,press1 #ahif71 vol4 ,i1 ,introduction1 xvii-xxix4 #bf;,f4 ,e4 ,brightman1 supra1 xxix2 see also ,b4 ,s4 ,easton1 ,the ,apostolic ,tradition of ,hippolytus 7,cambridge1 ,un4 ,press1 #aicd71 #ab4 #bg,l4 ,eisenhofer1 ,handbuch der katholischen ,liturgik1 vol4 ,i1 ,allgemeine ,liturgik 7,freiburg im ,b41 ,herder1 #aicb71 #aej-aeb4 #bh;,apostolic ,constitutions1 ,,vii1 #dg4 #bi,supra1 ,,vii1 #dh4 #cj,supra1 ,,vii1 #di4 #ca,translations from ,ante-,nicene ,fathers1 ,,vii1 #ech1 #edd4 #cb,liber de spiritu sancto1 xxix1 #gc2 ,migne 7,,pg71 ,,xxxii1 #bje4 ,see also ,j4 ,mearns1 op4 cit4 7see note #d71 #af4 #cc,translation by ,robert ,bridges1 ,yattendon ,hymnal 7,london1 ,oxford ,un4 ,press1 #aibj71 no4 #hh4 #cd,r4 ,m4 ,pope1 ,latin ,hymns of the ,early ,period1 ,theology1 #ba 7#aicj71 #aei2 ,catholic ,encyclopedia1 ,te deum1 ,,xiv1 #dfh-dgj2 ,c4 ,w4 ,douglas1 ,church ,music in ,history and ,practice 7,new ,york1 ,scribners1 #aicg71 #aeh-afj4 #ce;,f4 ,cabrol1 op4 cit4 7see note #d71 especially ,part ,,ii1 ,les cantiques anciens1 #aigf-aigg4 #cf;,e4 ,norden1 ,agnostos ,theos 7,leipzig1 ,teubner1 #aiac71 #bgf4 #cg,translation from ,book of ,common ,prayer 7,prot4 ,epis4 ,church1 ,u4 ,s4 ,a471 #hd4 ,similar effects were apparent in ,i ,tim4 #f3ae-af1 ,i ,tim4 #c3af1 ,i ,peter #b3bb-be1 quoted above4 #ch,k4 ,keyssner1 ,gottesvorstellung und ,lebensauffassung in griechischen ,hymnus 7,stuttgart1 ,kohlhammer1 #aicb74 ,in his index ,keyssner lists #gb known authors of all periods1 #cg anonymous pieces 7some fragments71 and #bb magical formulae or collections4 #ci;,e4 ,h4 ,blakeney1 ,hymn of ,cleanthes 7,london1 ,s4 ,p4 ,c4 ,k41 #aiba71 #h4 #dj;,e4 ,d4 ,perry1 ,preface to ,a4 ,koerte1 ,hellenistic ,poetry1 translated by ,j4 ,hammer and ,m4 ,hadas 7,new ,york1 ,col4 ,un4 ,press1 #aibi71 vii4 #da,s4 ,angus1 ,religious ,quests of the ,graeco-,roman ,world 7,new ,york1 ,scribners1 #aibi71 #gf4 #db,supra1 #gg1 #hf1 #hg4 #dc,metamorphoses1 xi1 #be4 ,translation from ,s4 ,angus1 ,mystery ,religions and ,christianity 7,new ,york1 ,scribners1 #aibe71 #bdj-bda4 ,for the hymn from ,cyme see ,p4 ,roussel1 ,un nouvel ,hymne a ,isis1 ,revue des ,etudes grecques1 #db 7#aibi71 #ach4 #dd;,cited by ,firmicus ,maternus1 ,de errore profanarum religionum1 #bj2 ,migne 7,,pl71 ,,xii1 #ajbe2 ,f4 ,cumont1 ,textes et ,monuments ,figures relatifs aux ,mysteres de ,mithra 7,bruxelles1 ,lamertin1 #ahii71 vol4 ,i1 #cac4 #de;,contra ,faustum1 xv1 #e2 ,migne 7,,pl71 xlii1 #cjg4 #df;,cumont1 op4 cit4 7see note #dd71 #cjb4 #dg;,a4 ,dieterich1 ,eine ,mithrasliturgie 7,leipzig1 ,teubner1 #aibc71 #ad2 ,translation from ,s4 ,angus1 op4 cit4 7see note #dc71 #bda4 #dh,philosophumena1 ,v1 iv2 ,die griechischen christlichen ,schriftsteller der ersten drei ,jahrhunderte1 ,hippolytus1 vol4 iii1 edited by ,paul ,wendland 7,leipzig1 ,hinrich1 #aiaf71 #ii-ajj4 ,translation from ,ante-,nicene ,fathers1 ,v1 #ef-eg4 #di,t4 ,taylor1 ,the ,mystical ,hymns of ,orpheus 7,london1 ,dobell and ,reeves ,turner1 #ahif71 #fc4 #ej;,j4 ,geffeken1 ,der ,ausgang des griechisch-roemischen ,heidentums 7,heidelberg1 ,winter1 #aibi71 #ah2 ,m4 ,hauck1 ,die hymnorum ,orphicorum aetate 7,dissertation1 ,breslau1 #aiaa72 ,o4 ,kern1 ,die ,herkunft des ,orphischen ,hymnenbuch in ,carl ,robert zum #h4 ,maerz #aiaj ,genethliakon 7,berlin1 ,weidmann1 #aiaj74 #ea,r4 ,reitzenstein1 ,poimandres 7,leipzig1 ,teubner1 #aijd71 #ei1 #cdg;f4 #eb,translations from ,s4 ,angus1 ,mystery ,religions and ,christianity1 #bda-bdb4 #ec,phillips1 ,hymnody ,past and ,present1 #ac4 #ed,ut queant laxis resonare fibris 7,paulus ,diaconus1 d4 #gii72 ,herzliebster ,jesu1 was hast du verbrochen 7,johann ,heerman1 #afcj72 ,where is the ,friend for whom ,i'm ever yearning 7,johann ,wallin1 #aggi-ahci74 #ee;,acts of ,thomas1 ,,ix1 #ajh4 ,translation from ,m4 ,r4 ,james1 ,the ,apocryphal ,new ,testament 7,oxford1 ,clarendon ,press1 #aibd71 #daa4 ,see also ,b4 ,pick1 ,the ,apocryphal ,acts 7,chicago1 ,open ,court ,pub4 ,co41 #aiji71 #cab4 #ef;,according to ,pick op4 cit4 7see note #ee71 #cab1 it is a ,gnostic development of ,phil4 #b3e-aa4 #eg,o4 ,bardenhewer1 ,patrology1 translated from the #bnd edition by ,t4 ,j4 ,shahan 7,freiburg im ,b41 ,herder1 #aijh71 #ajg4 #eh;,j4 ,kroll1 op4 cit4 7see note #c71 #bgj4 #ei;,acts of ,thomas1 ,i1 #f4 ,translation from ,m4 ,r4 ,james1 op4 cit4 7see note #ee71 #cfg4 #fj;,acts of ,john1 #id1 #ie4 ,translation from ,m4 ,r4 ,james1 op4 cit4 7see note #ee71 #bbh1 #bec4 #fa;,augustine1 ,epistula ccxxxvii2 ,migne 7,,pl71 xxxiii1 #ajcd4 ,see also ,leclercq1 op4 cit4 7see note #a71 #bhda4 #fb,philosophumena1 v1 #e2 ,text1 op4 cit4 7see note #dh71 #ajb4 ,translation from ,ante-,nicene ,fathers1 ,v1 #eh4 #fc,philosophumena1 vi1 #cb2 ,text1 op4 cit4 7see note #dh71 #afg4 ,translation from ,ante-,nicene ,fathers1 ,v1 #ia4 #fd;,e4 ,norden1 op4 cit4 7see note #cf71 #fi4 #fe;,h4 ,burgess1 ,select ,metrical ,hymns and ,homilies of ,ephraem ,syrus 7,london1 ,blackader1 #ahec71 #gg-hc4 #ff;,j4 ,r4 ,harris ,a4 ,mingana1 ,the ,odes and ,psalms of ,solomon1 vol4 ,i1 ,text2 ,,ii1 ,translation 7,manchester1 ,un4 ,press1 #aiaf-aibj71 ,,ii1 #fi1 #ahg-ahi1 #aig2 ,j4 ,r4 ,harris1 ,odes and ,psalms of ,solomon 7,cambridge1 ,un4 ,press1 #aiji71 #a-ae2 ,m4 ,dibelius1 op4 cit4 7see note #ad71 #bdh-bea2 ,j4 ,kroll1 op4 cit4 7see note #c71 #bfe-bfh4 #fg;,harris ,mingana1 ,odes and ,psalms of ,solomon1 ,,ii1 #bcb4 #fh,supra1 #bei4 #fi,supra1 #cfb4 #gj,supra1 #cfi4 #ga,supra1 #fi4 #gb;,ante-,nicene ,fathers1 ,i1 #bc4 #gc;,chapters vii1 ix1 x1 xii4 ,translation from ,ante-,nicene ,fathers1 ,i1 #bg1 #bh1 #bi1 #cj4 #gd,translation from ,ante-,nicene ,fathers1 ,,viii1 #gef4 #ge,poetical translation from ,ante-,nicene ,christian ,library 7,edinburgh1 ,clark1 #ahfg71 ,,iv1 #cdc1 by ,william ,wilson4 ,a familiar poetical translation is found in ,b4 ,pick1 ,hymns and ,poetry of the ,eastern ,church 7,new ,york1 ,eaton ,mains1 #aijh71 #ba4 #gf;,harris ,mingana1 op4 cit4 7see note #ff71 #ahg4 #gg;,b4 ,f4 ,grenfell ,a4 ,s4 ,hunt1 ,amherst ,papyri 7,london1 ,frowde1 #aijj-aija71 #bc2 ,leclercq1 op4 cit4 7see note #a71 #bhec;f4 #gh,translation from ,p4 ,d4 ,scott-,moncrieff1 ,paganism and ,christianity 7,cambridge1 ,un4 ,press1 #aiac71 #hc-hd4 #gi;,b4 ,f4 ,grenfell ,a4 ,s4 ,hunt1 ,oxyrhynchus ,papyri1 ,pt4 ,,xv 7,london1 ,oxford ,un4 ,press1 #aibb71 no4 #aghf1 #ba-bb2 also ,preface4 #hj,symposion ton deka parthenon1 xi1 #b2 ,migne 7,,pg71 ,,xviii1 #bjg-bad2 ,translation from ,ante-,nicene ,fathers1 ,,vi1 #cea4 #ha,w4 ,n4 ,myers1 ,the ,hymns of ,saint ,hilary of ,poitiers in the ,codex ,aretinus 7,philadelphia1 ,un4 of ,penn41 #aibh71 #ab1 #bi1 #ec1 #fg4 ,for a discussion of other hymns attributed to ,hilary see supra1 p4 #ad and ,a4 ,s4 ,walpole1 ,early ,latin ,hymns 7,cambridge1 ,un4 ,press1 #aibb71 #a-d4 #hb;,epistulae1 x1 #if4 #hc,leclercq1 op4 cit4 7see note l71 #bhcg-bhch4 #hd;,c4 ,j4 ,kraemer1 ,pliny and the ,early ,church ,worship1 ,classical ,philology #bi 7#aicd71 #bic-cjj4 #he;,h4 ,f4 ,muller1 ,pre-,history of the ,mediaeval ,drama1 ,zeitschrift f4 romanische ,philologie #dd 7#aibd71 #edd-ege4 #hf;,j4 ,kroll1 op4 cit4 7see note #c71 #bgc-bgd4 #hg;,e4 ,norden1 ,die ,literatur1 in ,vom ,altertum zur ,gegenwart 7,leipzig1 ,teubner1 #aiba71 #da-di4 #hh;,grenfell ,hunt1 op4 cit4 7see note #gi71 #bb4 ,there are #h recognizable notes in the ,diatonic ,hypolydian key of ,alypius4 ,the mode is ,hypophrygian or ,iastian4 #hi;,j4 ,quasten1 ,musik und ,gesang in den ,kulten der heidnischen ,antike und christlichen ,fruehzeit 7,muenster im ,w41 ,aschendorff1 #aicj71 ch4 iv4 ,transcriber's ,notes --,in the text version1 italicized words are delimited by underscore characters4 --,in the text versions1 ,greek words are delimited by curly brackets1 and transliterated according to ,distributed ,proofreaders conventions4 ,note that circumflexes 7which mark long vowels7 appear in ,latin-#a but are lost in ,,ascii translation4