T. S. Eliot lamented the lost familiarity with the beautiful sonnets of Jean de la Ceppede, from the late 1500’s. He called de la Creppede the Poet of the Passion of Christ.
In order better to appreciate both his art and the depth of his religious feeling, read the striking sonnet that reflects upon just two words of Scripture, Pilate’s line “Ecce homo,” “Behold the Man.”
Voicy-l’Homme, ô mes yeux, quel obiect deplorable!
Behold the Man, o my eyes, what a deplorable sight!
La honte, le veiller, la faute d’aliment,
Shame, sleeplessness, lack of food,
Les douleurs et le sang perdu si largement
Sorrows, and blood lost in great quantity
L’ont bien tant déformé qu’il n’est plus désirable.
Have left him so deformed that he is no longer desirable.
Ces cheveux (l’ornement de son chef vénérable)
That hair (the ornament of his venerable head)
Sanglantez, herissez, par ce couronnement,
Bloodied, stood on end by this coronation,
Embrouillez dans ces ioncs, servent indignement
Tangled in these reeds, serve unworthily
A son test ulcéré d’une haye execrable.
To his injured head as an execrable fence.
Ces yeux (tantost si beaux) rébatus, r’enfoncez,
Those eyes (once so lovely) beaten, retreated,
Ressalis, sont, hélas! deux Soleils éclipsés.
Sunken in, are, alas, two eclipsed Suns.
Le coral de sa bouche est ores iaune-pasle.
The coral of his mouth is now pale yellow.
Les roses et les lys de son teint son flétris.
The roses and lilies of his skin are faded.
Le reste de son Corps est de couleur d’Opale,
The rest of his Body is the color of Opal,
Tant de la teste aux pieds ses membres sont meurtris.
So bruised are his members from head to feet.
To meditate upon the various scenes of the Passion in the company of Jean de La Ceppède’s Théorèmes sur le sacré mystère de nostre Rédemption is to be made attuned to the very words of Holy Scripture. The work is, therefore, a splendid instance of the poet’s craft serving the life of contemplation, the life of conversation with God.
L’amour l’a de l’Olympe icy bas fait descendre:
Love is what made him from Olympus descend:
L’amour l’a fait de l’homme endosser le peché:
Love made him shoulder the sins of men:
L’amour luy a des-ja tout son sang fait espandre:
Love has had him already spill all his blood:
L’amour l’a fair souffrir qu’on ait sur luy craché:
Love made him suffer to be spitted upon:
L’amour a ces haliers à son chef attaché:
Love attached these spines to his head:
L’amour fait que sa Mere à ce bois le void pendre:
Love made his Mother see him hang from this wood:
L’amour a dans ses mains ces rudes cloux fiché:
Love fixed these rude nails in his hands:
L’amour le va tantost dans le sepulchre estendre.
Love will soon see him laid out in the grave.
Son amour est si grand, son amour est si fort
His love is so great, his love is so strong
Qu’il attaque l’Enfer, qu’il terrasse la mort,
That he attacks Hell, that he strikes down death,
Qu’il arrache à Pluton sa fidele Euridice.
That he rips from Pluto his faithful Eurydice.
Belle pour qui ce beau meurt en vous bien-aimant:
My dear, for whom this hero dies loving you:
Voyez s’il fut iamais un si cruel supplice,
See if there has ever been so cruel a torment,
Voyez s’il fut iamais un si parfait Amant.
See if there has ever been so perfect a lover.
Thanks to the reflections of Dr. Christopher O Blum of Thomas More College of Liberal Arts, Merrimack, New Hampshire.The Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary would be the perfect way to dedepen the Easter joy and beauty of these three days. What do you think? Would be honored to know and hear from you.
Happy Easter!
Tagged as: literature, The Passion
