Laus Sabbati Sancti
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THE HARROWING OF HELL HEC LAUS SABBATI SANCTI This, the best known of the Perugian laude drammatiche, is found in three manuscripts: Perugia, Biblioteca Augusta 955, ff. 47v-49r [mod. num., with the rest of f. 49 and both sides of f. 50 blank] (P), copied for the Confraternity of Sant’Andrea of Perugia, around the middle of the fourteenth century; Rome, Biblioteca Vallicelliana, A.22, ff. 94r-98v [mod. num.] (V), copied at the beginning of the fifteenth century, perhaps for the Confraternity of San Fiorenzo in Perugia, a palimpsest worn from use and marked by occasional drops of wax; and Assisi, Archivio Capitolare di San Rufino, ex Archivio di Santo Stefano, MS 36, ff. 97v-100v (R), transcribed by the Luca Ercolani, a priest in Assisi between 1380 and 1400. P contains only lines 1-168; V contains the texts edited here; and R contains no reference to Christ’s appearance to his Mother before he appears to the Women in the Garden. The text must have been substantially contaminated before the great laudari P and V were compiled around the middle of the fourteenth century, because the lauda as we have it now is clearly the result of an amalgamation from two originally independent laude, and an imperfect amalgamation at that. The scene in which Christ sends the Good Thief to Heaven is given both in the first part (which consists of six-line stanzas, “a modo passionale”) and in the second part (which consists of eight-line stanzas “a modo pasquale”). The source of the first part, to line 264, is the Gospel of Nicodemus, an apocryphal work dating to about the fourth century. The dramatist has done little more than versify the very dramatic narrative of the Latin A version of that work, Chapters XVIII-XXVII. The second part is a much freer treatment of the same subject. HEC LAUS SABBATI SANCTI THE PLAY FOR EASTER SATURDAY SANCTI existentes in Limbo. Fiat lux: The RIGHTEOUS in Limbo. Let there be light. Quiste lume mo’ venute These lights1 which have just appeared procedon da quilla fontana originate from that fount che ne promise la salute that promised us the salvation de tutta quanta gente umana. of all Humankind. Però ciascuno aggia buon cuore So let each of us be of good heart ché questo è l’alto suo splendore. 6 for this is his great splendour. ISAIAS: ISAIAH: Quisto è ’l lume del giocondo This is the light of the joyful Figliuol del Pate ch’è nel cielo, Son of the Father in Heaven del quale io disse, essendo al mondo, of whom I spoke, when I was on earth, che ne lustrava con gran zelo. that he would cleanse us with great zeal. Or ecco mo’ che n’ha lustrate, Now behold that he has cleansed us essendo ell’ombra dei peccate. 12 from the shadow of our sins.2 Laus Sabbati Sancti, Medieval Studies, 1999, p. 2 SIMEON: SIMEON: Io, l’antico Simeone, I, ancient Simeon, al tempio el tolse en glie mieie braccia, took him in my arms in the temple, e quando apresentato fone, and when he was presented there, resguardando ella sua faccia, looking into his face disse: “Gli occhie mieie hon vedute I said: “Mine eyes have seen de tutto el mondo la salute!” 18 the salvation of the whole world.”3 Iterum: SIMEON continues: Chi se’ tu con faccia lieta Who are you with the cheerful face che mostre a noie tanta onestade? that does us such honour? IOHANNES BAPTISTA: JOHN THE BAPTIST: Io so’ la luce, anco ’l profeta I am the light4 and also the prophet de quilla alta maëstade, of that great majesty. ch’al monde venne ’ aparecchiare I came into the world to prepare la sua via per l’uom salvare. 24 his way to save mankind. IOHANNES: JOHN continues: Ma quando el vidde a me venire But when I saw him come to me per batizzare ell’alto fiume, to be baptized in the deep river, con alegrezza el prese a dire: I began to say joyfully, “Quisto è quillo eternal lume, “This is the eternal light, agnol de Dio, qua giù mandato, the Lamb of God, sent down to us per trare el mondo dal peccato.” 30 to lead the world away from sin.”5 Iterum: JOHN continues: E batizzato con afetto, And when I had lovingly baptized him, udie gridar lo Spirtu Santo: I heard the Holy Spirit shout: “Quisto è ’l mio Figliuol deletto “This is my beloved Son en cuie m’è compiaciuto tanto.” in whom I am well pleased.”6 Però io vengo a darve segno Therefore I come to give you proof che tosto ve darà ’l suo regno. 36 that soon he will give you his kingdom. OMNES SANCTI: ALL THE RIGHTEOUS: Senza dubio ciascun sia Let no man remain in doubt che vesiterà noie, suoie amice, that he will visit us, his friends, sì co’ el disse Moïsie just as Moses said e Giovagne ancora el dice, and as John says now, e ciascun ne sia sceguro and every man now be sure che ne trarà de quisto scuro. 42 that he will lead us out of this darkness.7 Laus Sabbati Sancti, Medieval Studies, 1999, p. 3 SATAN ad Infernum veniens ab extra: SATAN to Infernus,8 coming in from outside: Tosto t’aparecchia, Enferno, Get ready quickly, Infernus per quillo che s’è già gloriato for him who has already boasted ch’è Figliuol de Dio Eterno that he is the Son of Eternal God ed hamme ’l popol mio turbato, and has disrupted my people, e fesse tristo molto forte and he became very wretched vedendo apressar la morte. 48 at the sight of death approaching. Iterum: SATAN continues: Esso è stato sempre averso He has always been opposed de la mia somma potenza, to my supreme power, ed alcun ch’io avea converso and some whom I had converted a luie ha fatto reverenza, have bowed down to him, e molte de quiglie che n’avate and many of those whom you held per suo mal fare glie n’ha furate. 54 he has wickedly stolen from us. INFERNUS ad eum: INFERNUS to him: Chi è quisto uom de tal fortezza Who is this man of such strength che teme morte e te contrasta? that he fears death and yet defies you? Saem ch’onn’uom, per tua prodezza, We know that by your prowess no man non può fuggire la tua dura asta, can flee your sharp lance, ché quanto è stato al mondo forte and however mighty he was on earth a noi l’hai dato per la morte. 60 you have delivered him to us to die. Iterum: INFERNUS continues: Adonqua, si se’ sì potente, Well, if you are so mighty, anyone biene è forte chi t’ofende! who opposes you must be very strong! E veramente è onnipotente And truly he is omnipotent che te per suoie parole prende, if he conquers you with his words, dicendo ch’eglie aggia paura saying that he is afraid d’una morte tanto dura. 66 of such a harsh death. SATAN ad Infernum: SATAN to Infernus: De luie già non dubitare, Do not be afraid of him, ch’io el tentaie ello deserto, for I tempted him in the desert e mo’ gli ho fatto aparecchiare and just now I have prepared la croce, dua ei sarà uferto, the cross where he will be offered up e menerollo a te legato and I shall bring him to you bound, per la virtù mia conculcato. 72 and trampled by my virtue. Laus Sabbati Sancti, Medieval Studies, 1999, p. 4 INFERNUS: INFERNUS: Tu ne dice che n’ha tolte You say that he’s taken from us de quieie che tu qua giù renchiude? some of those whom you keep imprisoned down here? Respondet SATAN: SATAN replies: Biene alcun! N’ha tolte molte, Not just some! He’s taken many, ma non che sia per sua vertude, but not by virture of his own powers, ma per lo suo orare espresso but by virtue of his express prayer l’Alto Edio glie l’ha commesso. 78 Almighty God granted it to him. INFERNUS: INFERNUS Ma egli colla sua parola But by his own word senza prece gli ha refatte, without prayer he restored them, e come aquila che vola and as swift as an eagle glie lor legame ha già desfatte, he broke their bonds e colla lor molta alegrezza and with their great rejoicing hon rotta tutta mia fortezza. 84 they totally destroyed my power. Iterum: INFERNUS continues: Seria quisto quil che trasse Could this be the man who raised Lazzaro morto de quattro dine, Lazarus, dead four days before, e come ucello che via volasse, and swift as a bird in flight tra tutte noie de fuore uscine? he appeared among us? Essendo el corpo già fetente Although his corpse was already rotting, rendèlo vivo ai suoie parente. 90 he returned him alive to his family. SATAN: SATAN: Veramente è quisto esso, Indeed it is he, e tisto non è el primo male. and that’s not the worst of the matter. INFERNUS ei: INFERNUS says to him: Noie te scongiuramo espresso We beseech you now expressly, per la tua sedia principale, by virtue of your princely throne, per la vertù qual è en tene, by virtue of the powers within you, ch’a me coluie nonne vïene, 96 that he should not come before me, Laus Sabbati Sancti, Medieval Studies, 1999, p.