Bibliotheca Arnamagnæana - 01.06.1968, Síða 301
PREDICASTI DEI CARE - NUNC LUCE ALMA
His starting-point probably was the Breviarium liturgy for Domi-
nica inter Circumcisionem et Epiphaniam “Sanctissimi Nominis Iesu”,
where the Antiphona “Oleum effusum nornen tuum” (Cant. 1, 2)
occurs, and also a quotation from Sermo 15 super Cantica by s.
Bernardus Abbas: “Non otiose Spiritus Sanctus nornen Sponsi oleo
comparat, cum ita doceat sponsam ad Sponsum clamare: “Oleum
effusum nornen tuum.” Oleum enim lucet, pascit et ungit. Fovet
ignem, nutrit carnem, lenit dolorem: lux, cibus, medicina. Vide
idem nunc et de Sponsi nomine...”.
The notion seems to have struck our author that the name “Olavus”
is derived from “oleum”; in v. 3a he says that the Martyr-King has
a “nornen unctionis”; and in 3b he actually cites the Cantica with
application to Olaf. Then, in vv. 2 and 1, he pursues the “oleum”-
idea, with allusions, partly through antithesis, to Olaf’s conversion
of the people.
That this deplorable “emendation” managed to outweigh the
original form, is a clear indication of the decline in literary taste
which characterizes the last century or two of the Middle Ages.
NUNC LUCE ALMA
MSS: a: Fac. 173; begins with v. 4b [soluen]dique; most of the text
of 12 is cut off, but the notes are preserved. — c. Fac. 176-fac. 177,
1. 1; begins with 4a iubiletque; 9b in — 11a [cajterua and the last words
of 12 are torn off at the top of the verso. — d. Fac. 180; begins with
7b aimam.
Text printed in AH 37, No. 276.
Textual differences from AH in a: 5b Sub-] Sul-, 6a coetui]
cecui, 7a voce] laude, 7b maiestatem supernam] superni magestatem,
10a -ficant] -ficent; — in c: 4b Qui] Cui, 6a amoenia] amena,
7a voce] laude, 7b maiestatem supernam] supernam maiestatem,
9b laudat] laudet; — in d: 10a caeli te] celice, 10b iungens voces
precamina] iunge preces precantium, 11a ut] et, 11b -ficet] -ficat.
In d, and especially in c, some of the notes are difficult to make
out, but fortunately a, which comprises the contents of both the
other sources, has very clear notes. All the sources mentioned above
15*
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