2n'' S. VII. JaK. 15. '69.3 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



33 



figuram litterae Tau inveniri, quae exacte crucera 

 repraesentat." (Walton, Prolegomena, ed. 1828, 

 i. 179.) 



This fact, also, gave occasion to a theological 

 controversy, which was once carried on with 

 great warmth, but which must not be more than 

 glanced at here. The fact, that those of the in- 

 habitants of Jerusalem who were to escape de- 

 struction were to receive on their foreheads, as a 

 distinction from those who were doomed to perish, 

 the sign of the cross, was pleaded as a reason why 

 the same sign might appropriately be used by 

 Christians ; and certainly some very futile at- 

 tempts were made to controvert this plea, by 

 pretending that the tau- or tav never had the 

 crucial form ; — an assertion which has been 

 abundantly disproved. " Antiquis autem He- 

 brseorum Uteris, quibus usque hodie," says Je- 

 rome, " utuntur Samaritani, extrema Thau litera 

 Crucis hahet similitudinem," And, as related by 

 Origen : — 



" A certain Jew, who had become a convert to Chris- 

 tianitj', used to say that the tau of the old alphabets re- 

 sembled the sign of the cross." 'E/Spaios Se ns rStv els Swrijpa 

 weincrTtvKOTiiii' eXeye, tA apxata (TTOix^la efx,<fiepej exeiv to ©ov 

 TV ToO OTavpoS x^paKT^pi. 



Without deducing any superstitious inferences 

 from these premises, we may safely say so much 

 as this ; that the mark which was to be placed on 

 the foreheads of those inhabitants of Jerusalem 

 whom Divine Mercy reserved from destruction, 

 was the same which is now placed on the foreheads 

 of infants in holy baptism — a cross. " These are 

 ancient things." Thomas Boys. 



THE HTMN " COSLESTIS URB8 JEBUSALEM. 



(2°'! S. vi. 493.) 



It is asserted by Hubert Bower, at the above 

 reference, that the original of this hymn is to be 

 found in St. Augustin's Meditations. This is not 

 correct. There is, in chap. xxv. of that work, 

 a sublime contemplation of the glories of the 

 heavenly Jerusalem ; from which St. Peter Da- 

 mian composed a beautiful hymn, beginning " Ad 

 perennis vitse fontem," etc. ; but in neither do we 

 find much resemblance to the hymn of the Roman 

 Breviary in question. It was originally composed 

 by St. Ambrose, and began thus : " Urbs Jeru- 

 salem beata" ; but It was amended, with many 

 other hymns, by Pope Urban VIII. in 1629, and 

 has been used ever since in its present form, 

 which deserves for its beauty to be transcribed 

 with the translation in the " Vesper Book for the 

 Use of the Laity " : — 



" Coelestis urbs Jerusalem, 



Beata pacis visio, 



Qu£e celsa de viventibus 



Saxis ad astra tolleris, 

 . Sponsseque ritu cingeris 



Mille Angelorum raillibus. 



" sorte nupta prospera, 

 Dotata Patris gloria, 

 Eespersa Sponsi gratia, 

 Kegina formosissima, 

 Christo jugata Principi, 

 Coeli corusca civitas. 



" Hie margaritis emicant, 

 Patentque cunctis ostia : 

 Virtute namque prsevia 

 Mortalis illuc ducitur, 

 Amore Christi percitus 

 Tormenta quisquis sustinet. 



" Scalpri salubris ictibus 

 Et tunsione plurima, 

 Fabri polita malleo 

 Hanc saxa molem cbnstruunt, 

 Aptisque juncta nexibus 

 Locantur in fastigio. 



" Decus Parenti debitum 

 Sit usquequaque altissimo 

 Natoque Patris unico, 

 Et inclyto Paraclito, 

 Cui laus, potestas, gloria 

 iEterna sit per saecula. 



Amen." 



Translation in the same Metre, 



' Celestial seat, Jerusalem, 



Blest vision of unfailing peace, 

 Built up of living stones, by them 



Thy walls to starry skies increase, 

 And thou resplendent Spouse art found 

 By countless Angels circled round. 



' thou espoused with richest dower. 



The Father's glory beams on thee, 

 On thee descends thy spouse's power, 



beauteous Queen, betrothed, yet free. 

 Resplendent city ! blest above, 

 With Christ our Prince in nuptial love. 



' Here spread the ample portals fair. 



To all aspirants opened wide : 

 And rich with pearls and jewels rare, 



Invite where spirits blest reside, 

 Hither are faithful martj'rs led 

 Who for Christ's love have nobly bled. 



' The chisel's oft repeated stroke, 



Urged by the mallets' pond'rous power 

 The stone's rough, stubborn substance broke 



And fashioned, thus on high to tower, 

 And fitly shaped and firmly joined 

 Was all by skilful hands combined. 



' Let glory, praise and honour due 

 Be to the Eternal Father paid. 

 And to his sole-begotten, true, 



His Son, by whom were all things made. 

 The same to God, the Holy Ghost, 

 By men and by the heavenly host. 



Amen." 



F. C. H. 



The Cyclops of Euripides (2"*^ S. vi. 498.) — 

 The translation of the Cyclops of Euripides,^ re- 

 specting which your correspondent X. inquires, 

 I imagine to have been one made by the late Rev. 

 John Eagles, A.M., of Bristol, and printed in 



