Commodian, Poem on the Two Peoples 464–500
Now you understand; now your confusion will be: You think empty things, therefore fire will hold you. These Isaiah says. Then so also majesty itself, when it was in flesh, professes who he was: No one trying could take my soul away, but I of my own will lay it down from myself by my decree. And I have power to take it again upon it. More openly still it is cried about the just one’s death, so that it may appear the more that the Jews were hardened: Behold the just perishes, and indeed no one understands; but the beloved’s burial will be into peace. Why do they smear that he was sent down into a pit, when we read that he was handed over to burial? Shameful, cruel, blind, proud — who ought rather to mourn from the deed, they applaud! For Solomon, inspired, prophesies about him and presses more fully to show the just one: he recounts how their own malice taught them to rage. See — they themselves are blind and say others are. Solomon said to them: They did not know God’s secrets. ****** He lays life down and takes it again. The just one’s tomb is peace — not your pit-story. Solomon: you never knew God’s secrets.
Latin
Nunc intellegitis, nunc erit confusio uestra: Uana cogitatis, ideo uos ignis habebit. Haec Esaias ait. Tunc sic et ipsa maiestas, Cum esset in carne, profitetur ipse quis esset: Nemo meam animam potuit auferre conatus, Sed ego sponte eam pono a me meo decreto. Et sumendi iterum habeo potestatem in illam. Apertius autem de iusti morte clamatur, Ut pareat maius induratos esse Iudaeos: Ecce perit iustus, nec quidem intellegit ullus; Sed erit in pacem huius sepultura dilecti. Quid illi infamant in puteum esse dimissum, Cum legimus illum sepulturae traditum esse? Ignominiosi, crudeles, caeci, superbi, Qui magis de facto deberent lugere, plaudent! Inspiratus enim Salomon de ipso prophetat Et magis insequitur plenius ostendere iustum: Circumueniamus iustum, si [qui] nobis grauis esse uidetur Qui nostris operibus contrarius ualde resistit; Exprobrat in totum nihil nostra lege teneri Adhuc et adfirmat filium Altissimi esse. Omnimodo reprobat et nugaces aestimat esse Abstinet et sese a nobis et in altera uadit; Nos immundos ait et innouat altera iusta Et sibi laetatur Dominum patrem esse caelorum. Ergo, si sermones illius sunt ueri, probemus; Temptemus hunc Deum uidentes, quid sit in illum Interrogemus eum omni cum tormento quietum, Condemnemus eum turpissima morte' dicentes Haec cum fecissent, capita suspensa mouebant: Saluum illum faciat pater, aut discendat abinde! Ut eos caecos Salomon ostendat aperte, Sic, quasi nunc referat, et fecisse talia culpat: Dum ista cogitant, ducti sunt in errore nefando Excaecauit illos malitia sua saeuire. Ecce quia caeci ipsi sunt et alteros aiunt Dixit illis Salomon: Nescierunt Dei secreta.