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S. Cosmas,

Surnamed The Melodist.

+ A.D. 760.

S. Cosmas of Jerusalem holds the second place amidst Greek Ecclesiastical poets. Left an orphan at an early age, he was adopted by the father of S. John Damascene; and the two foster brothers were bound together by a friendship which lasted through life. They excited each other to Hymnology, and assisted, corrected, and polished each other's compositions. Cosmas, like his friend, became a monk of S. Sabbas: and against his will was consecrated Bishop of Maiuma, near Gaza, by John, Patriarch of Jerusalem; the same who ordained Damascene Priest. After administering his diocese with great holiness, he departed this life in a good old age, about 760, and is commemorated by the Eastern Church on the 14th of October.

"Where perfect sweetness dwells, is Cosmas gone; But his sweet lays to cheer the Church live on," says the stichos prefixed to his life.

His compositions are tolerably numerous, and he seems to have taken a pleasure in competing with S. John Damascene, as in the Nativity, the Epiphany, the Transfiguration, where the Canons of both are given. To Cosmas, a considerable part of the Octoechus is owing. The best of his compositions, besides those already mentioned, seem to be his Canons on S. Gregory Nazianzen, and the Purification. He is the most learned of the Greek Churchpoets and his fondness for types, boldness in their application, and love of aggregating them, make him the Oriental Adam of S. Victor. It is owing partly to a compressed fulness of meaning, very uncommon in the Greek poets of the Church, partly to the unusual harshness and contraction of his phrases, that he is the hardest of ecclesiastical bards to comprehend.

CANON FOR CHRISTMAS DAY.

ODE I.

Χριστὸς γεννᾶται δοξάσατε.

CHRIST is born! Tell forth His fame!
CHRIST from Heaven! His love proclaim !
CHRIST on earth! Exalt His Name!
Sing to the LORD, O world, with exultation!
Break forth in glad thanksgiving, every
nation!

For He hath triumphed gloriously!

Man, in GOD's own Image made,

Man, by Satan's wiles betrayed,
Man, on whom corruption preyed,

Shut out from hope of life and of salvation,
To-day CHRIST maketh him a new creation,
For He hath triumphed gloriously!

For the Maker, when His foe

Wrought the creature death and woe,
Bowed the Heav'ns, and came below, (1)

And, in the Virgin's womb His dwelling making,

Became True Man, man's very nature taking;

For He hath triumphed gloriously!

He, the Wisdom, WORD, and Might,
GOD, and SON, and Light of light,
Undiscovered by the sight

Of earthly monarch, or infernal spirit,
Incarnate was, that we might Heav'n inherit :

For He hath triumphed gloriously!

(1.) The reference is, of course, to Psalm xviii., 9: -"He bowed the Heavens also, and came down."

ODE III.

τῷ πρὸ τῶν αἰώνων.

Him, of the FATHER's very Essence, Begotten, ere the world began,

And, in the latter time, of Mary, Without a human sire, made Man : Unto Him, this glorious morn,

Be the strain outpoured; Thou That liftest up our horn, Holy art Thou, LORD!

The earthly Adam, erewhile quicken'd
By the blest breath of GOD on high,
Now made the victim of corruption,
By woman's guile betray'd to die,
He, deceiv'd by woman's part;
Supplication pour'd,

Thou Who in my nature art,
Holy art Thou, LORD!

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