Late 8th-century poem lamenting the destruction of Aquileia at the hands of the Huns in the mid-5th century, composed either by Paulinus II of Aquileia (ⴕ 802) or Paul the Deacon; the poem was later used by Venetian authors to argue that Aquileia had never been restored following this destruction and that Grado, therefore, succeeded it as the capital of the ecclesiastical province of Venetia et Histria.
Versus de destructione Aquilegiae numquam restaurandaea
| [1] | Ad flendos tuos, Aquilegia, cineresa non mihi ulle sufficiunt lacrimęb, desunt sermones, dolor sensum abstulit cordis amari. |
| [2] | Bella, sublimis, inclita divitiisa, olim fuisti celsa edifitiisb, menibus clara, sed magis innumerumc civium turmisd. |
| [3] | Caput te cunctea sibimet metropolimb subiecte urbes fecerunt Venetiaec, vernantem clerod, fulgentem aeclesiise Christo dicatis. |
| [4] | Dum cunctis simul polleres deliciisa, inflammatab multo tumore superbięc, iram infelix sempiterni iudicis exaggerastid. |
| [5] | E caeloa tibi missa indignatio gentem crudelem excitavit protinusb, quęc properaret add tuum interitum mox adfuturume. |
| [6] | Fremens ut leo, Attilaa sevissimus, ignorans Deum, durus, impiissimusb, tec circumdedit cum quingentisd milibus1 undique gyroe. |
| [7] | Gestare vidit aves fetosa proprios turribusb altis per rura forinsecusc,2 prescivit sagax hinc tuumd interitum moxe adfuturum. |
| [8] | Hortatur suum ilicoa exercitum, machinumb murum fortiter concutiuntc,3 nec mora, captamd incendunt, demolliunte usque ad solum. |
| [9] | Illa quis luctus esse die potuita, cum inde flamę, hinc sevirent gladiib, et necatic tenere nec sexuid parcerete hostis? |
| [10] | Captivos trahunta, quos reliquit gladiusb, iuvenes, senes, mulieres, parvulos, quicquid abc igned remansit diripiture manu predonumf. |
| [11] | Legis divine testamentum geminuma, vel quę doctorum repperitb ingenium, subiecto ignic concremavit et unicusd furor iniquuse. |
| [12] | Mortui iacent sacerdotes Domini, nec erat membra qui sepulcroa conderet; post tergumb vinctic captivantur aliid [iam]e serviturif. |
| [13] | Nequissimorum sacra vasaa manibus, etb quicquid turba optulitc fidelium, sorte divisa exportenturd longiuse non reditura. |
| [14] | O quę in altum extollebasa verticem, quomodo iaces despectab, inutilis, pressa ruinisc, numquam reparabilis tempus in omne! |
| [15] | Pro cantua tibi, cytharab et organo luctusc advenit, lamentum et gemitusd, ablate tibi sunte voces ludentium ad mansionem. |
| [16] | Que prius erasa civitas nobilium, nunc, heu, facta es rusticorum speleusb; urbs erasc regum: pauperum tuguriumd permanes modo. |
| [17] | Repleta quondama domibus sublimibusb ornatis miręc niveisd marmoreise, nunc ferax frugum metirisf funiculo ruricularumg. |
| [18] | Sanctorum aedesa solite nobilium turmis impleri, nunc replentur vepribusb, pro dolor, factec vulpium confugium sive serpentiumd. |
| [19] | Terrasa per omnes circumquaque venderisb, nec ipsis in te est sepultis requiesc, proiciunturd pro venali marmore corpora tumbise. |
| [20] | Vindictama tamen nonb evasit impius destructor tuus, Attilac sevissimus: nunc igni simul gehennę et vermibusd excruciatur. |
| [21] | Christe rex noster, iudex invictissime, te supplicamus, miseratusa respice, averteb iram, talesc casus prohibe famulis tuis. |
| [22] | Ymnosa precesque deferamus Domino, ut frenetb gentes et constringatc emulos, protegatd semper nos potentie brachio, clemens ubique. |
| [23] | Zelo nos pio, summe patera, corrige, prevenib semper tuos etc subsequered, ut inoffenso gradientes tramitee salves in evumf. |
a) sine ullo titulo B.
1. a) Ad flendos tuos, Aquilegia, cineres] Afflendos tuos Aquileia cinere B. b) sic B; ae loco ę undique ed. Dümmler et alii.
2. a) diviciis B. b) edificiis B. c) sic C; in muneris B; innumeris coni. et sic ed. Dümmler. d) turbis B.
3. a) Caput te cuncte] Capud te cunctis B. b) metropoli B. c) subiecte urbes fecerunt Venetiae] subiecta urbis fecere Veneciae B. d) claro B. e) ecclesiae B.
4. a) polleres deliciis] polleris diviciis B. b) inflata B et sic ed. Dümmler. c) multo tumore superbię] multa timore superbie B. d) exagerasti B.
5. a) celo B. b) excitavit protinus] esitaum protasit B. c) quem B. d) et B. e) mox ad futurum] solis ab ortus B; solis ab ortu ed. Dümmler.
6. a) Atila B. b) ignorans Deum, durus, impiissimus] ignorat Deum duros impiissimum B. c) que B. d) quinqnenti B. e) giro B et sic ed. Dümmler.
7. a) fetus B et sic ed. Dümmler. b) turibus B. c) forimsecus B. d) prescivit sagax hinc tuum] presivit saxa et tuum B. e) mors B.
8. a) Hortatur suum ilico] Hortatus situm illico B. b) machinis B et sic ed. Dümmler. c) concucium B. d) nec mora, captam] nemora captant B. e) demonus B.
9. a) Illa quis luctus esse die] Illaque dies lutus B; Illa quis die luctus esse potuit coni. et ed. Dümmler. b) flamę, hinc sevirent gladii] flame nunc servire gladiis B. c) sic C; nec etate B; nec etati coni. et ed. Dümmler. d) nec sexui] a sexuit B. e) parcere B.
10. a) Captivos trahunt] Kaptivos traunt B; Kaptivos trahunt ed. Dümmler. b) reliquit gladius] relinquid gladium B. c) ad B et sic ed. Dümmler. d) ignem B. e) diripitum B. f) manu predonum] vel qui prodant B.
11. a) gemitum B. b) quę doctorum repperit] quod dotorum reperit B. c) subiecto igni] se iecte ignis B. d) et unicus] sic C; vet nicus legit et etnicus coni. et ed. Dümmler. e) inicus B.
12. a) sepulchra B. b) post tergum] postergum B. c) vinctis B. d) talis B. e) om. C sed in B legitur et sic ed. Dümmler. f) servitura B.
13. a) vassa B. b) vel B et sic ed. Dümmler. c) ostulit B. d) sic C; exportentur B et sic ed. Dümmler. e) lagius B.
14. a) extollebat B. b) iaces despecta] iacet dispecta B. c) pressa ruinis] presari unis B.
15. a) canto B. b) cithara B et sic ed. Dümmler. c) lutus B. d) lamentum et gemitus] laumentum et gemitum B. e) ablate tibi sunt] alote tibi su B.
16. a) erat B. b) nunc, heu, facta es rusticorum speleus] nunc eum fata rustiquorum pelleunt B; speleum coni. et ed. Dümmler. c) urbs eras] urbis erat B. d) tegurium B.
17. a) condam B. b) subinibus B. c) mire B et sic ed. Dümmler. d) tuveis B. e) marmoribus B et sic ed. Dümmler. f) ferax frugum metiris] feras frugum et issis B. g) ruricalarum B.
18. a) heredes B. b) impleri, nunc replentur vepribus] impleris tunc reventur plebribus B. c) fata B. d) sepentium B.
19. a) Tera B. b) veneris B. c) nec ipsis in te est sepultis requies] nequisim in te est sequi est B. d) om. B. e) tum B.
20. a) Vindicta B. b) tamen non] ut non B. c) Atillas B. d) igni simul gehennę et vermibus] ignis simus iceone et vernibus B.
21. a) miseratis B. b) adverte B. c) tale B.
22. a) Ymnosque B. b) frenes B. c) confringet B. d) protege B. e) patenti B.
23. a) pio, summe pater] pius summe pauper B. b) protege B. c) sic BC; om. ed. Dümmler. d) fusos querere B. e) ut inoffenso gradientes tramite] uti innofensa gradiemtes tremite B. f) salves in evum] solvens in neam B.
1) Cf. Iordanes, De origine actibusque Getarum, cap. 35: "Cuius [Attilae] exercitus quingentorum milium esse numero ferebatur."
2) Cf. Paulus diaconus, Historia Romana, lib. 14, cap. 9: "[C]ernit repente aves in aedificiorum fastigiis nidificare solitas, quae ciconiae vocantur, uno impetu ex urbe migrare fetusque suos sublatos rostris per rura forinsecus deportare."
3) Cf. Paulus diaconus, Historia Romana, lib. 14, cap. 9: "Statimque adhibitis machinis tormentisque hortatur suos, acriter expugnat urbem ac sine mora capit."
Verses on the Destruction of Never Restored Aquileia
| [1] | To lament your ashes, Aquileia, no tears of mine can suffice; words fail me, bitter grief at heart has taken away my understanding. |
| [2] | Beautiful, exalted, rich and eminent, you were once famous for your buildings, renowned for your walls, but more renowned for your countless throngs of citizens. |
| [3] | All the other towns in the Veneto were your subjects and acknowledged you as their capital and chief city, with your flourishing clergy and resplendent churches dedicated to Christ. |
| [4] | While you had at your command every sort of delight, puffed up with swelling pride, unhappily you incited the wrath of the eternal judge. |
| [5] | Anger vent from heaven upon you immediately stirred up a cruel people which hastened from the rising of the sun to destroy you. |
| [6] | Roaring like a lion, most savage Attila, knowing not God, pitiless, most impious, surrounded you on every side with five hundred thousand men. |
| [7] | He saw the birds carrying their young from the lofty towers out into the countryside and shrewdly foresaw from this that your destruction was soon to take place. |
| [8] | Instantly he urged on his army, violently they shook the walls with engines, without delay, they captured and burned down Aquileia, leveling it to the ground. |
| [9] | What grief could there be on that day, when flames and swords raged in fury on every side, and the enemy had no mercy upon those of tender years or gender? |
| [10] | Those spared from the sword they took captive, young men and old, women, little children; whatever remained from the fire was plundered by the brigands' hands. |
| [11] | The two testaments of God's law and the ingenious findings of scholars the pagan in his wicked madness threw into the fire and burned up. |
| [12] | The priests of the Lord lay dead and there was no one to bury their limbs. Others, their hands bound behind their backs, were captured and carried into slavery. |
| [13] | Clutched by the wicked, the holy vessels and all the offerings of the throngs of the faithful were divided by lot and sent abroad never to return. |
| [14] | Once you raised your head high in pride, now you lie shunned, useless, crushed and in ruins, never to be repaired for all time! |
| [15] | Instead of your singing, your lyres, and pipes, mourning, lamentations, and groans have come upon you, the voices of those playing in the place where you stood have disappeared. |
| [16] | Once a city of nobles, you have now become a yokels' cave. Formerly a royal city, you now survive as a hovel for paupers. |
| [17] | Once you were richly provided with superb houses, wondrously adorned with snow-white marbles, now you bear fruit at harvest, your boundaries marked by the paltry ropes of peasants. |
| [18] | The temples of the saints that used to be packed with throngs of noblemen are now filled with thorns; alas, they have become a refuge for foxes and serpents. |
| [19] | You are put up for sale everywhere throughout the world, nor is there rest even for those buried in you, soon their bodies are cast out of the tombs for the sake of their marble which is bartered. |
| [20] | But your impious destroyer, Attila the savage barbarian, did not escape vengeance; now by hell-fire and worms he is tortured. |
| [21] | Christ our king, most invincible judge, we entreat You, look upon us with pity, turn away Your wrath, prevent such a fate from coming to Your servants. |
| [22] | Let us offer hymns and prayers to the Lord, so that He may curb the heathen and check the envious, and protect us always with His powerful arm in His mercy everywhere. |
| [23] | Correct us, highest father, with Your kindly zeal, guide and attend Your followers' path, so that, taking the untroubled course, we may be saved by You for all eternity. |
[The translation, slightly modified by the editor, comes from Peter Godman (trans.), Poetry of the Carolingian Renaissance (London 1985), pp. 107-13.]
The poem, possibly written by Patriarch Paulinus II of Aquileia or Paul the Deacon, laments the destruction of Aquileia, the metropolitan see of the ecclesiastical province Venetia et Histria, at the hands of Attila and his Huns. It should be noted that the title, especially the part "numquam restaurandae" is a later addition (it is not featured in the older ms. B) and the original author certainly did not adorn it with such a title.
Leaving aside the questions of authorship, the poem draws from both Jordanes On the Origins and the Deeds of the Goths (chap. 42) and Paul the Deacons earlier work, The Roman History (chap. 14/9), depicting the fierce destruction of Aquileia at the hands of an ungodly barbarian invader and ravager of Christian lands, Attila.
This motive of Hunnic utter destruction of Aquileia would be taken up in the mid-9th century, right after the Synod of Mantua (see the acts here), by Venetian authors who had to somehow demonstrate that Grado, not Aquileia, had become the legitimate metropolitan see of the province. Thus, the poem Carmen de Aquileia numquam restauranda (see the edition here), composed c. 844–55, draws directly from these verses while adding a new layer: not only was Aquileia so utterly destroyed by the Huns, but it was also never rebuilt to its former splendor; thus, the metropolitan seat was permanently and legitimately moved from the demolished Aquileia to "the Venetians", that is, Grado.
See more on the partitioning of the ecclesiastical province of Aquileia and the subsequent competition between Aquileia and Grado, a contest that officially began in 607 and lasted until 1180, here and here.
The facsimile is of ms. C, the codex optimus of this poem, made by the staff of the Österreichische Nationalbibliothek for Fontes Istrie medievalis.
Österreichische Nationalbibliothek was kind enough to allow the publication of these images on the webpages of Fontes Istrie medievalis free of charge.
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