[Previous: lines 133-150]
The Sanhedrin gather to discuss Jesus's guilt. Nicodemus defends him.
Hic Nicodemus erat pesti impenetrabilis unus,------------
primores inter gentis non ultimus ipsos,
cui longè menti melior sententia; sed non
audebat dictis contra omnes tendere solus.
Ille Deo quondam sese inscius intulit hostem, [155]
atque dolis frustra contrà stetit: inde ubi numen
admonitus sensit, veluti de nocte profunda
in lucem revocatus ei se iunxit amore;
clam tamen, infensae vitans odia aspera gentis.
Tum verò illius de vita, et sanguine cerni [160]
ut vidit, letumque insonti triste parari;
non tulit ulteriùs latebras, haecque edidit ore,
in medio: “Non obscuram, non lucis egentem
rem ferimus, neque enim vereor iam vera profari
pro patria, quamvis mihi sint extrema ferenda. [165]
Cernitis hunc omnes manifesto numine ferri,
maioremque homine; et, nosmet nisi fallimus ipsi,
vera Dei patuit soboles, verus Deus, ille
olim quem toties afflati numine vates
venturum cecinere, nefas quo triste piaret, [170]
commendans genus aeterno mortale parenti:
hoc liquet, hoc ultrà non in discrimen agendum.
Huius ope innumeri, quos nox obscura premebat
luminibus captos, iucunda luce fruuntur.
Multi etiam voces obstructis auribus orti [175]
accipiunt redduntque. Aegris quot reddita venit
insperata salus, qui lenta aut membra trahebant
victa lue, aut subito correpti corpora morbo?
Tres etiam (nôstis) obita iam à morte reduxit
elatos idem in lucem: modò Lazarus omnem [180]
perculit, et monstro ingenti permiscuit urbem.
Prô laevas hominum mentes! prô pectora caeca!
Non haec Paeoniis succis, non artibus ullis
confieri possunt. Maior Deus intus agit rem,
maius numen inest. Quoties divina loquentem [185]
incassùm contra stetimus, verbisque dolisque
instructi? quoties ausi vim tendere inermi
aut ferro, aut duris nequicquam perdere saxis?
Nube cava eripuit caput, ex oculisque recedens
aligerûm se cœlesti subitò agmine sepsit. [190]
Et quisquam illius certum non numen adoret?
Quid molimur adhue? quid nobis deinde relictum?
Auxilio venit, unà omnes adeamus, ab ipso
suppliciter pacem oremus commissa fatentes.” [195]
Only Nicodemus proved immune to this plague—------------
by no means the least of the city elders,
he was far wiser than the others; although,
being only one man, he couldn’t sway the rest.
Once he had foolishly stood against God, [155]
treacherously opposing him: until Christ’s
holiness had brought him back out of deep night
into the light and he came to love the man
(but in secret, to avoid his people's wrath).
Now he saw things were life or death, innocent [160]
blood was to be spilled. This sad fate moved him.
he could no longer hide, but spoke openly
in their midst: “It’s not hard, we don’t need light
to see, I’m not afraid to speak this truth
for my country’s sake, though I might be punished. [165]
We all see this man is clearly supernatural,
more than mortal; and, if we’re not deceived,
the true son of God—truly God himself—
whose coming was foretold by the divinely
inspired prophets, to atone for our black sins [170]
and commend us to his Eternal Father:
This much is clear, and beyond all debate.
He has helped many people back to vision,
sweet fruitful light, whose sight had been sealed in night.
Many born deaf can now hear and speak, thanks [175]
to his intervention. And many who were sick
know rude health again, those whose limbs had been
paralyzed, or whose whole bodies were smitten.
Three times (we know it) he brought the dead back
to the living light—recently Lazarus [180]
stirred the whole city with just this miracle.
You foolish-minded men! Blind in your hearts!
No Paeanic arts, no ordinary medicine
can manage this. A greater God is here
a greater spirit. How often have we fought [185]
and plotted against his divine words and
teachings? How often attacked with swords and stones
seeking to destroy this unarmed man? In vain.
He veils himself in mist, withdraws from sight
winging his way to the celestial host. [190]
How can we not adore such sure divinity?
So what should we do? What is left to us now?
He has come from heaven: let us, as one,
all pray to him as supplicants for peace.” [195]
The reference in line 183 to ‘Paeanic arts’ means: medicinal, since Paean was the physician of the gods in classical mythology. Otherwise, this is the first half of the debate between Nicodemius and Caiaphas, which Vida has taken from John 7:50-52: ‘Nicodemus saith unto them, (he that came to Jesus by night, being one of them,) Doth our law judge any man, before it hear him, and know what he doeth? They answered and said unto him, Art thou also of Galilee? Search, and look: for out of Galilee ariseth no prophet.’ Nicodemus is mentioned three times in the gospel: visiting Jesus one night to discuss his teachings [John 3:1–21; ‘he said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him’]; the bit just quoted; and then later attending the Crucifixion of Jesus to provide the embalming spices, and help Joseph of Arimathea to prepare Jesus’s body for burial [John 19:39–42]. There is an apochryphal ‘Gospel of Nicodemius’, largely concerned with Jesus’s trial and the harrowing of hell.
[Next: lines 196-215]
No comments:
Post a Comment