EXPLANATORY AND LITERARY NOTES ON PRUDENTIUS' HYMNUS ANTE SOMNUM

Whereas the fifth hymn of Prudentius' Liber Cathemerinon deals with the falling of darkness, and in particular with the making of artificial light, the sixth hymn, the Hymnus ante somnum, is concerned with going to sleep ; this evening prayer, set in catalectic iambic dimeters, is the last of the day-hymns properly so-called in Prudentius' Book of Hours.

The first part of the present paper discusses the background of Prudentius' treatment of sleeping and dreaming ; part two offers a literary analysis of the poem (').

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The main themes of cath. 6 will also be found in the contemporary Christian evening prayer. Evening prayer and the Christian conception of sleep are discussed at length by Clement of Alexandria in ch. 9 of the second book of his paed. (ed. O. Staehlin, GCS, vol. 1, pp. 204 ff.). As in 2, 44, Kibid, p. 184) reference is made to giving thanks for the day just past. In addition, the protection of the Logos is invoked for the coming night's rest (2, 77, 1, p. 204). Attention is also devoted to dreaming : in 2, 80, 4 (p. 206) we are urged to distinguish true dreams from false, and in 2, 81, 1 (pp. 206-207) the fantasies (φαντασίοΰ ofthose who have had too much to eat and drink are spoken of. From 2, 82, 1 (p. 207) we learn that the soul is constantly in motion, and, finally, from 2, 82, 2 (p. 207) : # χαί των ονείρων οι άληθεϊς ορθώς λογιζομένω νηφούσης είσί ψυχής λογισμοί απερίσπαστου το τηνιχάδε ούσης περί τάς του σώματος συμπαθείας και αυτής αύτη τα χράτιστα συμβουλευ ούσης.

Also interesting with regard to the early Christian background of cath. 6 is Basil's statement in reg. fus. 37, 5 (PG, 31, col. 1016B), where he instructs the monks to pray at the beginning of the night that their slumber will not be disturbed by fantasies ; Ps. 90 is best suited for this purpose : xai πάλιν, της νυκτός άρχο-