A bundle of myrrh between my breasts
A bundle of myrrh — that is, of drop or droplet — is my brother to me. We read in Exodus of drop, onycha, cassia, galbanum compounded into incense by God’s command. But let us know that stacte is a precious ointment. She calls her brother a bundle of myrrh, because the whole Christ, the whole Word of God, is ointment and fragrance. He shall linger between my breasts: in the breast and in the ruling part of the heart let Christ’s meaning and memory rest.
Latin
Fasciculus stactes — id est guttae sive stillae — fratruelis meus mihi. Guttam, unguem, casiam, galbanum in Exodo legimus praecepto Dei in thymiama compositum. Stacten vero unguentum pretiosum esse noverimus. Fasciculum ergo stactes fratruelem suum dicit, quia totus Christus, totus Dei Sermo, unguentum est et fragrantia. Inter ubera mea commorabitur: in pectore et in principali cordis Christi sensus et memoria requiescat.
About this text
Origen’s Homilia II on the Song of Songs (Jerome’s Latin). Complete on this page: §§1–13.
English follows Baehrens, Origenes Werke VIII (GCS 33, 1925), Jerome’s Latin of Homilia II. Lawson ACW 26 was not used as wording. This page is Homilia II §§1–13 (closeout).
Witnesses
- Copy-text Baehrens, Origenes Werke VIII = GCS 33 (1925) (Latin · Homilia II §§1–13)
English is newly prepared for study from the stated edition. Open Latin on each section (or the Latin source witness link) for the source text. This is not a complete critical edition.