19. Doc. Chr. 4.11.26 (Green, 226–28); my trans., based on Gavigan, FOTC 2:192. (continued)
Such a skill may remind contemporary audiences of rap artists. Augustine used rhyming not only for its verbal musicality; he also knew that his largely illiterate audience could absorb and learn to repeat such phrases. In a sermon delivered during the Easter Vigil, he opened with a barrage of rhymes. I have put the Latin and English in parallel so that readers can see the wordplay. From Sermon 220: Scimus fratres, We know, brothers and sisters, et fide firmissima retinemus and we hold with firmest faith, semel Christum mortuum esse pro nobis that Christ died for us but once: pro peccatoribus iustum, the Righteous for sinners, pro servis Dominum, the Master for slaves, pro captivis liberum, the Free for captives, pro aegrotis medicum, the Doctor for the sick, pro miseris beatum, the Happy for the miserable, pro egenis opulentum, the Rich for the needy, pro perditis quaesitorem, the Seeker for the lost, pro uenditis redemptorem, the Redeemer for the sold, pro grege pastorem, the Shepherd for the sheep, et quod est omnibus mirabilius, and what's most awe-inspiring of all, pro creatura creatorem. the Creator for the created, servantem tamen quod semper est, holding on to what He always is, tradentem quod factus est; handing over what He was made; Deum latentem, hidden from sight, the Godhead, hominem apparentem; appearing to sight, the human, uirtute uiuificantem, by his power, life-giving, infirmitate morientem, by his weakness, dying, diuinitate immutabilem, in his divinity, unchanging, carne passibilem. in his flesh, capable of suffering.20
A Tongue Twister
Augustine had a wide repertoire of verbal tricks at his fingertips. The following sermon shows Augustine using what we would call a tongue-twister. Here he contrasts Jesus with John the Baptist. Once again, I have put the Latin and the English in columns so that readers can see his wordplay. From Tractates on the Gospel of John 5: (1) Verax Iohannes, John is truthful, ueritas Christus; Christ is truth. uerax Iohannes, John is truthful,
20. S. 220 (PL 38:1089); my trans.