An English study of the hymns of St Ambrose was long overdue, and this book is greatly to be welcomed. Brian Dunkle comes to Ambrose fresh from his useful book on the poems on Scripture of St Gregory of Nazianzus, published in 2013.
He sets out first to address two basic questions: why did Ambrose choose hymns in his response to the Arian crisis of 386; and what is distinctively Ambrosian about these hymns? The first question leads to discussion of the development of early Christian hymnody. The second is answered by an examination of Ambrose's preaching, especially in the 380s.
Dunkle goes on to consider the three groups of hymns that he attributes to Ambrose, for the daily hours, for dominical feasts (Christmas, Epiphany and Easter), and for martyrs. Two final chapters discuss the early reception of the hymns, in those he considers as close in date to him (Aeterna Christi munera, and three hymns for the little hours), and in those by Sedulius and Prudentius.
Of the fourteen hymns in Fontaine's edition Dunkle accepts thirteen as genuine. In doing so he is following a trend of recent scholars, who have detected a greater number of allusions to the hymns in contemporary writers, especially Augustine, as against a more sceptical approach in the past. Other main criteria are the manuscripts, particularly those of Milanese hymnaries, and stylistic analysis. The question of authenticity is examined in detail when he is discussing each of the hymns. As Dunkle admits, it remains possible that an early collaborator or imitator was involved in some of the collection, but he would still want to argue that ‘such collaboration was closely influenced by Ambrose's pastoral program’ (p. 12).
The chapter on the development of Christian hymnody examines the biblical evidence, early Greek, Syriac and Latin hymns, and Christian attitudes to singing. Objections focused on the seductive power of pagan and heretical songs. This even led to suspicion of all original compositions, as opposed to biblical Psalms and Canticles. But by the fourth century a more positive approach was developing, linked with the aim of combating heresy and paganism. The essential point was that Christian hymns should be a vehicle for Scripture, since, in Ambrose's words, ‘what is sung clings better to our senses’. Ambrose writes that his hymns are intended as powerful confessions of Trinitarian faith. Although the surviving hymns contain few explicitly Trinitarian formulae, they embody what Dunkle calls essential ‘creedal’ elements. He argues that these can be paralleled in Ambrose's sermons for Lent and Easter. Thus the ‘enchantment’ of these songs is closely linked to their function as expressions of faith.
Discussion of the sermons highlights the need to train the spiritual senses ‘in a mystical reading of ritual experience, Scripture, and doctrinal identity’ (p. 83). This is supported by allegorical readings of Scripture, revealing its spiritual meaning to those being instructed. The direct style of the sermons for the newly baptised explains the sacraments in a way that ‘actualises’ them, especially by means of terms that emphasise the present actuality of what is described.
Dunkle argues that similar techniques are used in the hymns, where spiritual truths are expressed in simple style. In the chapter on the hours, he focuses on a number of key features: actualisation by temporal and demonstrative markers, thus stressing the importance of the present moment in relation to its spiritual meaning, repetition of important words (such as fides, lux etc.) with subtle variation to suggest their deeper significance, and ‘Nicene’ language, emphasising orthodoxy.
The hymns for dominical feasts are closely tied to Scripture. They also echo Ambrose's prose works, and contain Nicene elements. Repetition of key words is again used to express theological themes, and they all highlight the role of wonder in awakening spiritual sensitivity to the events of these major feasts.
The hymns for martyrs link Ambrose's Nicene cause to these saints, and stress their local and Roman qualities. Thus ‘these hymns emphasize a shared view of the congregation's civic and ecclesial loyalties’, and through them ‘the congregation acquires a new manner of viewing classical ideas of heroism’ (p. 145).
The early Ambrosiana follow his methods closely, but are characterised by a tendency to re-use his vocabulary in what Dunkle defines as ‘centonisation’, and to expansion of his more allusive style. Sedulius’ hymn A solis ortus cardine again amplifies its Ambrosian model. For Prudentius Dunkle discusses three examples, the hymns for cock-crow and Christmas (Cathemerinon 1 and 11), and the one for St Lawrence (Peristephanon 2). Here again there is an obvious tendency to expansion of Ambrose in these longer works, making his meaning more explicit, and he aptly characterises Prudentius as an early commentator on Ambrose. (He accepts the common view that these poets composed for reading rather than singing: for a review of this issue see N. Richardson, Prudentius’ hymns for hours and seasons, London–New York 2016, 14–17.)
Dunkle concludes with observations on the theological relevance of the hymns, and a plea to treat them more seriously as expressions of spiritual truths, rather than viewing them solely from a political angle.
Recent scholarship is well covered in this volume. An appendix gives the Latin texts with English translations. Unfortunately these versions have a good many mistakes. In some cases the translation in the main text is correct, for example at pp. 112–13, for Hymn 4.22, as against p. 223. There is a tendency to confuse subjunctives and indicatives (cf. 2.30, 5.17, 5.29, 6.22, 18.7-8). Careful editing would help to eliminate these defects (and a number of misprints) in any future edition of this otherwise illuminating and useful work.
