Metrum 9

Meter: Dactylic hexameter (caesura usually after first syllable of third foot).

line 2

sator: "he who sows the seed," hence, "father."
qui tempus ab aeuo: qui tempus ab aeuo ire iubes: "[you] who order time to go [forward] from eternity." Cf. Tim. 37D-E. All the creator's deeds are described in the present tense to suggest the eternal present in which he dwells. Some of what follows lies in the past, from the human point of view, some lies in the future.

line 3

ire iubes: qui tempus ab aeuo ire iubes: "[you] who order time to go [forward] from eternity." Cf. Tim. 37D-E. All the creator's deeds are described in the present tense to suggest the eternal present in which he dwells. Some of what follows lies in the past, from the human point of view, some lies in the future.
stabilisque manens: Tim. 38A.
das cuncta moueri: "you give [cause] all things to be moved," almost: = "you give movement to all things." Do with an infinitive is rare, but cf. line 22 below.

line 4

quem: sc. creatorem.
pepulerunt: < pello, "force, compel," governs accusative/infinitive (Tim. 30A).

line 5

materiae fluitantis: genitive of description: creation is an opus made from instable and mutable matter.
uerum: "but" (last syllable elides), introducing the true power behind creation, the insita summi forma boni.
insita: < insero, "graft, implant."

line 6

liuore carens: Tim. 29E (liuore, "envy, malice").
superno: superno . . . ab exemplo: "from a heavenly model" (recalling the Platonic doctrine of Ideas). Cf. pulchrum . . . gerens (7-8).

line 7

ab exemplo: superno . . . ab exemplo: "from a heavenly model" (recalling the Platonic doctrine of Ideas). Cf. pulchrum . . . gerens (7-8).

line 8

similique in imagine: the created world is created "in an image resembling" the supernum exemplum in the divine mind.

line 9

perfectasque: perfectasque . . . partes: "ordering perfect [i.e., complete in every way] parts to constitute a perfect [world]."
partes: perfectasque . . . partes: "ordering perfect [i.e., complete in every way] parts to constitute a perfect [world]."

line 10

numeris: "with numbers," i.e., in mathematically harmonious proportions; examples follow.

line 11

conueniant: "correspond to."
purior ignis: fire was the lightest and most rarefied (purior) of the traditional four elements (earth-water-air-fire).

line 12

mersas: "plunged, submerged"; proleptic adjective, i.e., it anticipates what would happen (but does not) if gravity were to pull the land beneath the waters.

line 13

13: Lines 13-21: a description of creation is given following the specifically Neoplatonic interpretation of the Timaeus.
triplicis: triplicis . . . naturae: Nature is comprised of mens, anima, and materia, of which anima is the middle element, distributed among and giving motion to all things, binding them together.
naturae: triplicis . . . naturae: Nature is comprised of mens, anima, and materia, of which anima is the middle element, distributed among and giving motion to all things, binding them together.

line 14

per consona membra resoluis: "you distribute [anima] through harmonious [i.e., fitting and appropriate] limbs."

line 15

15: Anima is divided in two parts, whose motions take the form of twin circles, which each returns eventually to its origin.
glomerauit: "gathered"; in a temporal cum-clause.

line 16

16: Anima is divided in two parts, whose motions take the form of twin circles, which each returns eventually to its origin. Anima encircles mens at the inner heart of being, and sets heaven moving in a similar circle (hence the observable motion of the skies).
semet: the intensifying ending may be only for metrical reasons.
meat: < meo, "go, pass."

line 17

17: Anima encircles mens at the inner heart of being, and sets heaven moving in a similar circle (hence the observable motion of the skies).

line 18

causis: causis . . . paribus: "by like causes."
animas: here indicates human souls, to contrast with vitas minores, lower life-forms.
paribus: causis . . . paribus: "by like causes."

line 19

19: The higher (sublimes) spirits are assigned to less burdensome bodies on the journey of life.
prouehis: "bring forward, cause to advance."

line 20

seris: < sero, "plant."
quas: antecedent is animas.

line 21

reduci: < redux (here, "which brings back"), ablative of means with igne.
facis: facis . . . reuerti: "you cause to return."
reuerti: facis . . . reuerti: "you cause to return."

line 22

22: Lines 22-28: a formal prayer closes the hymn.
augustam: augustam . . . sedem: cf. 3P2.1. The mind seeks to ascend to the heavenly father, by a recursus that brings the movement of creation full circle (cf. lines 15-17).
sedem: augustam . . . sedem: cf. 3P2.1. The mind seeks to ascend to the heavenly father, by a recursus that brings the movement of creation full circle (cf. lines 15-17).

line 23

lustrare: here, "to contemplate."

line 24

conspicuos: conspicuos . . . uisus: almost redundant, i.e. "a vision that sees [clearly]."
uisus: conspicuos . . . uisus: almost redundant, i.e. "a vision that sees [clearly]."

line 25

Dissice: imperative < dis(s)icio, "scatter."
terrenae nebulas et pondera molis: cf. materiae fluitantis: matter weighs down the soul.

line 26

mica: imperative < mico, "flash, flicker."
tu: sc. es.
serenum: in neuter, an abstract noun: "serenity [itself]."

line 27

te cernere: To see the creator is the finis rerum (cf. 1P6).

line 28

28: The creator is our principium (cf. 1P6), uector, etc.; the nouns are best taken as vocatives.