[16] _Apotheosis_, 1089 verses on the Incarnation; _Hamartigenia_, 974 on the origin of sin; two books _Contra Symmachum_, 1756 directly polemic. J. Bergman regards him as a pioneer even in these poems. After pointing out the influence of the _Psychomachia_ on the whole middle age, he adds that _Apotheosis_ and _Hamartigenia_ are “kühne Versuche, die kühnsten seit Lucretius’ Tagen, Philosophie in Form einer Dichtung zu bieten.” _Aulus Prudentius Clemens, der grösste christliche Dichter des Alterthums_, Dorpat (Acta et Comment. Univer. II. 1), 1924. [17] Fifth century; works in CSE and in PL. Bede praises Sedulius for internal rime in hexameters. “Optima autem versus dactylici ac pulcherrima compositio est cum primis pænultima ac mediis respondent extrema, qua Sedulius frequenter uti consuevit, ut pervi_a_ divis_i_ patuerunt cærul_a_ pont_i_ et sicc_a_ peregrin_as_ stupuerunt marmor_a_ plant_as_.... Non tamen hoc continuatim agendum, verum post aliquot interpositos versus.” _De arte metrica_, Keil VII. 244. [18] _A solis ortus cardine_ for Lauds on Christmas Day, and _Crudelis Herodes, Deum_ for Epiphany Vespers (AH 50: 58). [19] Venantius Honorius Clementianus Fortunatus, about 530-600; went from Italy to Gaul, 565; Bishop of Poitiers, 599. Works, ed. Leo, MGH. See, besides the general works, Elss, _Untersuchungen über den Stil und die Sprache des Venantius Fortunatus_, Heidelberg, 1907. [20] Rime appears early in Irish hymns. See AH 51, Part II. [21] _Carmina_ IX. vi. [22] An excellent introductory summary is that of Blume (article _hymnody_) in the _Catholic Encyclopedia_, which may also be consulted for Ambrose, etc., and for some of the greater hymns. Britt makes the best known Latin hymns available in one volume, with carefully selected translations, trustworthy ascriptions, biographical and bibliographical notes, indexes, and brief historical introduction. But this admirable work, though otherwise constantly useful, does not give for most of the hymns the earliest known text. This will be found, through the invaluable index of Mearns, in AH. Other references will be found in Britt’s preface. [23] St. Ambrose; Britt, 71; AH 51: 38. [24] Recognition of the two methods of verse may be indicated by a line of Fortunatus, Quæque sunt rythmis vel amica metris, in stanza 11 of _Carm._ IX. vii (MGH, page 212); but the two words are not necessarily used with the distinction that is clear in Bede (below, in next paragraph).