# Epilogue

- Author: [Prudentius](https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/authors/prudentius/)
- Latin title: *Epilogus*
- Date: ca. 405 (approximate)
- Source: Aurelii Prudentii Clementis Opera, ed. Lanfranchi, 2 vols. (Turin: Officina Salesiana, 1898); text of the Arevalo tradition, line numbers as printed (Latin text: Lanfranchi, Turin 1898 (public domain), via the Internet Archive OCR)

- Translation: Claude, from the original text, unless a passage says otherwise; each passage below gives the translator
- Work page: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/prudentius-epilogus/
- Passages: 1

## Epilogue, lines 1–34

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/prudentius-epilogus/1-1/#p-1-1
- Source: Lanfranchi 1:lines 1–34
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Others offer God a pure conscience or alms; the poet, lacking both, offers his verses, trusting that in God’s house even an earthen vessel has its use and that it will profit him to have praised Christ.

### Latin text

Immolat Deo Patri
Pius, fidelis, innocens, pudicus
Dona conscientiae,
Quibus beata mens abundat intus ;
Alter et pecuniam
Recidit, unde victitent egeni
Nos citos iambicos
Sacramus et rotatiles trochaeos,
Sanctitatis indigi,
Nec ad levamen pauperum potentes:
Adprobat tamen Deus
Pedestre carmen, et benignus audit.
Multa divitis domo
Sita est per omnes angulos supellex:
Fulget aureus scyphus,
Nec aere defit expolita pelvis ;
Est et olla fictilis,
Gravisque et ampla argentea est paropsis.
Sunt eburna quaepiam;
Nonnulla quercu sunt cavata et ulmo.
Omne vas fit utile,
Quod est ad usum congruens herilem ;
Instruunt enim domum
Ut empta magno, sic parata ligno.
Me paterno in atrio,
Ut obsoletum vasculum, caducis
Christus aptat usibus ,
Sinitque parte in anguli manere.
Munus ecce fictile
Imus intra regiam salutis ;
Attamen vel infimam
Deo obsequelam praestitisse prodest.
Quidquid illud accidet,
Iuvabit ore personasse Christum.

### English translation (Claude)

To God the Father the devout,
the faithful, the innocent, the chaste man offers
the gifts of conscience,
with which the blessed mind abounds within;
another cuts off part of his money,
on which the needy may live.
We consecrate swift iambics
and rolling trochees,
lacking holiness,
and not able to relieve the poor:
yet God approves
the pedestrian song, and kindly hears.
In a rich man’s house
much furniture is set in every corner:
a golden cup shines,
nor is a polished bronze basin lacking;
there is also an earthen pot,
and a heavy and broad silver dish.
Some are of ivory;
some hollowed from oak and elm.
Every vessel is useful
that is fitted for the master’s use;
for they furnish the house,
some bought at great price, some made of wood.
Me, in the Father’s hall,
like a worn-out little vessel, Christ
fits for perishable uses,
and allows me to stay in a corner.
See, an earthen gift,
I go into the palace of salvation;
yet it profits to have rendered
even the lowest service to God.
Whatever may befall,
it will help to have sounded Christ with my mouth.

### Scripture references

- 2 Tim 2:20: allusion, high confidence
- 2 Tim 2:21: allusion, medium confidence

### Translation notes

- Epilogue to the collected poems. 2 Tim 2:20–21. Checked afterwards against FOTC 52 (private check).

### Citation (SBL)

Prudentius, Epil. 1.1 (Lanfranchi 1:lines 1–34; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/prudentius-epilogus/1-1).