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Prudentius' Psychomachia
'Conflict Of The Soul'
Brussels, KBR, Ms. 9987-91, c. 890 AD
Northern France: Abbey of Saint-Amand?

Chastity and Lust

folio 103v upper

Chastity fights against Lust

PUDICITIA CONTRA LIBIDINIM PUGNAT

folio 103v lower

Chastity throws a rock at Lust

FIDES (sic) LIBIDINEM CUM SAXO PERCUTIT

folio 104r upper

Chastity pierces Lust with her sword

PUDICITIA LIBIDINEM TRANS FIGIT GLADIO

folio 104r lower

Chastity treads on Lust

PUDICITIA EXTINCTAM LIBIDINEM INCREPAT

folio 105r

Chastity washes her sword in the river Jordan

PUDICITIA GLADIUM SUUM LAVAT IN IORDANE FLUMINE

folio 105v upper

Chastity hides her sword under an altar

PUDICITIA GLADIUM SUUM SUBTER ALTARI RECONDIT

Source: Brussels, KBR, Ms. 9987-91

Prudentius (born in 348 in northern Spain, died after 405) spent most of his life following worldly pursuits, but later turned to writing, in which he aimed to glorify God and atone for his earlier sins. One of his most popular works is a poem called Psychomachia (Conflict of the Soul), which describes the battles between female personifications of human virtues and vices.