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Prudentius’ Psychomachia
'Conflict Of The Soul'
BnF Ms. Latin 8085, France (Reims ?), 870-899AD

Chastity and Lust

folio 57r upper right
combat de chasteté et de luxure
Chastity fights against lust

PUDICITIA CONTRA LIBIDINEM ARMIS PUGNAT

folio 57r lower right
combat de chasteté et de luxure
Chastity hits Lust with a stone

PUDICITIA LIBIDINEM CUM SAXO PERCUTIT

folio 57v upper left
mort de luxure
Chastity stabs through Lust with a sword

PUDICITIA LIBIDINEM TRANS FIGIT GLADIO

folio 57v lower left
chasteté apostrophant le cadave de luxure
Chastity rebukes the corpse of Lust

PUDICITIA LIBIDINEM EXTINCTAM INCREPAT

folio 58r left
chasteté lavant son épée dans le jourdain
Chastity washing her sword in the Jordan River

PUDICITIA GLADIUM SUUM LAVIT IN IORDANE FLUVIO

folio 58r upper right
chasteté mettant son épée près de l'autel
Chastity stores her sword under the altar in the temple

PUDICITIA GLADIUM SUUM SUB ALTARE IN TEMPLO RECONDIT


Source: BnF Ms. Latin 8085

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.