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Prudentius' Psychomachia
'Conflict Of The Soul'
Corpus Christi College, Ms. 23, c.1000

Chastity and Lust


PUDICITIA CONTRA LIBIDINE ARMIS PUGNAT
6r Chastity in armed combat against Lust

PUDICITIA LIBIDINEM CUM SAXO PERCUTIT
6v-upper Chastity hits Lust with a stone

PUDICITIA LIBIDINEM TRANS FIGIT GLADIO
6v-lower Chastity stabs through Lust with a sword


PUDICITIA LIBIDINEM EXTINCTAM INCREPAT
7r Chastity rebukes the corpse of Lust


PUDICITIA GLADIUM SUUM LAVIT IN IORDANE
8r Chastity washing her sword in the Jordan


PUDICITIA GLADIUM SUUM IN TEMPLO RECONDIT
8v-upper Chastity stores her sword in the temple

Source: Corpus Christi College, Ms. 23

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.