Notker Balbulus: Heavenladder (Latin)

To wrench a phrase from Pushkin: what splendid poetry, and what disgusting theology.

Heavenladder
Notker Balbulus (9th Cent)
Translated by A.Z. Foreman

A ladder rising up to heaven　 　with bane all round it 　 At its base a sharp-eye dragon 　 Stands wakeful forever on guard　 　　So that no one can climb even 　　to the first rung unmaimed 　 From its ascent an Ethiop　 Blocks all with brandished blade　 Threatening destruction　 　　While over its top rung 　　A young man leans in radiance, 　　With a gold bough in his hand 　 This is the ladder which the love of　 Christ made free for women to go　 Stomp down the dragon underfoot　 And march right past the Ethiop's blade　 　　Through every sort of bane and torment 　　And make it to the heavens' summit 　　To take the golden laurel up 　　From the emboldening King's hand 　 What good did it do you　　 Unholy serpent　　 That you managed　　 To hoodwink once a single woman　　 　　Since a virgin has brought forth 　　The incarnate 　　Lord begotten 　　Christ of God the Father　　 　 Who pried the pelf away from you　 And pierced your jaw with armlet hooks　 　　Making it an open door for 　　Eve whose race you yearn to trammel 　 So see you now the virgin maids　 Triumphant over envious you　 　　And see as married women bear　 　　Sons pleasing unto God 　 You groan and grumble　 Now at widows'　 Loyalty to their dead husbands　 　　You who inveigled 　　A maid to be 　　Disloyal to her Creator 　 Now you see women, in the battle　 Waged against you, becoming generals　 　　Women who rally their own sons to 　　Courageously vanquish all your torments 　 Even your own vessels, The whores, are purified by God now　 　　Who turns them to burnished 　　Temples for Him and Him alone 　 For these graces let us now　 Both the sinners and the just　 Glorify together　 Our Lord as a community 　 　　Praise Him who strengthens those who stand 　 　　And reaches His right hand 　　To the fallen, so at least　 　　After transgression we may rise

Scalam ad caelos subrectam 　　 　tormentis cinctam　 　 Cuius ima draco servare　 cautus invigilat iugiter　 　　Ne quis eius vel primum gradum 　　possit insaucius scandere; 　 Cuius ascensus extracto 　 Aethiops gladio 　 vetat exitium minitans,　 　　Cuius supremis innixus 　　iuvenis splendidus 　　ramum aureolum retinet 　 Hanc ergo scalam ita Christi 　 amor feminis fecit perviam　 ut dracone conculcato 　 et Aethopis gladio transito　 　　Per omne genus tormentōrum 　　caeli apicem queant capere 　　et de manu confortantis 　　regis auream lauream sumere 　 Quid tibi profecit, 　 profane serpens, 　 quondam unam 　 decepisse mulierem,　 　　Cum virgo pepererit 　　incarnatum 　　Dei Patris 　　unicum dominum Jesum; 　 Qui praedam tibi tulit et 　 armillā maxillam forat,　 　　Ut egressus Evae natis 　　fiat, quos tenere cupis? 　 Nunc ergo temet virgines　 Vincere cernis invide,　 　　Et maritatas parere 　　Filios deo placitos, 　 Et viduarum　 maritis fidem　 nunc ingemis integram,　 　　Qui creatori 　　fidem negare 　　persuaseras virgini. 　 Feminas nunc vides in bello　 contra te acto duces existere　 　　Quae filios suos instigant 　　fortiter tua tormenta vincere. 　 Quin et tua vasa　 meretrices dominus emundat　 　　Et haec sibi templum 　　Dignatur efficere purgatum. 　 Pro his nunc beneficiis　 in commune dominum　 nos glorificemus　 et peccatores et iusti,　 　　Qui et stantes corroborat 　　et prolapsis dextram 　　porrigit, ut saltem 　　post facinora surgamus