Captivity was Captive Led

As we approach the end of the Easter Octave, I am once again struck by the poetic quality of the hymn translations of the Monastic Diurnal. Specifically, I’m thinking about the Easter hymn, Aurora Lucis Rutilat.

The first part of the translation is from a version done in 1852 by J. M. Neale, but then in the fifth verse (below) it veers off into something I suspect was done by the editors of the breviary.

Enjoy!

Light’s glittering morn bedecks the sky;
Heaven thunders forth its victor cry;
The glad earth shouts its triumph high,
And groaning hell makes wild reply:

While He, the King of glorious might,
Treads down death’s strength in death’s despite,
And, trampling hell by victor’s right,
Brings forth His sleeping Saints to light.

Fast barred beneath the stone of late
In watch and ward where soldiers wait,
Now shining in triumphant state,
He rises victor from death’s gate.

Hell’s pains are loosed and tears are fled,
Captivity is captive led;
The angel crowned with light hath said,
“The Lord is risen from the dead!”

We pray Thee, King with glory decked,
In this our Paschal joy, protect
From all that death would fain effect
Thy ransomed flock, Thine own elect.

To Thee Who, dead, again dost live,
All glory, Lord, Thy people give;
All glory, as is ever meet,
To Father and to Paraclete.

Amen.

V. In Thy resurrection, O Christ, alleluia.
R. Let heaven and earth rejoice, alleluia.

The Latin original seems to date from the 8th century, though in the 17th century Pope Urban VIII changed the lyrics to reflect his preference for more classical Latin poetic forms. It was restored by Pope Saint Pius X in 1908.

Here is the Latin for your enjoyment.