Στόμιον πώλων ἀδαῶν 

translated as
Bridle of untamed colts
Shepherd of tender youth
Master of eager youth

with
BRAUN
KIRBY BEDON
ITALIAN HYMN
MONKS GATE
ST. DUNSTAN’S

I. Greek Text

One of the oldest Christian hymns, Στόμιον πώλων ἀδαῶν (“Bridle of untamed colts”) is by Clement of Alexandria (Titus Flavius Clemens, ca. 150–ca. 215), from his larger work Paidagogos (Latin Paedagogus, “The Tutor”). He was born in Athens, Greece, trained in Alexandria, Egypt, where he became a notable teacher, then fled to Cappadocia, Turkey, and/or Jerusalem. Paedagogus is “an exposition of the moral teaching of Christ, not only in general, but also with application to such details as eating, drinking, dress, and use of wealth,”[1] or in other words, it is a catechism, “the instruction which he has given to catechumens, pointing them on the Christian way and offering a handbook to guide them.”[2] The hymn appears at the very end of the work, titled “A hymn to Christ the Savior.” This work is dated ca. 190, and the hymn is considered to be the oldest Christian hymn positively attributed to a known author.

A. Manuscripts

The foundational manuscript for editions of Paedagogus is a codex held by the Bibliothèque nationale de France in Paris, MS Grec 451, which was produced in 913 or 914 by a scribe named Baanes on behalf of Arethas, Archbishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia. But the codex is imperfect in many ways. It is now missing several pages, including the pages for the hymn, and according to scholar Miroslav Marcovich, “Baanes copied the text from an exemplar full of textual corruptions, lacunae, interpolations, and dislocations.”[3]

To account for the missing sections, scholars rely on two copies (apographs) made from the above text, the oldest being a codex of the 11th century held by the Biblioteca Estense Universitaria in Modena, Italy, Miscellanea Greca 126 (alfa.s.05.09). In this manuscript, the hymn appears on folios 171v–172v (Fig. 1).

Fig. 1. Biblioteca Estense Universitaria (Modena, Italy), Miscellanea Greca 126 (alfa.s.05.09) (11th cen.), fols. 171v–172v.
   

The other copy is held by the Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana in Florence, Italy, MS Plutei V 24, 12th century, in which the hymn appears on folios 240r–241r.

Fig. 2. Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana (Florence, Italy), MS Plutei V 24 (12th cen.), fols. 240r–241r.
   

B. Published Editions

Published editions of Paedagogus date to the 16th century, seven of which are listed in Marcovich (2002), and the hymn has appeared elsewhere on its own. Examples are listed in the bibliography below.

C. English Translations

The entirety of Paedagogus was translated by William Wilson in The Writings of Clement of Alexandria, vol. 1 (1867), part of the Ante-Nicene Christian Library. Concerning the hymn, the editors included both a poetic translation by William L. Alexander (more on Alexander’s text below) and a literal translation by Wilson. Wilson’s literal translation was lightly updated by Louis Benson in 1903, as follows:

See also the literal translations by Horatius Bonar in The Sunday at Home (1878), pp. 11–12, and by Simon Wood in Christ the Educator (1954), pp. 276–278.

D. Contextual Assessment

Esteemed hymnologist Egon Wellesz described this hymn in the context of the time period and in relation to the larger body of Greek poetry:

The hymns composed in classical metres represent an attempt by educated men to preserve Greek civilization. The hymn of praise to Christ by Clement of Alexandria shows how the master of the Catechetical School (c. 190–203) tried to combine the spirit of Greek poetry with Christian theology. The hymn stands at the end of Paedagogus. Its theme is a thanksgiving of the children, i.e., the newly baptized, to Christ the Good Shepherd, who saved them from the “Sea of Evil.” . . .

Even in the first lines the style is more highly wrought than that of Greek poetry, and as the poet continues in praise of the Saviour, his style becomes more and more ecstatic and turns from Greek to Semitic diction. Indeed, the aggregation of attributes in the following passages sounds more like a litany, a type of euchological prayer deriving from the Jewish liturgy, than a Greek poem:

Βροτέας γενες
Σ ῶτερ Ίησοῦ,
Ποιμήν, ἀροτήρ,
Οἲαξ, στόμιον,
Πτερὸν οὐράνιον
Παναγοῦς ποίμνης . . .

[Jesus, Saviour of the human race, etc.]

Short anapestic verses follow each other, almost without interruption. It is the metre of the Hellenistic poets imbued with Oriental thought, and we learn from Clement’s hymn how deeply Christianity spreading from the Orient had infiltrated Greek civilization.[5]

In this passage, “euchological” refers to a type of sacramental or ritual prayer, and “Orient” is used in the broad sense of anything east of Europe, including territories bordering the eastern shores of the Mediterranean Sea, where Clement lived and taught.

Matthew E. Gordley, a scholar of early Christianity, made similar observations of the hymn in relation to its place as a bridge between Hebrew and Greek systems, while also noting its theological focus:

The hymn may be analyzed as a well-balanced collection of couplets and anapestic lines, which have a rather free character and may reflect a semi-popular feel. The hymn is thus quite different from the earliest Christian hymnody we encountered in the New Testament where the hymnic style reflected to a large extent the Jewish tradition of psalmody. Clement’s hymn reflects more directly the influence and impact of Greek hymnody both in its form as well as its expressions. . . .

There is no reference to any aspect of the narrative about Christ that is so prominent in the New Testament christological hymns. One looks in vain for references to the incarnation, the cross, or the resurrection. Instead, the focus is on expressing praise to Christ through imagery and metaphors that capture the current relationship of Christ to his people.[6]

American scholar Philip Schaff (1819–1893) described the hymn’s role as a precursor to Nicene Christianity:

This poem faithfully represents the Logos theology of the Alexandrian School, which preceded and prepared the way for Nicene orthodoxy. It is a lofty hymn, in praise of Christ as the eternal Word (Logos) of God, the Revealer of His will, the Educator of the human race, the Shepherd of His flock, the Friend of children. It was not intended for public worship, nor is it adapted for it, nor does it suit the modern taste, but it is at all events a remarkable production, and has inspired other and more popular hymns.[7]

E. Scriptural Assessment

The opening line draws its imagery from Psalm 32:9, “Be not like a horse or mule, . . . which must be curbed with bit and bridle.” English hymns translated from this one generally abandon this image, and thus lose this allusion to Scripture. The bird language is similar to the image in Matthew 23:37, “How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing,” and the lamb image is seen in Isaiah 40:11, “He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms” (ESV).

The hymn, especially in its opening lines, is concerned for the edification of children. It calls to mind passages such as Matthew 19:14 (“Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven,” ESV; also Mk. 10:14, Lk. 18:16). But Clement had a broader sense in mind:

It remains for us to consider the children whom Scripture points to, then to give the paedagogue charge of them. We are the children. In many ways Scripture celebrates us, and describes us in manifold figures of speech, giving variety to the simplicity of the faith by diverse names. Accordingly, in the gospel, “the Lord, standing on the shore, says to the disciples”—they happened to be fishing—“and called aloud, Children, have ye any meat?” [Jn. 21:4–5]— addressing those that were already in the position of disciples as children.[8]

Similarly, Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven” (Mt. 18:3–4, ESV).

The Shepherd language is associated with Psalm 23, plus Psalm 95:7 and 100:3, John 10:1–18, etc. Other names or epithets used for Christ here include husband (bridegroom; Is. 62:5, Mt. 25:1–13, Rev. 19:6–10), heavenly wing (Ps. 61:4), fisher of men (Mt. 4:19, Mk. 1:17), heavenly way (Jn. 14:6), perennial Word (Jn. 1:1, Heb. 4:12, 1 Pet. 1:23), endless age (Rev. 1:8), perpetual light (Jn. 8:12), fountain of mercy (Zech. 13:1), and heavenly milk (Song of Sol. 4:11, 5:12, 1 Pet. 2:2).

II. Translation by Dexter

The earliest hymnic translation into English (or the first to enter common use) was by Henry Martyn Dexter (1821–1890), “Shepherd of tender youth,” first printed in the New England Puritan, 13 May 1847 (Fig. 3), where it was dated 4 May 1847. Many early sources say the hymn was composed in 1846, so it is possible the date given here was the date of Dexter’s letter to the paper. During that time period, Dexter was serving as a Congregationalist minister in Manchester, New Hampshire. He relayed the circumstances of the composition to Philip Schaff in 1884:

While preparing a sermon (as he informs me) on “some prominent characteristics of the early Christians” (text, Deut. xxxii:7, “Remember the days of old”), he first wrote down an exact translation of the Greek hymn of Clement, and then reproduced and modernized it for the use of his congregation in connection with the sermon.[9]

Around the same time, he provided a similar account to Methodist scholar Charles Nutter, saying, “I first translated it literally into prose, and then transfused as much of its language and spirit as I could into the hymn.”[10]

Dexter’s text was originally constructed in five stanzas of seven lines, using a sophisticated rhyme scheme of aabcccb. In his introductory paragraph, he conceded, “While from its measure and antiphonal structure, it is impossible to render it with much exactness into an English stanza, I have endeavoured to translate its spirit, and convey its devoutest expressions.”

Dexter avoided the bridle and bird language of the original Greek, instead capitalizing on the shepherd imagery and effectively starting with the fourth line. He framed the text in first-person language, saying “here our children bring,” versus the original second-person prayer, “Assemble thy simple children.” He was able to incorporate some of Christ’s roles, such as all-subduing Word, holy Lord, Saviour, and Prince of Wisdom. The fourth stanza combines Clement’s shepherd language with allusions to Psalm 23. As in the original Greek, Dexter ended his version with a call to worship.

Dexter’s text was frequently reprinted in other newspapers and periodicals, including an oft-cited appearance in The Congregationalist, 21 Dec. 1849, p. 124. It was adopted into hymnals a few years later, starting with Hymns for the Church of Christ (1853). It is still widely used, although it is often updated to remove or reduce English archaisms (thy, thou, etc.).

In spite of its popularity, it has not escaped criticism for its perceived inadequacies. Louis Benson liked it enough to include it in his Studies of Familiar Hymns (1903), but he lamented, “It must be said frankly that few translations have less of the original in them than this. Dr. Dexter attempted little more than to reproduce the spirit of the original with occasional use of its language.”[11] Albert E. Bailey felt Dexter had misconstrued the intent of the original Greek:

Clement did not write for the “tender youth” (aged 6 to 12 years), delicately reared in a modern Christian family. He was writing for the raw heathen who were tackling the hardest task of their lives—to remake their whole pattern of reactions in the lascivious and immoral environment of Alexandria. The first line of the original gives us the point of view: “Bridle of colts untamed!” According to Clement, the function of the Logos in human life is one of control or direction. The Church has to break-in these rambunctious colts and harness them to its wagon so that their energies may advance the Kingdom of God. Christ had the same idea when He said, “Take my yoke upon you” (Mt. 11:29).[12]

Indeed, others have attempted to versify this text, and the most notable of those attempts are given below.

III. Translation by Alexander

Another versification was made by William Lindsay Alexander (1808–1884) and published in William Wilson’s edition of The Writings of Clement of Alexandria, vol. 1 (1867 | Fig. 4). Alexander was credited in the preface. He provided the following note about his approach to the task:

The translator has done what he could to render this hymn literally. He has been obliged, however, to add somewhat to it in the way of expansion, for otherwise it would have been impossible to secure anything approaching the flow of English versification. The original is in many parts a mere string of epithets, which no ingenuity could render in rhymed verse without some additions.

Although Alexander’s version rhymes and it is metrical, the rhyme schemes and metrical lines are variable, therefore his text is not easily suitable for congregational singing and has not been adapted for that purpose.

IV. Translation by Tucker

The other significant metrical paraphrase in circulation is by F. Bland Tucker (1895–1984), written for the Episcopal Hymnal 1940 (published in 1943). This was his first foray into hymn writing, and he explained the circumstances in a later interview:

I never thought of writing a hymn until in 1937 I was put on the Commission to propose a new hymnal at the next meeting of the General Convention of the Episcopal Church. This Commission produced The Hymnal 1940. Each of us was assigned a different hymnal to study, and to present hymns from it to be considered, and each was asked to look for possible material from other literature. In C.S. Phillips’s book Hymnody Past and Present I found passages quoted from early Christian writings that he said had hymnic qualities, though written in prose.[13]

The book by Phillips was brand new at the time. It included this passage about Clement’s hymn:

It remains to mention three others [Greek hymns] of the same period which have come down to us, though neither now nor (so far as we know) at any time have they been used for liturgical purposes. The first is a Hymn to Christ attached to the Paedagogous of Clement of Alexandria (170–220), beginning Στόμιον πώλων ἀδαῶν, “Bridle of colts untamed.” It is thus the earliest Christian hymn that can be definitely dated. Unlike the “rhythmical” hymns mentioned above it is written in a classical metre (Anapestic dimeter), and in this way (as we shall see) lies off the main track on which Eastern hymnody was to proceed.[14]

This passage seems to have been the impetus behind Tucker’s desire to versify Clement’s hymn. His version has a different structure than Dexter’s. The rhyme scheme is ababcccd with a meter of 6.5.6.5.6.6.6.5 (sometimes reported as 11.11.12.11).

When the hymn was carried over into the next edition of the hymnal, The Hymnal 1982 (published in 1985), Tucker revised the text to replace the archaic pronouns, and he changed the penultimate line to say “The God of peace acclaim.” Regarding the reduction of the hymn to three stanzas, the Companion reported, “The imagery of the stanzas retained in H82 may be seen as more congenial to modern thought than that of the first stanza, which has been omitted.”[15]

V. Tunes for Dexter

1. BRAUN

One common tune for Dexter’s text is BRAUN, composed by Catholic musician Johann Georg Braun (17th cen.), published in Echo Hymnodiae Coelestis (1675). It was originally set to the text “Ave Maria zart / du edler Rosengart” (“Hail, tender Mary, you noble rose garden”), which has a textual meter of 6.6.9.6.6.9.

The tune’s transmission into English is not well documented, but the first such example seems to have been when it was chosen, adapted, and harmonized by Henry J. Gauntlett (1805-1876) for The Congregational Psalmist (1862). In that collection, it was called HERMON and set to the text “Father of love and power” by George Rawson (1807–1889). Gauntlett is likely responsible for adapting the tune to fit 6.6.4.6.6.6.4. This involved reducing the third phrase to its first four notes and making several alterations to the final phrase.

Gauntlett’s arrangement was copied into Psalms and Hymns for Divine Worship (1866), edited by Henry Smart (1813–1879), who changed the name to LEBANON and offered it as a possible tune for “Shepherd of tender youth” (situated on the opposing page).

English composer Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872–1958) crafted another adaptation of the tune for Songs of Praise (1925). In that instance, he slightly displaced the rhythms in the third phrase while adding an extra syllable, and he added a few extra notes at the end, thus making the tune 6.6.10.6.6.12. He called it ST. GABRIEL, paired it with “Then welcome each rebuff” by Robert Browning (1812–1889), and credited it vaguely as “Adapted from a 17th century German hymn melody.”

2. KIRBY BEDON

The tune most commonly associated with “Shepherd of tender youth” is KIRBY BEDON by Edward Bunnett (1834–1923). Bunnett has been described as a musical prodigy who had perfect pitch and could capably play violin by age six, although later in life he was known mainly as an organist and composer. When he wrote this tune, he was organist of St. Peter Mancroft Church and conductor of the Norwich Musical Union in Norwich, England.[16] This tune was first published in the Congregational Church Hymnal (1887 | Fig. 9), where it appeared with the text “Father of love and power” by George Rawson (1807–1889). It was apparently intended as an alternative to BRAUN.

Methodist scholar Robert Guy McCutchan offered additional insight into the name of the tune:

The name signifies “the church near Bedon.” There are two hamlets by this name comprising the parishes of St. Andrew and St. Mary about three miles southeast from Norwich, County of Norfolk, England. “Kirby” is but a form of Kirkby, “church place.” in the Canadian Book of Common Praise this tune is called KIRKBY BEDON, which is probably the correct form.[17]

Bunnett’s tune and Dexter’s text were joined a few years later in Hymns of the Faith with Psalms, Popular Edition (1890).

3. ITALIAN HYMN

This tune is by Italian composer Felice Giardini (1716–1796), first published in A Collection of Psalm and Hymn Tunes (1769 | Fig. 10), edited by Martin Madan, where it was set to “Come thou almighty King.” The earliest known pairing of Dexter’s text with Giardini’s tune was in Hymns and Songs for Social and Sabbath Worship (1875).

VI. Tunes for Tucker

1. MONKS GATE

MONKS GATE is based on an English folk song, “Our captain calls all hands on board tomorrow,” transcribed by Ralph Vaughan Williams on 22 December 1904 from from the singing of Mrs. Harriet Verrall of Monks Gate, Sussex, and printed in the Journal of the Folk-Song Society, vol. 2, no. 8 (1906), then adapted as a hymn tune for The English Hymnal (1906). More information on that tune can be found in the article for “Who would true valour see.” This adapted folk tune was first paired with Tucker’s hymn in The Hymnal 1940 (Fig. 5).

2. ST. DUNSTAN’S

The other commonly recommended tune for Tucker’s hymn is ST. DUNSTAN’S, composed by Charles Winfred Douglas (1867–1944) for The New Hymnal (1918) of the Episcopal Church. More information on that tune can be found in the article for “Who would true valour see.” It was named as an alternate tune for Tucker’s hymn in The Hymnal 1940 (Fig. 5).

by CHRIS FENNER
for Hymnology Archive
23 September 2021

Footnotes:

1. Mark Julian Edwards, “Clement of Alexandria (Titus Flavius Clemens),” The Oxford Classical Dictionary, 4th ed. (2012).

2. Eric Osborn, Clement of Alexandria (Cambridge: University Press, 2005), p. 14.

3. Miroslav Marcovich, Clementis Alexandrini Paedagogus (2002), p. ix.

4. Louis F. Benson, “Shepherd of tender youth,” Studies of Familiar Hymns (1903), pp. 250–251: Archive.org

5. Egon Wellesz, A History of Byzantine Music and Hymnography (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1949), pp. 122–123.

6. Matthew E. Gordley, “Clement of Alexandria’s Hymn to Christ the Savior,” Teaching Through Song in Antiquity (2011), pp. 373, 375.

7. Philip Schaff, “The oldest Christian sermon, prayer, and hymn,” The Homiletic Monthly, vol. 8, no. 4 (Jan. 1884), pp. 223–224: HathiTrust

8. William Wilson, The Writings of Clement of Alexandria, vol. 1 (1867), p. 122: Archive.org; see also the discussion in Osbun (2019), p. 1340.

9. Philip Schaff, “The oldest Christian sermon, prayer, and hymn,” The Homiletic Monthly, vol. 8, no. 4 (Jan. 1884), p. 224: HathiTrust

10. Charles Nutter, “Shepherd of tender youth,” Hymn Studies (NY: Phillips & Hunt, 1884), p. 342: Archive.org

11. Louis F. Benson, “Shepherd of tender youth,” Studies of Familiar Hymns (1903), p. 250: Archive.org

12. Albert Edward Bailey, “Shepherd of tender youth,” The Gospel in Hymns (1950), pp. 284–285.

13. F. Bland Tucker, “Reflections of a hymn writer,” The Hymn, vol. 30, no. 2 (April 1979), pp. 115–116: HathiTrust

14. C.S. Phillips, Hymnody Past and Present (NY: MacMillan Company, 1937), p. 25.

15. J. Howard Rhys, “Jesus our mighty Lord,” The Hymnal 1982 Companion, vol. 3B (1994), p. 900.

16. “Church and Organ Music: Dr. Edward Bunnett,” The Musical Times, vol. 48, no. 772 (1 June 1907), pp. 381–382: JSTOR

17. Robert Guy McCutchan, “Kirby Bedon,” Hymn Tune Names (1957), p. 89.

Related Resources:

Manuscripts:

Bibliothèque Nationale de France (Paris), MS Grec 451: Catalog | Images

Biblioteca Estense Universitaria (Modena, Italy), Miscellanea Greca 126 (alfa.s.05.09): Catalog | Images

Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana (Florence, Italy), MS Plutei V 24 (Plut.5.24): Images

English Folk Dance & Song Society, Vaughan Williams Memorial Library: Catalog

Editions:

H.A. Daniel, Thesaurus Hymnologicus, vol. 3 (Leipzig: J.T. Loeschke, 1855), pp. 3–4: HathiTrust

William Wilson, The Writings of Clement of Alexandria, Ante-Nicene Christian Library, vol. 1 (Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, 1867): Archive.org

W. Christ & M. Paranikas, Anthologia Graeca Carminum Christorum (Leipzig: B.G. Teubneri, 1871), pp. 37–38: HathiTrust

Otto Stählin, Clemens Alexandrinus: Protrepticus und Paedagogus (Leipzig: J.C. Hinrichs, 1905): Archive.org

Simon Wood, Christ the Educator, vol. 23 of The Fathers of the Church (NY: Fathers of the Church, 1954).

Miroslav Marcovich, Clementis Alexandrini Paedagogus (Boston: Brill, 2002).

Hymn Commentaries:

Horatius Bonar, “Hymns of the early church,” The Sunday at Home (London: Religious Tract Society, 1878), pp. 8–12: HathiTrust

Philip Schaff, “The oldest Christian sermon, prayer, and hymn,” The Homiletic Monthly, vol. 8, no. 4 (Jan. 1884), pp. 223–224: HathiTrust

Charles Nutter, “Shepherd of tender youth,” Hymn Studies (NY: Phillips & Hunt, 1884), pp. 341–342: Archive.org

John Julian, “Titus Flavius Clemens,” A Dictionary of Hymnology (London: J. Murray, 1892), p. 238: HathiTrust

Louis F. Benson, “Shepherd of tender youth,” Studies of Familiar Hymns (Philadelphia: Westminster, 1903), pp. 250–251: Archive.org

James Edmund Jones, “Shepherd of tender youth,” Book of Common Praise: Annotated Edition (Toronto: Henry Frowde, 1909), pp. 532–534: HathiTrust

[Leonard Ellinwood,] “Master of eager youth,” The Hymnal 1940 Companion, 3rd rev. ed. (NY: Church Pension Fund, 1956), pp. 235–236.

[Leonard Ellinwood,] “He who would valiant be,” The Hymnal 1940 Companion, 3rd rev. ed. (NY: Church Pension Fund, 1956), pp. 330–331.

Leo Hostetler, “Shepherd of eager youth,” Handbook to the Mennonite Hymnary (Newton, KS: General Conference, 1949), pp. 232–233.

Albert Edward Bailey, “Shepherd of tender youth,” The Gospel in Hymns (NY: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1950), pp. 283–285.

Robert Guy McCutchan, “Kirby Bedon,” Hymn Tune Names: Their Sources and Significance (Nashville: Abingdon, 1957), p. 89.

Alice Loewen, et al. “Shepherd of tender youth,” Exploring the Mennonite Hymnal (Newton, KS: Faith and Life, 1983), p. 229.

J. Howard Rhys & Alan Luff, “Jesus our mighty Lord,” The Hymnal 1982 Companion, vol. 3B (NY: Church Hymnal Corp., 1994), pp. 899–902.

Matthew E. Gordley, “Clement of Alexandria’s Hymn to Christ the Savior,” Teaching Through Song in Antiquity (Tübingen, Germany: Mohr Siebeck), pp. 371–381.

M. Joshua Osbun & Joe Herl, “Shepherd of tender youth,” Lutheran Service Book Companion to the Hymns, vol. 1 (St. Louis: Concordia, 2019), pp. 1339–1341.