119 – There is a play here on the word ‘aerarios,’ as connected
with ‘aerarium’ the treasury. The aerarii were the lowest
class of people at Rome, and so S. Ambrose calls the
‘pauperes Christi’ his aerarii, while at the same time
they are the treasures of the Church.
120 – S. Augustine mentions in his Confessions (ix. 7.)
S. Ambrose’s introduction both of Hymns and chanting
during this period of trial. ‘Then was it first instituted
that, after the manner of the Eastern Churches, Hymns
and Psalms should be sung, lest the people should wax
faint through the tediousness of sorrow; and from that
day to this the custom is retained, divers, yea, almost
all Thy Congregations throughout other parts of the world
following herein.’ Oxf. Transl. He speaks in the same
passage of the behaviour of the people: ‘The devout people
kept watch in the Church, ready to die with their Bishop
Thy servant.’ He also dwells on the effect produced
on himself, these events happening shortly before his
conversion. ‘How did I weep in Thy Hymns and Canticles,
touched to the quick by the voice of Thy sweet-attuned
Church! The voices flowed into mine ears, and the Truth
distilled into mine heart, whence the affections of my
devotion overflowed, and tears ran down, and happy was
I therein.’ Ib. ix. 6. It is quite possible that some of
the twelve Hymns, acknowledged by the Benedictine Editors
as genuine, were then first sung. Among them are the
well-known ‘Aeterna Christi munera,’ ‘Aeterne rerum
Conditor,’ ‘Deus Creator omnium,’ and others, whose strains
are now familiar in English versions.
121 – This is said to be the Church now called ‘S. Ambrose
the greater.’ The Roman Church is the one called in the
previous letter the ‘New Basilica,’ and also the Church of
the Apostles. It was probably called ‘Romana’ from being
near the Porta Romana.