Retoryczne zorganizowanie kilku średniowiecznych hymnów do Ducha Świętego

In the present sketch the three hymns to the Holy Spirit were analyzed They were made in the three stages of the Middle Ages. They differently actualize ars rhetorica. It should be noted at this point that, he medieval hymns seem to be particularly submitted to the rhetorical reading. They have the pathetic form, for instance, prayers – orationes. From invention, re- garding the Bible as the main and inexhaustible source of subjects, through disposition with via argumentorum, capitatio benevolentiae, confirmatio, to eloquence, where pathos is often consequence of juggling with words and almost the ascetic simplicity.

Presented hymns belong to collection of Analectas hymnica maedii aevi. Their selection being subjective, presents the variety subjects regarding the Holy Spirit and diversity of ver- sification proposed by writers. There was respected works’ chronology in the article. The oldest hymn, submitted to the rhetorical reading, in the present analysis, is one of Bede, the Venerable (672–735). The second analyzed literary work Ad Spiritum Sanctum was written about XI century by the unknown writer. That hymn was not often used in the liturgy. It is amazing originality in its invention stratum and the artistic form that has the ancient provenance. The next hymn was selected because of the particular rhetoric skill of his author. Comparison of the three hymns shows the different ways of realization regarding the same topic.