In terris quis apparuit? Dicite quidnam vidistis? Et annunciate
Christi nativitatem.--H. 219.] {247}

Another instance is seen in that beautiful song ascribed to Prudentius
and used on the day of Holy Innocents:

"Hail! ye flowers of Martyrs." [Salvete flores martyrum. H. 249.]

It is of the same character with other songs, said to be from the same
pen, in which the town of Bethlehem is addressed, and even the Cross.

"O Thou of mighty cities." [O sola magnarum urbium. H. 306.]
"Bend thy boughs, thou lofty tree...."
[Flecte ramos arbor alta, &c. Aut. 344.]
"Worthy wast thou alone
To bear the victim of the world."

Thus, on the feast of the exaltation of the Cross, this anthem is
sung,--"O blessed Cross, who wast alone worthy to bear the King of the
heavens and the Lord." [O crux benedicta, quæ sola fuisti digna portare
Regem coelorum et Dominum. Alleluia. A. 345.] Though unhappily, in an
anthem on St. Andrew's day, this apostrophe becomes painful and
distressing, in which not only is the cross thus apostrophised, but it
is prayed to, as though it had ears to hear, and a mind to understand,
and power to act,--"Hail, precious Cross! do thou receive the disciple
of Him who hung upon thee, my master, Christ." [Salve, crux pretiosa
suscipe discipulum ejus, qui pependit in te, magister meus Christus. A.
547.] The Church of Rome, in this instance, gives us a vivid example of
the ease with which exclamations and apostrophes are made the
ground-work of invocations. In the legend of the day similar, though not