O Salutaris Hostia
Quae caeli pandis ostium
Bella premunt hostilia
Da robur fer auxilium
Uni Trinoque Domino
Sit sempiterna gloria
Qui vitam sine termino
nobis donet in patria.
1) A first thing to notice about this
hymn is its simple rhythm. The words themselves, by their natural
pronunciation, make the following rhythm, with every second syllable
being more forceful. The hymn keeps this rhythm by pronouncing every
second syllable for twice the length of time:
o SAluTAris HOStiA
quae CAEli PANdis OStiUM
2) The sounds of the ends of the lines go back and forth, with the last two syllables sounding exactly the same:
O Salutaris Hostia
Quae caeli pandis ostium
Bella premunt hostilia
Da robur fer auxilium
3) Seeing that these words are suitable for their sound, let's also see how they're suitable for their meaning:
O Salutaris Hostia
"O" is used to address someone, especially with great earnestness.
"Salutaris" means "saving", in the sense of bringing
health or being wholesome; i.e. saving one's life or bringing one to
health
"Hostia" means "victim", but not just any victim.
Hostia is a sacrificial victim - a victim which is offered in sacrifice.
Together, the line can be translated:
O Saving Sacrificial Victim
When these words are sung in the hymn, they seem to
express a feeling of love, until the word Hostia is pronounced, which
has a feeling of slight sorrow at the end. If you listen carefully you
can hear it.
Quae caeli pandis ostium
"Quae" means "Who"
"caeli" means "heaven"
"pandis" means "you spread out". It means to open,
but in the sense of opening broadly, i.e. by spreading out your arms.
"ostium" means "gate" or "entrance way". It is also
used to describe the mouth of a river, as well as the gate to the
underworld.
Together, the line can be translated:
You, who open wide the gate of heaven with your arms outstretched.
The word "pandis" in this line makes you
imagine someone spreading his arms wide to open a gate. The one who is
doing this is the same one who is the sacrificial victim, Christ, who
was sacrificed in this position, with his arms outstretched.
Bella premunt hostilia
"Bella" means "forces", i.e. military forces or troops
"premunt" means "they press hard", or pursue, or overwhelm, or oppress.
"hostilia" means "hostile" or enemy
Together, the line can be translated:
Hostile forces press hard and overwhelm us.
When we think about what these hostile forces are
trying to overcome, we remember the phrase "O Salutaris Hostia". They
are trying to overcome our life, our health, and not
just a piece of land or a fortress.
Da robur fer auxilium
"Da" means "give"
"robur" means "toughness", force, strength of heart, or a firm purpose
"fer" means "bring"
"auxilium" means "help" or assistance, or an antidote
Together, the line can be translated:
Give us strength, and bring assistance
Giving us strength means that we ourselves must be
expected to do the fighting, to overcome the hostile forces. We
ask him to save us by means of our own efforts. Why does this line also
ask him to bring help? Because we need even more than strength. We need
outside intervention, and perhaps even a cure when our own strength
fails us. This sacrificial victim saves us by enabling us to enter
heaven by following him - through the cross, and through his struggle
against all of the hostile forces which oppressed him - the demons, and
the force of our sins. The melody of these last three lines feels very
resolved and peaceful.
Uni Trinoque Domino
"Uni" means "to the one"
"Trinoque" means "and triune" or threefold
"Domino" means Lord or Master
Many hymns end with an expression of praise to the
most high God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. A Lord or Master is
typically someone who rules over others, but the Sacrificial Victim is
this same Lord who is now mentioned, who is distinct from the Father
and the Holy Spirit, but undivided from them. To call Him a ruler is
very
significant. The melody of these last four lines is exactly the same as
in the previous four lines. The word 'Domino' here receives the same
tone as the word 'Hostia' in the previous stanza, but this time with no
sadness to it. The whole melody is repeated, with great enthusiasm.
Sit sempiterna gloria
"Sit" means "may there be"
"sempiterna" means everlasting
"gloria" means glory or great renown
We have some great reason to think that his honor should be great, and why should it be everlasting?
Qui vitam sine termino
"Qui" means "who"
"vitam" means "life"
"sine" means "without"
"termino" means end, limit, or boundary
This can mean life without end of time, or without other limitations which restrict life
Nobis donet in patria
"Nobis" means "to us" or "for us"
"donet" means "may he bestow". There is another
Latin word for "give", which can refer to giving anything. But this
word - "donet", refers to giving something which is yours.
"in patria" means "in the native land" or home land
Together, these lines can be translated:
May there be everlasting glory and honour
To the One and Triune Lord
And in our homeland may he give to us
Life without limit
These words make us think that the life which he gives to us is his own
life, and that we have a place which is our true home - not this place.
The lines which rhyme fit together, because it is the One and Triune
Lord who gives us his own life, and it is in our true homeland, where
we have life without end, that God's glory is certainly everlasting.