«To Subdue the Impulses of the Heart, ELISABETH». - Matins hymn for the feast of St. Elisabeth of Portugal, probably composed by Urban VIII and introduced by him into the Breviary.
The metre is acatalectic iambic trimeter, which departs from the usual metres of ecclesiastical hymns and shows the influence of the classical inspiration then in vogue. The poet extols the wisdom of the holy queen, who chose to conquer the movements of her heart in order to unite herself to God, for to serve Him is truly to reign.
BIBL.: G. Belli, Gli inni del Breviario, Roma 1856, p. 276; V. Terreno, Gli inni dell'ufficio divino, Mondovil 1932, p. 236; A. Mirra, Gli inni del Breviario romano, Napoli 1947, p. 224. Silverio Mattei