De Tribus Magis.

Distichon.

Miraris, quod terna ferant tres munera Reges,       At mirare magis,¹ quid Deus accipiat.

In the title: A reference to the Magi from Matthew 2:1-12. Having seen a star which signaled that the King of the Jews been born, wise men (or Magi) travelled from the east to Judea to worship him. The star led them to Bethlehem where Mary, Joseph, and Jesus were living. The Magi worshipped Jesus and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Christians celebrate this every year in the Feast of the Epiphany. ¹ Magis here means ‘more,’ but Marchina is likely playing with the fact that Magis in Latin could also mean the ‘Magi,’ i.e. the three kings who visited Christ upon his birth.