Cato's Lustratio

(De Agricultura 141)

 

Argum lustrare sic opertet: impera suouitaurilia circumagi: 'cum diuis uolentibus quodque bene eueniat, mando tibi, Mani, uti fundum agrum terramque meam, quota ex parte siue circumagi uelis illace suouitaurilia siue circumagenda censeas, uti cures lustrare'. Ianum Iouemque uino praefamio, sic dicito:

 

Mars pater, te precor quaesoque

uit sies uolens propitius

mihi domo familiaeque nostrae;

quoius rei ergo

agrum terram fundumque meum

suouitaurilia circumagi iussi;

uti tu <mortem> morbus uisos inuisoque

uiduertatem uastitudinemque calamitates intemperiasque

prohibessis defendas auerruncesque;

utique tu fruges frumenta uineta uirgultaque

pastores pecuaque salua seruassis

duisque bonam salutem ualetudinemque

mihi domo familiaeque nostrae.

harumce rerum ergo

fundi terrae agrique mei

lustrandi lustrique faciendi ergo,

sicuti dixi,

macte hisce suouitaurilibus lactentibus immolandis esto.

Mars pater, eiusdem rei ergo

macte hisce suouitaurilibus lactentibus esto.

 

Item [esto item] cultro facito struem et fertum uti adsiet, inde obmoueto. Ubi porcum immolabis, agnum uitulumque, sic oportet: 'eiusque rei ergo macte suouitaurilibus immolandi esto'. Nominare uetat porcum neque agnum uitulumque. Si minus in omnis litabit, sic uerba concipito: 'Mars pater, siquid tibi in illisce suouitaurilibus lactentibus neque satisfactum est, te hisce suouitaurilibus piaculo.' Si <in> uno duobusque dubitabit, sic uerba concipito: 'Mars pater, quod tibi illoc porco neque satisfactum est, te hoc porco piaculo.

 

* * *

 

The proper way to purify the grainfields is in this manner. Order a piglet, a lamb, and a calf to be led around: With the favor of the Gods, everything may turn out well, so I entrust to you, Manius, that you may lead or carry as many of the sacrificial victims as you wish around my estate, my field, and my land. Speak before Janus and Jupiter, with wine to offer Them, and then say this:

 

"Father Mars, I pray and beseech You, to be willing and propitious to me, to our household and to our family, for which I have ordered this suovitaurilia to be driven around my grainfields, my land, and my estate, in order that You may prevent, repel, and avert, seen and unseen <decay and> disease, deprivation, desolation, calamities, and intemperate weather; I pray You allow the fruits, the grain, the vines, and the bushes, to grow strong and well and be brought to the storage pit. May You also keep the shepherds and their flocks safe, and give good health and vigour to me, to the household, and to our family. To this end it is, as I have said - namely, for the purification and lustration of my estate, my land, and my grainfields, cultivated and uncultivated - that I pray You may be honored and strengthened by this suovitaurilia, these suckling sacrificial victims. O Father Mars, to this same end I pray that You bless these sucklings in sacrifice."

 

In the same way make an offering with the culter knife to Janus of the strues cakes, and to Jupiter the fertum cakes. When you will sacrifice the suovitaurilia, it is proper to do it in this manner: "For the sake of this thing, therefore may You be strengthened by the sacrifice of this suovitaurilia."

 

It is forbidden to call the piglet, the lamb and the calf as they are. (Note: it was common to sacrifice mature animals rather than sucklings.) If less than all of the sacrifice is acceptable, then recite these words: "O Father Mars, if something in this suckling piglet, lamb and calf were not pleasing to You, then these pig, sheep and bull I offer as an appeasement." If there is doubt about one or two, then recite these words: "O Father Mars, because this piglet was not satisfactory to You, to You this piglet is offered in atonement."