Roman Prayers of the Imperial Period

 

 

Arnobius (c. 295 CE)

 

Adversus Nationes III 43

            Come, Dii Penates, come Apollo and Neptune and all You Gods, and by Your powers may You mercifully turn aside this ill disease that violently twists, scorches and burns our city with fever.

Adeste, adestote, dii Penates, tu Apollo, tuque Neptune omniaque haec mala, quibus uror torreor vexor, vestri numinis averruncate clementia

http://thelatinlibrary.com/arnobius3.html

 

 

Titus Calpurnius Siculus (mid first century CE)

 

Eclogae II 52

            O if only someone would carry off a god to Crocalen.

 

O si quis Crocalen deus adferat!

 

 

Claudus Claudianus (d. 408 CE)

 

In Rufinum 1.334-9:

            Mars, whether you rush down from the cloud-capped Balkans, whether on the frosty white mountains of Thrace, whether stirring on Monte Santo in Macedonia with the black boots of soldiers stationed on all the lands they hold, to make ready with me, and defend your Thrace, if it is made happy, the campaign coming into glory, the sacred oak will be dressed with an offering of spolia.

 

'Mauors. nubifero seu tu procumbis in Haemo / seu te cana gelu Rhodope seu remige Medo  / sollicitatus Athos seu caligantia nigris / ilicibus Pangaea tenent, accingere mecum / et Thracas defende tuos. si laetior adsit / gloria, uestita spoliis donabere quercu.'

http://thelatinlibrary.com/claudian.ruf1.html

 

In Olybii et Probini fratres Consules Panegyricus

 

1-7.

O Sol, whose light embraces the world, you orbit inexhaustible, forever returning, your face glowing on each day, your horses harnessed as a team to drive your chariot, with manes braided pleasantly they rise high, passing over rose-red clouds as you rein their frothing fires. Already yet another year begins, measured by the footsteps of brothers, who as new consuls gladly offer their prayers and vows.

 

Sol, qui flammigeris mundum conplexus habenis / volvis inexhausto redeuntia saecula motu, / sparge diem meliore coma, crinemque repexi / blandius elato surgant temone iugales / efflantes roseum frenis spumantibus ignis / iam nova germanis vestigia torqueat annus /consulibus, laetique petant exordia mense.

                http://thelatinlibrary.com/claudian.olyb.html

71-2:

To you I pray, Apollo of Mount Parnassus, that you may inspire the pythia with so important knowledge, as to whom between us, O God, you will reward with authority.

 

Tu, precor, ignarum doceas, Parnasia, vatem, 

quis deus ambobus tanti sit muneris auctor.

            http://thelatinlibrary.com/claudian.olyb.html

 

 

Aulus Gellius (c. 130-170 CE)

 

Noctes Atticae XIII.23.13:

When Titus Tatius spoke in favor of peace, among his words was this prayer, “Neria, wife of Mars, I appeal to you, give peace.  May you use your own favored position with your husband; counsel Him to partake in this plan. In the same way as we reconcile ourselves to those who carried off our daughters, may you now join with Him for all times in favoring His.”

 

Cum apud T. Tatium verba faceret pacemque oraret, ita precatam esse: "Neria Martis, te obsecro, pacem da, te uti liceat nuptiis propriis et prosperis uti, quod de tui coniugis consilio contigit, uti nos itidem integras raperent, unde liberos sibi et suis, posteros patriae pararent".

http://thelatinlibrary.com/gellius.html

 

 

Grattius

 

Cynegetica 437-42

            Holy Vulcan, foremost of this place, to You we pray.  Grant peace to the exhausted fire brigades and to those who service the fountains.  If none are harmed so very much, if the flames You permit to assault only a few deplorable souls, Holy One, then at each of your altars they will sing your praises, three times, three times they will pour libations and make thick with incense Your altar fires piled high with fruitful boughs. 

 

te primum, Vulcane, loci, pacemque precamur,
incola sancte, tuam: da fessis ultima rebus
auxilia et, meriti si nulla est noxia tanti,
tot miserare animas liceatque attingere fontis,
sancte, tuos" ter quisque vocant, ter pinguia libant
tura foco, struitur ramis felicibus ara.

http://thelatinlibrary.com/gellius.html

 

 

Juvenal (c. 47-130 CE)

 

Satires IV.34-5

            Muses, speak forth, you maidens of Pieria, and let it profit me that I have called you maidens.

 

Narrate, puellae / Pierides; post mihi vos dixisse puellas.

http://thelatinlibrary.com/juvenal/4.shtml

 

VII 207-8

            Grant, O Gods, that the earth may lie soft and light upon the shades of our forefathers, may the sweet scented crocus and perpetual spring bloom over their ashes.

 

Di, maiorum umbris tenuem et sine pondere terram spirantisque crocos et in urna perpetuum ver.

http://thelatinlibrary.com/juvenal/7.shtml

 

X 185

            Grant me a great length of life, O Jupiter, give to me many years.

 

Da spatium vitae, multos da Iuppiter annos.

http://thelatinlibrary.com/juvenal/10.html

 

 

M Manilius

 

Astronomicon 1.30ff

Mercurius Cyllenius, principle author of all sacred knowledge, at times within Heaven, at other times travelling within the starry signs to open the celestial paths to the highest parts above and the lowest paths beneath the earth.  You stitch together the stars in the empty void of space into constellations, name them and determine their course; may it have been for us to reverently use the greater powers of the universe that You make, pondering them, not in all matters, but in the potential of things in themselves, and to learn of the divine plan set for the greatest nations.    

 

tu princeps auctorque sacri, Cyllenie, tanti;
per te iam caelum interius, iam sidera nota
sublimis aperire vias imumque sub orbem,
et per inane suis parentia finibus astra
nominaque et cursus signorum, pondera, vires,
major uti facies mundi foret et veneranda
non species tantum, sed et ipsa potentia rerum,
sentirentque deum gentes quam maximus esset.

http://thelatinlibrary.com/manilius.html

 

 

Scriptores Historiae Augustae (Late third, early fourth centuries CE)

 

Vita Probi c. 12.7

            Jupiter Optimus Maximus, Juno Regina, and You virtuous dancer, Minerva, Concordia of the bereaved, Victoria of the Romans, grant this meeting of the Senate of the Roman people, grant these Roman soldiers, and those soldiers of our allies and of friendly foreign nations as well, that they will serve as he commands.

 

Iuppiter optime maxime, Iuno regina tuque virtutum praesul Minerva, to orbis Concordia et tu Romana Victoria, date hoc senatui populoque Romano, date militibus, date sociis atque exteris nationibus: imperet quem ad modum militavit.

http://thelatinlibrary.com/sha/probus.html

 

 

Tacitus (c. 54-117 CE)

 

Annales XVI. 35

            Thrasea speaks to his son Helvidius after he has opened the veins of his wrists: “We pour out a libation to Jupiter the Liberator.  Observe, discover, and may the Gods avert the omen from you, my son, but you are born into a time when it is expedient to fortify your spirit with examples of courage and firmness of mind in the face of adversity.”

Libamus, inquit, Jovi liberatori, specta, invenis; et omen quidem dii prohibeant, ceterum in ea tempora natus es quibus firmare animum expediat constantibus exemplis.

 

Historiae IV 58

            I implore and entreat you, Jupiter Optimus Maximus, to whom for eight hundred and twenty years we have paid the highest honors in so many triumphs, and I pray and venerate You Quirinus, Father of the City of Rome, if You would not be pleased to see this camp remain pure, preserved and inviolate under my command, may You at least not allow it to be polluted and defiled by a Tutor and a Calssicus.  Grant that the soldiers of Rome may either be innocent of a crime, or at least may they be granted a speedy repentance without punishment.

 

Te Iuppiter optime maxime, quem per octingentos viginti annos tot triumphis coluimus, te Quirine, Romanae parens urbis, precor venerorque, ut, si vobis non fuit cordi me duce haec castra incorrupta et intemerata servari, at certe pollui foedarique a Tutore et Classico ne sinatis: militibus Romanis aut innocentiam detis aut maturam et sine noxa paenitentiam.

http://thelatinlibrary.com/tacitus/tac.hist4.shtml

 

 

Valerius Cato

 

Lydia 41-44

            Your love, O Moon, is with you; why then am I not also with mine?  O Moon, you know what grief is; pity one who grieves.  (Endymion) who caresses You, O Phoebus, celebrates love with a laurel, and what procession has not told the story to the Gods, or when has fame not told it to the forest?

 

Luna, tuus tecum est: cur non est et mea meum?  Luna, dolor nosti quid sit: miserere dolentis. Phoebe, gerens nam laurus celebravit amorem; et quae pompa deum, non silvis fama, locuta est?

 

 

Valerius Maximus (c. 32 CE)

 

VI 1, praef. De Pudicitia

            From whence should I invoke You, Pudicitia, mainstay of both men and women?  You inhabit the hearth that ancient religion consecrated to Vesta. You care over the wedding bed of Juno Capitolina.  At the height of the Palatine, that most holy of residences, You remain as one of the household gods of Augustus Caesar and by his daughter Julia’s wedding bed.  You preside over the insignia of boyhood, and in respect for Your divine power is the flower of youth protected.  You safeguard the maiden and by You is a matron’s stola judged. Come, therefore, and recognize what things You yourself have ordained.

 

Unde te virorum pariter ac feminarum praecipuum firmamentum, Pudicitia, invocem tu?  Tu enim prisca religione consecratos Vestae focos incolis, tu Capitolinae Iunonis pulvinaribus incubas, tu Palatii columen Augustos penates sanctissimumque Iuliae genialem torum adsidua statione celebras, tuo praesidio puerilis aetatis insignia munita sunt, tui numinis respectu sincerus iuventae flos permanet, te custode matronalis stola censetur.  Ades igitur et cognosce quae fieri ipsa voluisti.

http://thelatinlibrary.com/valmax6.html

 

8.1.5 (absol.)

            (Vestal Virgin Tuccia prayed for proof of her innocence:) O Vesta, if I have always brought pure hands to your secret services, make it so now that with this sieve I shall be able to draw water from the Tiber and bring it to Your temple.

 

Vesta si sacris tuis castas semper admovi manus, effice ut hoc hauriam e Tiberi aquam et in aedem tuam perferam.

http://thelatinlibrary.com/valmax8.html

 

 

Vellius Paterculus (19 BCE – c. 39 CE)

 

II 131

            Jupiter Capitolinus, Mars Gradivus called progenitor and aide of the Romans, Vesta, perpetual guardian of fire, and whatever divine powers in this greatness of Roman sovereignty, the largest empire on earth, exulted to the highest dignity, to You the public voice calls to witness and to pray: guard, preserve, and protect this state, this peace, this prince, and those who succeed to the Senate, by their long standing, determined worthy to consider the most grave matters among mortals.

 

Iuppiter Capitoline et auctor ac stator Romani nominis Gradive Mars, perpetuorum custos Vesta ignium et quidquid numinum hanc Romanii imperii molem in amplissimum terrarum orbis fastigium extulit, vos publica voce obtestor atque precor: custodite servate protegite hunc statum, hanc pacem, hunc principem, eique functo longissima statione mortali destinate successores quam serissimos.

 http://thelatinlibrary.com/vell2.html