Roman Prayers of the Republican Era

 

Translations by M Moravius Piscinus

 

 

L. Accius (c. 170-86BCE)

 

Aenead sive Decius fr. 4

            Invincible Holiness, with venerating prayers I ask that You send good portents to signify a change for the better for the people of our nation.

 

Te sancte venerans precibus invicte invoco

Portenta ut poulo patriae verruncent bene

 

Erigona fr. 4

            What I wish for, Goddess: may it have been a sacrifice, the arching missile You enjoin to me..  By this then may we approach to the other side.

 

Quod utinam me suis arquitenens telis mactasset dea!

Iam accedamus ad alteram partem.

 

 

L. Afranius Emancipatus (c. 100 BCE)

 

Fabula Togata fr. 11

            I pray by the Gods that everything will be made fortunate.

 

Deos ego omnis ut fortunassint precor

 

 

Laevius

 

FPR fr. 26; p. 292

            Therefore adoring You as though You were nurturing Venus Herself, whether You are female, or whether You are male, even so, Illuminating the Night, You are a nurturing Moon.

 

Venerem igitur almum adorans

si femina si mas est

ita uti alma Noctilucast.

 

 

Livius Andronicus (c. 240 BCE)

 

Odisia I 1:  http://thelatinlibrary.com/andronicus.html

Camena, in hot pursuit of clever men, come to me

 

Virum mihi, Camena, insece versutum

 

Odisia 1.45

            Our Father, son of Saturnus.

 

Pater noster, Saturni filie,

Lucretius Carus (c. 99-55 BCE)

 

De Rerum Natura I 1-9

            Venus Genetrix, charmer of gods and mankind, nurturing Mother, beneath the starry signs that glide through the night, You enliven the ship-bearing seas and the fruitful earth, since it is through You that all things are conceived and animated into life to behold the Light of Day.  Goddess, for You the winds make way, the heavenly clouds open at Your coming, the miraculous earth greets You with sweet scented flowers, for You the surface of the seas laugh, and the peaceful heavens glisten in luminescence.

 

Aeneadum genetrix, hominum divomque voluptas, / alma Venus, caeli subter labentia signa / quae mare navigerum, quae terras frugiferentis / concelebras, per te quoniam genus omne animantum / concipitur visitque exortum lumina solis: / te, dea, te fugiunt venti, te nubila caeli / adventumque tuum, tibi suavis daedela tellus summittit flores, tibi rident aequora ponti / placatumque nitet diffuso lumine caelum.

 

 

Pacuvius (c. 220-130 BCE)

 

Medus fr. 2

            Sol, I call to You that You may guide me on my search for my parents.

 

Te Sol invoco ut mihi potestatem duis

Inquirendi mei parentis

 

 

Terentius (c. 185-159 BCE)

 

Andria 232

            I pray, you Gods, grant an easy delivery to this girl, and assign to someone else the fate of when the midwife makes her mistakes.

 

 

Valerius Soranus

 

FPL fr.4 (August. Civ. Dei 7.9)

                Almighty Jupiter, who both engendered and fathered kings, things, and gods, God of Gods, who are both One and All