Carmen Saeculares

Quintus Horatius Flaccus  (translated by M Moravius  Piscinus)

http://thelatinlibrary.com/horace/carmsaec.shmtl

 

Phoebe silvarumque potens Diana,                    O shining Phoebe and forest Diana,
lucidum caeli decus, o colendi               shining ornaments of the sky,
semper et culti, date quae precamur                  ever gentle and refined, O sacred brows,
tempore sacro,                                                 give us what we pray for now,

 

quo Sibyllini monuere versus 5              Against what the Sibyl warned,
virgines lectas puerosque castos                        rich voices  of choice virgins and  dis, quibus septem placuere colles,             innocent boys lift in song on behalf
dicere carmen                                                   of these seven hills.

 

alme Sol, curru nitido diem qui              Nurturing Sol, shining charioteer,
promis et celas aliusque et idem 10                    who brings forth and conceals light,
nasceris, possis nihil urbe Roma                        born each day unaltered, may you
visere maius.                                                     Never see a city greater than Rome.

 

Rite maturos aperire partus                               Gentle Moon, Ilithyia, Lucina,
lenis, Ilithyia, tuere matres,                                by whatever name you wish called,
sive tu Lucina probas vocari 15             Gentalis, watch over mothers,
seu Genitalis:                                                     may you give them gentle deliveries.

diva, producas subolem patrumque                   Goddess, bring forth offspring,
prosperes decreta super iugandis                       May Rome prosper by the Senate’s
feminis prolisque novae feraci                new law on marriage and parenthood
lege marita, 20                                                  with many more boys and girls.

certus undenos deciens per annos                      So that in eleven decades of years
orbis ut cantus referatque ludos             new throngs of Romans shall witness
ter die claro totiensque grata                             these games and songs, for three
nocte frequentis.                                               clear days and three long nights.

Vosque, veraces cecinisse Parcae, 25               And you, O Fates, faithful prophets,
quod semel dictum est stabilisque rerum            keep Rome safe throughout time,
terminus servet, bona iam peractis                     harness her destiny with glories
iungite fata.                                                       and a future of great renown.

fertilis frugum pecorisque Tellus             May Mother Earth, fertile in fruit
spicea donet Cererem corona; 30                     and cattle, crown Ceres with wheat,
nutriant fetus et aquae salubres              and nurture the fertility of the land,
et Iovis aurae.                                                   healthful waters, and gentle breezes.

 

condito mitis placidusque telo                Apollo, put aside your bow, and listen
supplices audi pueros, Apollo;               mildly and kindly to the prayers of boys.
siderum regina bicornis, audi, 35                       Luna, crescent Queen of the Stars,
Luna, puellas.                                                   Listen to the prayers of virgin girls.

 

Roma si vestrum est opus Iliaeque                     Rome was your great work, when Ilians
litus Etruscum tenuere turmae,               followed your advice to abandon Troy
iussa pars mutare lares et urbem                        and carry their Lares to a safe haven
sospite cursu, 40                                               on Etruscan shores.

cui per ardentem sine fraude Troiam                  Pure Aeneas, passionate and honest,    
castus Aeneas patriae superstes                        last of the royal house of Troy,
liberum munivit iter, daturus                               paved the way for greater glories
plura relictis:                                                     than Ilium that he left behind.

di, probos mores docili iuventae, 45                  Gods, show our children the ways of
di, senectuti placidae quietem,               virtue. Gods, give our elderly peace and
Romulae genti date remque prolemque  quiet. Give wealth, offspring, and every
et decus omne.                                                 honor to the houses of Romulus.

Quaeque vos bobus veneratur albis                   Tonight with the blood of a white ox
clarus Anchisae Venerisque sanguis, 50 the glorious son of Anchises and Venus
impetret, bellante prior, iacentem                       venerates you. Grant that he may long
lenis in hostem.                                     Be victorious, and lenient on his foes.

iam mari terraque manus potentis                       Over land and sea Rome’s potent hand now
Medus Albanasque timet securis,                      stretches; the Medes fear for their safety;
iam Scythae responsa petunt, superbi 55           and once haughty Scythians and India now
nuper et Indi.                                                    ask for gentle response to their entreaties.

iam Fides et Pax et Honos Pudorque                 Fidelity, Peace, Honor, and Modesty, and
priscus et neglecta redire Virtus             once neglected Virtue now returns, and
audet adparetque beata pleno                           with them plentiful blessing pour on Rome
Copia cornu. 60                                               as fruits from a cornucopia.

Augur et fulgente decorus arcu              Phoebus, augur, archer of the flashing bow
Phoebus acceptusque novem Camenis, accepted master of the nine Muses
qui salutari levat arte fessos                               whose arts bring health and eases the ills
corporis artus,                                                  of a wearied body,

si Palatinas videt aequos aras, 65                      Be pleased by what you see on the altars
remque Romanam Latiumque felix                     upon the Palatine, and answer our prayers
alterum in lustrum meliusque semper                  that lasting prosperity and happiness
prorogat aevum,                                               you bestow on Rome and the Latins.

quaeque Aventinum tenet Algidumque,  Diana, who dwells on the Aventine and
quindecim Diana preces virorum 70                   Algidus hilltops, graciously lend your ears
curat et votis puerorum amicas              to the prayers of  virile men and young boys
adplicat auris.

Haec Iovem sentire deosque cunctos                 May Jove and all the gods approve these
spem bonam certamque domum reporto,           good wishes, that the skilled choir,
doctus et Phoebi chorus et Dianae 75                singing the praises of Diana and Apollo,
dicere laudes.                                                   may happily carry home their hopes.