Ovid, Fasti

salve, laeta dies, meliorque revertere semper,

Hail, glad day, and always come back better,

a populo rerum digna potente coli.

worthy to be honoured by a people that rules the world.

quem tamen esse deum te dicam, Iane biformis?

But what god am I to say you are, two-formed Janus?

nam tibi par nullum Graecia numen habet,

For Greece has no divinity equal to you.

ede simul causam, cur de caelestibus unus,

Tell me too the reason why, alone of the heavenly ones,

sitque quod a tergo, sitque quod ante, vides?

you see both what is behind and what is in front.

haec ego cum sumptis agitarem mente tabellis,

While I was turning these things over in my mind, tablets in hand,

lucidior visa est, quam fuit ante, domus.

the house seemed brighter than it had been before.

tunc sacer ancipiti mirandus imagine Ianus

Then holy Janus, wondrous in his two-headed image,

bina repens oculis obtulit ora meis.

suddenly presented his two faces to my eyes.

extimui sensique metu riguisse capillos,

I was terrified, and felt my hair stand stiff with fear,

et gelidum subito frigore pectus erat.

and my breast was cold with a sudden chill.

ille tenens baculum dextra clavemque sinistra

He, holding a staff in his right hand and a key in his left,

edidit hos nobis ore priore sonos:

uttered these sounds to me from his front mouth:

‘disce metu posito, vates operose dierum,

‘Put aside your fear and learn, hard-working poet of the days,

quod petis, et voces percipe mente meas.

what you ask, and take my words into your mind.

me Chaos antiqui (nam sum res prisca) vocabant:

The ancients called me Chaos (for I am a thing of long ago):

aspice, quam longi temporis acta canam.

see of how long a time are the deeds I shall sing.

lucidus hic aer et quae tria corpora restant,

This clear air and the three bodies that remain,

ignis, aqua et tellus, unus acervus erat.

fire, water and earth, were a single heap.

ut semel haec rerum secessit lite suarum

Once this mass, through the strife of its elements, broke apart

inque novas abiit massa soluta domos,

and, dissolved, went off into new homes,

flamma petit altum, propior locus aera cepit,

flame sought the heights, the nearer place took the air,

sederunt medio terra fretumque solo.

earth and sea settled on the middle ground.

tunc ego, qui fueram globus et sine imagine moles,

Then I, who had been a ball and a shapeless bulk,

in faciem redii dignaque membra deo.

went back into a face and limbs worthy of a god.

nunc quoque, confusae quondam nota parva figurae,

Even now, a small mark of my once confused shape,

ante quod est in me postque, videtur idem.

my front and my back look the same.

accipe, quaesitae quae causa sit altera formae,

Hear what the other reason is for the shape you asked about,

hanc simul ut noris officiumque meum.

so that you may know it and my duty together.

quicquid ubique vides, caelum, mare, nubila, terras,

Whatever you see anywhere, sky, sea, clouds, lands,

omnia sunt nostra clausa patentque manu.

all are closed and opened by my hand.

me penes est unum vasti custodia mundi,

With me alone lies the guarding of the vast world,

et ius vertendi cardinis omne meum est.

and the whole right of turning the hinge is mine.

cum libuit Pacem placidis emittere tectis,

When I have chosen to send Peace out from her quiet dwelling,

libera perpetuas ambulat illa vias:

she walks freely along unbroken roads:

sanguine letifero totus miscebitur orbis,

the whole world will be mingled with deadly blood

ni teneant rigidae condita bella serae.

unless rigid bolts keep wars shut in.

praesideo foribus caeli cum mitibus Horis:

I preside over the gates of heaven with the gentle Hours:

it, redit officio Iuppiter ipse meo.

Jupiter himself goes out and returns by my office.

inde vocor Ianus, cui cum Ceriale sacerdos

Hence I am called Janus; and when the priest sets before me

imponit libum mixtaque farra sale,

the cake of Ceres and spelt mixed with salt,

nomina ridebis; modo namque Patulcius idem

you will laugh at the names: for now Patulcius, and the same god

et modo sacrifico Clusius ore vocor.

now Clusius, I am called by the sacrificing mouth.

scilicet alterno voluit rudis illa vetustas

No doubt that rude antiquity wanted, by an alternating

nomine diversas significare vices,

name, to signify my different functions.

vis mea narrata est. causam nunc disce figurae:

My power has been told. Now learn the reason for my shape:

iam tamen hanc aliqua tu quoque parte vides.

yet you yourself already see it in some part.

omnis habet geminas, hinc atque hinc, ianua frontis,

Every door has two fronts, one this side and one that,

e quibus haec populum spectat, at illa larem;

of which this one faces the people, and that one the household god;

utque sedens primi vester prope limina tecti

and just as your doorkeeper, sitting near the threshold of the house front,

ianitor egressus introitusque videt,

sees the goings-out and the comings-in,

sic ego perspicio caelestis ianitor aulae

so I, doorkeeper of the heavenly court, look out on

Eoas partes Hesperiasque simul.

the eastern and the western regions at once.

ora vides Hecates in tres vertentia partes,

You see the faces of Hecate turning in three directions,

servet ut in ternas compita secta vias;

so that she may guard the crossroads split into three ways;

et mihi, ne flexu cervicis tempora perdam,

and I, so as not to lose time by turning my neck,

cernere non moto corpore bina licet.’

may see two ways without moving my body.’

dixerat et voltu, si plura requirere vellem,

He had spoken, and with his look had made it plain that, if I wished to ask more,

difficilem mihi se non fore fassus erat.

he would not be difficult with me.

noscere me duplici posses sub imagine, dixit

‘You could recognise me under the double image,’ he said,

‘ni vetus ipsa dies extenuasset opus.

‘if long time itself had not worn the work thin.

causa ratis superest: Tuscum rate venit in amnem

The reason for the ship remains: by ship to the Tuscan river came

ante pererrato falcifer orbe deus.

the sickle-bearing god, after wandering over the world.

hac ego Saturnum memini tellure receptum

I remember Saturn being received in this land:

caelitibus regnis a Iove pulsus erat.

he had been driven from the heavenly kingdoms by Jupiter.

inde diu genti mansit Saturnia nomen;

From then on the name Saturnia long remained to the people;

dicta quoque est Latium terra, latente deo.

the land too was called Latium, from the god's lying hidden [there].

at bona posteritas puppem formavit in aere,

But a good posterity shaped a ship on the bronze,

hospitis adventum testificata dei.

bearing witness to the arrival of the guest god.

ipse solum colui, cuius placidissima laevum

I myself lived on the ground whose left side

radit harenosi Thybridis unda latus,

the gentlest wave of the sandy Tiber grazes.

hic, ubi nunc Roma est, incaedua silva virebat,

Here, where Rome now is, an uncut forest grew green,

tantaque res paucis pascua bubus erat.

and so great a place was pasture for a few cattle.

arx mea collis erat, quem volgus nomine nostro

My citadel was the hill which the common people by our name

nuncupat, haec aetas Ianiculumque vocat,

call, and which this age calls the Janiculum.

tunc ego regnabam, patiens cum terra deorum

I reigned then, when the earth could bear gods,

esset, et humanis numina mixta locis,

and divinities mingled in human places.

hic ubi iuncta foris templa duobus habes?’

here, where you have a temple joined to the two forums?”

ille manu mulcens propexam ad pectora barbam

He, stroking with his hand the beard that hung down to his chest,

protinus Oebalii rettulit arma Tati,

at once told of the war of Oebalian Tatius,

utque levis custos armillis capta Sabinos

and how the fickle guard, won over by bracelets, led the Sabines

ad summae tacitos duxerit arcis iter.

in silence along the path to the top of the citadel.

inde, velut nunc est, per quem descenditis, inquit

“From there,” he said, “as it is now, the slope by which you go down

‘arduus in valles et fora clivus erat.

was steep into the valleys and forums.

et iam contigerant portam, Saturnia cuius

And already they had reached the gate from which Saturnia,

dempserat oppositas invidiosa seras,

in her spite, had removed the bars set against them,

cum tanto veritus committere numine pugnam

when, afraid to join battle with so great a deity,

ipse meae movi callidus artis opus,

I cunningly set in motion the work of my own craft,

oraque, qua pollens ope sum, fontana reclusi

and by the power in which I am strong I opened the mouths of springs

sumque repentinas eiaculatus aquas;

and shot forth sudden waters;

ante tamen madidis subieci sulphura venis,

but first I put sulphur beneath the wet channels,

clauderet ut Tatio fervidus humor iter.

so that the boiling water would close the way to Tatius.

cuius ut utilitas pulsis percepta Sabinis,

When its usefulness had been felt and the Sabines driven back,

quae fuerat, tuto reddita forma loco est.

the place, made safe, was given back the form it had had.

ara mihi posita est parvo coniuncta sacello:

An altar was set up to me, joined to a small shrine:

haec adolet flammis cum strue farra suis.’

it burns spelt with sacrificial cakes in its flames.”

unde petam causas horum moremque sacrorum?

Where shall I look for the causes and the custom of these rites?

diriget in medio quis mea vela freto?

Who will steer my sails in the middle of the sea?

ipsa mone, quae nomen habes a carmine ductum,

Advise me yourself, you whose name is drawn from song,

propositoque fave, ne tuus erret honor,

and favour my undertaking, so that your honour does not go astray.

orta prior luna (de se si creditur ipsi)

Born before the moon (if it is believed about itself),

a magno tellus Arcade nomen habet.

the land takes its name from great Arcas.

hic fuit Evander, qui, quamquam clarus utroque,

Here lived Evander, who, though distinguished through both his parents,

nobilior sacrae sanguine matris erat;

was nobler by the blood of his holy mother;

quae simul aetherios animo conceperat ignes,

she, as soon as she had taken the heavenly fire into her mind,

ore dabat pleno carmina vera dei.

would utter true songs from a mouth full of the god.

dixerat haec nato motus instare sibique,

She had told her son that upheavals threatened him and herself,

multaque praeterea tempore nacta fidem.

and much else besides, which time has proved true.

nam iuvenis nimium vera cum matre fugatus

For the young man, driven out with his all-too-truthful mother,

deserit Arcadiam Parrhasiumque larem,

leaves Arcadia and his Parrhasian home;

cui genetrix flenti fortuna viriliter inquit

as he wept, his mother said to him: “This fortune, like a man

‘(siste, precor, lacrimas) ista ferenda tibi est.

(stop your tears, I beg you), you must bear.

sic erat in fatis; nec te tua culpa fugavit,

So it was fated; it was not your own fault that drove you out,

sed deus; offenso pulsus es urbe deo.

but a god: an offended god has driven you from your city.

non meriti poenam pateris, sed numinis iram:

You suffer not the penalty of guilt but the anger of a deity:

est aliquid magnis crimen abesse malis.

it is something, in great misfortunes, to be free of crime.

conscia mens ut cuique sua est, ita concipit intra

As each person's mind is conscious of its own deeds, so it conceives within

pectora pro facto spemque metumque suo.

the breast hope or fear in keeping with what it has done.

nec tamen ut primus maere mala talia passus:

Yet do not grieve as though you were the first to suffer such ills:

obruit ingentes ista procella viros,

that storm has overwhelmed mighty men.

passus idem est, Tyriis qui quondam pulsus ab oris

He who was once driven from the Tyrian shores suffered the same:

Cadmus in Aonia constitit exul humo:

Cadmus, who stopped as an exile on Aonian soil;

passus idem Tydeus et idem Pagasaeus Iason,

Tydeus suffered the same, and the same Pagasaean Jason,

et quos praeterea longa referre mora est.

and others whom it would take too long to tell.

omne solum forti patria est, ut piscibus aequor,

To the brave every land is a homeland, as the sea is to fish,

ut volucri, vacuo quicquid in orbe patet.

as to a bird whatever lies open in the empty world.

nec fera tempestas toto tamen horret in anno:

Nor does the fierce storm rage all the year round:

et tibi (crede mihi) tempora veris erunt.’

for you too (believe me) a time of spring will come.”

vocibus Evander firmata mente parentis

Evander, his mind strengthened by his mother's words,

nave secat fluctus Hesperiarnque tenet,

cuts the waves in his ship and reaches Hesperia;

iamque ratem doctae monitu Carmentis in amnem

and now, at the urging of wise Carmentis, he had steered his craft into the river

egerat et Tuscis obvius ibat aquis:

and was going upstream against the Tuscan waters:

fluminis illa latus, cui sunt vada iuncta Tarenti,

she looks at the river's bank, where the shallows of Tarentum lie,

aspicit et sparsas per loca sola casas;

and at the huts scattered through the lonely places;

utque erat, immissis puppem stetit ante capillis

and just as she was, with her hair streaming, she stood before the stern

continuitque manum torva regentis iter,

and fiercely held back the hand of the one steering the course,

et procul in dextram tendens sua bracchia ripam

and stretching her arms far out towards the right bank

pinea non sano ter pede texta ferit;

she struck the pine deck three times with frenzied foot;

neve daret saltum properans insistere terrae,

and, so that she would not leap ashore in her haste to stand on land,

vix est Evandri vixque retenta manu.

she was barely, barely held back by Evander's hand.

di que petitorum dixit ‘salve te locorum,

“Hail, gods of the places we have sought,” she said,

tuque novos caelo terra datura deos,

“and you, land that will give new gods to heaven,

fluminaque et fontes, quibus utitur hospita tellus,

and rivers and springs that this hospitable land enjoys,

et nemorum nymphae naiadumque chori!

and nymphs of the groves and bands of Naiads!

este bonis avibus visi natoque mihique,

May you appear with good omens to my son and me,

ripaque felici tacta sit ista pede!

and may this bank be touched by a lucky foot!

fallor, an hi fient ingentia moenia colles,

Am I mistaken, or will these hills become mighty walls,

iuraque ab hac terra cetera terra petet?

and will the rest of the earth seek its laws from this land?

montibus his olim totus promittitur orbis:

To these hills one day the whole world is promised:

quis tantum fati credat habere locum?

who would believe the place holds so great a destiny?

et iam Dardaniae tangent haec litora pinus:

Soon Dardanian pines will touch these shores:

hic quoque causa novi femina Martis erit.

here too a woman will be the cause of a new war.

care nepos, Palla, funesta quid induis arma?

Dear grandson, Pallas, why do you put on deadly armour?

indue! non humili vindice caesus eris.

Put it on! You will not be slain with a lowly avenger.

victa tamen vinces eversaque, Troia, resurges:

Conquered, Troy, you will yet conquer, and overthrown, you will rise again:

obruet hostiles ista ruina domos.

that ruin of yours will bury the houses of your enemies.

urite victrices Neptunia Pergama flammae!

Burn Neptune's Pergamum, victorious flames!

num minus hic toto est altior orbe cinis?

Is this ash not, even so, higher than the whole world?

iam pius Aeneas sacra et, sacra altera, patrem

Soon dutiful Aeneas the sacred objects and, a second sacred charge, his father

adferet: Iliacos accipe, Vesta, deos!

will bring here: receive, Vesta, the gods of Ilium!

tempus erit, cum vos orbemque tuebitur idem,

A time will come when the same one will guard both you and the world,

et fient ipso sacra colente deo,

and the rites will be performed with a god himself tending them,

et penes Angustos patriae tutela manebit:

and the guardianship of the fatherland will remain with the Augusti:

hanc fas imperii frena tenere domum,

it is right that this house should hold the reins of empire.

inde nepos natusque dei, licet ipse recuset,

From it the grandson and son of a god, though he himself refuses,

pondera caelesti mente paterna feret;

will bear his father's burdens with a heavenly mind;

utque ego perpetuis olim sacrabor in aris,

and as I shall one day be consecrated on everlasting altars,

sic Augusta novum Iulia numen erit.’

so Julia Augusta will be a new divinity.”

talibus ut dictis nostros descendit in annos,

When with such words she had come down to our own years,

substitit in medios praescia lingua sonos,

her prophetic tongue stopped in mid-speech.

nec mora longa fuit: stabant nova tecta, neque alter

There was no long delay: the new dwellings stood, and no one

montibus Ausoniis Arcade maior erat.

on the Ausonian hills was greater than the Arcadian.

ecce boves illuc Erytheidas applicat heros

Look, the hero brings the cattle of Erytheia there,

emensus longi claviger orbis iter;

the club-bearer, having travelled the long road across the world;

dumque huic hospitium domus est Tegeaea, vagantur

and while the house of Tegea gives him lodging, the cattle wander

incustoditae lata per arva boves,

unguarded through the broad fields.

mane erat: excussus somno Tirynthius actor

It was morning: shaken from sleep, the Tirynthian herdsman

de numero tauros sentit abesse duos.

notices that two bulls are missing from the count.

nulla videt quaerens taciti vestigia furti:

Searching, he sees no tracks of the silent theft:

traxerat aversos Cacus in antra ferox,

fierce Cacus had dragged them backwards into his cave,

Cacus, Aventinae timor atque infamia silvae,

Cacus, the terror and the disgrace of the Aventine wood,

non leve finitimis hospitibusque malum,

no small evil to neighbours and strangers.

dira viro facies, vires pro corpore, corpus

The man had a dreadful face, strength to match his body, and his body

grande: pater monstri Mulciber huius erat:

was huge: the father of this monster was Mulciber;

proque domo longis spelunca recessibus ingens,

and for a house [he had] a huge cave with long recesses,

abdita, vix ipsis invenienda feris,

hidden away, hardly to be found even by the wild beasts themselves;

ora super postes adfixaque brachia pendent,

over the doorposts hang heads and nailed-up arms,

squalidaque humanis ossibus albet humus,

and the filthy ground is white with human bones.

servata male parte boum Iove natus abibat:

The son of Jupiter was leaving, with part of his cattle ill kept:

mugitum rauco furta dedere sono.

the stolen ones gave out a lowing with a hoarse sound.

accipio revocamen ait, vocemque secutus

‘I accept the call back,’ he says, and, following the voice,

impia per silvas ultor ad antra venit,

he came as avenger through the woods to the impious cave.

ille aditum fracti praestruxerat obice montis;

Cacus had blocked the entrance with a barrier of broken-off mountain;

vix iuga movissent quinque bis illud opus.

twice five yoke [of oxen] could scarcely have moved that mass.

nititur hic numeris (caelum quoque sederat illis)

Here he strains with his shoulders (the sky too had rested on them)

et vastum motu conlabefactat onus.

and by his heaving loosens the huge weight.

quod simul eversum est, fragor aethera terruit ipsum.

As soon as it was overturned, the crash terrified the upper air itself,

ictaque subsedit pondere molis humus,

and the ground, struck by the weight of the mass, sank down.

prima movet Cacus collata proelia dextra

Cacus first begins the fight hand to hand

remque ferox saxis stipitibusque gerit.

and fiercely wages it with rocks and logs.

quis ubi nil agitur, patrias male fortis ad artes

When these achieve nothing, he flees, his courage failing, to his father's arts

confugit et flammas ore sonante vomit;

and vomits flames from his roaring mouth;

quas quotiens proflat, spirare Typhoea credas

whenever he breathes them out, you would think Typhoeus was breathing

et rapidum Aetnaeo fulgur ab igne iaci.

and a swift lightning bolt was hurled from Etna's fire.

occupat Alcides, adductaque clava trinodis

Alcides strikes first, and the three-knotted club, swung back,

ter quater adverso sedit in ore viri.

lands three, four times full in the man's face.

ille cadit mixtosque vomit cum sanguine fumos

He falls, and vomits smoke mixed with blood,

et lato moriens pectore plangit humum,

and, dying, beats the ground with his broad chest.

immolat ex illis taurum tibi, Iuppiter, unum

One bull from among them he sacrifices to you, Jupiter,

victor et Evandrum ruricolasque vocat,

as victor, and calls Evander and the country folk,

constituitque sibi, quae Maxima dicitur, aram,

and sets up for himself the altar that is called the Greatest,

hic ubi pars urbis de bove nomen habet,

here, where a part of the city takes its name from the ox.

nec tacet Evandri mater prope tempus adesse,

Nor is Evander's mother silent that the time is near

Hercule quo tellus sit satis usa suo.

when the earth will have had enough use of its Hercules.

dixit, et antiqui monumenta perennia facti,

He spoke, and as lasting memorials of the ancient deed

Anguis, Avis, Crater sidera iuncta micant.

the Snake, the Bird and the Bowl shine as neighbouring stars.

Tertia post Idus nudos aurora Lupercos

The third dawn after the Ides sees the naked Luperci,

aspicit, et Fauni sacra bicornis eunt.

and the rites of two-horned Faunus go forward.

dicite, Pierides, sacrorum quae sit origo,

Tell, Pierian Muses, what the origin of the rites is,

attigerint Lati as unde petita domos.

and from where they were brought when they reached Latin homes.

Pana deum pecoris veteres coluisse feruntur

Pan, the god of the flock, is said to have been worshipped of old by the

Arcades: Arcadiis plurimus ille iugis,

Arcadians: he abounds on the Arcadian ridges.

testis erit Pholoe, testes Stymphalides undae,

Pholoe will be witness, witness the waters of Stymphalus,

quique citis Ladon in mare currit aquis,

and the Ladon, which runs to the sea with swift waters,

cinctaque pinetis nemoris iuga Nonacrini,

and the ridges of the Nonacrian grove, ringed with pinewoods,

altaque Cyllene1 Parrhasiaeque nives.

and high Cyllene, and the Parrhasian snows.

Pan erat armenti, Pan illic numen equarum;

Pan was the god of the herd there, Pan the deity of the mares;

munus ob incolumes ille ferebat oves.

he received gifts for keeping the sheep safe.

transtulit Evander silvestria numina secum;

Evander brought the woodland deities over with him;

hic, ubi nunc urbs est, tum locus urbis erat.

here, where the city is now, there was then the site of a city.

inde deum colimus, devectaque sacra Pelasgis

So we worship the god, and the rites brought by the Pelasgians

flamen adhuc prisco more Dialis obit.1

the flamen Dialis [priest of Jupiter] still performs in the ancient manner.

cur igitur currant, et cur (sic currere mos est)

Why then do they run, and why (for such is the custom of running)

nuda ferant posita corpora veste, rogas?

do they bare their bodies, setting aside their clothes, you ask?

ipse deus velox discurrere gaudet in altis

The swift god himself loves to run about on the high

montibus et subitas concipit ipse fugas;

mountains, and himself breaks into sudden flight;

ipse deus nudus nudos iubet ire ministros,

the god himself is naked and bids his ministers go naked,

nec satis ad cursus commoda vestis erat.

and clothing was not convenient enough for running.

ante Iovem genitum terras habuisse feruntur

Before Jupiter was born, they say, the land was held by the

Arcades, et luna gens prior illa fuit.

Arcadians, and that people was older than the moon.

vita feris similis, nullos agitata per usus:

Their life was like that of beasts, spent in no useful pursuits:

artis adhuc expers et rude volgus erat.

the common folk were still rough and without skill.

fama manet facti: posito velamine currunt,

The story of the deed remains: they run with their clothing laid aside,

et memorem famam, quod bene cessit, habet,

and, since it turned out well, it keeps a remembering fame.

forsitan et quaeras, cur sit locus ille Lupercal,

Perhaps you may also ask why that place is [called] the Lupercal,

quaeve diem tali nomine causa notet.

or what reason marks the day with such a name.

Silvia Vestalis caelestia semina partu

Silvia the Vestal had borne heavenly offspring

ediderat patruo regna tenente suo.

while her uncle held the kingdom.

is iubet auferri parvos et in amne necari:

He orders the little ones to be taken away and killed in the river:

quid facis? ex istis Romulus alter erit.

What are you doing? One of these will be Romulus.

iussa recusantes peragunt lacrimosa ministri,

Protesting, the servants carry out the tearful orders;

flent tamen et geminos in loca iussa ferunt.

yet they weep, and carry the twins to the place ordered.

Albula, quem Tiberim mersus Tiberinus in undis

The Albula, which Tiberinus, drowned in its waters, turned into the Tiber,

reddidit, hibernis forte tumebat aquis:

happened to be swollen with winter waters:

hic, ubi nunc fora sunt, lintres errare videres,

here, where the forums now are, you could have seen boats wandering,

quaque iacent valles, Maxime Circe, tuae.

and where your valleys lie, Circus Maximus.

huc ubi venerunt (neque enim procedere possunt

When they came here (for they could not go on

longius), ex illis unus et alter ait:

any further), one and then another of them says:

‘at quam sunt similes! at quam formosus uterque!

‘But how alike they are! And how beautiful each one is!

plus tamen ex illis iste vigoris habet,

Yet of the two, this one has more vigour.

si genus arguitur voltu, nisi fallit imago,

If lineage is shown by the face, unless appearance deceives,

nescio quem in vobis suspicor esse deum—

I suspect that some god or other is in you—

at si quis vestrae deus esset originis auctor,

but if any god were the author of your origin,

in tam praecipiti tempore

in so desperate a moment

ferret opem; ferret opem certe, si non ope mater egeret,

he would bring help; your mother would surely bring help, if she were not herself in need of help,

quae facta est uno mater et orba die.

she who was made a mother and bereaved on one day.

nata simul, moritura simul, simul ite sub undas

Born together, about to die together, together go beneath the waves,

corpora!’ desierat deposuitque sinu.

bodies!’ He had finished, and set them down from his bosom.

vagierunt ambo pariter: sensisse putares,

Both wailed together: you would think they had understood.

hi redeunt udis in sua tecta genis,

The men go back to their homes with wet cheeks.

sustinet impositos summa cavus alveus unda:

The hollow trough holds them up, set in it, on the surface of the water:

heu quantum fati parva tabella tulit!

ah, how much destiny a little plank carried!

alveus in limo silvis adpulsus opacis

The trough, driven into the mud by the shady woods,

paulatim fluvio deficiente sedet.

settles little by little as the river falls.

arbor erat: remanent vestigia, quaeque vocatur

There was a tree: traces remain; and what is now called

Rumina nunc ficus, Romula ficus erat.

the Rumina fig was the Romula fig.

venit ad expositos (mirum!) lupa feta gemellos:

To the abandoned twins came (a marvel!) a she-wolf that had just whelped:

quis credat pueris non nocuisse feram?

who would believe that the wild beast did not harm the boys?

non nocuisse parum est, prodest quoque: quos lupa nutrit,

Not harming is too little: she even helps them. Those a she-wolf nurses

perdere cognatae sustinuere manus,

kindred hands brought themselves to destroy.

constitit et cauda teneris blanditur alumnis

She stood still and fawns with her tail on her tender nurslings

et fingit lingua corpora bina sua.

and shapes their two bodies with her tongue.

Marte satos scires: timor afuit, ubera ducunt

You would know they were sons of Mars: fear was absent; they draw at the udders

nec sibi promissi lactis aluntur ope.

and are nourished by the help of milk not promised to them.

illa loco nomen fecit, locus ipse Lupercis.

She gave the place its name, and the place gave it to the Luperci.

magna dati nutrix praemia lactis habet,

The nurse has a great reward for the milk she gave.

quid vetat Arcadio dictos a monte Lupercos?

What forbids [us to think] the Luperci were named from the Arcadian mountain?

Faunus in Arcadia templa Lycaeus habet.

Faunus Lycaeus has temples in Arcadia.

nupta, quid expectas? non tu pollentibus herbis

Bride, what are you waiting for? Not by potent herbs

nec prece nec magico carmine mater eris;

nor by prayer nor magic spell will you become a mother;

excipe fecundae patienter verbera dextrae,

accept with patience the blows of the fertilising right hand;

iam socer optatum nomen habebit avi.

soon your father-in-law will have the longed-for name of grandfather.

nam fuit illa dies, dura cum sorte maritae

For there was a day when, by a harsh lot, wives

reddebant uteri pignora rara sui.

were rendering few pledges of their wombs.

inde nefas ducunt genus hoc imponere mensis

Hence they think it wrong to put this kind [of creature] on their tables,

nec violant timidi piscibus ora Syri.

and the timid Syrians do not defile their mouths with fish.

Proxima lux vacua est, at tertia dicta Quirino

The next day is free, but the third is assigned to Quirinus;

qui tenet hoc nomen, Romulus ante fuit,

he who holds this name was formerly Romulus,

sive quod hasta curis priscis est dicta Sabinis

either because the ancient Sabines called a spear curis

(bellicus a telo venit in astra deus),

(the warlike god came to the stars named from his weapon),

sive suum regi nomen posuere Quirites,

or because the Quirites gave their own name to their king,

seu quia Romanis iunxerat ille Cures.

or because he had joined Cures to the Romans.

nam pater armipotens, postquam nova moenia vidit

For the father mighty in arms, after he had seen the new walls

multaque Romulea bella peracta manu,

and many wars brought to an end by Romulus' hand,

Iuppiter, inquit, ‘habet Romana potentia vires:

said: “Jupiter, Roman power has strength:

sanguinis officio non eget illa mei.

it does not need the service of my blood.

redde patri natum, quamvis intercidit alter,

Give back the son to his father; although the other has perished,

pro se proque Remo, qui mihi restat, erit.

the one who remains to me will count for himself and for Remus.

unus erit, quem tu tolles in caerula caeli

‘There will be one whom you shall raise to the blue of heaven’:

tu mihi dixisti: sint rata dicta Iovis.’

you said this to me; let Jupiter's words be made good.”

Iuppiter adnuerat. nutu tremefactus uterque

Jupiter nodded. At his nod both

est polus, et caeli pondera movit Atlas,

poles shook, and Atlas shifted the weight of the sky.

est locus, antiqui Capreae dixere paludem:

There is a place the ancients called the Goat's Marsh:

forte tuis illic, Romule, iura dabas,

there by chance, Romulus, you were giving judgments to your people;

sol fugit, et removent subeuntia nubila caelum,

the sun fled, and rising clouds blotted out the sky,

et gravis effusis decidit imber aquis.

and a heavy rainstorm fell in streaming waters.

hinc tonat, hinc missis abrumpitur ignibus aether:

Here it thunders, there the sky is split by hurled fires:

fit fuga, rex patriis astra petebat equis,

people flee; the king was making for the stars with his father's horses.

luctus erat, falsaeque patres in crimine caedis,

There was mourning, and the senators were falsely accused of murder,

haesissetque animis forsitan illa fides;

and that belief might perhaps have stuck in people's minds;

sed Proculus Longa veniebat Iulius Alba,

but Proculus Julius was coming from Alba Longa,

lunaque fulgebat, nec facis usus erat,

and the moon was shining, and there was no need of a torch,

cum subito motu saepes tremuere sinistrae:

when suddenly the hedges on his left shook and moved:

rettulit ille gradus, horrueruntque comae,

he stepped back, and his hair stood on end.

pulcher et humano maior trabeaque decorus

Handsome, larger than human, and splendid in a robe of state,

Romulus in media visus adesse via

Romulus seemed to stand in the middle of the road

et dixisse simul ‘prohibe lugere Quirites,

and at the same time to say: “Forbid the Quirites to mourn,

nec violent lacrimis numina nostra suis;

and let them not profane my divinity with their tears;

tura ferant placentque novum pia turba Quirinum

let the dutiful crowd bring incense and appease the new Quirinus,

et patrias artes militiamque colant.’ iussit

and let them cultivate their fathers' arts and warfare.” He gave the command,

et in tenues oculis evanuit auras;

and vanished from his eyes into thin air;

convocat hic populos iussaque verba refert.

he calls the people together and reports the words as commanded.

templa deo fiunt, collis quoque dictus ab illo est,

Temples are built for the god, the hill too is named after him,

et referunt certi sacra paterna dies.

and fixed days bring round the ancestral rites.

lux quoque cur eadem Stultorum festa vocetur,

Why the same day is also called the Feast of Fools,

accipe, parva quidem causa, sed apta subest.

hear: the reason is small, but a fitting one lies behind it.

hanc, quia iusta ferunt, dixere Feralia lucem;

They named this day Feralia, because they bring the dues [to the dead];

ultima placandis manibus illa dies.

that day is the last for appeasing the shades.

ecce anus in mediis residens annosa puellis

Look, an aged old woman, sitting among the girls,

sacra facit Tacitae (nec tamen ipsa tacet),

performs rites to Tacita (and yet she herself is not silent),

et digitis tria tura tribus sub limine ponit,

and with three fingers places three [lumps of] incense under the threshold,

qua brevis occultum mus sibi fecit iter;

where the little mouse has made itself a hidden path;

tunc cantata ligat cum fusco licia plumbo

then she binds enchanted threads with dark lead

et septem nigras versat in ore fabas,

and turns seven black beans over in her mouth,

quodque pice adstrinxit, quod acu traiecit aena,

and what she has sealed with pitch and pierced with a bronze needle,

obsutum maenae torret in igne caput;

the sewn-up head of a sprat, she roasts in the fire;

vina quoque instillat: vini quodcumque relictum est,

she drips in wine as well: whatever wine is left over

aut ipsa aut comites, plus tamen ipsa, bibit.

either she or her companions drink, but she drinks more.

hostiles linguas inimicaque vinximus ora

‘We have bound hostile tongues and unfriendly mouths,’

dicit discedens ebriaque exit anus.

she says as she leaves, and the old woman goes out drunk.

protinus a nobis, quae sit dea Muta, requires:

At once you will ask me who the goddess Muta is:

disce, per antiquos quae mihi nota senes.

learn what I know from old men of long ago.

Iuppiter immodico Iuturnae victus amore

Jupiter, overcome by immoderate love for Juturna,

quae simul ac tetigit Iuturnae stagna sororis,

As soon as she reached the pools of her sister Juturna,

effuge ait ripas; dicta refertque Iovis.

“Flee the banks,” she said, and repeated Jupiter's words.

illa etiam Iunonem adiit, miserataque nuptas

She also went to Juno, and, pitying wives,

naida Iuturnam vir tuus inquit amat.

said: “Your husband loves the Naiad Juturna.”

Iuppiter intumuit, quaque est non usa modeste,

Jupiter swelled with anger, and the tongue she had used without restraint

eripit huic linguam Mercuriumque vocat:

he tears out of her, and calls Mercury:

vim parat hic, voltu pro verbis illa precatur,

He prepares to use force; she pleads with her face instead of words,

et frustra muto nititur ore loqui.

and strives in vain to speak with her mute mouth.

fitque gravis geminosque parit, qui compita servant

She becomes pregnant and bears twins, who guard the crossroads

et vigilant nostra semper in urbe, Lares.

and keep watch in our city always: the Lares.

Proxima cognati dixere Caristia cari,

Dear kinsfolk named the next day the Caristia,

et venit ad socios turba propinqua deos.

and the crowd of relatives comes to the family gods.

nec foret Othryades congestis lectus in armis,

nor would Othryades have been read on the heaped-up arms;

o quantum patriae sanguinis ille dedit!

oh, how much blood he gave for his country!

quid, nova cum fierent Capitolia? nempe deorum

What of when the new Capitol was being built? Of course, of the gods,

cuncta Iovi cessit turba locumque dedit:

the whole crowd yielded to Jupiter and gave up their place:

Terminus, ut veteres memorant, inventus in aede

Terminus, as the ancients relate, was found in the shrine,

restitit et magno cum Iove templa tenet.

stayed where he was, and shares the temple with great Jupiter.

nunc quoque, se supra ne quid nisi sidera cernat,

Even now, so that he may see nothing above him but the stars,

exiguum templi tecta foramen habent.

the temple roof has a small opening.

tunc quoque inermis eras, cum te Romana sacerdos

You were unarmed then too, when the Roman priestess

cepit, ut huic urbi semina magna dares.

captivated you, so that you might give great seed to this city.

Silvia Vestalis (quid enim vetat inde moveri?)

Silvia the Vestal (for what forbids me to begin from there?)

sacra lavaturas mane petebat aquas,

was going in the morning to fetch water to wash the sacred things;

ventum erat ad molli declivem tramite ripam:

she had come to the bank that slopes down by a gentle path:

ponitur e summa fictilis urna coma.

the earthenware urn is set down from the top of her head.

fessa resedit humo ventosque accepit aperto

Tired, she sat down on the ground and let the breezes play on her open

pectore, turbatas restituitque comas,

breast, and put her ruffled hair back in order.

dum sedet, umbrosae salices volucresque canorae

While she sits, the shady willows and the singing birds

fecerunt somnos et leve murmur aquae,

brought on sleep, and the light murmur of the water.

blanda quies furtim victis obrepsit ocellis,

Sweet rest stole secretly over her overcome eyes,

et cadit a mento languida facta manus.

and her hand, gone limp, falls from her chin.

Mars videt hanc visamque cupit potiturque cupita

Mars sees her, desires her when seen, and takes her when desired,

et sua divina furta fefellit ope.

and by his divine power his stolen love went unnoticed.

somnus abit, iacet ipsa gravis: iam scilicet intra

Sleep leaves her; she lies heavy: already, of course, within

viscera Romanae conditor urbis erat.

her womb was the founder of the Roman city.

languida consurgit nec scit, cur languida surgat,

Languid she rises, and does not know why she rises languid,

et peragit talis arbore nixa sonos:

and leaning against a tree she utters these words:

‘utile sit faustumque, precor, quod imagine somni

“May it be helpful and lucky, I pray, what in the semblance of sleep

vidimus, an somno clarius illud erat?

I saw; or was it clearer than a dream?

ignibus Iliacis aderam, cum lapsa capillis

I was at the fires of Ilium, when, slipping from my hair,

decidit ante sacros lanea vitta focos,

the woollen headband fell down before the sacred hearth;

inde duae pariter, visu mirabile, palmae

from it two palms together, wonderful to see,

surgunt: ex illis altera maior erat,

sprang up: of them, one was the greater,

et gravibus ramis totum protexerat orbem

and with its heavy branches had covered the whole world

contigeratque sua sidera summa coma.

and had touched the stars with its topmost foliage.

ecce meus ferrum patruus molitur in illas:

Then see, my uncle wields an axe against them:

terreor admonitu, corque timore micat.

I am terrified at the warning, and my heart throbs with fear.

Martia picus avis gemino pro stipite pugnant

The woodpecker, bird of Mars, fights for the twin trunks,

et lupa: tuta per hos utraque palma fuit.’

and the she-wolf: through them both palms were safe.”

dixerat et plenam non firmis viribus urnam

She spoke, and the full urn, with strength not steady,

sustulit; implerat, dum sua visa refert.

she lifted; she had filled it while telling her vision.

interea crescente Remo, crescente Quirino,

Meanwhile, as Remus grew, as Quirinus grew,

caelesti tumidus pondere venter erat.

her belly was swelling with its heavenly burden.

quo minus emeritis exiret cursibus annus,

Short of the year's ending, with its courses run,

restabant nitido iam duo signa deo:

two signs now remained for the shining god:

Silvia fit mater. Vestae simulacra feruntur

Silvia becomes a mother. Vesta's images are said

virgineas oculis opposuisse manus;

to have put their virgin hands before their eyes;

ara deae certe tremuit pariente ministra,

the goddess's altar certainly trembled as her servant gave birth,

et subiit cineres territa flamma suos.

and the frightened flame sank beneath its ashes.

hoc ubi cognovit contemptor Amulius aequi

When Amulius, scorner of justice, learned this

(nam raptas fratri victor habebat opes),

(for, as victor, he held the power seized from his brother),

ut genus audierunt, animos pater editus auget,

When they heard of their lineage, the revelation of their father raises their spirits,

et pudet in paucis nomen habere casis,

and they are ashamed to have a name among a few huts.

Romuleoque cadit traiectus Amulius ense,

And Amulius falls, run through by Romulus' sword,

regnaque longaevo restituuntur avo.

and the kingdom is restored to their aged grandfather.

moenia conduntur, quae quamvis parva fuerunt,

Walls are founded, which, though they were small,

non tamen expediit transsiluisse Remo.

it still did not profit Remus to have leapt over.

Quis mihi nunc dicet, quare caelestia Martis

Who will tell me now why the Salii carry the heavenly

arma ferant Salii Mamuriumque canant?

arms of Mars and sing of Mamurius?

nympha, mone, nemori stagnoque operata Dianae;

Nymph, tell me, you who serve Diana's grove and lake;

nympha, Numae coniunx, ad tua facta veni.

nymph, wife of Numa, come to your own deeds.

vallis Aricinae silva praecinctus opaca

In the valley of Aricia, ringed by a dark wood,

est lacus, antiqua religione sacer.

there is a lake, sacred with ancient religion.

hic latet Hippolytus loris direptus equorum,

Here Hippolytus lies hidden, torn apart by his horses' reins,

unde nemus nullis illud aditur equis.

and so no horses enter that grove.

licia dependent longas velantia saepes,

Threads hang down, veiling the long hedges,

et posita est meritae multa tabella deae.

and many a tablet has been set up to the deserving goddess.

defluit incerto lapidosus murmure rivus:

A stony brook flows down with a fitful murmur:

saepe, sed exiguis haustibus, inde bibi.

I have often drunk from it, but in small draughts.

Egeria est, quae praebet aquas, dea grata Camenis;

It is Egeria who supplies the water, a goddess dear to the Camenae;

illa Numae coniunx consiliumque fuit.

she was Numa's wife and counsellor.

principio nimium promptos ad bella Quirites

At first it was decided that the Quirites, too quick to go to war,

molliri placuit iure deumque metu;

should be softened by law and the fear of the gods;

atque aliquis, modo trux, visa iam vertitur ara

and a man who was savage a moment ago is changed at the sight of an altar

vinaque dat tepidis farraque salsa focis.

and offers wine and salted spelt on the warm hearths.

ecce deum genitor rutilas per nubila flammas

Look, the father of the gods scatters red flames through the clouds

spargit et effusis aethera siccat aquis;

and drains the sky by pouring out its waters;

non alias missi cecidere frequentius ignes:

never at any other time did the hurled fires fall more thickly:

rex pavet et volgi pectora terror habet,

the king is afraid, and terror grips the hearts of the common people.

cui dea ‘ne nimium terrere! piabile fulmen

To him the goddess [said]: ‘Do not be too afraid! The thunderbolt

est,’ ait ‘et saevi flectitur ira Iovis,

can be expiated,’ she says, ‘and the anger of savage Jupiter is turned aside.

sed poterunt ritum Picus Faunusque piandi

But the rite of expiation Picus and Faunus will be able

tradere, Romani numen utrumque soli.

to hand on, both of them divinities of Roman soil.

nec sine vi tradent: adhibe tu vincula captis.’

Nor will they hand it on without force: put chains on them once they are caught.’

atque ita qua possint edidit arte capi.

And so she revealed by what art they could be caught.

lucus Aventino suberat niger ilicis umbra,

Beneath the Aventine lay a grove, dark with the shade of holm-oak,

quo posses viso dicere numen inest.

at the sight of which you could say: ‘There is a divinity here.’

in medio gramen, muscoque adoperta virenti

In the middle [was] grass, and, covered with green moss,

manabat saxo vena perennis aquae:

a never-failing stream of water trickled from a rock:

inde fere soli Faunus Picusque bibebant.

from it, as a rule, Faunus and Picus alone used to drink.

huc venit et fonti rex Numa mactat ovem,

Here King Numa comes and sacrifices a sheep to the spring,

plenaque odorati disponit pocula Bacchi,

and sets out cups full of fragrant wine,

cumque suis antro conditus ipse latet,

and, hidden in a cave with his men, he himself lies concealed.

ad solitos veniunt silvestria numina fontes

The woodland divinities come to their accustomed springs

et relevant multo pectora sicca mero.

and refresh their dry breasts with plenty of unmixed wine.

vina quies sequitur; gelido Numa prodit ab antro

Sleep follows the wine; Numa comes out of the cold cave

vinclaque sopitas addit in arta manus,

and puts the sleepers' hands into tight bonds.

somnus ut abscessit, pugnando vincula temptant

When sleep had gone, they try by struggling to break

rumpere: pugnantes fortius illa tenent.

the bonds: the more they struggle, the tighter the bonds hold.

tunc Numa: ‘di nemorum, factis ignoscite nostris,

Then Numa: ‘Gods of the groves, forgive what I have done,

si scelus ingenio scitis abesse meo;

if you know that wickedness is far from my nature;

quoque modo possit fulmen, monstrate, piari.’

and show [me] in what way the thunderbolt can be expiated.’

sic Numa; sic quatiens cornua Faunus ait:

So Numa; so Faunus speaks, shaking his horns:

‘magna petis nec quae monitu tibi discere nostro

‘You ask for great things, and things not lawful for you to learn

fas sit: habent finis numina nostra suos.

through our telling: our divine powers have their limits.

di sumus agrestes et qui dominemur in altis

We are gods of the countryside, who hold sway on the high

montibus: arbitrium est in sua tela Iovi.

mountains: Jupiter has the say over his own weapons.

hunc tu non poteris per te deducere caelo,

Him you will not be able to draw down from the sky by yourself,

at poteris nostra forsitan usus ope.’

but perhaps you will be able to, if you use our help.’

dixerat haec Faunus; par est sententia Pici:

Faunus had said this; Picus' view is the same:

deme tamen nobis vincula, Picus ait:

‘But take the chains off us,’ Picus says:

‘Iuppiter huc veniet, valida perductus ab arte.

‘Jupiter will come here, drawn down by a powerful art.

nubila promissi Styx mihi testis erit.’

Murky Styx will be my witness to the promise.’

emissi laqueis quid agant, quae carmina dicant,

What they do once freed from the nooses, what spells they speak,

quaque trahant superis sedibus arte Iovem,

and by what art they draw Jupiter from his seat on high,

scire nefas homini: nobis concessa canentur

it is forbidden for a human to know: what is allowed will be sung,

quaeque pio dici vatis ab ore licet,

and what may be spoken by the mouth of a pious poet.

eliciunt caelo te, Iuppiter, unde minores

They draw you out of the sky, Jupiter, and so later generations

nunc quoque te celebrant Eliciumque vocant,

even now celebrate you and call you Elicius.

constat Aventinae tremuisse cacumina silvae,

It is agreed that the tops of the Aventine wood trembled,

terraque subsedit pondere pressa Iovis,

and the earth sank down, pressed by Jupiter's weight.

corda micant regis, totoque e corpore sanguis

The king's heart leaps, and from his whole body the blood

fugit, et hirsutae deriguere comae,

fled, and his bristling hair stood stiff.

ut rediit animus, da certa piamina dixit

When his spirit returned, he said: ‘Give sure means of expiation

‘fulminis, altorum rexque paterque deum,

for the thunderbolt, king and father of the high gods,

si tua contigimus manibus donaria puris,

if we have touched your offerings with pure hands,

hoc quoque, quod petitur, si pia lingua rogat.’

and if a pious tongue asks for this too, which is sought.’

adnuit oranti, sed verum ambage remota

He nodded to the man's prayer, but the truth, in a far-fetched riddle,

abdidit et dubio terruit ore virum.

he hid, and alarmed the man with ambiguous words.

caede caput dixit: cui rex parebimus, inquit

‘Cut a head,’ he said. To him the king said: ‘We will obey:

caedenda est hortis eruta caepa meis.

an onion dug up from my garden must be cut.’

addidit, hic hominis:sumes ait ille capillos.

He added: ‘A man's.’ ‘You will get the hairs,’ the other says.

postulat hic animam, cui Numa piscis ait.

He demands a life; to which Numa says: ‘A fish's.’

risit et his inquit ‘facito mea tela procures,

He laughed and said: ‘With these see that you expiate my weapons,

o vir conloquio non abigende deum.

O man not to be kept from converse with the gods.

sed tibi, protulerit cum totum crastinus orbem

But to you, when tomorrow's [sun] has brought forth his whole disc,

Cynthius, imperii pignora certa dabo.’

the Cynthian [god], I will give sure pledges of empire.’

dixit et ingenti tonitru super aethera motum

He spoke, and with huge thunder, above the shaken sky,

fertur, adorantem destituitque Numam,

he is borne away, and leaves Numa worshipping.

ille redit laetus memoratque Quiritibus acta:

Numa returns happy and tells the Quirites what had happened:

tarda venit dictis difficilisque fides.

belief comes slow and hard to his words.

constitit atque caput niveo velatus amictu

He stood, and with his head veiled in a snow-white cloak

iam bene dis notas sustulit ille manus,

he raised his hands, already well known to the gods,

atque ita tempus adest promissi muneris, inquit

and said: “The time of the promised gift has come;

pollicitam dictis, Iuppiter, adde fidem.

Jupiter, add to your words the fulfilment you promised.”

dum loquitur, totum iam sol emoverat orbem,

While he speaks, the sun had already raised its whole disc,

et gravis aetherio venit ab axe fragor.

and a heavy crash came from the vault of heaven.

ter tonuit sine nube deus, tria fulmina misit.

Three times the god thundered from a cloudless sky, three bolts he hurled.

credite dicenti: mira, sed acta, loquor,

Believe me as I tell it: I speak of marvels, but of things that happened.

a media caelum regione dehiscere coepit;

The sky began to gape open from its middle;

summisere oculos cum duce turba suo.

the crowd, together with their leader, lowered their eyes.

ecce levi scutum versatum leniter aura

See! a shield, gently turning in the light breeze,

decidit, a populo clamor ad astra venit.

falls down; a shout rises from the people to the stars.

tollit humo munus caesa prius ille iuvenca,

He lifts the gift from the ground, having first slain a heifer

quae dederat nulli colla premenda iugo,

that had never given her neck to be pressed by a yoke,

idque ancile vocat, quod ab omni parte recisum est,

and he calls it ancile [sacred shield], because it is cut away on every side,

quemque notes oculis, angulus omnis abest,

and wherever you look with your eyes, there is no corner.

tum, memor imperii sortem consistere in illo,

Then, mindful that the destiny of the empire rested on it,

consilium multae calliditatis init.

he forms a plan of great cunning.

plura iubet fieri simili caelata figura,

He orders several more to be made, engraved in the same shape,

error ut ante oculos insidiantis eat.

so that confusion might face the eyes of any plotter.

Mamurius (morum fabraene exactior artis,

Mamurius (whether he was more exact in his morals or in his craft as a smith

difficile est ulli dicere) clausit opus.

is hard for anyone to say) completed the work.

cui Numa munificus facti pete praemia, dixit;

To him generous Numa said: “Ask a reward for your work;

si mea nota fides, inrita nulla petes.

if my good faith is known, nothing you ask will be in vain.”

iam dederat Saliis a saltu nomina dicta

He had already given the Salii their name, taken from leaping,

armaque et ad certos verba canenda modos.

and arms, and words to be sung to set measures.

tum sic Mamurius: ‘merces mihi gloria detur,

Then Mamurius said: “Let glory be given me as my payment,

nominaque extremo carmine nostra sonent.’

and let my name sound at the end of the song.”

inde sacerdotes operi promissa vetusto

So the priests pay the reward promised for the ancient work

praemia persolvunt Mamuriumque vocant,

in full, and call on Mamurius.

nubere siqua voles, quamvis properabitis ambo,

If you wish to marry, however much you are both in a hurry,

differ; habent parvae commoda magna morae.

put it off: small delays have great advantages.

quae tamen haec dea sit, quoniam rumoribus errat,

Yet who this goddess is, since rumours stray,

fabula proposito nulla tegenda meo.

no story should be hidden in my undertaking.

arserat Aeneae Dido miserabilis igne,

Wretched Dido had burned with fire for Aeneas,

arserat exstructis in sua fata rogis;

had burned on the pyre built for her own death;

compositusque cinis, tumulique in marmore carmen

and her ashes were laid to rest, and on the marble of the tomb

hoc breve, quod moriens ipsa reliquit, erat:

was this brief verse, which she herself left as she died:

“praebuit Aeneas et causam mortis et ensem.

“Aeneas provided both the cause of death and the sword.

ipsa sua Dido concidit usa manu.”

Dido fell, using her own hand.”

protinus invadunt Numidae sine vindice regnum,

At once the Numidians invade the kingdom, left without a defender,

et potitur capta Maurus Iarba domo,

and Iarbas the Moor takes the captured palace,

tertia nudandas acceperat area messes,

A third time the threshing floor had received harvests to be stripped,

inque cavos ierant tertia musta lacus:

and a third time new wine had gone into the hollow vats:

pellitur Anna domo lacrimansque sororia linquit

Anna is driven from her home, and weeping leaves her sister's

moenia: germanae iusta dat ante suae.

walls: but first she pays the due rites to her sister.

mixta bibunt molles lacrimis unguenta favillae,

The soft embers drink perfumes mixed with tears,

vertice libatas accipiuntque comas;

and receive locks of hair cut as an offering from her head;

ventum erat ad ripas: inerant vestigia ripis.

They had come to the banks: there were footprints on the banks.

sustinuit tacitas conscius amnis aquas.

The river, which knew, held its waters silent.

ipsa loqui visa est ‘placidi sum nympha Numici:

She herself seemed to speak: “I am a nymph of the calm Numicius:

amne perenne latens Anna Perenna vocor.’

hidden in the perennial river, I am called Anna Perenna.”

protinus erratis laeti vescuntur in agris

At once, glad, they feast in the fields where they had wandered

et celebrant largo seque diemque mero.

and celebrate themselves and the day with plenty of wine.

sunt quibus haec Luna est, quia mensibus impleat annum;

There are some for whom she is the Moon, because she fills out the year with months;

pars Themin, Inachiam pars putat esse bovem.

some think her Themis, some the Inachian heifer.

invenies, qui te nymphen Atlantida dicant

You will find some who say you are a nymph, a daughter of Atlas,

teque Iovi primos, Anna, dedisse cibos.

and that you, Anna, gave Jupiter his first food.

iam quoque, quem secum tulerant, defecerat illos

By now the provisions they had brought with them had run out,

victus et humanis usibus apta Ceres,

and the grain fit for human use.

orta suburbanis quaedam fuit Anna Bovillis,

There was a certain Anna, born at Bovillae near the city,

pauper, sed multae sedulitatis anus.

a poor old woman, but very hard-working.

illa levi mitra canos incincta capillos

She, her grey hair bound with a light headband,

Angebat tremula rustica liba manu,

used to shape country cakes with a trembling hand,

huius Erichthonius: Tros est generatus ab illo:

His [son] was Erichthonius; Tros was begotten by him;

Assaracon creat hic, Assaracusque Capyn.

he fathers Assaracus, and Assaracus Capys.

proximus Anchises, cum quo commune parentis

Next was Anchises, with whom the shared name of parent

non dedignata est nomen habere Venus,

Venus did not disdain to have.

hinc satus Aeneas, pietas spectata, per ignes

From him sprang Aeneas, whose devotion was proved: through flames

sacra patremque humeris, altera sacra, tulit,

he carried on his shoulders the sacred things and his father, another sacred thing.

venimus ad felix aliquando nomen Iuli,

We come at last to the fortunate name of Iulus,

unde domus Teucros Iulia tangit avos.

through whom the Julian house reaches back to Teucrian ancestors.

Postumus hinc, qui quod silvis fuit ortus in altis,

After him Postumus, who, because he was born in the deep woods,

Silvius in Latia gente vocatus erat.

was called Silvius among the Latin people.

isque, Latine, tibi pater est. subit Alba Latinum:

And he, Latinus, is your father. Alba succeeds Latinus:

proximus est titulis Epytus, Alba, tuis.

next after your titles, Alba, comes Epytus.

ille dedit Capyi recidiva vocabula Troiae

He gave to Capys a name revived from Troy,

et tuus est idem, Calpete, factus avus.

and he also became your grandfather, Calpetus.

cumque patris regnum post hunc Tiberinus haberet,

And when after him Tiberinus held his father's kingdom,

dicitur in Tuscae gurgite mersus aquae.

he is said to have drowned in the eddy of the Tuscan water.

iam tamen Agrippan natum Remulumque nepotem

Yet already his son Agrippa and his grandson Remulus

viderat: in Remulum fulmina missa ferunt,

he had seen: they say thunderbolts were hurled at Remulus.

venit Aventinus post hos, locus unde vocatur,

After these came Aventinus, from whom the place is named,

mons quoque, post illum tradita regna Procae.

the hill too; after him the kingdom passed to Proca.

quem sequitur duri Numitor germanus Amuli.

He is followed by Numitor, brother of harsh Amulius.

Ilia cum Lauso de Numitore sati.

Ilia and Lausus were born of Numitor.

ense cadit patruo Lausus: placet Ilia Marti

Lausus falls by his uncle's sword; Ilia pleases Mars

teque parit, gemino iuncte Quirine Remo.

and bears you, Quirinus, joined with your twin Remus.

ille suos semper Venerem Martemque parentes

He always called Venus and Mars his parents,

dixit et emeruit vocis habere fidem;

and earned the right to have his word believed;

sic ego, sic Erato (mensis Cythereius illi

So I [asked]; so Erato [answered] (the month of Cytherea

cessit, quod teneri nomen amoris habet):

fell to her, because she has the name of tender love):

‘reddita Saturno sors haec erat, optime regum,

“This oracle had been given to Saturn: ‘Best of kings,

a nato sceptris excutiere tuis.’

you will be driven from your sceptre by your son.’

ille suam metuens, ut quaeque erat edita, prolem

He, fearing his offspring, as each one was born

devorat, immersam visceribusque tenet.

devours it, and keeps it sunk in his belly.

saepe Rhea questa est, totiens fecunda nec umquam

Often Rhea complained, so many times pregnant and never

mater, et indoluit fertilitate sua.

a mother, and grieved at her own fertility.

Iuppiter ortus erat (pro magno teste vetustas

Jupiter was born (antiquity counts as a great witness;

creditur; acceptam parce movere fidem):

do not disturb accepted belief):

veste latens saxum caelesti gutture sedit:

a stone hidden in clothing settled in the heavenly throat:

sic genitor fatis decipiendus erat.

thus by the fates the father was to be deceived.

ardua iamdudum resonat tinnitibus Ide,

Lofty Ida has long since resounded with clanging,

tutus ut infanti vagiat ore puer.

so that the boy may wail with his infant mouth in safety.

pars clipeos rudibus, galeas pars tundit inanes:

Some beat shields with staves, some beat empty helmets:

hoc Curetes habent, hoc Corybantes opus.

this is the work of the Curetes, this of the Corybantes.

res latuit, priscique manent imitamina facti;

The thing stayed hidden, and imitations of the ancient deed remain:

aera deae comites raucaque terga movent,

the goddess's companions shake bronzes and hoarse hides;

cymbala pro galeis, pro scutis tympana pulsant;

they beat cymbals for helmets, drums for shields;

tibia dat Phrygios, ut dedit ante, modos.”

the pipe plays Phrygian measures, as it did before.”

desierat. coepi: ‘cur huic genus acre leonum

She had finished. I began: “Why does the fierce race of lions

praebent insolitas ad iuga curva iubas?’

offer their unaccustomed manes to her curved yoke?”

talibus Aoniae facunda voce Camenae

In such words the eloquent voice of the Aonian Muse

reddita quaesiti causa furoris erat.

had given the cause of the frenzy I asked about.

‘hoc quoque, dux operis, moneas, precor, unde petita

“This too, guide of my work, tell me, I pray: from where was she fetched

venerit, an nostra semper in urbe fuit?’

when she came, or was she always in our city?”

‘Dindymon et Cybelen et amoenam fontibus Iden

“Dindymus and Cybele and Ida, lovely with springs,

semper et Iliacas Mater amavit opes:

and the wealth of Ilium the Mother always loved:

cum Troiam Aeneas Italos portaret in agros,

when Aeneas was carrying Troy into the fields of Italy,

est dea sacriferas paene secuta rates,

the goddess almost followed the ships that bore the sacred things,

sed nondum fatis Latio sua numina posci

but that her divinity was not yet called for by fate in Latium

senserat, adsuetis substiteratque locis.

she had sensed, and she had stayed behind in her accustomed places.

post, ut Roma potens opibus iam saecula quinque

Later, when Rome, mighty in wealth, had now seen five centuries

vidit et edomito sustulit orbe caput,

and had raised her head over a conquered world,

carminis Euboici fatalia verba sacerdos

the fateful words of the Euboean song the priest

inspicit; inspectum tale fuisse ferunt:

inspects; what he found there, they say, was this:

‘mater abest: matrem iubeo, Romane, requiras.

‘The Mother is absent: Roman, I bid you seek the Mother.

cum veniet, casta est accipienda manu.

When she comes, she must be received by a chaste hand.’

‘obscurae sortis patres ambagibus errant,

The senators are lost in the riddles of the obscure oracle,

quaeve parens absit, quove petenda loco.

as to which parent is absent, or in what place she must be sought.

consulitur Paean,’ divum que arcessite Matrem,

Paean is consulted. ‘Fetch the Mother of the gods,’

inquit in Idaeo est invenienda iugo.

he says; ‘she is to be found on the ridge of Ida.’

mittuntur proceres. Phrygiae tunc sceptra tenebat

Leading men are sent. The sceptre of Phrygia was then held

Attalus: Ausoniis rem negat ille viris,

by Attalus: he refuses the request to the Ausonian men.

mira canam, longo tremuit cum murmure tellus,

I sing of marvels: the earth trembled with a long rumbling,

et sic est adytis diva locuta suis:

and the goddess spoke thus from her inner shrine:

ipsa peti volui, nec sit mora, mitte volentem.

‘I myself wished to be sought; let there be no delay; send me, for I am willing.

dignus Roma locus, quo deus omnis eat.’

Rome is a place worthy for every god to go to.’

ille soni terrore pavens proficiscere, dixit

He, trembling with terror at the voice, said: ‘Set out;

nostra eris: in Phrygios Roma refertur avos.

you will still be ours: Rome traces itself back to Phrygian ancestors.’

protinus innumerae caedunt pineta secures

At once countless axes cut down the pine forests,

illa, quibus fugiens Phryx pius usus erat:

those which the dutiful Phrygian had used in his flight:

mille manus coeunt, et picta coloribus ustis

a thousand hands come together, and, painted with burnt-in colours,

caelestum Matrem concava puppis habet,

a hollow ship holds the Mother of the gods.

illa sui per aquas fertur tutissima nati

She is carried most safely over the waters of her son

longaque Phrixeae stagna sororis adit

and reaches the long strait of Phrixus' sister

Trinacris, a positu nomen adepta loci,

Trinacris, which took its name from the lie of the land,

grata domus Cereri, multas ea possidet urbes,

a home dear to Ceres; it possesses many cities,

in quibus est culto fertilis Henna solo.

among which is Henna, fertile with its tilled soil.

frigida caelestum matres Arethusa vocarat:

Cool Arethusa had invited the mothers of the gods:

venerat ad sacras et dea flava dapes.

the golden goddess too had come to the sacred feast.

Ipse locus causas vati facit, urbis origo

The very place gives the poet his theme: the origin of the city

venit, ades factis, magne Quirine, tuis!

has come; be present at your own deeds, great Quirinus!

iam luerat poenas frater Numitoris, et omne

Numitor's brother had already paid the penalty, and the whole

pastorum gemino sub duce volgus erat.

crowd of shepherds was under the twin leaders.

contrahere agrestes et moenia ponere utrique

To gather the country folk and to set up walls both

convenit: ambigitur, moenia ponat uter.

agree: it is disputed which of the two should set up the walls.

nil opus est dixit certamine Romulus ‘ullo:

‘There is no need,’ said Romulus, ‘for any contest:

magna fides avium est, experiamur aves.’

great is the trust in birds; let us try the birds.’

res placet, alter adit nemorosi saxa Palati,

The plan is approved: one goes to the rocks of the wooded Palatine,

alter Aventinum mane cacumen init.

the other in the morning climbs the Aventine peak.

sex Remus, hic volucres bis sex videt ordine, pacto

Remus sees six birds, this one twelve in a row; by the pact

statur, et arbitrium Romulus urbis habet,

they abide, and Romulus has control of the city.

apta dies legitur, qua moenia signet aratro.

A suitable day is chosen on which to mark out the walls with a plough.

sacra Palis suberant: inde movetur opus.

The rites of Pales were at hand: from then the work is begun.

fossa fit ad solidum, fruges iaciuntur in ima

A trench is dug down to solid ground; grain is thrown into its depths,

et de vicino terra petita solo.

and earth fetched from the neighbouring soil.

fossa repletur humo, plenaeque imponitur ara,

The trench is filled with earth, and an altar is set on it when full,

et novus accenso fungitur igne focus.

and a new hearth does its office with a fire lit [on it].

inde premens stivam designat moenia sulco;

Then, pressing on the plough-handle, he marks out the walls with a furrow;

alba iugum niveo cum bove vacca tulit,

a white cow with a snow-white ox bore the yoke.

vox fuit haec regis: ‘condenti, Iuppiter, urbem

These were the king's words: ‘As I found the city, Jupiter,

et genitor Mavors Vestaque mater, ades;

and father Mavors and mother Vesta, be with me;

quosque pium est adhibere deos, advertite cuncti.

and all you gods whom it is pious to call upon, give heed.

auspicibus vobis hoc mihi surgat opus.

Under your auspices, let this work of mine rise.

longa sit huic aetas dominaeque potentia terrae,

May it have long life, and power as mistress of the earth,

sitque sub hac oriens occiduusque dies.’

and may the rising and the setting day be under it.’

ille precabatur, tonitru dedit omina laevo

He was praying; Jupiter gave omens with thunder on the left,

Iuppiter, et laevo fulmina missa polo.

and lightning bolts were sent from the left of the sky.

augurio laeti iaciunt fundamina cives,

Glad at the augury, the citizens lay the foundations,

et novus exiguo tempore murus erat.

and in a short time there was a new wall.

hoc Celer urget opus, quem Romulus ipse vocarat,

Celer presses on this work, whom Romulus himself had summoned:

sint, que Celer, curae dixerat ‘ista tuae,

‘Let these things, Celer,’ he had said, ‘be your concern,

neve quis aut muros aut factam vomere fossam

and let no one cross either the walls or the trench made by the plough;

transeat: audentem talia dede neci.’

anyone who dares such things, put to death.’

quod Remus ignorans humiles contemnere muros

Not knowing this, Remus began to scorn the low walls

coepit et his populus dicere tutus erit?

and to say: ‘Will the people be safe with these?’

nec mora, transiluit. rutro Celer occupat ausum;

Without delay, he leapt over. Celer strikes the bold man with a shovel;

ille premit duram sanguinulentus humum.

bloodied, he presses the hard ground.

haec ubi rex didicit, lacrimas introrsus obortas

When the king learned this, he swallowed the tears that welled up within

devorat et clausum pectore volnus habet,

and keeps the wound shut in his breast.

flere palam non volt exemplaque fortia servat,

He will not weep openly, and holds to an example of fortitude,

sic que meos muros transeat hostis ait.

and says: ‘So may any enemy cross my walls.’

dat tamen exequias nec iam suspendere fletum

Yet he gives him funeral rites, and can no longer hold back

sustinet, et pietas dissimulata patet;

his weeping, and the love he concealed is laid bare;

osculaque adplicuit posito suprema feretro

and he pressed last kisses on the bier when it was set down,

atque ait invito frater adempte, vale!

and says: ‘Brother taken from me against my will, farewell!’

arsurosque artus unxit, fecere, quod ille,

and he anointed the limbs that were to burn. What he did,

Faustulus et maestas Acca soluta comas.

Faustulus did too, and Acca, her mourning hair let loose.

tum iuvenem nondum facti flevere Quirites;

Then the Quirites, not yet so named, wept for the young man;

ultima plorato subdita flamma rogo est.

last of all, the flame was set beneath the mourned pyre.

urbs oritur (quis tunc hoc ulli credere posset?)

A city rises (who then could have believed anyone who said this?),

victorem terris impositura pedem,

destined to set its victorious foot upon the lands,

causa tamen positi fuerat cognominis illis,

Yet the reason for the surname given them had been

quod praestant oculis omnia tuta suis.

that they keep all things safe with their eyes.

stant quoque pro nobis et praesunt moenibus urbis

They also stand guard for us and preside over the city's walls,

et sunt praesentes auxiliumque ferunt,

and they are present and bring help.

at canis ante pedes saxo fabricatus eodem

But before their feet a dog, made of the same stone,

stabat: quae standi cum Lare causa fuit?

used to stand: what was the reason for its standing with the Lar?

servat uterque domum, domino quoque fidus uterque:

Each guards the house, each is faithful to the master too;

compita grata deo, compita grata cani.

crossroads are dear to the god, crossroads are dear to the dog;

exagitant et Lar et turba Diania fures:

both the Lar and Diana's pack chase off thieves;

pervigilantque Lares pervigilantque canes,

the Lares keep watch all night, and the dogs keep watch all night.

bina gemellorum quaerebam signa deorum

I was looking for the two statues of the twin gods;

viribus annosae facta caduca morae:

they had fallen, brought down by the force of long years.

sic ego. sic nostris respondit diva rogatis (

So I [asked]. So the goddess answered my questions

dum loquitur, vernas emat ab ore rosas):

(as she speaks, her mouth breathes out spring roses):

‘Chloris eram, quae Flora vocor: corrupta Latino

“I was Chloris, I who am called Flora: corrupted by the Latin

nominis est nostri littera Graeca sono.

sound is the Greek letter of my name.

Chloris eram, nymphe campi felicis, ubi audis

I was Chloris, a nymph of the happy plain where, as you hear,

rem fortunatis ante fuisse viris,

the fortunate men once had their home,

quid Crocon aut Attin referam Cinyraque creatum,

Why should I tell of Crocus, or Attis, or the son of Cinyras,

de quorum per me volnere surgit honor?

from whose wounds their honour springs, through me?

Mars quoque, si nescis, per nostras editus artes:

Mars too, if you do not know, was brought forth through my arts:

Iuppiter hoc, ut adhuc, nesciat usque, precor,

may Jupiter go on not knowing it, as he has so far, I pray.

sancta Iovem Iuno, nata sine matre Minerva,

Holy Juno grieved that Jupiter, when Minerva was born without a mother,

officio doluit non eguisse suo.

had not needed her services.

ibat, ut Oceano quereretur facta mariti;

She was going to complain to Ocean about her husband's deeds;

qui dabat, hoc dixit ‘sterilem quoque tange iuvencam,

The one who gave it said this: 'Touch a barren heifer too,

mater erit.’ tetigi, nec mora, mater erat.

and she will be a mother.' I touched [one], and at once she was a mother.

protinus haerentem decerpsi pollice florem:

Straight away I plucked the clinging flower with my thumb;

tangitur et tacto concipit illa sinu.

she is touched, and at the touch her womb conceives.

iamque gravis Thracen et laeva Propontidos intrat

And now, heavy with child, she enters Thrace and the left-hand shores of the Propontis,

fitque potens voti, Marsque creatus erat.

and gains her wish; and Mars was born.

mensis erat Maius, maiorum nomine dictus,

It was the month of May, named after the elders,

qui partem prisci nunc quoque moris habet,

which even now keeps part of the old custom:

nox ubi iam media est somnoque silentia praebet,

when the night is already at its middle and offers silence for sleep,

et canis et variae conticuistis aves,

and you, dog, and you, many-coloured birds, have fallen silent,

ille memor veteris ritus timidusque deorum

he, mindful of the old rite and fearful of the gods,

surgit (habent gemini vincula nulla pedes)

rises (his two feet have no fastenings)

signaque dat digitis medio cum pollice iunctis,

and makes a sign with his fingers joined to the thumb in their midst,

occurrat tacito ne levis umbra sibi.

so that no insubstantial shade may meet him as he goes in silence.

cumque manus puras fontana perluit unda,

And when he has washed his hands clean in spring water,

vertitur et nigras accipit ante fabas

he turns, and first takes black beans

aversusque iacit; sed dum iacit, ‘haec ego mitto,

and throws them with his face turned away; but as he throws: ‘These I send;

his’ inquit redimo meque meosque fabis.

with these beans,’ he says, ‘I redeem myself and mine.’

hoc novies dicit nec respicit: umbra putatur

This he says nine times, and does not look back: the shade is thought

colligere et nullo terga vidente sequi.

to gather [them] and follow behind, with no one seeing.

rursus aquam tangit Temesaeaque concrepat aera

Again he touches water, and clashes bronze of Temesa,

et rogat, ut tectis exeat umbra suis.

and asks the shade to go out of his house.

cum dixit novies Manes exite paterni,

When he has said nine times, ‘Ghosts of my fathers, go out,’

respicit et pure sacra peracta putat.

he looks back, and holds that the rites have been duly performed.

dicta sit unde dies, quae nominis extet origo,

Why the day is so called, what the origin of the name is,

me fugit: ex aliquo est invenienda deo.

escapes me: it must be learned from some god.

Pleiade nate, mone, virga venerande potenti:

Son of the Pleiad, instruct me, you who are revered for your powerful wand:

saepe tibi est Stygii regia visa Iovis,

you have often seen the palace of Stygian Jupiter.

venit adoratus Caducifer, accipe causam

The Wand-bearer came at my prayer. Learn the reason

nominis: ex ipso est cognita causa deo.

for the name: the reason was learned from the god himself.

Romulus ut tumulo fraternas condidit umbras,

When Romulus had buried his brother's shade in the tomb,

et male veloci iusta soluta Remo,

and the rites had been paid to Remus, swift to his own cost,

Faustulus infelix et passis Acca capillis

unhappy Faustulus, and Acca with her hair unbound,

spargebant lacrimis ossa perusta suis.

sprinkled the burnt bones with their tears.

inde domum redeunt sub prima crepuscula maesti,

Then they go home, grieving, at first twilight,

utque erat, in duro procubuere toro.

and lay down on the hard bed, just as they were.

umbra cruenta Remi visa est assistere lecto

The bloody shade of Remus seemed to stand by the bed

atque haec exiguo murmure verba loqui:

and to speak these words in a faint murmur:

‘en ego dimidium vestri parsque altera voti,

‘See, I, the half and the other part of your prayer,

cernite, sim qualis, qui modo qualis eram!

see what I am, I who was lately what I was!

qui modo, si volucres habuissem regna iubentes,

I who lately, had the birds given me the kingdom,

in populo potui maximus esse meo,

could have been the greatest among my people,

nunc sum elapsa rogi flammis et inanis imago:

now am an empty image, slipped from the flames of the pyre:

haec est ex illo forma relicta Remo!

this is the form that is left of that Remus!

heu ubi Mars pater est? si vos modo vera locuti,

Alas, where is father Mars? If only you have spoken the truth,

uberaque expositis ille ferina dedit,

and he gave a wild beast's teats to the exposed [twins],

quem lupa servavit, manus hunc temeraria civis

the one the she-wolf saved, a citizen's rash hand

perdidit, o quanto mitior illa fuit!

destroyed: oh, how much gentler she was!

saeve Celer, crudelem animam per volnera reddas,

Savage Celer, may you give up your cruel soul through wounds,

utque ego, sub terras sanguinulentus eas.

and, like me, go bloodied beneath the earth.

noluit hoc frater, pietas aequatis in illo est:

My brother did not want this: in him there is devotion equal [to mine]:

quod potuit, lacrimas manibus ille dedit,

he gave what he could, tears, to my shade.

hunc vos per lacrimas, per vestra alimenta rogate,

Beg him, by your tears, by your rearing of us,

ut celebrem nostro signet honore diem.’

to mark out a day for celebration in my honour.’

mandantem amplecti cupiunt et bracchia tendunt:

As he gives this charge, they long to embrace him and stretch out their arms:

lubrica prensantes effugit umbra manus,

the slippery shade escapes their grasping hands.

ut secum fugiens somnos abduxit imago,

When the fleeing image had taken their sleep away with it,

ad regem voces fratris uterque ferunt.

both carry the brother's words to the king.

Romulus obsequitur, lucemque Remuria dicit

Romulus complies, and names that day Remuria,

illam, qua positis iusta feruntur avis.

the day on which due rites are brought to buried ancestors.

aspera mutata est in lenem tempore longo

Over a long time the rough [letter] was changed into a smooth one,

littera, quae toto nomine prima fuit;

the letter which was first in the whole name;

mox etiam lemures animas dixere silentum:

soon they also called the souls of the silent [dead] lemures:

hic sensus verbi, vis ea vocis erat.

this was the sense of the word, this the force of the term.

fana tamen veteres illis clausere diebus,

Yet the ancients closed the shrines on those days,

sic fatus spinam, qua tristes pellere posset

So saying, he gave her a thorn with which she could drive

a foribus noxas (haec erat alba), dedit.

grim harms from doorways (it was a white thorn).

sunt avidae volucres, non quae Phineia mensis

There are greedy birds, not the ones that at his table robbed

guttura fraudabant, sed genus inde trahunt:

Phineus' throat, but they draw their descent from them:

grande caput, stantes oculi, rostra apta rapinis,

big heads, staring eyes, beaks made for plunder,

canities pinnis, unguibus hamus inest.

grey in their feathers, hooks in their claws.

nocte volant puerosque petunt nutricis egentes

They fly by night and seek out children left without a nurse,

et vitiant cunis corpora rapta suis.

and maul their bodies, snatched from their cradles.

carpere dicuntur lactentia viscera rostris

They are said to tear the milk-fed flesh with their beaks,

et plenum poto sanguine guttur habent,

and their throats are full of the blood they have drunk.

est illis strigibus nomen; sed nominis huius

Their name is striges [screech-owls]; but the reason for this name

causa, quod horrendum stridere nocte solent,

is that they are accustomed to screech horribly at night.

sive igitur nascuntur aves, seu carmine fiunt

So, whether they are born birds, or are made so by a spell

naeniaque in volucres Marsa figurat anus,

and a Marsian charm turns old women into birds,

in thalamos venere Procae. Proca natus in illis

they came into the bedchamber of Proca. Proca, born in that room,

praeda recens avium quinque diebus erat,

was fresh prey for the birds, five days old,

pectoraque exsorbent avidis infantia linguis;

and they suck at the infant's breast with greedy tongues;

at puer infelix vagit opemque petit.

but the unlucky boy wails and cries for help.

territa voce sui nutrix accurrit alumni

Frightened by her charge's voice, the nurse runs up

et rigido sectas invenit ungue genas,

and finds his cheeks torn by hard claws.

quid faceret? color oris erat, qui frondibus olim

What was she to do? His face had the colour that late leaves

esse solet seris, quas nova laesit hiems.

often have when the new winter has nipped them.

pervenit ad Cranen et rem docet, illa ‘timorem

She comes to Crane and tells her what happened; and Crane said: “Your fear

pone: tuus sospes’ dixit alumnus erit.

put away: your charge will be safe.”

venerat ad cunas: flebant materque paterque:

She had come to the cradle: the mother and the father were weeping:

sistite vos lacrimas, ipsa medebor ait.

“Stop your tears,” she says, “I will heal him myself.”

protinus arbutea postes ter in ordine tangit

At once she touches the doorposts three times in turn with arbutus

fronde, ter arbutea limina fronde notat;

leaves, three times she marks the threshold with arbutus leaves;

spargit aquis aditus (et aquae medicamen habebant)

she sprinkles the entrance with water (and the water held a remedy)

extaque de porca cruda bimenstre tenet;

and holds the raw entrails of a two-month-old sow;

atque ita noctis aves, extis puerilibus inquit

and so she says: “Birds of night, the boy's entrails

‘parcite: pro parvo victima parva cadit.

spare: a small victim falls in place of a small one.

cor pro corde, precor, pro fibris sumite fibras.

Take a heart for a heart, I pray, organs for organs.

hanc animam vobis pro meliore damus.’

This life we give you in place of a better one.”

sic ubi libavit, prosecta sub aethere ponit,

When she has made the offering thus, she sets the cut pieces in the open air,

quique adsint sacris, respicere illa vetat;

and forbids those present at the rite to look back at them;

virgaque Ianalis de spina ponitur alba,

and a rod of Janus, from the white thorn, is placed

qua lumen thalamis parva fenestra dabat,

where a small window let light into the bedroom.

post illud nec aves cunas violasse feruntur,

After that, it is said, the birds did not violate the cradle,

et rediit puero, qui fuit ante, color,

and the boy's former colour returned.

pinguia cur illis gustentur larda Kalendis,

Why is fat bacon eaten on these Kalends,

mixtaque cum calido sit faba farre, rogas?

and why are beans mixed with hot spelt, you ask?

sed quae nescieram, quorumque errore tenebar,

But things I had not known, and in which I was held by error,

cognita sunt nullo praecipiente mihi.

became known to me with no one teaching me.

dena quater memorant habuisse Parilia Romam,

They relate that Rome had held forty Parilia

cum flammae custos aede recepta dea est,

when the goddess who guards the flame was received into her shrine,

regis opus placidi, quo non metuentius ullum

the work of the peaceful king; no more god-fearing

numinis ingenium terra Sabina tulit.

nature than his did the Sabine land ever produce.

quae nunc aere vides, stipula tum tecta videres,

What you now see roofed with bronze, you would then have seen roofed with straw,

et paries lento vimine textus erat.

and the wall was woven of pliant wicker.

hic locus exiguus, qui sustinet atria Vestae,

This small spot, which holds up the Atrium of Vesta,

tunc erat intonsi regia magna Numae.

was then the great palace of unshorn Numa.

forma tamen templi, quae nunc manet, ante fuisse

Yet the shape of the temple, which remains now, is said to have existed

dicitur, et formae causa probanda subest.

before, and a reason worth approving lies behind the shape.

Vesta eadem est et terra: subest vigil ignis utrique:

Vesta is the same as the earth: unsleeping fire lies beneath both:

significant sedem terra focusque suam.

earth and hearth both signify their own seat.

terra pilae similis nullo fulcimine nixa,

The earth, like a ball, resting on no support,

cur sit virginibus, quaeris, dea culta ministris?

Do you ask why the goddess is served by virgins as attendants?

inveniam causas hac quoque parte suas.

I shall find the proper causes for this part too.

ex Ope Iunonem memorant Cereremque creatas

They say that Juno and Ceres were born of Ops

semine Saturni, tertia Vesta fuit;

from the seed of Saturn; the third was Vesta;

utraque nupserunt, ambae peperisse feruntur,

both [of the others] married, both are said to have given birth;

de tribus impatiens restitit una viri.

of the three, one remained, refusing a husband.

quid mirum, virgo si virgine laeta ministra

What wonder if a virgin, pleased with a virgin attendant,

admittit castas ad sua sacra manus?

admits chaste hands to her rites?

nec tu aliud Vestam quam vivam intellege flammam,

And understand Vesta to be nothing other than living flame,

nataque de flamma corpora nulla vides.

and you see no bodies born of flame.

iure igitur virgo est, quae semina nulla remittit

Rightly, then, she is a virgin, who gives back no seeds

esse diu stultus Vestae simulacra putavi,

For a long time, fool that I was, I thought there were statues of Vesta;

mox didici curvo nulla subesse tholo:

later I learned that there are none beneath the curved dome.

ignis inextinctus templo celatur in illo,

An undying fire is hidden in that temple;

effigiem nullam Vesta nec ignis habet,

neither Vesta nor fire has any likeness.

stat vi terra sua: vi stando Vesta vocatur,

The earth stands by its own force: Vesta is named from standing by force,

causaque par Grai nominis esse potest.

and the reason for the Greek name may be the same.

moenia Dardanides nuper nova fecerat Ilus

Ilus, descendant of Dardanus, had lately built new walls

(Ilus adhuc Asiae dives habebat opes):

(Ilus, rich, still held the wealth of Asia):

creditur armiferae signum caeleste Minervae

a heavenly image of armed Minerva is believed

urbis in Iliacae desiluisse iuga.

to have leapt down onto the heights of the Ilian city.

cura videre fuit, vidi templumque locumque:

I made a point of seeing it: I saw both the temple and the place:

hoc superest illic, Pallada Roma tenet.

that is what remains there; Rome holds the Pallas.

sub Priamo servata parum: sic ipsa volebat,

Under Priam she was poorly guarded: so she herself wished,

ex quo iudicio forma revicta sua est.

ever since her beauty was beaten in the judgement.

seu genus Adrasti, seu furtis aptus Ulixes,

Whether Adrastus's offspring, or Ulysses, so apt at theft,

seu pius Aeneas eripuisset eam,

or pious Aeneas carried her off,

auctor in incerto, res est Romana: tuetur

who did it is uncertain; the thing is Roman: it is guarded

Vesta, quod assiduo lumine cuncta videt,

by Vesta, because she sees all things with her unceasing light.

heu quantum timuere patres, quo tempore Vesta

Ah, how greatly the Fathers feared, at the time when Vesta

numen eris pelagi, natum quoque pontus habebit.

You will be a deity of the sea; the sea will have your son too.

in vestris aliud sumite nomen aquis:

Take other names in your own waters:

Leucothea Grais, Matuta vocabere nostris;

you will be called Leucothea by the Greeks, Matuta by our people;

in portus nato ius erit omne tuo,

your son will have all authority over harbours,

quem nos Portunum, sua lingua Palaemona dicet.

he whom we shall call Portunus, and his own tongue Palaemon.

ite, precor, nostris aequus uterque locis!’

Go, I pray, both of you, gracious to our lands!”

annuerat, promissa fides, posuere labores,

She had nodded; the promise was given; they laid aside their toils,