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Friday, March 4, 2011

Horace, Carmen Saeculorum

Q. HORATII FLACCI CARMEN SAECVLORUM

Quintus Horatius Flaccus [Horace]
65-8 BC
Trans RMBullard
Latin (Golden Age of Latin Literature-Imperial Era)


Phoebe silvarumque potens Diana,
lucidum caeli decus, o colendi
semper et culti, date quae precamur
tempore sacro,

[Phoebe and Diana, you might goddess of the woods--you are the sky's shining reward--o you reverend ones, always deserving of my worship, grant me the wishes that I pray in this holy time of year, ]

quo Sibyllini monuere versus 5
virgines lectas puerosque castos
dis, quibus septem placuere colles,
dicere carmen.

[tell us the way the verses of our Sibylline witch have warned the virgins we have chosen and the youths, chaste to the gods , with whom our seven hills found peace.]

alme Sol, curru nitido diem qui
promis et celas aliusque et idem 10
nasceris, possis nihil urbe Roma
visere maius.

[Sun, dear to us, since you are the one who bring out daytime from your bright chariot, and when you go away, you are always reborn: please don't shine on anything greater than the city of Rome.]