Horace, Carmen Saeculare

Phoebe silvarumque potens Diana,

lucidum caeli decus, o colendi

semper et culti, date quae precamur

tempore sacro,

quo Sibyllini monuere versus

virgines lectas puerosque castos

dis quibus septem placuere colles

dicere carmen.

Alme Sol, curru nitido diem qui

promis et celas aliusque et idem

nasceris, possis nihil urbe Roma

visere maius!

Rite maturos aperire partus

lenis, Ilithyia, tuere matres,

sive tu Lucina probas vocari

seu Genitalis.

Diva, producas subolem patrumque

prosperes decreta super iugandis

feminis prolisque novae feraci

lege marita,

certus undenos deciens per annos

orbis ut cantus referatque ludos

ter die claro totiensque grata

nocte frequentis.

Vosque veraces cecinisse, Parcae,

quod semel dictum est, stabilisque rerum

terminus servet, bona iam peractis

iungite fata.

Fertilis frugum pecorisque tellus

spicea donet Cererem corona;

nutriant fetus et aquae salubres

et Iovis aurae.

Condito mitis placidusque telo

supplices audi pueros, Apollo;

siderum regina bicornis, audi,

Luna, puellas.

Roma si vestrum est opus Iliaeque

litus Etruscum tenuere turmae,

iussa pars mutare Lares et urbem

sospite cursu,

cui per ardentem sine fraude Troiam

castus Aeneas patriae superstes

liberum munivit iter, daturus

plura relictis,

di, probos mores docili iuventae,

di, senectuti placidae quietem,

Romulae genti date remque prolemque

et decus omne.

Quaeque vos bubus veneratur albis

clarus Anchisae Venerisque sanguis,

impetret, bellante prior, iacentem

lenis in hostem.

Iam mari terraque manus potentis

Medus Albanasque timet securis,

iam Scyythae responsa petunt superbi

nuper et Indi.

Iam Fides et Pax et Honos Pudorque

priscus et neglecta redire Virtus

audet, apparetque beata pleno

Copia cornu.

Augur et fulgente decorus arcu

Phoebus acceptusque novem Camenis,

qui salutari levat arte fessos

corporis artus,

si Palatinas videt aequus aras,

remque Romanam Latiumque felix

alterum in lustrum meliusque semper

prorogat aevum;

quaeque Aventinum tenet Algidumque,

quindecim Diana preces virorum

curat et votis puerorum amicas

applicat auris.

Haec Iovem sentire deosque cunctos

spem bonam certamque domum reporto,

doctus et Phoebi chorus et Dianae

dicere laudes.

Phoebus and Diana, ruler of the forests,

shining glory of heaven, oh you to be worshiped
and must always be worshiped, give that which we pray for
in this sacred time,

when the Sabylline verses advised
the chosen virgins and pure boys
to sing a song for the gods for whom the seven
hills are pleasing.

Nourishing Sol, you who brings forth and conceals the day
with your shining chariot, and are born another and
the same, may you be able to see nothing greater
than the city of Rome!

Duly gentle to uncover timely
births, Ilithyia, watch over mothers,
whether you assent to be called Lucina
or Genitalis.

Goddess, may you bring forth offspring and bless
the decrees of our fathers over marriage to
women, and the law on marriage with new
fruitful offspring,

so that the fixed orbit of ten times eleven years
may bring back songs and games
crowded three times in the bright day and as often
in the pleasing night.

And you, Fates, truthful to have sung
that which had once been fixed, and may the
boundary of stable things keep it (so), now join
good fates with completed ones.

May the earth, fertile in fruits and the herd,

present Ceres with a crown of grain;

may the healthy rains and breezes of Jove

nourish the harvest.

Apollo, gentle and calm, with your weapon

put away, hear the suppliant youths;

Luna, two-horned queen of stars, hear

the girls.

If Rome is your work and Ilian

troops held the Etruscan shore,

a part ordered to change their home and city

in a safe course,

for whom chaste Aeneas, survivor of the fatherland,

built a way for freedom through burning Troy

without trickery, about to give more (good things)

than those left behind:

gods, grant honest manners to the docile youth,

gods, grant peace in the calm of old age,

grant resources and offspring and every honor

to the race of Romulus.

And that which, with white bulls, the bright

family of Anchises and Venus asks of you,

superior to the warring one, gentle to the

fallen enemy.

Now the Parthian fears our troops, lords of

sea and land, and the axes of Alba,

now the Scythians and the Indi, haughty until recently,

seek answers.

Now Faith and Peace and Honor and ancient

Modesty and neglected Virtue dare to

return and blessed Plenty, with a full horn,

makes an appearance.

Phoebus, prophet decorated with a gleaming

bow and dear to the nine Muses,

who, with his saving art, relieves the tired

limbs of the body,

if he kindly looks on the altars on the Palatine,

and and always prolongs Roman strength and

the prosperity of Latium for a further cycle and

to a better age,

and Diana, she who holds Aventine and Algidus,

attends to the prayers of the fifteen men

and places friendly ears nears the

appeals of the youth.

So that Jupiter and all the gods perceive these

(words), I carry back home a good and sure hope,

I and the chorus taught to tell the praises of

Phoebus and of Diana.