§1Phoebe silvarumque potens Diana, §2Lucidum caeli decus, o colendi §3Semper et culti, date quae precamur §4Tempore sacro, §5Quo Sibyllini monuere versus §6Virgines lectas puerosque castos §7Dis quibus septem placuere colles §8Dicere carmen.
O Phoebus and Diana, queen of the forests, bright glory of heaven, oh ye who are ever to be worshipped and ever worshipped, grant what we pray for at this sacred season, when the Sibylline verses have instructed chosen maidens and chaste boys to the gods who love the seven hills to sing a song.
§9Alme Sol, curru nitido diem qui §10Promis et celas aliusque et idem §11Nasceris, possis nihil urbe Roma §12Visere maius!
O nourishing Sun, who in your shining chariot bring forth and hide the day, and who, other and yet the same, are born, may you be able to behold nothing greater than the city of Rome!
§13Rite maturos aperire partus §14Lenis, Ilithyia, tuere matres, §15Sive tu Lucina probas vocari §16Seu Genitalis: §17Diva, producas subolem patrumque §18Prosperes decreta super iugandis §19Feminis prolisque novae feraci §20Lege marita, §21Certus undenos deciens per annos §22Orbis ut cantus referatque ludos §23Ter die claro totiensque grata §24Nocte frequentes.
O Ilithyia, gentle to open timely births in due season, protect our mothers, whether you prefer to be called Lucina or Genitalis: Goddess, bring forth our offspring, and prosper the decrees of the fathers concerning the yoking of women and the marital law fruitful in new offspring, so that the fixed cycle, through ten times eleven years, may bring back songs and games three times in the bright day and as many times in the welcome night, thronged by crowds.
§25Vosque veraces cecinisse, Parcae, §26Quod semel dictumst stabilisque rerum §27Terminus servet, bona iam peractis §28Iungite fata.
And you, O Parcae, truthful in having sung what has been once decreed—and may the stable boundary of things preserve it—join good destinies to those already past.
§29Fertilis frugum pecorisque tellus §30Spicea donet Cererem corona; §31Nutriant fetus et aquae salubres §32Et Iovis aurae.
May the earth, fertile in crops and cattle, crown Ceres with a wreath of wheat ears; and may both wholesome waters and the breezes of Jove nourish the offspring.
§33Condito mitis placidusque telo §34Supplices audi pueros, Apollo; §35Siderum regina bicornis, audi, §36Luna, puellas: §37Roma si vestrumst opus, Iliaeque §38Litus Etruscum tenuere turmae, §39Iussa pars mutare Lares et urbem §40Sospite cursu, §41Cui per ardentem sine fraude Troiam §42Castus Aeneas patriae superstes §43Liberum munivit iter, daturus §44Plura relictis: §45Di, probos mores docili iuventae, §46Di, senectuti placidae quietem, §47Romulae genti date remque prolemque §48Et decus omne.
With your weapon sheathed, mild and gentle, hear the suppliant boys, O Apollo; O two-horned queen of the stars, hear the maidens, O Moon: If Rome is your work, and if the Ilian squadrons held the Etruscan shore, a remnant bidden to change their homes and city with safe course, for whom through burning Troy without harm chaste Aeneas, surviving his fatherland, built a free path, destined to give them more than they had left behind: Ye gods, give honest morals to teachable youth, ye gods, give quiet to peaceful old age, and to the race of Romulus grant wealth and offspring and every glory.
§49Quaeque vos bobus veneratur albis §50Clarus Anchisae Venerisque sanguis, §51Impetret, bellante prior, iacentem §52Lenis in hostem.
And what the illustrious offspring of Anchises and Venus entreats of you with white oxen, may he obtain; superior to the warring, but merciful to the fallen foe.
§53iam mari terraque manus potentes §54Medus Albanasque timet secures, §55Iam Scythae responsa petunt superbi §56Nuper, et Indi.
Already the Mede fears our powerful forces by land and sea, and the Alban axes; already the Scythians, lately proud, and the Indians seek our decrees.
§57Iam Fides et Pax et Honor Pudorque §58Priscus et neglecta redire Virtus §59Audet, adparetque beata pleno §60Copia cornu.
Already Faith, and Peace, and Honor, and ancient Modesty, and neglected Virtue dare to return, and blessed Plenty appears with her full horn.
§61Augur et fulgente decorus arcu §62Phoebus acceptusque novem Camenis, §63Qui salutari levat arte fessos §64Corporis artus, §65Si Palatinas videt aequus arces, §66Remque Romanam Latiumque felix §67Alterum in lustrum meliusque semper §68Prorogat aevum.
May the prophet Phoebus, adorned with his shining bow, and welcome to the nine Muses, who with his healing art relieves the weary limbs of the body, if he looks with favor on the Palatine altars, prolong the Roman state and happy Latium into another lustrum and to an ever better age.