THE

SECULAR POEM.

Carmen Saeculare.

PRO IMPERII ROMANI INCOLUMITATE.

CHORUS PUERORUM ET PUELLARUM.

Phoebe, sylvarumque potens Diana,

Lucidum coeli decus, o colendi

Semper et culti, date quæ precamur

Tempore sacro:

Quo Sibyllini monuere versus
Virgines lectas puerosque castos

Dîs, quibus septem placuere colles,

Dicere carmen.

CHORUS PUERORUM.

Alme Sol, curru nitido diem qui
Promis et celas, aliusque et idem
Nasceris, possis nihil urbe Româ

Visere majus.

CHORUS PUELLARUM.

Rite maturos aperire partus
Lenis Ilithyia, tuere matres;
Sive tu Lucina probas vocari,

Seu Genitalis.

The Secular Poem.

FOR THE SAFETY OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE.

CHORUS OF YOUTHS AND VIRGINS.

BRIGHT Phoebus, joy of realms above!
Diana, goddess of the grove!

Whom youths and virgins praise and love,

Smile on our home;

For Sibyl's prophecy instils,

That now we seek, with pious wills,

Those gods who love the seven hills

Of ancient Rome.

CHORUS OF YOUTHS.

Bright Sun! who, from thy car of gold,
Each morn new beauties dost unfold,

Mayst thou, in every course, behold

Rome still

supreme.

CHORUS OF VIRGINS.

Do thou defend, Lucina kind!

Matrons whom wedlock's fetters bind;
And ease the pain, and soothe the mind

Of such as teem;

Diva, producas sobolem, Patrumque
Prosperes decreta super jugandis
Fœminis, prolisque novæ feraci

Lege maritâ ;

UTERQUE CHORUS.

Certus undenos decies per annos
Orbis ut cantus referatque ludos,
Ter die claro, totiesque gratâ

Nocte frequentes.

Vosque veraces cecinisse, Parcæ,

Quod semel dictum est, stabilisque rerum Terminus servet; bona jam peractis Jungite fata.

Fertilis frugum pecorisque tellus
Spiceâ donet Cererem coronâ:

Nutriant foetus et aquæ salubres,

Et Jovis auræ.

CHORUS PUERORUM.

Condito mitis placidusque telo
Supplices audi pueros, Apollo ;

CHORUS PUELLARUM.

Siderum regina bicornis, audi,

Luna, puellas.

UTERQUE CHORUS.

Roma si vestrum est opus, Iliæque

Littus Etruscum tenuere turmæ,

O goddess! with benignant eye,
Let Rome increase and multiply;
Prosper those laws which ratify

The marriage state.

CHORUS OF YOUTHS AND VIRGINS.

Thrice-day and night, by precept sage, Rome's crowds may each revolving age In the same games and hymns engage,—

When fill'd by fate.

And you, O fatal sisters three,
Unerring in your fix'd decree,

Add a bright future destiny

To those now past.

Let earth, adorn'd with corn and fruits, Crown Ceres with its bearded shoots; Whilst tender young no drought uproots,

Nor angry blast.

CHORUS OF YOUTHS.

Apollo! sheath thy darts, and now
List to the youths, with gentle brow;

CHORUS OF VIRGINS.

O! two-horn'd Luna, hear the vow

Of virgins meek.

CHORUS OF YOUTHS AND VIRGINS.

Since Rome is work of your own hand,
And Trojans seized the Tuscan land,