Defiderique temperare poculum :

Plorem artis in te nil habentis exitum.

PROSE INTERPRETATION.

the moon from the pole by my incantations, that can revive the dead after they are burnt, and mix up the lovepotion; fhall I deplore the refult of my arts, availing nothing with regard to thee?

Can raise burnt bodies out of Styx,

And in the cup love-potions mix;

Shall I my fruitless art bemoan,
Without effect on Thee alone?

E PODE

CARMEN

SECULARE,

Pro imperii Romani incolumitate.

PHOEBE, fylvarumque potens Diana,

Lucidum cœli decus, ô colendi

Semper, & culti; date, quæ precamur
Tempore facro:

Quo Sibyllini monuere verfus,
Virgines lectas, puerofque caftos;
Diis, quibus feptem placuere colles,
Dicere carmen.

Alme Sol, curru nitido diem qui
Promis & celas, aliufque & idem
Nafceris; poffis nihil urbe Româ
Visere majus.

PROSE INTERPRETATION.

O Phœbus, and Diana, potentate of the woods, the lucid ornament of the heavens; O ever adorable and ever adored, grant the things we pray for at this folemn occafion; on which the Sybilline verfes have admonished that the chofen virgins, and fober youths fhould fing an ode to the divinities, to whom the feven hills of Rome are pleafing. O fostering fun, who in your elegant car draw forth and cancel the day,

and

THE

SECULAR

ODE,

For the fafety of the Roman empire.

PHOEBUS and Dian, queen of bow'rs,

Bright grace of Heav'n, the things we pray; O most adorable of pow'rs,

And ftill by adoration ours,

Grant us this facred day.

At which the Sybils in their fong,
Ingenuous youths and virgins warn ;
Selected from the vulgar throng,
The gods, to whom fev'n hills belong,
With verfes to adorn.

O foft'ring god, whofe fall or flame,
Can hide the day or re-illume;
Which com'ft another and the fame,
May't thou fee nothing like the fame,
And magnitude of Rome!

PROSE INTERPRETATION.

and rise another and the fame, may you never be able to vifit any object greater than the city of Rome! O Ilithya, gentle

to

Rite maturos aperire partus

Lenis Ilithyia, tuere matres:

Sive tu Lucina probas vocari,
Seu genitalis.

Diva, producas fobolem : patrumque
Profperes decreta fuper jugandis
Fœminis, prolifque novæ feraci
Lege maritâ :

Certus undenos decies per annos
Orbis & cantus referatque ludos,
Ter die claro, totiesque gratâ,
Nocte frequentes.

Vofque veraces ceciniffe Parcæ,

Quod femel dictum eft, stabilisque rerum
Terminus fervet, bona jam peractis

Jungite fata.

PROSE INTERPRETATION.

to open the mature births, defend the Roman mothers, whether you approve to be called Lucina, or genial goddefs. O goddess, therefore, forward our iffue, and propitiate the decrees of the fathers concerning the coupling of women, and the marriage act, fruitful with a fresh offspring. That the determinate revolution of an hundred and ten years, may reftore the odes, and the other feftivities, three times by clear day-light; and as often, in the agreeable night, frequent (or frequented).--And you, ye deities, found fruitful in

having