Quintus Horatius Flaccus, Carmina 1.2.25-44
Horace asks which god the Roman people should call upon in their crisis, and addresses a series of divine candidates: Apollo the augur, the laughing Venus of Eryx, Mars grown weary of his long sport of war, and finally Mercury, son of Maia, who may have taken on the form of a young man on earth to serve as the avenger of Caesar.
Tier 1
Quem deum populus civitatis vocet rebus ruentis (when everything is falling apart)? Qua prece virgines sanctae vocent Vestam quae non audit preces eorum?
Cui Iuppiter dabit officium expiandi (of atoning for) scelus nostrum? Rogamus tandem (at last) venias Apollo et nubes tegat claros umeros tuos,
Sive tu vis, Venus ridens, circum quam Iocus et Cupido volant, sive pater (Mars) respicis neglectum genus et nepotes (descendants),
Heu o Mars satiate nimis longo bello, tu cui clamor et galeae leves (polished helms) placent, et acra facies in hostem saguineum Mauri peditis,
Sive tu Mercuri, filius almae Maiae, figura tua mutata tu imitaris iuvenem in terris, patiens vocari ultor Caesaris (an avenger of Caesar- so Octavian).
Tier 2
Quem divum populus imperi vocet rebus ruentis? Qua prece virgines sanctae fatigent Vestam minus audientem carmina?
Cui Iuppiter dabit partes expiandi scelus? Precamur tandem venias augur Apollo amictus candentes umeros nube,
sive tu mavis, ridens Erycina quam Iocus et Cupido circumvolat, sive respicis, auctor, neglectum genus et nepotes,
heu satiate nimis longo ludo, quem clamor galeaeque leves iuvat, et acer voltus in hostem cruentum Mauri peditis,
sive ales filius almae Maiae, figura mutata imitaris iuvenem in terris, patiens vocari ultor Caesaris.
Tier 3 - Carmen Ipsum
- Quem vocet divum populus ruentis
- imperi rebus? Prece qua fatigent
- virgines sanctae minus audientem
- carmina Vestam?
- Cui dabit partis scelus expiandi
- Iuppiter? Tandem venias precamur,
- nube candentis umeros amictus,
- augur Apollo,
- sive tu mavis, Erycina ridens,
- quam Iocus circumvolat et Cupido,
- sive neglectum genus et nepotes
- respicis, auctor,
- heu nimis longo satiate ludo,
- quem iuvat clamor galeaeque leves,
- acer et Mauri peditis cruentum
- voltus in hostem,
- sive mutata iuvenem figura
- ales in terris imitaris, almae
- filius Maiae, patiens vocari
- Caesaris ultor.
Written by Robert Amstutz