DUM IN ILLIUS TUTELAM TRANSEUNT VIRGINES.
Tu tuis adsis, Venus alme, sacris:
Rideas blandum, Venus, et benignum,
Quale cum Martem premis, aureoque
Frangis ocello.
Rideas ô tum neque flamma Phoebum,
Nec juvent Phoeben sua tela; gestat
Te satis contra tuus ille tantum
Tela Cupido.
Saepe in ipsius pharetra Dianae
Hic suas ridens posuit sagittas,
Ausus et flammae Dominum magistris
Urere flammis.
Virginum te orat chorus—esse longum
Virgines nollent—modo servientum
Tot columbarum tibi passerumque augere catervam.
Dedicant quicquid labra vel rosarum
Colla, vel servant tibi liliorum;
Dedicant totum tibi ver genarum,
Ver oculorum.
Hinc tuo sumas licet arma nato,
Seu novas his ex oculis sagittas;
Seu faces flamma velit acriori
Flave comatas.
Sume, et ô discant quid amica, quid nox,
Quid bene et blande vigilata nox sit;
Quid sibi dulcis furor, et protervus
Poscat amator.
Sume per quae tot tibi corda flagrant,
Per quod arcanum tua cestus halat,
Per tuus quicquid tibi dixit olim aut
Fecit Adonis.
TRANSLATION.
A HYMN TO VENUS,
WHILE THE VIRGINS PASS UNDER HER PROTECTION.
Be thou, sweet Venus, present now,
Whilst at thy sacred rites we vow;
Smile, Venus, with the smile that charms
When Mars enfolds thee in his arms,
O'ercome with glance as sunshine golden,
Renownèd from the ages olden.
Smile; then Phœbus' flame shall fail,
Nor Phœbe her own darts avail.
Thy Cupid only against thee
Wields successful weaponry.
Oft and oft the laughing Boy
In the wildness of his joy
Has slipt into Diana's quiver
His keen arrows, that a shiver
Pleasant-painful send through all,
When he, trickster, doth enthral.
Yea, he has dar'd the Lord of Fire
With flames more burning, in his ire.
The arm-link'd Virgins to thee pray,
Seeking thou wouldst near them stay;
Were it but to offer here,
In the flock that hovers near,
More doves and sparrows lightly-flying:
To their prayer there's no denying.
Lo, they dedicate in posies
All their lips supply of roses;
All their necks, of lilies, white
As the dewy stainless light;
Yea, the whole Spring of each cheek,
And that which from their eyes doth break.
Hence, Venus, arms thou mayest take
For thy wanton Boy to make
Arrows from their fire-darting eyes,
Or torches flame-tipp'd that surprise
With Love's delicious agonies.
Take them, and see thou lett'st them know
What means a 'mistress;' and then show
What the Night all-wakeful is
In the rapture of its bliss;
What the bold lover shall demand
When all charms he doth command.
Take them: by all the hearts that burn,
And passionate unto thee turn!
By all the mysteries that are breath'd,
Or in thine own girdle sheath'd!
By all to thee Adonis e'er
Or said or did, when he would swear,
Ne'er i' the world was one so fair! G.
VERIS DESCRIPTIO.
Tempus adest, placidis quo sol novus auctior horis
Purpureos mulcere dies, et sidere verno
Floridus, augusto solet ire per aethera vultu,
Naturae communis amor; spes aurea mundi;
Virgineum decus, et dulcis lascivia rerum,
Ver tenerum, ver molle subit; jam pulchrior annus
Pube nova, roseaeque recens in flore juventae
Felici fragrat gremio, et laxatur odora
Prole parens; per aquas, perque arva, per omnia late
Ipse suas miratur opes, miratur honores.
Jam Zephyro resoluta suo tumet ebria tellus,
Et crebro bibit imbre Jovem, sub frondibus altis
Flora sedens, audit, felix! quo murmure lapsis
Fons patrius minitetur aquis, quae vertice crispo
Respiciunt tantum, et strepero procul agmine pergunt.
Audit, et arboreis siquid gemebunda recurrens
Garriat aura comis, audit, quibus ipsa susurris
Annuit, et facili cervice remurmurat arbor.
Quin audit querulas, audit quodcunque per umbras
Flebilibus Philomela modis miserabile narrat.
Tum quoque praecipue blandis Cytherea per orbem
Spargitur imperiis; molles tum major habenas
Incutit increpitans, cestus magis ignea rores
Ingeminat, tumidosque sinus flagrantior ambit;
Nympharum incedit late, Charitumque corona
Amplior, et plures curru jam nectit olores:
Quin ipsos quoque tum campis emittit apricis
Venus Laeta parens gremioque omnes effundit Amores.
Mille ruunt equites blandi, peditumque protervae
Mille ruunt acies: levium pars terga ferarum
Insiliunt, gaudentque suis stimulare sagittis;
Pars optans gemino multum properare volatu
Aërios conscendit equos; hic passere blando
Subsiliens leve ludit iter; micat huc, micat illuc
Hospitio levis incerto, et vagus omnibus umbris:
Verum alter gravidis insurgens major habenis
TRANSLATION.