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Notes Display Latin text | translated by Theodore C. Williams Book VIII Chapter 13: The ceremony continues | Next chapter Return to index Previous chapter |
Soon from the travelling heavens the western star glowed nearer, and Potitius led forth the priest-procession, girt in ancient guise with skins of beasts and carrying burning brands. new feasts are spread, and altars heaped anew with gifts and laden chargers. Then with song the Salian choir surrounds the blazing shrine, their foreheads wreathed with poplar. Here the youth, the elders yonder, in proud anthem sing the glory and the deeds of Hercules: how first he strangled with strong infant hand two serpents, Juno's plague; what cities proud, Troy and Oechalia, his famous war in pieces broke; what labors numberless as King Eurystheus' bondman he endured, by cruel Juno's will. Thou, unsubdued, didst strike the twy-formed, cloud-bred centaurs down, Pholus and tall Hylaeus. Thou hast slain the Cretan horror, and the lion huge beneath the Nemean crag. At sight of thee the Stygian region quailed, and Cerberus, crouching o'er half-picked bones in gory cave. Nothing could bid thee fear. Typhoeus towered in his colossal Titan - panoply o'er thee in vain; nor did thy cunning fail when Lerna's wonder-serpent round thee drew its multudinous head. Hail, Jove's true son! New glory to the gods above, come down, and these thine altars and thy people bless! Such hymns they chanted, telling oft the tale of Cacus' cave and blasting breath of fire: while hills and sacred grove the note prolong. Events: The birth of Heracles, Heracles and Hesione, Heracles and Iole, The twelve works of Heracles, Heracles and the centaurs, Labor 7: Heracles and the Cretan bull, Labor 1: Heracles and the Nemeian Lion., Labor 12: Heracles and Cerberus |
280-305 Deuexo interea propior fit Vesper Olympo. iamque sacerdotes primusque Potitius ibant pellibus in morem cincti, flammasque ferebant. instaurant epulas et mensae grata secundae dona ferunt cumulantque oneratis lancibus aras. tum Salii ad cantus incensa altaria circum populeis adsunt euincti tempora ramis, hic iuuenum chorus, ille senum, qui carmine laudes Herculeas et facta ferunt: ut prima nouercae monstra manu geminosque premens eliserit anguis, ut bello egregias idem disiecerit urbes, Troiamque Oechaliamque, ut duros mille labores rege sub Eurystheo fatis Iunonis iniquae pertulerit. 'tu nubigenas, inuicte, bimembris Hylaeumque Pholumque manu, tu Cresia mactas prodigia et uastum Nemeae sub rupe leonem. te Stygii tremuere lacus, te ianitor Orci ossa super recubans antro semesa cruento; nec te ullae facies, non terruit ipse Typhoeus arduus arma tenens; non te rationis egentem Lernaeus turba capitum circumstetit anguis. salue, uera Iouis proles, decus addite diuis, et nos et tua dexter adi pede sacra secundo.' talia carminibus celebrant; super omnia Caci speluncam adiciunt spirantemque ignibus ipsum. consonat omne nemus strepitu collesque resultant. |