| Curulis Aediles,
T. Iulius Sabinus and C. Equitius Cato, in front of their Cohors,
garbed in toga praetexta, cinctu Gabino, capite velato.
Curule Aedile,
T. Iulius Sabinus,
garbed in toga praetexta,
cinctu Gabino, capite velato, perform the ritual * :
SALUTATIO.
Silentium is ordered: Praeco
C. Marius Maior admonishes those who know themselves to be impure
to leave: Hoc agete!. "Give your attention to this!"
Procul, o procul, quaecumque profanae, ferte gradus nec vos casto miscete labori
! "Far away, be gone, whosoever among you is unchaste, do not share in this
sacred task".
Those attending the celebrations respond: Tacemus. Dis sumus fretus, deos
sperabimus. "We are silent. We trust in the Gods, we will put our hopes in the
Gods."
I, Aedilis Curulis,Iulius Sabinus, perform a ritual washing
my hands, dripping pure water upon my brow as I pray:
Haec aqua a corpore impuritates eluat, ut pluvial terra purgat. "May my
body be purified by this water, as the earth is purified by rain."
I addresses the Gods :
Avete Iove Supremi Dique Imortales! Quin agete ipsos et libens propriorum
certaminis vos dignare manu indulgete sacris.
"Hail Jupiter Supreme and all You immortal Gods! Why not arouse Yourselves and
graciously attend the ceremonies that we hold in Your honor with Your divine
presence."
The altars are purified and prepared. The foci are lit with prayers and
offerings to Sancta Vesta. Di Testores are called to witness the ritual :
INVOCATIO.
Audi, Iane, audi Iuppiter, audite Di Deaeque omnes caelestes, vosque terrestes
vosque inferni, qui hanc urbem, hoc sacratos locosque
colitis, audite; Di parenti, ego vos testor; si hoc adsistis, tum ego, dico,
divi, ut vos audiatis vinem inferiorem dato. Ilaec advorsum si quid pecasso,
divi, veneror vos ut misera ego esse.
"Hear me, Janus. Listen, Jupiter. All You Heavenly Gods, and You Gods of the
earth, and You below, who cherish this City and these sacred groves, listen. I
call You to be my witnesses, that if in here You will be present, then this
lesser portion of wine I shall give to You. And if I do anything to violate this
rite, I pray that I shall suffer misfortune."
With my head veiled, I offer incense at the round altar of the Lares:
Di Parenti, vos hoc turem obmoveo bonas preces precor, ut sistis volens
propitius nobis liberisque notris domis familisque nostris.
"Gods of our forefathers, I make this offering of incense to You and pray with
good prayers that You will look kindly and favorably upon us and our children,
on our houses and on our households."
I next pour a libation of wine:
Di parenti, macte istic libatione pollicenda sint, macte vino inferio sint.
"Gods of our forefathers, may You be strengthened by this libation, may You be
honored by this portion of wine"
SACRIFICATIO.
To the other celebrants I say:
Auspicato, omina bona accepi. Sic purgatus est hoc locus ad ritum. Venite nunc
ante hanc aram ut affirmetis fideles coram Diis vos libenter adnuere his ritiis.
"The auspices taken; the birds favor. Thus this place has been purified for the
rite. Come now before this altar to declare faithfully before the Gods that you
willingly give your consent to this rite."
My head veiled, I approaches the altar of Jupiter, my right arm forward, bent as
my waist, palm up, in the gesture of offering.
Then I raise my right hand to the sky, manus supina.
Iovi disque ago gratias merito magnas. Serva, Iuppiter supreme, nos mihi per
tuom te genium obsecro, exi, te volumus.
"To Jove and the Gods I deservedly give great thanks. Jove Supreme, look down
and preserve us, I do beseech you by your good genius.
Come forth! We wish for You.
"Iupiter, Father of Gods and humans, we come before You this day with open
hearts, pure and chaste. By these games and ceremonies we seek to honor You.
Hear us, O Heavenly Father, and may You honor us this day with your presence. As
many times before, so now accept these offerings and bless our civitas. With
lightning You rule the firmament and by Your rains is this world made fertile.
Everything above and below knows Your greatness and opulence. Accept our
libations and send upon us Your kind thoughts. May You grant Nova
Roma concord and a richness of life!"
Laurel, incense, honeyed cakes, and wine are offered each in turn by the usual
manner upon the altar fires.
Pater noster qui in caelo, Saturni, Iove Optime Maxime, te hoc turem obmoveimus
bonas preces precamur, ut sis volens propitius nos liberisque noster domo
familiaeque noster.
Our Father who dwells in the Heavens, Son of Saturnus, Best and Greatest
Jupiter, to You we make this offering of incense and pray that You will look
kindly and favorably upon us, upon our children, on our homes and our
households.
Iove, macte istic libatione pollicenda esto, macte vino inferio esto. In tua,
Pater carissime, in tua sumus custodia.
"Jove, may You be strengthened by this libation, may You be honored by this
wine. In You, dearest Father, in Your hands do we place our safekeeping."
I turn about, extend my right hand in a gesture of liberalis towards the altar
of Jupiter. I move to the second altar where Iuno Capitolina is next invoked :
Magni Iovis germana et coniuga , Saturni, sive tu, quae sola partu vagituque et
alimonia tua gloriatur, tenes vetusta delubra. Beatas sedes frequentas. Huc ades,
O Regina Caelistis, precamur, et nobis feras venerabile donos.
"O spouse and sister of Mighty Jupiter, Daughter of Saturnus, whether You are
worshipped and adored in the public rites of the temples, or whether You are
called upon singularly by women in their tearful moment of giving birth, Your
glory is nourished. Blessed are the places You frequent. Be present, O Queen of
Heaven, we pray, bearing Your heavenly gifts for us.
Iuno Regina Caelistis, te hoc turem obmoveimus bonas preces precamur, ut sis
volens propitius nos liberisque noster domo familiaeque noster.
Juno, Queen of Heaven, to You we make this offering of incense and pray that You
will look kindly and favorably upon us, upon our children, on our homes and our
households.
Tu quidem sanctissima et humani generis sospitatrix perpetua, semper fovendis
mortalibus munifica, dulcem matris adfectationem miserorum casibus tribuis. Nec
dies nec quies nulla ac ne momentum quidem tenue tuis transcurrit beneficiis
otiosum, quin mari terraque protegas homines et depulsis vitae procellis
salutarem porrigas dexteram.
"Most holy and everlasting, blessed Lady, Redeemer and perpetual comfort of
human kind, who by Your bounty and grace nourish all the world, cherish our
lives, and bestow the consoling smiles of a Mother with great affection upon our
trials and tribulations. As a loving Mother You take no rest. There is no day or
night, not so much as a moment, that is not filled by Your mercy succoring all
men and women. On land as well as at sea, You are She who chases away all storms
and dangers from our lives by Your right hand."
Iuno, macte istic libatione pollicenda esto, macte vino inferio esto. Da nobis
hasce opes, quas petimus, quas precamur porrige opitula.
"Juno, may You be strengthened by this libation, may You be honored by this
wine. Grant us Your strength, to whom we pray, to whom we ask, extend Your aid
to us."
I turn about, extend my right hand in a gesture of liberalis towards the altar
of Juno. I move to the third altar where Minerva is next invoked :
Quamcumque partem sedis aetheriae premis, filia Iovis, nunc ades o coeptis,
flava Minerva, meis. Seu Pandionio nostras inuisere caedes monte uenis, siue
Aonia deuertis Itone laeta choris, seu tu Libyco Tritone repexas iota comas,
huis adnue sacro.
"Wherever You may be in the ethereal regions, Daughter of Jupiter, come now,
golden haired Minerva, to favor the task I've begun. Whether You come from Mount
Pandion to our rites by night, or from dancing happily in Ainian Itone, or from
washing once more Your hair in the waters of Libyan Triton, may You, with Your
nod, willing accept this sacrifice."
Sancte Minerva, te hoc turem obmoveimus bonas preces precamur, ut sis volens
propitius nos liberisque noster domo familiaeque noster.
Holy Minerva, to You we make this offering of incense and pray that You will
look kindly and favorably upon us, upon our children, on our homes and our
households.
Laying a wreathe upon the altar, I prays:
Dea magna ex Iove nata, anima laeta veni, sapientissima Minerva, benevolens
benignaque. Eluce sapientiá amicitiáque, aperi cordia mentesque nostra, inspira
nos in omnibus quae facimus. Minerva, te his donis obmovendis bonas preces
precor uti sies volens propitia nobis, domo familaeque nostrae. Macta his doniss.
"Great Goddess, sprung from mighty Jupiter, with joyful mind come, all wise
Minerva, benevolent and kind. Shine this day Your light of wisdom and love, open
our hearts and minds, inspire us in all that we do. Minerva, in making this
offering to you, I pray with good prayers, that You look favorably on us and our
household and guide us in Your crafts. May You be honored by this gift.
Sancte Mineva, macte istic libatione pollicenda esto, macte vino inferio esto.
Da nobis hasce opes, quas petimus, quas precamur porrige opitula.
"Holy Minerva, may You be strengthened by this libation, may You be honored by
this wine. Grant us Your strength, to whom we pray, to whom we ask, extend Your
aid to us."
LITATIO.
Wine and honey cakes are offered once more in thanksgiving to Janus and to the
other Gods and Goddesses who have attended this ceremony. Lastly then is thanks
given to Vesta. I step away from the altar and end the rite:
Nil amplius vos hodie posco, superi, satis est.
"No more, Gods on High, do I ask of You today; it is enough."
PERLITATIO.
In silence I turn and await a sign from the Gods that the offerings have been
accepted. Turning once more to the celebrants I say:
Ilicet. Di deaeque omnes, superi atque inferi, vos semper ament et felicitam
volunt.
"Thus it is done. May all the Gods above and below always love you and wish you
happiness in all that is good."
The celebrants respond:
Di immortales faciant, tam felix quam pia.
"May the immortal Gods make it so, as fortunate as it is pious".
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