D E N A T A L I S V O.

Let us live, while the fates allow, and let us love, friends:

Who knows whether this day will ever return?

Let the playful Genius himself hear new songs at our cups,

And let the night pass, spent with much wine.

With these the Genius will be content; I have no brother here,

Nor is there a sister who herself might prepare a festive feast.

Nor a mother who might pay offerings for her safe son:

May the gods grant that she rejoices in my return.

Give me wine, boy, that brings gentle sleep,

Until the sinking stars fall into the Ocean.

Hail, best of birthdays, and through many years

May you pass, happy and venerable, in an auspicious light.

And not only did it befall me to first raise my head

into the beautiful shores of rosy light on this day:

But also to wash away the evil contagions of ancient guilt,

and to take a name in the health-bringing waters.

Bind my temples, Pierides, with green myrtle,

or tie my adorned hair with the dew of the sea.

And relate the signs that slipped beneath the earth (for you remember)

and those that rose at the time of my birth.

Golden Aurora had put the frosty shadows to flight,

when my pious mother brought forth the burden from her womb.

Scorpio from the Eastern world was leading the fresh

horses of the Sun, climbing the purple ether.

And before the morning team, the Cyllenian,

born of a Pleiad, was taking his useful path.

As a companion to these, rising from the native waves of the sea,

nourishing Cypris was driving her haltered birds.

After her, the son of Philyra, armed with javelins and a bow,

and Aegoceros, who lies before the doors of heaven.

And the Trojan boy, and the river-loving Pisces,

of whom this one is closest to Boreas, that one to Notus.

The tawny sheep followed, which bore Phrixus and the sister

of Phrixus through the sea on its shining fleece.

Stepping through the grim horns of the toil-bearing Taurus,

the sickle-bearing old man was standing in the western sphere.

From here Pollux, a happy concord with his pious brother,

was going to where black death holds its seats.

Jupiter was surveying the back of the Herculean lion,

Jupiter, joyful in his honor in the middle of the sky.

Lastly, Mavors in Libra, contemplating new battles,

was joyful on the threshold of the Acidalian mother.

Thus the wandering stars were moving through the heavens by the will of the gods,

On the day when I received the sweet gifts of life.

Straightaway Phoebus cradled the infant in his gentle arms,

And said, "You shall be a nursling of the Aonides."

And the Muses wreathed the bed with leafy baccar,

So that harm might be repelled and withdraw from my cradle.

But Uranie herself, having searched the scrolls of the secret heaven,

Uttered such words from her lips:

"Hail, little boy, worthy to be born in less unhappy years,

Though not on a better day.

The fates would not deny you a happy life, nor

Cups of Castalian water (I call the stars to witness).

But then the age will treat sacred Poets ill,

A soldier will hold the wealth snatched from poets.

And you, in the long tracts of a foreign world,

Will endure many wearinesses of war, many of the road.

And the ungrateful morals of men, and the misfortunes of your people,

And you will often vainly lament a barren faith.

Yet neither ambition, nor the love of possessing will break you,

But one girl alone will impose a sweet yoke.

Nor will the difficult star of Saturn harm you;

Mars himself, though threatening, will also be mild.

Forbear to complain, you shall overcome, but there will be a long delay of toil:

The rest I entrust to your character and your fates."

Thus far she spoke, and purified the mother with pure water,

And shining Love thrice applauded the good omen.

Let us speak auspicious words; God rules the stars,

By His will are guided the stars, the earth, the sea.

Him shall I venerate with suppliant words; from Him

Come honor, and uprightness, and genius.

My birthday is here, Schetus: I pray that the fates

may preserve this day for me with happy auspices.

On this day I breathed the vital airs with wailing,

and I was the first offspring of the better sex.