* VENUS *
Heav'nly, illustrious, laughter-loving queen,
Sea-born, night-loving, of an awful mien,
Crafty, from whom necessity first came,
Producing, nightly, all-connecting dame.
'Tis thine the world with harmony to join,
For all things spring from thee, O pow'r divine.
The triple Fates are ruled by thy decree,
and all productions yield alike to thee:
Whate'er the heav'ns, encircling all, contain,
Earth fruit producing, and the stormy main,
Thy sway confesses, and obeys thy nod,
Awful attendant of the Brumal God.
Goddess of marriage, charming to the sight,
Mother of Loves, whom banquetings delight:
Source of persuasion, secret, fav'ring queen,
Illustrious born, apparent and unseen;
Spousal, Lupercal, and to men inclin'd,
Prolific, most-desir'd, life-giving, kind.
Great sceptre-bearer of the Gods, 'tis thine
Mortals in necessary bands to join;
And ev'ry tribe of savage monsters dire
In magic chains to bind thro' mad desire.
Come, Cyprus-born, and to my pray'r incline,
Whether exalted in the heav'ns you shine,
Or pleas'd in od'rous Syria to preside,
Or o'er th'Egyptian plains thy car to guide,
Fashion'd of gold; and near its sacred flood,
Fertile and fam'd to fix thy blest abode;
Or if rejoicing in the azure shores,
Near where the sea with foaming billows roars,
The circling choirs of mortals thy delight,
Or beauteous Nymphs with eyes cerulean bright,
Pleas'd by the sandy banks renown'd of old,
To drive thy rapid two-yok'd car of gold;
Or if in Cyprus thy fam'd mother fair,
Where nymphs unmarried praise thee ev'ry year,
The loveliest nymphs, who in the chorus join,
Adonis pure to sing, and thee divine.
Come, all-attractive, to my pray'r inclin'd,
For thee I call, with holy, reverent mind.