77

To Priapus

Dodone tibi, Iuppiter, sacrata est,
Iunoni Samos et Mycena ditis,
undae Taenaros aequorisque regi;
Pallas Cecropias tuetur arces,
Delphos Pythius, orbis umbilicum,
Creten Delia Cynthiosque colles,
Faunus Maenalon Arcadumque silvas;
tutela Rhodos est beata Solis,
Gades Herculis umidumque Tibur;
Cyllene celeri deo nivosa,
tardo gratior aestuosa Lemnos;
Hennaeae Cererem nurus frequentant,
raptam Cyzicos ostreosa divam,
formosam Venerem Cnidos Paphosque;
mortales tibi Lampsacum dicarunt.

Dodona is hallowed, Jupiter, to thee;
To Juno Samos and to Dis Mykenae;
While Taenarus' billowy seas confess the King.
Pallas preserveth the Cecropian towers;
Pythius Delphos, navel of the world;
Delia the Cretan Isle and Cynthian hills;
Faunus hath Maenalos and Arcadian groves.
Rhodos is happy protégé of Sol;
Gades and Tibur dank of Hercules;
Snowy Cyllene of the swift-paced God
And seething Lemnos of the limping Sire;
Ennéan matrons unto Ceres flock,
To the raped Goddess oystery Cyzicus;
Gnidos and Paphos lovely Venus hail
While mortals dedicate Lampsacus to thee.

Dodona is sacred to thee, O Jupiter; Samos and Mycenae to Juno; Taenarus and its billowy waters to royal Dis. Pallas guards the Cecropian citadels [Athens]; Pythius [Apollo], Delphi the centre of the world;[1] the maid of Delos [Diana), Crete and the Cynthian Hills; the Faun [Pan], Maenalus and the Arcadian woods. Rhodes is under the blest protection of the sun god [Apollo]; Gades and the humid Tibur, of Hercules; snowy Cyllene of the god of swiftness [Mercury]; and boiling Lemnos is dearer to the tardy god [Vulcan]. The women of Enna worship Ceres; oystery Cyzicum, the ravished goddess [Proserpine]; Gnidus and Paphos, the lovely Venus. To thee, mortals have devoted Lampsacus.

[1. According to an ancient fable, Jupiter, desirous of finding the centre of the world, sent forth two eagles, one from the east, another from the west, ordering them to fly straight forward. They met at Delphi.]