629 After the third sunrise will have lifted up the Ides of Venus, High Priests, sacrifice sacred things with a pregnant cow! A “forda” is a pregnant cow, and a fruitful cow, having been so-called from “ferendo” (it is bearing): they think “fetus” to also have its name from this. Now the herd animal is pregnant, and the soils are also pregnant with seed. A complete sacrificial animal is given to the pregnant Earth. Part falls in the Refuge of Jupiter; three times the Senate Hall receives ten cows and, having been sprinkled with much blood, becomes wet. And when the attendants drag a calf from the innards, they give the body parts, and the organs, to the smoking hearths. It is the Virgin eldest in years who burns the calf in the fire, so that that ash might cleanse the people on the day of Pales.
641 During the reign of Numa, with the harvest not responding to labor, the votive offerings of the people, having been cheated of the cultivated things, were useless; for just then, the year was dry from the icy northeast winds; now the field was swelling with incessant rain: Ceres was often deceiving the landowner with the first green crops, and the the quick, common oat weed was standing firm, having occupied the soil; and the herd animal was performing violent births before her due-date, and a lamb, in being born, was often killing the sheep.
649 And long ago the ancient forest stood, having been violated by no two-edged ax, the sanctuaries had been left for the Maenalian god: he who was giving answers to a resting spirit in the silent nights. Here King Numa sacrifices twin sheep. The first fell for Faunus, the other fell for easy Sleep: and either wool-pelt is spread out on the hard ground. Twice his unshorn head is wetted with spring water, twice he covers his temples with a beech garland; his employment of Venus is absent; neither is it lawful to set out the animals of the month on the table, nor to wear any ring belonging to the fingers. His body, having been dressed in rough clothes, lays on top of the new wool-pelts, having entreated the God through his own words.
661 Meanwhile, Night, crowned with a poppy, comes into his gentle brow and she drags dusky dreams with herself. Faunus is present, pressing the wool-pelts of the sheep with his hard foot and he has announced the following words from the right-side of the bed: “By the death of two cows, the Earth is appeased by you, King: let one heifer present two spirits to the temples.”
667 Sleep is shaken off with terror: Numa, having understood, returns and with himself he brings the digression and the obscure things that were commanded. His most beloved wife extricates herself from wandering in the pastureland, and she said: “You will be desiring the organs of a pregnant cow.” The organs of a pregnant cow are offered, a more fertile year is brought forth, and the earth brings produce and livestock.