Introduction | Fastorum Liber Tertius: Martius
III.1-166, Ovid explains why March is named after Mars.
Bellice, depositis clipeo paulisper et hasta,
Mars, ades et nitidas casside solve comas.
forsitan ipse roges, quid sit cum Marte poetae:
a te, qui canitur, nomina mensis habet.
ipse vides manibus peragi fera bella Minervae: 5
num minus ingenuis artibus illa vacat?
Palladis exemplo ponendae tempora sume
cuspidis: invenies et quod inermis agas.
tum quoque inermis eras, cum te Romana sacerdos
cepit, ut huic urbi semina magna dares. 10
Silvia Vestalis (quid enim vetat inde moveri?)
sacra lavaturas mane petebat aquas.
ventum erat ad molli declivem tramite ripam:
ponitur e summa fictilis urna coma.
fessa resedit humo ventosque accepit aperto 15
pectore, turbatas restituitque comas.
dum sedet, umbrosae salices volucresque canorae
fecerunt somnos et leve murmur aquae.
blanda quies furtim victis obrepsit ocellis,
et cadit a mento languida facta manus. 20
Mars videt hanc visamque cupit potiturque cupita
et sua divina furta fefellit ope.
somnus abit, iacet ipsa gravis: iam scilicet intra
viscera Romanae conditor urbis erat.
languida consurgit nec scit, cur languida surgat, 25
et peragit tales arbore nixa sonos:
“utile sit faustumque, precor, quod imagine somni
vidimus. an somno clarius illud erat?
ignibus Iliacis aderam, cum lapsa capillis
decidit ante sacros lanea vitta focos. 30
inde duae pariter, visu mirabile, palmae
surgunt: ex illis altera maior erat,
et gravibus ramis totum protexerat orbem
contigeratque sua sidera summa coma.
ecce meus ferrum patruus molitur in illas: 35
terreor admonitu, corque timore micat.
Martia, picus, avis gemino pro stipite pugnant
et lupa: tuta per hos utraque palma fuit.”
dixerat et plenam non firmis viribus urnam
sustulit; implerat, dum sua visa refert. 40
interea crescente Remo, crescente Quirino,
caelesti tumidus pondere venter erat.
quo minus emeritis exiret cursibus annus,
restabant nitido iam duo signa deo:
Silvia fit mater. Vestae simulacra feruntur 45
virgineas oculis opposuisse manus:
ara deae certe tremuit pariente ministra,
et subiit cineres territa flamma suos.
hoc ubi cognovit contemptor Amulius aequi
(nam raptas fratri victor habebat opes), 50
amne iubet mergi geminos. scelus unda refugit;
in sicca pueri destituuntur humo.
lacte quis infantes nescit crevisse ferino,
et picum expositis saepe tulisse cibos?
non ego te, tantae nutrix Larentia gentis, 55
nec taceam vestras, Faustule pauper, opes.
vester honos veniet, cum Larentalia dicam:
acceptus geniis illa December habet.
Martia ter senos proles adoleverat annos,
et suberat flavae iam nova barba comae: 60
omnibus agricolis armentorumque magistris
Iliadae fratres iura petita dabant.
saepe domum veniunt praedonum sanguine laeti
et redigunt actos in sua rura boves.
ut genus audierunt, animos pater editus auget, 65
et pudet in paucis nomen habere casis,
Romuleoque cadit traiectus Amulius ense,
regnaque longaevo restituuntur avo.
moenia conduntur, quae, quamvis parva fuerunt,
non tamen expediit transsiluisse Remo. 70
iam, modo quae fuerant silvae pecorumque recessus,
urbs erat, aeternae cum pater urbis ait:
“arbiter armorum, de cuius sanguine natus
credor (et, ut credar, pignora multa dabo),
a te principium Romano dicimus anno: 75
primus de patrio nomine mensis erit.”
vox rata fit, patrioque vocat de nomine mensem.
dicitur haec pietas grata fuisse deo.
et tamen ante omnes Martem coluere priores:
hoc dederat studiis bellica turba suis. 80
Pallada Cecropidae, Minoïa Creta Dianam,
Volcanum tellus Hypsipylaea colit,
Iunonem Sparte Pelopeïadesque Mycenae,
pinigerum Fauni Maenalis ora caput:
Mars Latio venerandus erat, quia praesidet armis: 85
arma ferae genti remque decusque dabant.
quod si forte vacas, peregrinos inspice fastos:
mensis in his etiam nomine Martis erit.
tertius Albanis, quintus fuit ille Faliscis,
sextus apud populos, Hernica terra, tuos. 90
inter Aricinos Albanaque tempora constat
factaque Telegoni moenia celsa manu.
quintum Laurentes, bis quintum Aequiculus acer,
a tribus hunc primum turba Curensis habet;
et tibi cum proavis, miles Paeligne, Sabinis 95
convenit: huic genti quartus utrique deus.
Romulus, hos omnes ut vinceret ordine saltem,
sanguinis auctori tempora prima dedit.
nec totidem veteres, quot nunc, habuere Kalendas:
ille minor geminis mensibus annus erat. 100
nondum tradiderat victas victoribus artes
Graecia, facundum sed male forte genus.
qui bene pugnabat, Romanam noverat artem:
mittere qui poterat pila, disertus erat.
quis tunc aut Hyadas aut Pliadas Atlanteas 105
senserat, aut geminos esse sub axe polos?
esse duas Arctos, quarum Cynosura petatur
Sidoniis, Helicen Graia carina notet?
signaque quae longo frater percenseat anno,
ire per haec uno mense sororis equos? 110
libera currebant et inobservata per annum
sidera; constabat sed tamen esse deos.
non illi caelo labentia signa tenebant,
sed sua, quae magnum perdere crimen erat.
illa quidem e feno; sed erat reverentia feno, 115
quantam nunc aquilas cernis habere tuas.
pertica suspensos portabat longa maniplos,
unde maniplaris nomina miles habet.
ergo animi indociles et adhuc ratione carentes
mensibus egerunt lustra minora decem. 120
annus erat, decimum cum luna receperat orbem:
hic numerus magno tunc in honore fuit;
seu quia tot digiti, per quos numerare solemus,
seu quia bis quinto femina mense parit,
seu quod adusque decem numero crescente venitur, 125
principium spatiis sumitur inde novis.
inde patres centum denos secrevit in orbes
Romulus, hastatos instituitque decem;
et totidem princeps, totidem pilanus habebat
corpora, legitimo quique merebat equo. 130
quin etiam partes totidem Titiensibus ille,
quosque vocant Ramnes, Luceribusque dedit.
adsuetos igitur numeros servavit in anno.
hoc luget spatio femina maesta virum.
neu dubites, primae fuerint quin ante Kalendae 135
Martis, ad haec animum signa referre potes.
laurea, flaminibus quae toto perstitit anno,
tollitur, et frondes sunt in honore novae.
ianua tum regis posita viret arbore Phoebi:
ante tuas fit idem, Curia prisca, fores. 140
Vesta quoque ut folio niteat velata recenti,
cedit ab Iliacis laurea cana focis.
adde, quod arcana fieri novus ignis in aede
dicitur, et vires flamma refecta capit.
nec mihi parva fides, annos hinc isse priores, 145
Anna quod hoc coepta est mense Perenna coli.
hinc etiam veteres initi memorantur honores
ad spatium belli, perfide Poene, tui.
denique quintus ab hoc fuerat Quintilis, et inde
incipit, a numero nomina quisquis habet. 150
primus oliviferis Romam deductus ab arvis
Pompilius menses sensit abesse duos,
sive hoc a Samio doctus, qui posse renasci
nos putat, Egeria sive monente sua.
sed tamen errabant etiam nunc tempora, donec 155
Caesaris in multis haec quoque cura fuit.
non haec ille deus tantaeque propaginis auctor
credidit officiis esse minora suis,
promissumque sibi voluit praenoscere caelum
nec deus ignotas hospes inire domos. 160
ille moras solis, quibus in sua signa rediret,
traditur exactis disposuisse notis.
is decies senos ter centum et quinque
diebus iunxit et e pleno tempora quinta die.
hic anni modus est: in lustrum accedere debet, 165
quae consummatur partibus, una dies.
1 Come, warlike Mars1; lay down thy shield and spear for a brief space, and from thy helmet loose thy glistering locks. Haply thou mayest ask, What has a poet to do with Mars? From thee the month which now I sing doth take its name. Thyself dost see that fierce wars are waged by Minerva’s hands. Is she for that the less at leisure for the liberal arts? After the pattern of Pallas take a time to put aside the lance. Thou shalt find something to do unarmed. Then, too. wast thou unarmed when the Roman priestess2 captivated thee, that thou mightest bestow upon this city a great seed.
11 Silvia the Vestal (for why not start from her?) went in the morning to fetch water to wash the holy things. When she had come to where the path ran gently down the sloping bank, she set down her earthenware pitcher from her head. Weary, she sat her on the ground and opened her bosom to catch the breezes, and composed her ruffled hair. While she sat, the shady willows and the tuneful birds and the soft murmur of the water induced to sleep. Sweet slumber overpowered and crept stealthily over her eyes, and her languid hand dropped from her chin. Mars saw her; the sight inspired him with desire, and his desire was followed by possession, but by his power divine he hid his stolen joys. Sleep left her; she lay big, for already within her womb there was Rome’s founder. Languid she rose, nor knew why she rose languid, and leaning on a tree she spake these words: “Useful and fortunate, I pray, may that turn out which I saw in a vision of sleep. Or was the vision too clear for sleep? Methought I was by the fire of Ilium, when the woollen fillet slipped from my hair and fell before the sacred hearth. From the fillet there sprang a wondrous sight—two palm-trees side by side. Of them one was the taller and by its heavy boughs spread a canopy over the whole world, and with its foliage touched the topmost stars. Lo, mine uncle3 wielded an axe against the trees; the warning terrified me and my heart did throb with fear. A woodpecker—the bird of Mars and a she-wolf fought in defence of the twin trunks, and by their help both of the palms were saved.” She finished speaking, and by a feeble effort lifted the full pitcher; she had filled it while she was telling her vision. Meanwhile her belly swelled with a heavenly burden, for Remus was growing, and growing, too, was Quirinus.
43 When now two heavenly signs remained for the bright god to traverse, before the year could complete its course and run out, Silvia became a mother. The images of Vesta are said to have covered their eyes with their virgin hands; certainly the altar of the goddess trembled, when her priestess was brought to bed, and the terrified flame sank under its own ashes. When Amulius learned of this, scorner of justice that he was (for he had vanquished his brother and robbed him of power), he ordered the twins to be sunk in the river. The water shrank from such a crime, and the boys were left on dry land. Who knows not that the infants throve on the milk of a wild beast, and that a woodpecker often brought food to the abandoned babes? Nor would I pass thee by in silence, Larentia, nurse of so great a nation, nor the help that thou didst give, poor Faustulus. Your honour will find its place when I come to tell of the Larentalia; that festival falls in December, the month dear to the mirthful spirits. Thrice six years old was the progeny of Mars, and already under their yellow hair sprouted a fresh young beard: to all the husbandmen and masters of herds the brothers, sons of Ilia,4 gave judgement by request. Often they came home glad at blood of robbers spilt, and to their own domain drove back the raided kine. When they heard the secret of their birth, their spirits rose with the revelation of their sire, and they thought shame to have a name in a few huts. Amulius fell, pierced by the sword of Romulus, and the kingdom was restored to their aged grandfather. Walls were built, which, small though they were, it had been better for Remus not to have overleaped. And now what of late had been woods and pastoral solitudes was a city, when thus the father of the eternal city spake: “Umpire of war, from whose blood I am believed to have sprung (and to confirm that belief I will give many proofs), we name the beginning of the Roman year after thee; the first month shall be called by my father’s name.” The promise was kept; he did call the month by his father’s name: this pious deed is said to have been well pleasing to the god. And yet the earlier ages had worshipped Mars above all the gods;5 therein a warlike folk followed their bent. Pallas is worshipped by the sons of Cecrops, Diana by Minoan Crete, Vulcan by the Hypsipylean land,6 Juno by Sparta and Pelopid Mycenae, while the Maenalian country7 worships Faunus, whose head is crowned with pine. Mars was the god to be revered by Latium, for that he is the patron of the sword; ’twas the sword that won for a fierce race empire and glory.
87 If you are at leisure, look into the foreign calendars, and you shall find in them also a month named after Mars. It was the third month in the Alban calendar, the fifth in the Faliscan, the sixth among thy peoples, land of the Hernicans. The Arician calendar is in agreement with the Alban and with that of the city8 whose lofty walls were built by the hand of Telegonus. It is the fifth month in the calendar of the Laurentes, the tenth in the calendar of the hardy Aequians, the fourth in the calendar of the folk of Cures, and the soldierly Pelignians agree with their Sabine forefathers; both peoples reckon Mars the god of the fourth month.9 In order that he might take precedence of all these, Romulus assigned the beginning of the year to the author of his being.
99 Nor had the ancients as many Kalends as we have now: their year was short by two months. Conquered Greece had not yet transmitted her arts to the victors; her people were eloquent but hardly brave. The doughty warrior understood the art of Rome, and he who could throw javelins was eloquent. Who then had noticed the Hyades or the Pleiads, daughters of Atlas, or that there were two poles in the firmament? and that there are two Bears, of which the Sidonians steer by Cynosura,10 while the Grecian mariner keeps his eye on Helice11? and that the signs which the brother travels through in a long year the horses of the sister traverse in a single month12? The stars ran their courses free and unmarked throughout the year; yet everybody agreed that they were gods. Heaven’s gliding ensigns were beyond their reach, not so their own, to lose which was a great crime. Their ensigns were of hay, but as deep reverence was paid to hay as now you see paid to the eagles. A long pole carried the hanging bundles (maniplos); from them the private (maniplaris) soldier takes his name. Hence through ignorance and lack of science they reckoned lustres, each of which was too short by ten months. A year was counted when the moon had returned to the full for the tenth time: that number was then in great honour, whether because that is the number of the fingers by which we are wont to count, or because a woman brings forth in twice five months, or because the numerals increase up to ten, and from that we start a fresh round. Hence Romulus divided the hundred senators into ten groups, and instituted ten companies of spearmen (hastati); and just so many companies there were of first-line men (principes), and also of javelin-men (pilani); and so too with the men who served on horses furnished by the state. Nay, Romulus assigned just the same number of divisions to the tribes, the Titienses, the Ramnes, as they are called, and the Luceres. Therefore in his arrangement of the year he kept the familiar number. That is the period for which a sad wife mourns for her husband.
135 If you would convince yourself that the Kalends of March were really the beginning of the year, you may refer to the following proofs: the laurel branch of the flamens, after remining in its place the whole year, is removed (on that day), and fresh leaves are put in the place of honour; then the king’s door is green with the tree of Phoebus, which is set at it; and at thy portal, Old Chapel of the Wards, the same thing is done;13 the withered laurel is withdrawn from the Ilian14 hearth, that Vesta also may make a brave show, dressed in fresh leaves. Besides ’tis said that a new fire is lighted in her secret shrine, and the rekindled flame gains strength. And to my thinking no small proof that the years of old began with March is furnished by the observation that Anna Perenna15 begins to be worshipped in this month. With March, too, the magistrates are recorded to have entered on office, down to the time when, faithless Carthaginian, thou didst wage thy war.16 Lastly, the month of Quintilis is the fifth (quintus) month, reckoned from March, and with it begin the months which take their names from numbers. (Numa) Pompilius, who was escorted to Rome from the lands where olives grow, was the first to perceive that two months were lacking to the year, whether he learned that from the Samian sage17 who thought that we could be born again, or whether it was his Egeria who taught him. Nevertheless the calendar was still erratic down to the time when Caesar took it, like so much else, in charge.18 That god, the founder of a mighty line, did not deem the matter beneath his attention. Fain was he to foreknow that heaven which was his promised home; he would not enter as a stranger god mansions unknown. He is said to have drawn up an exact table of the periods within which the sun returns to his proper signs. To three hundred and five days he added ten times six days and a fifth19 part of a whole day. That is the measure of the year. The single day compounded of the (five) parts is to be added to the lustre.
See Appendix, p. 397. (i.e. Mars)
Silvia. See also ii. 383.
Amulius, king of Alba.
Romulus and Remus, sons of Ilia (Silvia), or descendants of Ilus (founder of Troy).
Mars was worshipped by the Latin and other Italian peoples before the foundation of Rome. He was peculiarly the god of Rome, as Athena was of Athens, Dictynna or Britomartis of Crete, Hephaestus of Lemnos, Hera of Sparta, and Pan of Arcadia.
Lemnos, after its queen Hypsipyle.
Arcadia.
Tusculum.
These are local Italian calendars.
Little Bear, κυνὸς οὐρά, the dog’s tail.
Great Bear, ἑλική, the twister.
Apollo and Diana, the sun and moon, and the signs of the Zodiac.
See ii. 527 note.
Vesta.
See below, l. 523.
If Hannibal is meant here, Ovid refers to the Second Punic War, which began in 218 B.C., but the practice really varied until it was finally fixed in 153 B.C. for January 1.
Pythagoras.
In 46 B.C.
Really a fourth. Ovid seems to have thought that the intercalary day was added in each period of five years.