Ode XXI. On Diana and Apollo | Ye tender virgins, sing Diana

by Horace (Quintus Horatius Flaccus) (65 BCE - 8 BCE)

Translation by Christopher Smart (1722 - 1771)

Ad Dianam et Apollinem

Language: Latin

Dianam tenerae dicite virgines,
intonsum pueri dicite Cynthium,
  Latonamque supremo
    dilectam penitus Iovi.

vos laetam fluviis et nemorum coma,
quaecumque aut gelido prominet Algido
  nigris aut Erymanthi
    silvis aut viridis Gragi,

vos Tempe totidem tollite laudibus
natalemque, mares, Delon Apollinis
  insignemque pharetra
    fraternaque umerum lyra.

hic bellum lacrimosum, hic miseram famem
pestemque a populo et principe Caesare in
  Persas atque Britannos
    vestra motus aget prece.

Text Authorship:

by Horace (Quintus Horatius Flaccus) (65 BCE - 8 BCE), appears in Carmina (Odes), in 1. Liber I (Book I), no. 21 [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):

by Jan Novák (1921 - 1984), "Ad Dianam et Apollinem", from Cantica latina, no. 12 [ sung text checked 1 time]

Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

ENG English (Christopher Smart) , "Ode XXI. On Diana and Apollo"
FRE French (Français) (Charles-Marie-René Leconte de Lisle) , "Sur Diana et Apollo"
ITA Italian (Italiano) (Mario Rapisardi) , no title, written 1883, appears in Le odi di Orazio, in 1. Libro primo, no. 21

Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 16
Word count: 65

Ode XXI. On Diana and Apollo

Language: English after the Latin

Ye tender virgins, sing Diana; 
ye boys, sing Apollo with his unshorn hair,
and Latona passionately 
beloved by the supreme Jupiter. 

Ye (virgins), praise her that rejoices in the rivers, 
and the thick groves, which project either from the cold Algidus, 
or the gloomy woods of Erymanthus, 
or the green Cragus. 

Ye boys, extol with equal praises 
Apollo’s Delos, and his shoulder 
adorned with a quiver, 
and with his brother Mercury’s lyre. 

He, moved by your intercession, shall drive away calamitous war,
and miserable famine, and the plague from the Roman people 
and their sovereign Cæsar, 
to the Persians and the Britons.

Confirmed with The Works of Horace. Translated literally into English prose by C. Smart, A.M., edited by Theodore Alois Buckley, New York - Cincinnati - Chicago: American Book Company, in Odes of Horace, no date, page 23.

Note: this is a prose text. The line breaks were added to make it line up with the original.

Text Authorship:

by Christopher Smart (1722 - 1771), "Ode XXI. On Diana and Apollo" [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]

Based on:

a text in Latin by Horace (Quintus Horatius Flaccus) (65 BCE - 8 BCE), appears in Carmina (Odes), in 1. Liber I (Book I), no. 21
- Go to the text page.

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):

[ None yet in the database ]

Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Andrew Schneider [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2019-06-20
Line count: 16
Word count: 102