by Horace (Quintus Horatius Flaccus) (65 BCE - 8 BCE)
Translation © by Grant Hicks

Ad Faunum
Language: Latin 
Our translations:  ENG
Faune, Nympharum fugientum amator,
per meos finis et aprica rura
lenis incedas abeasque parvis
  aequus alumnis,

si tener pleno cadit haedus anno
larga nec desunt Veneris sodali
vina creterrae, vetus ara multo
  fumat odore.

Ludit herboso pecus omne campo,
cum tibi nonae redeunt Decembres;
festus in pratis vacat otioso
  cum bove pagus;

inter audacis lupus errat agnos,
spargit agrestis tibi silva frondes,
gaudet invisam pepulisse fossor
  ter pede terram.

Text Authorship:

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

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


Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Grant Hicks [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 16
Word count: 69

To Faunus
Language: English  after the Latin 
O Faunus, lover of fleeing Nymphs,
through my lands and the sunny countryside
may you gently come, and pass by with kindness
  for the little sucklings,

if a tender kid is slain at year's end
and the mixing-bowl, companion of Venus, does not lack
for plentiful wine, and the old altar smokes
  with much incense.

All the livestock play in the grassy field,
when the Nones of December returns for you;
festive villagers are at leisure in the meadows
  with the idle cattle;

the wolf wanders among fearless sheep,
the rustic wood scatters Ieaves for you,
the tiller is pleased to have struck the hated ground
  three times with his feet.

Note for stanza 1, line 1, "Faunus": an ancient Roman god of field and forest, and patron of livestock and agriculture. He was identified with the Greek god Pan, which may explain his interest in fleeing nymphs.
Note for stanza 2, line 1, "at year's end": Faunus was celebrated in two annual festivals, one in February and one on the Nones (fifth day) of December (see stanza 3). The December celebration involved sacrifices and dancing.
Note for stanza 4, lines 3-4, "struck the hated ground ... with his feet": a reference to the dancing that was part of the December festival.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from Latin to English copyright © 2026 by Grant Hicks, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
    Contact: 

Based on:

 

This text was added to the website: 2026-09-29
Line count: 16
Word count: 111