O Venus, Queen of Cnidus and Paphos

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

Translation © by Grant Hicks

O Venus regina Cnidi Paphique

Language: Latin

Our translations: ENG

O Venus regina Cnidi Paphique
Sperne dilectam Cypron et vocantis
Ture te multo Glycerae decoram
        Transfer in aedem.

Fervidus tecum puer et solutis
Gratiae zonis properentque Nymphae
Et parum comis sine te Juventas
        Mercuriusque.

About the headline (FAQ)

Confirmed with Henry Young, Horace: (Part I.) with Notes on the Odes, London: John Weale, 1855, Page 22.

Text Authorship:

by Horace (Quintus Horatius Flaccus) (65 BCE - 8 BCE), "Ad Venerem" [author's text checked 1 time 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 Peter Cornelius (1824 - 1874), "O Venus!" [ TTBB chorus and piano ] [sung text checked 1 time]
by Frederick Septimus Kelly (1881 - 1916), "O Venus regina", 1899 [ voice and piano ] [sung text checked 1 time]

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

ENG English (Grant Hicks) , copyright © 2025, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Research team for this page: Grant Hicks [Guest Editor] , Johann Winkler

This text was added to the website: 2021-03-08
Line count: 8
Word count: 34

O Venus, Queen of Cnidus and Paphos

Language: English after the Latin

O Venus, Queen of Cnidus and Paphos,
Spurn your beloved Cyprus, and, summoned
With much frankincense, to Glycera's lovely 
        Shrine make your way.

May your hot-blooded boy hurry along with you, 
And the Graces with loosened belts, and Nymphs,
And Juventas (not gracious enough without you), 
        Mercury too.

About the headline (FAQ)

Translations of titles:
"Ad Venerem" = "To Venus"
"O Venus!" = "O Venus!"
"O Venus regina" = "O Venus, Queen"

Note for stanza 1, line 1, "Cnidus and Paphos": respectively, a city in Asia Minor with a celebrated statue of Venus, and a city sacred to Venus on the island of Cyprus.
Note for stanza 1, line 3, "Glycera": a courtesan favored by the poet.
Note for stanza 2, line 1, "your hot-blooded boy": Cupid.
Note for stanza 2, line 3, "Juventas": the goddess of youth.

Text Authorship:

Translation from Latin to English copyright © 2025 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: licenses@email.lieder.example.net

Based on:

a text in Latin by Horace (Quintus Horatius Flaccus) (65 BCE - 8 BCE), "Ad Venerem"
- Go to the text page.

This text was added to the website: 2025-10-04
Line count: 8
Word count: 48