Armilustrium

Armilustrium Novum

Go to your rest now, Mars of the bloody sword,
for the season of war has passed for the year,
though I cannot dance the dances of the Salii;
I entreat you to hear my prayers, O Mavors.

I will sing of you, and your praises, to father Jupiter,
who has thundered, god of light, over all the gods
who, beneath him, have heard his thunder and seen his lightning;
I entreat you to hear my prayers, O Mamers.

Go to the embrace of sweetest Venus, great god,
and to your well-earned rest on a bed in Thrace
from which you grant gold, abundance, and healing;
I entreat you to hear my prayers, O Candaon.

Your lying shall be as a kiss to grief
to quell the ires of citizen and barbarian alike
from land to land, Gaul to Syria to Tripolitania;
I entreat you to hear my prayers, O Teutates.

Extinguish the firebrands of war and the funeral pyre,
for the time of immortalized heroes is passed for a space,
through your arts have been acquired all lands spreading out;
I entreat you to hear my prayers, O Ares.

Your shields shall be washed in Juturna’s spring,
wife of Ianus, whose temple doors are closed,
and the good gifts of Ceres may benefit all under your aegis;
I entreat you to hear my prayers, O Marmar.

WIth your friend Quirinus, who began your rites
when he founded the city as Romulus, your son, fosterling of the Lupa,
be pleased with the Salii as Apollo with the Hirpi Sorani;
I entreat you to hear my prayers, O Ultor.

I have not come dancing for you today, nor do I carry shields,
but for Minerva and for Hercules of the Salic dances as well
I give you a dance of words upon pens as spear-points, ink as blood, and sword-tongues;
I entreat you to hear my prayers, O Mars.