Felicity & Ferocity

to keep your Roman gods straight

"To Keep Your Roman gods Straight"
by
Rachel, written with the aid of the New York Public Library Desk Reference book one day working at the reference desk of the college library some months ago, copyright 2004.

By Jove(1) i looked up to the sky
and looked into Diana's(2) eye
Who with Luna(3) shone apon the budding rye
Where Flora(4), Fauna's(5) dwelling lie.

Ceasing to enjoy the pleasures of Grace (6)
Passed Cerberus(7) into Orcus'(8) place
Now with Lemure(9) face to face
to dwell with Prosperina's(10) race.

When Ceres(11) did not look with favor apon
And with Lares'(12) protective favor gone,
Mars(13) came and with Victoria(14) won
The life that under Janus(15) dawned.

And with Aurora's(16) break of day
illumines the tide of Neptune's(17) sway
Which prospers Pomona's(18) garden gay
under which Bacchus(19) and Liber(20) with Somnus(21) stay.

(1) Jove: the supreme god,ruler of heaven
(2) Diana: goddess of the hunt, the moon, and nature
(3) Luna: goddess of the moon
(4) Flora: goddess of flowers
(5) Fauna: god of fields and shepherds
(6) Grace: three sisters: Aglaia, Euphrosyne, and Thalia--who were
goddesses of banquets, dances, social enjoyments, and the arts
(7) Cerberus: guardian of the gates of hell
(8) Orcus: god of the underworld
(9)Lemure: spirits of the dead, both good and bad
(10)Prosperina: goddess of the underworld
(11)Ceres: goddess of the earth, grain, and harvests (12)Lares:spirits
of ancestors who watch over homes and cities
(13) Mars: god of war
(14) Victoria: goddess of victory
(15)Janus:god of beginnings, responsible for the new year and the
seasons
(16)Aurora: goddess of the dawn
(17)Neptune:god of the oceans
(18)Pomona:goddess of fruit trees and gardens
(19)Bacchus: god of wine
(20)Liber: another name for Bacchus
(21)Somnus:god of sleep

Posted by hackenstar at April 29, 2005 12:27 PM | TrackBack