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141:, a record of the ceremonies. Originally, the celebrations, dedicated to Dis Pater and Proserpine, were held over three nights; in Augustus' time, the quindecemviri added daytime ceremonies. Sacrifices were shared between Augustus and Agrippa. On the first night, from May 31 to June 1, 17 B.C., sacrifices were made to the Fates on the banks of the Tiber. The following day saw a sacrifice to Jupiter on the
156:, to whom he was introduced by Vergil and Varius. Maecenas at first figured highly in Horace's poetry, but his significance diminished in Horace's later writings. This is likely due to Horace becoming closer to Augustus, with whom he was quite close. While Augustus commissioned the poem and influenced its subject matter, Horace maintained a degree of artistic independence.
252:, either in procession or a second time. The poem's performance was separate from the religious celebrations and ceremonies of the secular games, and was sung once they had been completed. It was also published as a separate work from Horace's Odes, instead of in their fourth book, which followed the performance by several years.
104:, or the maximum human lifespan, which Romans considered to be one hundred or one hundred and ten years. But the term was interpreted more generally to denote an era and were not held at a regular period. It is difficult to find evidence for a continuing tradition. The games were celebrated with a song in 294 BC during the
149:. On the second night, gifts were offered to Ilithyia, and during the day, a sacrifice was made to Juno on the Capitol. Finally, on the third night, a sow is sacrificed to Mother Earth; during the day, offerings are made to Apollo and Diana on the Palatine. After the last offering, Horace's poem was performed.
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is the first known imitation in Latin. The paean mainly invokes Apollo and, to a lesser extent, Artemis, with a number of other deities also present. There are several recurrent themes: prophecy, divine justice, rituals and sacrifices. With a complex meter, it was sung at religious festivals, mainly
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and later in the 140s. Soon before the
Augustan secular games, a tradition was discovered supposedly discovered in ancient texts, dating back to 456 BC, with a period of 110 years (which would make the correct date 16 BC). However, it is not certain that these texts were authentic or partly composed
225:
The poem was recited by a mixed choir, i.e. composed of both boys and girls, which was very rare in the Greek choral tradition, and the
Sibylline oracle suggested that for certain parts of the poem, the singing would be done by only the boys or girls. The suggested allotments vary, but one proposed
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Apollo and Diana occupy a prime place in the poem: named at the beginning and the end, but also throughout the poem, they frame it and form its structure. The aspect of light in these two deities is present in the names which Horace chose for them (Apollo is called
406:
places emphasis on
Augustus' power and his connection to the gods. It also celebrates many of the new laws which Augustus put into place. However, Augustus himself is not directly mentioned in the poem, only indirectly once as the descendant of Anchises and Venus.
394:, i.e. "bright", Diana's name is related to the heavens); and is reinforced by the use of various expressions throughout the poem. Horace also replaces the traditional Hades and Proserpina, who represent darkness, and mentions night only once.
174:, it is "the only surviving poem in Latin of which we know time and place of a choral performance, and independent evidence confirms that this definitely happened". The proceedings were recorded with the following inscription:
873:
McDonald, G. (2022) "Before
Melopoiae: Conrad Celtis, Laurentius Corvinus, Arnold Wöstefeld and the Use of Music in the Teaching and Performance of Horace's Metres around 1500", in Enenkel, K. and Laureys, M. (eds.)
69:
and its laws, as well as their favor in granting descendants to the Roman people. For Horace, prosperity and wealth returned to the city after
Augustus took power and established peace. Making references to
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The poem is made up of 19 stanzas in sapphic meter, or 76 verses. This meter is the simplest used by Horace in his lyric poems, making it easier for the chorus and audience to understand and remember.
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divides the poem into two halves, separated by line 37. The first half concerns the "physical conditions of Rome's welfare", and its moral and political aspects are addressed in the second half.
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shares themes with and has a style similar to the poems of
Catullus, Vergil and Tibullus. Catullus and Tibullus both wrote poems dedicated to or invoking Apollo, and Vergil's
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continued to be read well after it was written. It is known through medieval manuscripts and was ocassionally cited by grammarians of late antiquity. It was also imitated by
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Finally, Michael Putnam describes the first and ninth stanzas as "fram the ode's initial half", with their mentions of Apollo and Diana beginning and ending it.
888:
Pirenne-Delforge V. and Scheid J. (2023) "Archives of piety: ritual norms and authority between Greece and Rome", in Cheng A. and Stéphane F. (eds.)
135:, the latter passing on the sibylline oracle which supposedly instituted the ritual. This information is supplemented by an epigraphic document, the
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The poem was commissioned by
Augustus for the secular games. Horace's initial relationship with Augustus was facilitated by
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427:, several years later, and would have followed through with his decision to cease to write lyric poetry altogether.
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Barchiesi, A. (2002) "The
Uniqueness of the Carmen Saeculare and its Tradition", in Feeney, D.; Woodman, T. (eds.)
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377:(literally "I sing"), denoted a poem, song or incantation: all these aspects of the word are found in the
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With the sacrifice completed, 27 boys and the same number of girls known to have their mothers and fathers
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98:. He then held celebration of the secular games in 17 BC. These celebrations were to be held every
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This poem marked Horace's return to lyrical poetry and raised him to the level of national poet.
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Friis-Jensen, K. (2007) "The reception of Horace in the Middle Ages", in
Harrison, S. (ed.)
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Sacrificio perfecto puer. XVII quibus denuntiatum erat patrimi et matrimi et puellae totidem
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is unique in the knowledge the circumstances surrounding its performance. According to
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Schmidt, P. (2009) "Horace's
Century Poem: A Processional Song?", in Lowrie, M. (ed.)
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wrote that "Horace's secular poem is one of the most beautiful pieces of antiquity".
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Voltaire, F.M.A. (1764) "Oraison, prière publique, action de grâce, etc", in
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Horacy, after the mixed success encountered by the first three books of his
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Like other poems of Horace, manuscripts from different eras show that the
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Jacques Perret proposed the following structure for the poem's stanzas:
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the final stanza to "Jupiter deique cuncti" (Jupiter and all the gods)
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by young men. The genre reached its highest level with poets such as
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Girls: stanzas 4-8; verses 35-36 in stanza 9; and stanzas 15 and 18.
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Boys: stanza 3; verses 33-34 in stanza 9; stanzas 10-14, and 16-17;
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All about the Rites: From Canonised Ritual to Ritualised Society
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Lowrie, M. (2007) "Horace and Augustus", in Harrison, S. (ed.)
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After his return from the east in 19 BC, Augustus established
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and follows the themes of the poets of the day, in particular
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Horace's "Carmen Saeculare": Ritual Magic and the Poet's Art
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to provide a reason for holding a celebration in that year.
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We know about the games of 17 BC from descriptions by
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Horace also took inspiration from Latin poetry. The
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Writing, Performance and Authority in Augustan Rome
849:(1st ed.). Cambridge University Press, pp. 291-304
34:. It was sung by a choir of girls and boys at the
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926:. Translated by W. Green and T. Chaplin. London
826:Traditions and Contexts in the Poetry of Horace
302:Eduard Fraenkel, following Johannes Vahlen and
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198:The song was written by Q. Horatius Flaccus.
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945:has original text related to this article:
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248:. It may also have been performed at the
221:, where the hymn may have been performed.
196:sung a song, and again on the Capitoline.
185:carmen cecinerunt; eom modo in Capitolio.
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978:Commentary on Latin text by Paul Shorey
892:. Paris: Collège de France, pp. 412-421
863:. Cambridge University Press, pp. 77-90
267:the first 3 stanzas to Apollo and Diana
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906:. Oxford University Press, pp. 122-140
833:Religious of Rome: Volume 1, A History
831:Beard, M.; North, J; Price, S. (1998)
446:The poem has twice been set to music:
443:who composed a poem of the same name.
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96:laws regarding the family and adultery
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334:in the 5th century B.C., whose sixth
1185:Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori
1005:recited in Latin by Thomas Bervoets.
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321:follows the tradition of the Greek
289:the next stanza to Apollo and Diana
187:Carmen composuit Q. Horius Flaccus
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870:(1st ed.). Oxford University Press
856:(1st ed.). Oxford University Press
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295:the next three to Apollo and Diana
65:. It asks for their protection of
49:The poem is a prayer dedicated to
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861:The Cambridge Companion to Horace
847:The Cambridge Companion to Horace
460:A version first performed at the
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250:Temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus
234:Full chorus: stanzas 1, 2 and 19;
219:Temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus
147:Temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus
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563:Pirenne-Delforge and Scheid 2023
138:commentarium ludorum saecularium
22:("Song of the ages") is a Latin
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835:. Cambridge University Press
828:. Cambridge University Press
338:has much in common with the
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992:public domain audiobook at
961:English translation of the
885:. New York University Press
721:Barchiesi 2002, pp. 113-116
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160:Performance and publication
38:in 17 BC. It is written in
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918:Dictionnaire philosophique
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658:Fraenkel 1966, pp. 378-379
545:Fraenkel 1966, pp. 364-365
246:Temple of Apollo Palatinus
90:The secular games of 17 BC
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913:. Oxford University Press
842:. Oxford: Clarendon Press
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739:Putnam 2001, pp. 113-123
676:Putnam 2001, pp. 104-112
649:Lowrie 2009, pp. 123-141
352:is directly alluded to.
1261:Culture of ancient Rome
904:Horace: Odes and Epodes
899:. Yale University Press
876:Horace across the Media
572:Lewis 2023, pp. 304-333
1271:Ancient Roman religion
854:Celestial Inclinations
784:Barchiesi 2002, p. 107
757:Putnam 2001, pp. 52-53
712:Barchiesi 2002, p. 108
703:Putnam 2001, pp. 51-95
631:Barchiesi 2002, p. 108
608:Barchiesi 2002, p. 108
581:Putnam 2001, pp. 92-93
464:in London, written by
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217:Reconstruction of the
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973:at the Latin Library
793:McDonald 2022, p. 335
775:Fraenkel 1966, p. 365
694:Fraenkel 1966, p. 375
590:Tarrant 2020, pp. 1-5
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57:, and secondarily to
878:. Brill, pp. 335-398
852:Lewis, A.-M. (2023)
838:Fraenkel, E. (1966)
667:Schmidt 2009, p. 127
640:Schmidt 2009, p. 137
492:Secular hymn (genre)
172:Alessandro Barchiesi
30:and commissioned by
1230:Spring of Bandusium
909:Tarrant, R. (2020)
766:Putnam 2001, p. 103
748:Putnam 2001, p. 132
730:Putnam 2001, p. 104
685:Perret 1964, p. 130
554:Zosimus 1814, p. 38
510:Perret 1964, p. 125
398:As a political poem
361:As a religious hymn
895:Putnam, M. (2001)
881:Perret, J. (1964)
866:Lowrie, M. (2009)
230:is the following:
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1291:Diana (mythology)
1281:Occasional poetry
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1213:Ut pictura poesis
999:Carmina Horatiana
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151:
126:
93:
80:
48:
18:
17:
15:
1206:Sapere aude
1153:Ars Poetica
924:New History
622:, VI, 32323
599:Lowrie 2007
121:Roman Forum
26:written by
1245:Categories
1178:Carpe diem
1163:Quotations
943:Wikisource
498:References
313:Influences
1039:Works by
256:Structure
1301:Augustus
1139:Epistles
994:LibriVox
956:in Latin
479:See also
473:Voltaire
454:for the
276:Ilithyia
101:saeculum
32:Augustus
1223:Related
1056:Satires
819:Sources
392:Phoebus
133:Zosimus
129:Phlegon
85:History
76:Romulus
59:Jupiter
1286:Apollo
1171:Ab ovo
1068:Epodes
1048:Poetry
1041:Horace
883:Horace
840:Horace
534:et al.
532:Beard
521:et al.
519:Beard
411:Legacy
404:Carmen
379:Carmen
368:carmen
350:Aeneid
332:Pindar
327:Carmen
284:Tellus
280:Parcae
278:, the
272:Lucina
202:
72:Aeneas
55:Apollo
44:Vergil
28:Horace
1296:Hymns
1251:17 BC
452:neume
336:Paean
323:paean
51:Diana
1120:3.30
1108:2.14
1104:2.10
1096:1.37
1092:1.23
1088:1.11
1075:Odes
1001:The
425:Odes
417:Odes
402:The
374:cano
317:The
282:and
164:The
131:and
74:and
67:Rome
63:Juno
61:and
53:and
24:hymn
16:The
1132:4.7
1128:4.3
1124:4.1
1116:3.6
1112:3.2
1100:2.3
1084:1.5
1080:1.1
1061:2.5
381:.
274:or
226:by
1247::
1130:,
1126:,
1122:,
1118:,
1114:,
1110:,
1106:,
1102:,
1098:,
1094:,
1090:,
1086:,
1082:,
46:.
1134:)
1078:(
1063:)
1059:(
1032:e
1025:t
1018:v
468:.
286:)
123:.
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