Carmen Saliare
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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The Carmen Saliare is a fragment of archaic Latin, which played a part in the rituals performed by the Salii (Salian priests, aka "leaping priests") of Ancient Rome.
The rituals revolved around Mars and Quirinus, and were performed in March and October. These involved processions in which they donned archaic armour and weapons, performed their sacred dance, and sang the Carmen Saliare. As a body they existed before the founding of the Roman republic, tracing their origin back to the reign of King Numa Pompilius. The Salian priests were chosen from the sons of patrician families whose parents were still living. They were appointed for life, though they were allowed to resign from the Salian priesthood if they achieved a more prestigious priesthood or a major magistracy.
Fragments of the hymn have been preserved by Marcus Terentius Varro in his De Lingua Latina, 7.26, 27. They say:
or
- ... divum em pa cante, divum deo supplicate ...
- ... cume tonas, Leucesie, prae tet tremonti quot ibet etinei de is cum tonarem ...
- ... cozevi oborieso. Omnia vero ad Patulcium commissei.
- Ianeus iam es, duonus Cerus es, duonus Ianus.
- Venies potissimum melios eum recum...
- ... cume tonas, Leucesie, prae tet tremonti quom tibi cunei decstumum tonaront ...
Linguists have been unable to translate most of the text; the Latin words that are recognizable in it appear to mention thunder, Janus, and Ceres. Even in the 1st century BC, Cicero was unable to interpret much of the chant.
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