Pervigilium Veneris

He that never loved before,
Let him love to-morrow!
He that hath loved o'er and o'er,
Let him love to-morrow!

Pervigilium Veneris, the Vigil of Venus, is a short Latin poem. The author, date, and place of composition are unknown.

Quotes

• Cras amet qui nunquam amavit; quique amavit cras amet.
  • l. 1 and refrain
    • Let those love now, who never lov'd before;
      Let those who always lov'd, now love the more.
      • tr. Parnell (1722)
    • He that never loved before,
        Let him love to-morrow!
      He that hath loved o'er and o'er,
        Let him love to-morrow!
      • tr. Anonymous (1843)
    • Now learn ye to love who loved never—now ye who have loved, love anew!
      • tr. Quiller-Couch (1912)
    • Let him love tomorrow who has never loved and let he who has loved love tomorrow.
      • tr. Camden (c. 2003)

• Ver novum, ver jam canorurn, vere natus orbis est;
  Vere concordant amores, vere nubunt alites,
  Et nemus comam resolvit de maritis imbribus.
  Cras amorum copulatrix inter umbras arborum
  Inplicat casas virentes de flagello myrteo.
  • l. 2
    • Spring, young Spring, with song and mirth,
      Spring is on the newborn earth.
      Spring is here, the time of love —
      The merry birds pair in the grove,
      And the green trees hang their tresses,
      Loosen'd by the rain's caresses.
      Tomorrow sees the dawn of May,
      When Venus will her sceptre sway,
      Glorious, in her justice-hall:
      There where woodland shadows fall,
      On bowers of myrtle intertwined,
      Many a band of love she'll bind.
      • tr. Anonymous (1843)
    • New spring, singing spring! The world is born in spring!
      Loves harmonize in spring, birds marry in spring,
      And the forest releases a marriage shower of leaves.
      Tomorrow the union of loves among arboreal shades
      interweaves lively youths in a cottage with her myrtle vine:
      Tomorrow Dione, propped upon her lofty throne, declares the laws.
      • tr. Camden (c. 2003)

• Tunc liquore de superno spumeo et ponti globo,
  Cærulas inter catervas, inter et bipedes equos,
  Fecit undantem Dionen de maritis imbribus.
  • l. 9
    • Tomorrow is the day when first
      From the foam-world of Ocean burst,
      Like one of his own waves, the bright
      Dione, queen of love and light,
      Amid the sea-gods' azure train,
      'Mid the strange horses of the main.
      • tr. Anonymous (1843)

• Ipsa gemmis purpurantem pingit annum floribus,
  Ipsa surgentes papillas de Favoni spiritu
  Urget in toros tepentes; ipsa roris lucidi
  Noctis aura quem relinquit, spargit umentes aquas.
  Et micant lacrimæ trementes de caduco pondere.
  • l. 13
    • She it is that lends the hours
      Their crimson glow, their jewel-flowers:
      At her command the buds are seen,
      Where the west-wind's breath hath been,
      To swell within their dwellings green.
      She abroad those dewdrops flings,
      Dew that night's cool softness brings;
      How the bright tears hang declining,
      And glisten with a tremulous shining,
      Almost of weight to drop away,
      And yet too light to leave the spray.
      • tr. Anonymous (1843)

• En, pudorem florulentæ prodiderunt purpuræ:
  Umor ille quern serenis astra rorant noctibus
  Mane virgineas papillas solvit umenti peplo.
  Ipsa jussit mane ut udas virgines nubant rosæ;
  Fusa Paphies de cruore deque Amoris osculis
  Deque gemmis deque flammis deque solis purpuris,
  Cras ruborem qui latebat veste tectus ignea
  Unico marita nodo non pudebit solvere.
  • l. 19
    • Hence the tender plants are bold
      Their blushing petals to unfold:
      'Tis that dew, which through the air
      Falls from heaven when night is fair,
      That unbinds the moist green vest
      From the floweret's maiden breast.
      'Tis Venus' will, when morning glows,
      'Twill be the bridal of each rose.
      Then the bride-flower shall reveal,
      What her veil cloth now conceal,
      The blush divinest, which of yore
      She caught from Venus' trickling gore,
      With Love's kisses mix'd, I trow,
      With blaze of fire, and rubies' glow,
      And with many a crimson ray
      Stolen from the birth of day.
      • tr. Anonymous (1843)

• Ipsa nymphas diva luco jussit ire myrteo:
  It puer comes puellis. Nee tamen credi potest
  Esse Amorem feriatum, si sagittas vexerit.
  Ite, nymphæ, posuit arma, feriatus est Amor;
  Jussus est inermis ire, nudus ire jussus est,
  Neu quid arcu, neu sagitta, neu quid igne Iæderet;
  Sed tamen nymphse cavete, quod Cupido pulcher est;
  Est in armis totus idem quando nudus est Amor!
  • l. 28
    • All the nymphs the Queen of Love
      Summons to the myrtle-grove;
      And see ye, how her wanton boy
      Comes with them to share our joy?
      Yet, if Love be arm'd, they say,
      Love can scarce keep holiday:
      Love without his bow is straying!
      Come, ye nymphs, Love goes a Maying.
      His torch, his shafts, are laid aside —
      From them no harm shall you betide.
      Yet, I rede ye, nymphs, beware,
      For your foe is passing fair;
      Love is mighty, ye'll confess,
      Mighty e'en in nakedness;
      And most panoplied for fight
      When his charms are bared to sight.
      • tr. Anonymous (1843)

• Una res est quam rogamus: cede, virgo Delia,
  Ut nemus sit incruentum de ferinis stragibus.
  Ipsa vellet ut venires, si deceret virginem:
  Jam tribus choros videres feriatos noctibus
  Congreges inter catervas ire per saltus tuos,
  Floreas inter coronas, myrteas inter casas:
  Nee Ceres nee Bacchus absunt, nee poetarum Deus;
  De tenente tota nox est pervigilia canticis:
  Regnet in silvis Dione; tu recede, Delia.
  • l. 38
    • Dian, a petition we,
      By Venus sent, prefer to thee:
      Virgin envoys, it is meet,
      Should the Virgin huntress greet:
      Quit the grove, nor it profane
      With the blood of quarry slain.
      She would ask thee, might she dare
      Hope a maiden’s thought to share —
      She would bid thee join us now,
      Might cold maids our sport allow.
      Now three nights thou may’st have seen,
      Wandering through thine alleys green,
      Troops of joyous friends, with flowers
      Crown'd, amidst their myrtle bowers.
      Ceres and Bacchus us attend,
      And great Apollo is our friend;
      All night we must our Vigil keep —
      Night by song redeem'd from sleep.
      Let Venus in the woods bear sway,
      Dian, quit the grove, we pray.
      • tr. Anonymous (1843)

• Jussit Hyblæis tribunal stare diva floribus;
  Præses ipsa jura dicit, adsederunt Gratiæ.
  Hybla, totos funde floras quidquid annus adtulit;
  Hybla, florum rumpe vestem quantus Ætnæ campus est.
  Ruris hic erunt puellæ, vel puellæ montium,
  Quæque silvas, quæque lucos, quæque fontes incolunt:
  Jussit omnes adsidere mater alitis dei,
  Jussit et nudo puellas nil Amori credere.
  • l. 48
    • Of Hybla's flowers, so Venus will'd,
      Venus' judgment-seat we build.
      She is judge supreme; the Graces,
      As assessors, take their places.
      Hybla, render all thy store
      All the season sheds thee o'er,
      Till a hill of bloom be found
      Wide as Enna's flowery ground.
      Attendant nymphs shall here be seen,
      Those who delight in forest green,
      Those who on mountain-top abide,
      And those whom sparkling fountains hide.
      All these the Queen of joy and sport
      Summons to attend her court,
      And bids them all of Love beware,
      Although the guise of peace he wear.
      • tr. Anonymous (1843)

• Et rigentibus virentes ducit umbras floribus:
  Cras erit quum primus Æther copulavit nuptias,
  Et pater totum creavit vernis annum nubibus,
  In sinum maritus imber fluxit almæ conjugis,
  Unde fetus mixtus omnes aleret magno corpore.
  Ipsa venas atque mentem permeanti spiritu
  Intus occultis gubernat procreatrix viribus,
  Perque coelum, perque terras, perque pontum subditum
  Pervium sui tenorem seminali tramite
  Inbuit, jussitque mundum nosse nascendi vias.
  • l. 57
    • Fresh be your coronals of flowers,
      And green your overarching bowers,
      To-morrow brings us the return
      Of Ether's primal marriage-morn.
      In amorous showers of rain he came
      T' embrace his bride's mysterious frame,
      To generate the blooming year,
      And all the produce Earth does bear.
      Venus still through vein and soul
      Bids the genial current roll;
      Still she guides its secret course
      With interpenetrating force,
      And breathes through heaven, and earth, and sea,
      A reproductive energy.
      • tr. Anonymous (1843)

• Ipsa Trojanos nepotes in Latinos transtulit,
  Ipsa Laurentem puellam conjugem nato dedit;
  Moxque Marti de sacello dat pudicam virginem;
  Romuleas ipsa fecit cum Sabinis nuptias,
  Unde Ramnes et Quirites proque prole posterum
  Romuli matrem crearet et nepotem Cæsarem.
  • l. 68
    • She old Troy's extinguish'd glory
      Revived in Latium's later story,
      When, by her auspices, her son
      Laurentia's royal damsel won.
      She vestal Rhea's spotless charms
      Surrender'd to the War-god’s arms;
      She for Romulus that day
      The Sabine daughters bore away;
      Thence sprung the Rhamnes' lofty name,
      Thence the old Quirites came;
      And thence the stock of high renown,
      The blood of Romulus, handed down
      Through many an age of glory pass'd,
      To blaze in Caesar's at last.
      • tr. Anonymous (1843)

• Rura fecundat voluptas: rura Venerem sentiunt:
  Ipse Amor puer Dionse rure natus dicitur.
  Hunc ager, cum parturiret ipsa, suscepit sinu:
  Ipsa florum delicatis educavit osculis.
  • l. 75
    • All rural nature feels the glow
      Of quickening passion through it flow.
      Love, in rural scenes of yore,
      They say, his goddess-mother bore;
      Received on Earth's sustaining breast,
      Th' ambrosial infant sunk to rest;
      And him the wild-flowers, o'er his head
      Bending, with sweetest kisses fed.
      • tr. Anonymous (1843)

• Ecce jam super genestas explicant tauri latus,
  Quisque tutus quo tenetur conjugali foedere:
  Subter umbras cum maritis ecce balantum greges;
  Et canoras non tacere diva jussit alites.
  Jam loquaces ore rauco stagna cycni perstrepunt;
  Adsonat Terei puella subter umbram populi,
  Ut putes motus amoris ore dici musico,
  Et neges queri sororem de marito barbaro.
  Ilia cantat, nos tacemus. Quando ver venit meum?
  Quando fiam uti chelidon, ut tacere desinam?
  Perdidi Musam tacendo, nec me Apollo respicit;
  Sic Amyclas, cum tacerent, perdidit silentium.
  • l. 80
    • On yellow broom out yonder, see,
      The mighty bulls lie peacefully.
      Each animal of field or grove
      Owns faithfully the bond of love.
      The flocks of ewes, beneath the shade,
      Around their gallant rams are laid;
      And Venus bids the birds awake
      To pour their song through plain and brake.
      Hark! the noisy pools reply
      To the swan's hoarse harmony;
      And Philomel is vocal now,
      Perch'd upon a poplar-bough.
      Thou scarce would'st think that dying fall
      Could ought but love's sweet griefs recall;
      Thou scarce would'st gather from her song
      The tale of brother's barbarous wrong.
      She sings, but I must silent be:—
      When will the spring-tide come for me?
      When, like the swallow, spring's own bird,
      Shall my faint twittering notes be heard?
      Alas! the muse, while silent I
      Remain'd, hath gone and pass'd me by,
      Nor Phoebus listens to my cry.
      And thus forgotten, I await,
      By silence lost, Amyclae’s fate.
      • tr. Anonymous (1843)

Translations

• Thomas Parnell, Poems on Several Occasions (1722)

• Anonymous, Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, vol. 53, no. 332 (June 1843)

• Arthur Quiller-Couch, The Vigil of Venus and Other Poems (1912) — also the source of the Latin text used above

• David Camden, "The Night Watch of Venus", forumromanum.org (c. 24 July 2003)