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M. Moravius Horatianus Pontifex Maximus: Pontificibus, Maximae Valeriae Messallinae, Virgoni Vestalis Maximae, Flaminibus, cultoribus Deorum et omnibus: salutem plurimam dicit:
In the absense of our Flamen Cerealis Fl. Galerius Aurelianus who is on leave, yesterday, as Pontifex Maximus and as a former Flamen Cerealis, performed rites for Ceres, Liber, and Libera on behalf of the Plebeians and the People of Nova Roma after the manner of the following ritual.
CEREALIA RITUAL
I. INITIUM
Take heed! Away, away, go faraway, this is a sacred place, you who are profane!
For the Senate and People of Nova Roma, I, Marcus Moravius Piscinus Horatianus, the Pontifex Maximus say and announce:
Come, be present, Gods and men, to these holy rites. Begone, you wicked folk, begone far from here. I call only upon the innocent and the chaste.
[Washing my hands under pure water]:
May this water cleanse my body of impurities, as the rain cleanses the air.
II. POMPA
[The procession bearing offerings approaches the altar, circling it, and comes to a halt with the Praeses three paces from the altar. As the procession proceeds, they chant the Litany of Ceres]:
Bene, bene, bene Mater, nos bene, bene iuves,
Ceres, Ceres, Vervactor,
Bene, bene Reparator, nos bene, bene iuvate,
Ceres, Ceres, Imporcitor,
Bene, bene, Insitor, nos bene, bene iuvate,
Ceres, Ceres, Obarator,
Bene, bene, Occator, nos bene, bene iuvate,
Ceres, Ceres, Runcinator,
Bene, bene, Sarritor, nos bene, bene iuvate,
Ceres, Ceres, O Convector,
Bene, bene, Conditor, nos bene, bene iuvate,
Ceres, Ceres, O Promitor,
Bene, bene, Messor Ceres, nos bene, bene iuvate.
Dea Optima, bene, bene veneramur, sancta Mater.
Bene, bene, ades, Ceres, bene, bene.
III. PRAEFATIO
[Washes the hands once more.]
Hear me, Father Liber, and You Gods and Goddesses of our ancestors, You who cherish this City and these sacred groves, listen. Gods of our forefathers, I make this offering of incense to You and pray with good prayers that You will look kindly and favorably upon us and our children, on our houses and on our households.
Hail, O Divine Mother, Who makes Your home on Sicily and everywhere, to You I call, Most Holy Ceres, come (to us) that You may once more speak to us in Your own words.
And You, Most Chaste Libera, come forth.
IIII PRAECATIO
Father Janus, by offering this incense to You I pray good prayers, so that You may be propitious to me, to the Senate and to the People of Nova Roma.
[Bay leaves are placed in the focus of the altar.]
Mother Ceres, by offering this incense to You I pray good prayers, so that You may be propitious to me, to the Senate and to the People of Nova Roma.
[Bay leaves are placed in the focus of the altar.]
Father Janus, having offered to You this incense virtuous prayers were well prayed; for the sake of (these same reasons) be honored by this small portion of wine.
[A libation of wine is poured.]
Mother Ceres, having offered to You this incense virtuous prayers were well prayed; for the sake of (these same reasons) be honored by this small portion of milk
[A libation of milk and honey is poured.]
V. SACRIFICATIO
[Washes the hands.]
Mother Ceres, Father Liber and Libera and all You Gods above and below who inhabit the City, these hallowed lakes and groves, I pray that You attend us with Your favor and support.
Most holy and everlasting, blessed Lady, Redeemer and perpetual comfort of human kind, who by Your bounty and grace nourish all the world, cherish our lives, and bestow the consoling smiles of a Mother with great affection upon our trials and tribulations. As a loving Mother You take no rest. There is no day or night, not so much as a moment, that is not filled by Your mercy succoring all men and women. On land as well as at sea, You are She who chases away all storms and dangers from our lives by Your right hand.
Most Holy Ceres, Liber, and Libera, we come before You this day with open hearts, pure and chaste. By these offerings we seek to cherish You. Hear us, O God and Goddesses of our ancestors, and may You honor us this day with your presence. As You have always happily done in the past, so now accept these sacrifices, and bless our community. Accept our libations and send upon us Your kind thoughts. May You grant Nova Roma concord and a richness of life!
In offering to You this incense, Ceres, I pray good prayers that You will look kindly and favorably upon our children and upon us, on our homes and on our households.
In offering to You this incense, Liber, I pray good prayers that You will look kindly and favorably upon our children and upon us, on our homes and on our households.
In offering to You this incense, Libera, I pray good prayers that You will look kindly and favorably upon our children and upon us, on our homes and on our households.
Ceres, may You be strengthened by this libation, may You be honored by this portion of milk..
Liber, may You be strengthened by this libation, may You be honored by this portion of wine.
Libera, may You be strengthened by this libation, may You be honored by this portion of milk.
Ceres, Liber, and Libera, for these reason therefore I pray and ask that You may willingly be propitious to the People of Nova Roma, the Quirites, and to the Republic of the People of Nova Roma, the Quirites, to the Consuls and Praetors of the People of Nova Roma, the Quirites, to the Tribunes of the plebeians of Nova Roma, to the Senate of Nova Roma, to the priests and priestesses of the people of Nova Roma, to us, to our homes, and to our households; and that You may accept this sacrifice. For these reasons may You become strengthened and honored with this sacrifice, may You become favorable and propitious to the people of Nova Roma, the Quirites, to the Senate of Nova Roma, to the priests and priestesses of the people of Nova Roma, to ourselves, to our homes, and to our households
Just as the words I have spoken, for what You will thus have done, as I feel to say, for these reasons, therefore, may You be honored and strengthen by this offering of libum-cake.
With the offering of this wine, and this mixture of milk and honey, and these grains of incense sacrificed today, may You become favorable and propitious to the people of Nova Roma, the Quirites, to the Senate of Nova Roma, to the priests and priestesses of the people of Nova Roma, to ourselves, to our homes, and to our households
VI. LITATIO
[The Praeses washes his hands again in preparation for the redditio, and says]:
May this water cleanse my body of impurities, as the rain cleanses the air.
[The Praeses makes the final sacrifices, as indicated.]
Most chaste Libera, may You be honored by this feast offering, may You be honored by this small portion of milk.
[A libation of milk is poured and an offering of cake is given.]
Father Liber, may You be honored by this feast offering, may You be honored by the small portion of wine.
[A libation of wine is poured, and a cake offered.]
Most Holy Ceres, may You be honored by this feast offering, may You be honored by this small portion of milk.
[A libation of milk is poured and an offering of cake is given.]
Father Janus, may You be honored by this feast offering, may You be honored by this small portion of wine.
[A libation of wine is poured, and a cake offered.]
Vesta, perpetual guardian of fire, to You the public voice calls and prays: may You guard, preserve, and protect this Free Republic, this People, these consuls; may You grant peace and steadfast concord for our Republic.
Goddess Vesta, guardian of the sacred fire, be honored by this small portion of milk.
[A libation of milk is poured.]
No more, Gods on High, do I ask of You today; it is enough.
VII. PERLITATIO
[The Praeses offers incense on the altar once more. Then he turns, steps away from the altar, and dismisses those present by saying]:
Thus it is done. May all the Gods above and below always love you and wish you happiness in all that is good.
[They respond]:
May the immortal Gods make it so, as fortunate as it is pious.
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I. INITIUM
Hoc age !
Procul, procul, ita procul, sacer est locus, ite profani!
Pro Senatu Novo Romano, ego, M. Moravius Piscinus Horatianus Pontifex Maximus dico, edico: Hodie est nefastus publicus propter Cerealia.
Adeste dique hominesque sacris. Procul hinc, procul ite nocentes: insontes castosque voco.
[Manus lava]: Haec aqua a corpore impuritates eluat, ut pluvial aera purgat!
II. POMPA
[Canite]
Bene, bene, bene Mater, nos bene, bene iuves,
Ceres, Ceres, Vervactor,
Bene, bene Reparator, nos bene, bene iuvate,
Ceres, Ceres, Imporcitor,
Bene, bene, Insitor, nos bene, bene iuvate,
Ceres, Ceres, Obarator,
Bene, bene, Occator, nos bene, bene iuvate,
Ceres, Ceres, Runcinator,
Bene, bene, Sarritor, nos bene, bene iuvate,
Ceres, Ceres, O Convector,
Bene, bene, Conditor, nos bene, bene iuvate,
Ceres, Ceres, O Promitor,
Bene, bene, Messor Ceres, nos bene, bene iuvate.
Dea Optima, bene, bene veneramur, sancta Mater.
Bene, bene, ades, Ceres, bene, bene.
III. PRAEFATIO
[Manus tua lava]: Haec aqua a corpore impuritates eluat, ut pluvial aera purgat!
Audi, Pater Liber, audite Di Deaeque Parenti, qui hanc urbem, hoc sacratos locosque colitis, audite. Di Parenti, vos hoc turem obmoveo bonas preces precor, ut sistis volens propitius nobis liberisque notris domis familisque nostris.
O, ave, Dea Mater, cuia habitatio Trinarcia tua est et ubique, te apello, sanctissima Ceres. Adveni iteradum ut eadem ista nos loquare.
Et tu, castissima Libera, exi
IIII. PRAECATIO
Iane Pater, te hoc ture commovendo bonas preces precor, uti sies volens propitius mihi et Senatui Populoque Novo Romano.
Mater Ceres, te hoc ture commovendo bonas preces precor, uti sies volens propitius mihi et Senatui Populoque Novo Romano.
Pater Liber, te hoc ture commovendo bonas preces precor, uti sies volens propitius mihi et Senatui Populoque Novo Romano.
Libera casta, te hoc ture commovendo bonas preces precor, uti sies volens propitius mihi et Senatui Populoque Novo Romano.
Iane Pateri, uti te ture commovendo bonas preces bene precatus sum, eiusdem rei ergo macte vino inferio esto.
Mater Ceres, uti te ture commovendo bonas preces bene precatus sum, eiusdem rei ergo macte lactem inferio esto.
Pater Liber, uti te ture commovendo bonas preces bene precatus sum, eiusdem rei ergo macte vino inferio esto.
Libera casta, uti te ture commovendo bonas preces bene precatus sum, eiusdem rei ergo macte lactem inferio esto.
V. SACRIFICATIO
[Manus etiam tua lava]
Ceres Mater, Pater Liber ac Libera, vos precor, ceteri Di superi infernique, qui hanc urbem, hoc sacratos lacus locosque colitis, ut ita nobis volentes propitii adsitis.
Tu quidem sanctissima et humani generis sospita perpetua, semper fovendis mortalibus munifica, dulcem matris adfectationem miserorum casibus tribuis. Nec dies nec quies nulla ac ne momentum quidem tenue tuis transcurrit beneficiis otiosum, quin mari terraque protegas homines et depulsis vitae procellis salutarem porrigas dexteram.
Sanctissima Ceres, Liber et Libera pii castique ad vos hoc die cordibus apertis venimus. Hisce safriciis vos colere volumus. Exaudite nos, parenti Di Deaeque, et hoc die praesentia vestra nos digneris! Sicut antea toties fecisti, et nunc haec sacrificia accipite, civitatemque nostram benedicite! Accipite libamina nostra, et mittite nobis voluntatem beingnam vestram! Dona nobis concordiam et abundantiam vitae!
Te hoc turem, Ceres, obmoveimus bonas preces precamur, ut sis volens propitia nos liberisque noster domo familiaeque noster.
Te hoc turem, Liber, obmoveimus bonas preces precamur, ut sis volens propitius nos liberisque noster domo familiaeque noster.
Te hoc turem, Libera, obmoveimus bonas preces precamur, ut sis volens propitia nos liberisque noster domo familiaeque noster.
Ceres, macte istic libatione pollicenda esto, macte lactem mellemque esto.
Liber, macte istic libatione pollicenda esto, macte vino esto.
Libera, macte istic libatione pollicenda esto, macte lactem esto.
Ceres, Liber, et Libera, earundem rerum ergo nos precor quaesoque, uti sitis volens propitius Populo Novo Romano Quiritibus, Reique Publicae Populi Novi Romani Quiritium, Populi Novi Romani Quiritium, consulibus, praetoribus Populi Novi Romani Quiritium, tribunis Plebei Novae Romanae, Senatui Novo Romano, sacerdotibus populi Novi Romani, nobis, domibus, familiis, et uti huius sacrifici acceptor sies; harum rerum ergo macte esto fito volens propitius populo Novo Romano Quiritibus, Senatui Novo Romano, sacerdotibus Novis Romanis, nobis, domibus, familiis.
Sicut verba nuncupavi, quae ita faxitis, uti ego me sentio dicere: harum rerum ergo macte hoc libo libando
Hoc vino et his lacte melleque mixto libando, his turis granis sacrificandis estote fitote in hodie volentes propitii populo Novo Romano Quiritibus, Senatui Novo Romano, sacerdotibus Novis Romanis, nobis, domibus, familiis
VI. LITATIO
[Manus tua lava]
Castissima Libera, macte istace dape pollucenda esto, macte lactem inferio esto.
Pater Liber, macte istace dape pollucenda esto, macte vino inferio esto.
Sanctissima Ceres, macte istace dape pollucenda esto, macte lactem inferio esto.
Iane Pater, macte istace dape pollucenda esto, macte vino inferio esto.
Vesta, perpetuorum custos ignium, vos publica voce obtestor atque precor: custodi serva protege hanc Rem Publicam liberam, hunc populum, hos consules, pacem concordiamque constantem Rei Publicae nostrae tribue.
Dea Vesta, custos ignis sacri, macte lactem inferio esto
Nil amplius vos hodie posco, superi, satis est.
VII. PERLITATIO
[Praeses dicit]:
Ilicet. Di deaeque omnes, superi atque inferi, vos semper ament et felicitam volunt.
[Respondent]:
Di immortales faciant, tam felix quam pia.
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