{Virgil’s Prophecy of the Renewal of Ages}[16th February 1991]

[Redbook8:261][19910216:1220e]{Virgil’s Prophecy of the Renewal of Ages}[16th February 1991]

19910216.1220

[continued]

‘Sicelides Musae, paulo maiora canamus!

Non omnis arbusta iuvant humilesque myricae;

Si canimus silvas, silvae sint consule dignae.

‘Ultima Cumaei venit iam carminis aetas;

Magnus ab integro saeclorum nascitur ordo:

Iam redit et Virgo, redeunt Saturnia regna;

Iam nova progenies caelo demittitur alto.’

*

‘Sicilian Muses, let us sing of rather greater things. Not everyone likes bushes and low tamarisks; if we sing of the woods, let then be woods of low consular dignity.

‘Now has come the last age according to the oracles at Cumae; the great series of lifetimes starts anew. Now too the virgin goddess returns, the golden days of Saturn’s reign return, now a new race descends from high heaven.’

**

‘We have reached the last era of Sybilline song. Time has conceived, and the great sequence of the ages starts afresh. Juistice, the Virgin, comes back to dwell with us, and the rule of Saturn is restored.’

***

Written c42-37BCE by Virgil, 70-19BCE.****

* – Virgil, Eclogue IV.1

(written c42-37BCE)

** – Tr[anslation per] O[xford] D[ictionary of] Quotations, p559

*** – Tr[anslated by] E.V. Rieu

(quoted in E[ncylopaedia of] V[isual] A[rt] 2:183)

****cf IX: [] 357

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