PROVINCIA DACIA

Titus Iulius Sabinus garbed in toga praetexta, cinctu Gabino, capite velato.

The Goddess is offered milk and honey. The milk is poured from the patera onto the sacred fire.

“Iupiter, father of this world we come in front of you with our hearts open and by this ritual we seek to honor you. Hear our prayer and honor this rite with your presence. As many times before accept the offerings and bless our province! Your lightening rules the firmament of this world and everything knows your great power and force. Accept our libations and send upon us your kind thoughts. May you grant our province a rich and peaceful life!” Laurel incense is offered to Iupiter.

Iulia Iulia Caesaris Cytheris Aege waits for a sign from the Gods in order to see if the offerings were accepted.

Marcus Moravius Piscinus Horatianus :

Nuntio Pro Provincia Dacia

This morning I rose before dawn, bathed fully, and prayed before my Lares. Then did I go out and greet Caelus Nocturnus, and thereby began to erect my terrestrial templum, guided as I was by the stars. Each station was then set off and solemnized, locus liberatur ecfareturque, calling upon Caelus in the north, Iove in the northeast, the Dioscuri in the east, Ceres and Libera in the southeast, Sol Invictus in the south, Mars in the southwest, the Parcae in the west, and bid the Tempestes to remain in the northwest.

The altar at the center of the hortus Ceres was scrubbed with the herbs of Diana and freshened with mints. Three times did I asperse the area around the altar with pure water with a bough of the Sabine herb. Then did I erect the molucum and solemnize it with wine and sage, adding next hot coals from my hearth and tinder. My wife assisted me as a camilla, as I did wash my hands in pure rain water and aspersed my head three times.

Haec aqua a corpore impuritates eluat, ut pluvia aera purgat.

"May this water cleanse my body of impurities, as the rain cleanses the air."

As the sun rose, I stood before the path into the hortus Cereris and greeted Janus Matutinus manus supina.

Ave, ave, Pater Iane Matutinus. Tecum surgeo, Tecum bibo. Pater Iane testem te testor mihi, tum ego, Marcus Moravius Piscinus, dico, Pater Iane Matutine, ut tu audias, hoc vinum dato. Illaec advorsum si quid pecasso, Pater Iane, veneror te ut miserus ego esse. Iane pater, macte istace libatione pollucenda esto, macte vino inferio esto.

"Hail Father Janus Matutinus. With You I rise, with You I drink. Father Janus, I call on you to witness. Then I, Marcus Moravius Piscinus, I speak, Father Janus Matutinus, that you may hear - I will give to You this wine. And if I do anything to violate this rite, I pray that I shall suffer misfortune. Father Janus, may you be strengthened by this libation, may you be honored by this portion of wine."

Approaching the altar manus liberalita I called upon Ceres Feretina and Libera.

Sacrissima Mater, te appello, age adsta, mane, audi; iteradum eadem ista mihi. Da mihi hasce opes, quas peto, quas precor porrige opitula. Vos, Ceres Ferentina ac Libera, precor, Iunes Nutrices, ceteri superi infernique Di, qui hanc urbes provinciae Daciae, hoc sacratos lacus locosque colitis, ut ita nobis volentes propitii adsitis,

"Most Holy Mother, on You I call, come, stand by me, stay, and listen to my pleas. Speak to me once again, in Your own words, as You did before. Grant me the strength, Goddess, to whom I ask, to whom I pray; extend your assistance to me. Ceres Ferentina and Libera, Nurturing Junos, and all You Gods above and below who inhabit the cities of Provincia Dacia, those hallowed lakes and groves, I pray that You attend us with Your favor and support."

Then I made offerings of sweet-smelling herbs, sweet cakes, fresh fruits, and wine, murmuring over the offerings as I called upon Ferentina by Her secret name. At the conclusion of my sacrificatio, I gave thanks to Janus Matutinus for His attending as witness.

Then did I take my place at the sedes inaugurationes at the station of Silvanus and erect the celestial templum.

"Let the boundaries of my templa and the wild lands (tesca) be as I declare them with my words. That tree of whatever kind it is which I deem myself to have named, let it be the boundary of my templum and the wild land to the right. That tree, of whatever kind it is, insofar as I deem myself to have named it, let it be the boundary of my templum and the wild land on the left. Between these points I have established the templa and the wild lands by means of directing, viewing, reflecting as far as I have been most rightly aware of it within this limit."

Offering sacrifice and addressing my question before the Gods, whether my offerings had been accepted and that Ceres Ferentina and Libera would visit their kind presence upon provincia Dacia and favor its people. I called forth, Da, Pater, augurium!

Then the bird of Apollo cawed forth in the southeast over the station of Ceres Ferentina and Libera, cornix ab laeva. Two ravens did I see appear circling on the right who called out, corvi a dextera. The doves of Venus alit, birds of the city performed a tripudium feeding greedily, and the woodpecker of Mars responded on the left, picus ab leava. No adverse signs did I see or hear. Thus all auspices that I took were addictivae, praepetes et secundae.

Aves admittunt!

Ab manu Marco Moravio Piscino Horatiano.

Vadete in pacem Cereris.

In ante diem IX Kalendas Sextilias A. U. C. MMDCCLVIII.