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alma Venus, caeli subter labentia signa quae mare navigerum, quae terras frugiferentis concelebras, per te quoniam genus omne animantum concipitur visitque exortum lumina solis: te, dea, te fugiunt venti, te nubila caeli adventumque tuum, tibi suavis daedala tellus summittit flores, tibi rident aequora ponti placatumque nitet diffuso lumine caelum. nam simul ac species patefactast verna diei et reserata viget genitabilis aura favoni, aëriae primum volucris te, diva, tuumque significant initum perculsae corda tua vi. |
Lucretius addressesVenus as the mother of the descendents of Aeneas. He may be making a reference to Julius Caesar whose family claimed to descend from Venus as mother of Aeneas. Was Lucretius looking for a favorable response to his work from members of this family? He also addresses her as dea and diva. Compound adjectives such as navigerum and frugiferentis are characterictic of Lucretius' style. Rident is an example of personification. Lucretius suggests that the level surfaces of the sea can actually feel joy in the presence of Venus. |
