Minor Latin poets; with introductions and English translations

INTRODUCTIONTO PRECATIO TERRAEAND PRECATIO OMNIUM HERBARUMBoth these prayers afford interesting glimpses intofeatures of ancient religion much older than thepoems themselves. It is characteristic of the worshipof the Earth-Goddess that they should exhibit arecognition of her as the source of life and energyand nourishment, an anticipation of a final refuge inher at death," and a confidence in her power to givehelp and healing. The divinity of the Earth-Motherwas believed to be communicated to the dead, whowere by inhumation absorbed into her. The wordsof the first Precatio find a full parallel in the epitaphmortua heic ego sum et sum cinis, is cinis terrast :sein est terra dea, ego sum dea, mortua non sum.^The return of the body to Mother Earth was a naturalnotion for a primitive agricultural folk, since much ofthe religious ritual of such peoples must be connectedwith the land. Earth had to be propitiatedthat she might grant increase to crops and cattle* With 11. 12-14 of the first Precatio, cf. mater genuitmaterque recepit in Buecheler, Carmitia hit. epigrnphica. No.809 : cj. also the traditional sepulchral inscription ^it tibiterra levis, and the spirit of the prayer to Tellus which endsthe ttrst elegy on Maecenas (141 sqq., p. 134 supra)." Buecheler, op. cit.. No. 1532 cf. 974.:z2339