Translation of Thomas Campion's
Hymn in Praise of Neptune
in Latin Alcaics.

"Used to determine the Merton, New, Magdalen, Corpus, and Worcester College scholarships at Oxford in 1891" (Califf 2002: 140); no paraphrase was used as an aid in composing this piece.

Petrus Lichoas:

Neptūne, regnum caeruleum tuum,
cuius timendīs agmina fluctuum
obtemperant sceptrīs, canāmus,
flūmina quem celebrant cadūca

altissimīs dē montibus, aequora et
laudant gregēs ob lūcida squāmeī
- sēdēs suās - sollemnem et omnis
nauta tuae lapidem corōnae

ūmentibus dat dē loculīs suīs.
Trītōnum et aulae prae foribus chorī
maris solum pulsant trementis;
iam resonant vada salsa mōtū,

caelum ut fragōsō cum tonitrū boat.
Altum et colentēs - grex ululantium -
Nymphaeque, Sīrēnumque suāvī
turba perīta necāre cantū

omnēs - tuam ad laudem - scopulōs suā
rēplet sonōrōs harmoniā; modīs
mīrīs resultat rūpes omnis;
alta sonō feriuntur astra




Thomas Campion:

Of Neptune's empire let us sing,
at whose command the waves obey;
to whom the rivers tribute pay,
Down the mountains sliding:
To whom the scaly nation yields
Homage for the crystal fields
Wherein they dwell:
And every sea-dog pays a gem
yearly out of his wat'ry cell
To deck great Neptune's diadem.

The Tritons dancing in a ring
Before his palace gates do make
The water with their echoes quake
Like the great thunder sounding:
The sea nymphs with their accents shrill,
And the sirens, taught to kill
With their sweet voice,
Make ev'ry echoing rock reply
Unto their gentle murmuring noise
The praise of Neptune's empery.