[The Gianae divide the sky into quarters in two different ways , the
Quadrants (N, E, S, W) and the Parts (NE, SE, SW, NW), leading to
eight area, which are further halved to yield sixteen templa (precincts), also called
“regions.” In the following I’ve indicated the direction of the
centerline of each region (e.g., North-northwest for I), as
explained by my informants.]
To Heaven's quarters four went Turms; in each
He came within four Templa* to
beseech
[*Precincts]
The Gods that dwell therein that They'd obey,
And see the union of the Twins that day.
I (NNW)
[The chorus then turned toward the north-northwest and raised their
hands.]
Forthwith flew Turm's toward the Janid*
Hall, [*Jana and Jan'e]
Which is the circuit's start and finish both,
And there He hailed Nocturnos, Northern Ward.
The Seven Sisters' Quadrant* starteth
here, [*Northern
Q.]
The Quarter dearest to Celestial Gods,
For Father Tinia is its Governor,
And in its Precincts He hath fortresses,
Where ruleth He by Weapon, Word and Wealth.
Here also dwell His Brothers, Triple Kings,
Who jointly oversee the World's Three Planes*.
[*Lower, Middle, Upper Worlds]
From this first Precinct Tin' dispenseth Law,
And Order for the Cosmos and for Us,
And hence Destroying Lightning sendeth Tin',
Unless the Veiled Superior Gods* forbid. [*Di Involuti
& Superiori]
Not in the least ignoreth Tin' Their word;
Covert and cruel, Their names He telleth not.
This Precinct likewise is the Home of These,
The Ruling Spirits* of His Parents'
House. [*Lars]
This Region holdeth too the Janid Hall,
Nocturnus' Home, and Cilens' Domicile.
Swift Turmus soon had visited them all.
Come, turn we now the circle's sixteenth part,
And sing the Gods that have their homes therein.
II (N)
[The chorus advanced around the mound a little, clockwise and
downward, and
stretched out their hands to the North.]
The most hath Tin' of anything of worth,
And so He hath another fortress here,
Where He commandeth Martial might and means,
For from this Region sendeth Tin' the Bolts
Which do the folk some Good as well as Harm,
But only if Advisors Twelve*
agree,
[*Di Consentes]
Six Goddesses, Six Gods, who turn the stars.
The Bolts are brought to Earth by Tinia's Nine*, [*Di
Novemsilis]
Obedient Gods, who also herein dwell.
About the Earth are wrapped the Triple Spheres,
Commanded by a Holy Trinity,
Comprising Uni, Tin and Menerva;
And Tin commandeth Incandescent
Air*.
[*aether]
Another hall resideth in this realm,
Where Tinia, Maris and Quirinos sit
As Patrons of the Peoples' classes three:
Who either Pray, Protect or else Provide.
What others in this Fearful Precinct dwell?
Avenging Goddess, Fury, Thufltha,
Inflicteth punishment for Tin', Her Sire.
The second World-commanding brother here
Resideth, Eita, Gloomy Orcus' king.
Ancestral Spirits of His House attend,
Sedition seeding, Discord dealing Lars.
The Boundary Ward* of this Most Fearful Part**
[*Tutor finium, **Pars Maxime Dirae]
Is Tin', so Turms the Happiest Part* had reached.
[*Summa Felicitas]
[The chorus continued, moving clockwise and downward for each
region.]
III (NNE)
He spied the Citadel of
Aquilo*,
[*NNE Wind]
Which signaleth arrival in the first
Of Precincts in the Happiest Part of
All*. [*NE Part]
Here Tin' hath yet another station strong,
Whence sendeth He the Gentle Lightning Bolt
That warneth Mortal Folk from foolishness;
This action taketh Tin' without advice
Of any Councellor; Sovereign is His Choice.
As in the prior Precincts ruleth Tin'
By Word and Weaponry, so here it be
By way of Wealth and Productivity.
The second of the Holy Trinity
By whom the Spheres are ruled resideth here --
Resplendant Mera, Mistress of the Moon.
The Earthly Planes belong to Brothers Three,
And Nethuns* here the Middle
governeth, [*Neptune]
Wherein He is a Tin' of Second
Rank*, [*Tin' Secundanus]
And dwelleth close to Tin' and Eita too.
Beside Him live His Lars, sage counsellors
Who are the Wards of Springs and Waters all.
When all were told, swift Turmus left this place.
IV (NE)
A shining Hall hath Uni Astere* [*Astarte,
pron. As-teh-reh]
Within the closest Precint, whence She throws
Her Bolts of Lightning; also here She rules
The Sphere of Air*, the Third Dominion
round [*aer]
The Earth, which finisheth the Holy Trinity.
The Phoenix holdeth Uni's youthful heart,
And She hath suckled Hercle*, though He's grown.
[*Hercules]
Her Consort, Ma'e*, Uni keepeth
here,
[*Maius, pron. Mah-eh]
Who is fair Maia's brother, Gods of Growth.
Unclothed doth Uni sport in summer time
With Ma'e, naming thus the growing
months*. [*May and June]
And onward Turm's proceeded in His task,
Which took Him from the Seven Sister's
zone*, [*N Quadrant]
Where dwell the Gods Celestial, ruled by Tin',
And came He to Creation's Place*,
controlled [*E Quadrant]
By Nethuns, who doth move the depths of Minds.
V (ENE)
There dwelleth Tec', the Shining Answerer
Of all concerns, the stalwart Friend of Kings.
And Turm's went on when Tecum He had called.
VI (E)
The Precint of the Rising Sun was reached,
Where Velchans hath his home, and from its halls
He giveth Mankind Fire, friendly Flames
To cook the food and warm the people's homes,
And He is Vegetation's Father too.
With Goddess Lusa shareth He this place,
For ev'ry Field and Forest ruleth She,
And so in thanks we bring our crops to Her
In Ma'e's Month*, the twentieth is the
day. [*May]
But Lusa is the Happiest Region's Ward,
And so, departing Her, came Windborn Turm's
Into a sadder place, yet Happy* still.
[*Felicitas, SE Part]
VII (ESE)
By Eurus'* stately hall He reached the
place [*ESE Wind]
Whence Sethlans* teacheth Man to harness
Fire [*Hephaistos]
And other Natural Forces for his Needs;
He is the Guardian of all Artisans
And of their Arts, for Fire produceth all.
Creators Universal, Sire and Dam
Of all that lives, Tellustres, Royal Pair --
They here reside, but Turm's had summoned Them
And Pluvial Nethuns, likewise living here.
VIII (SE)
Then Turm's espied the palace shimmering
Where Ati* Catha, Daughter of the
Sun, [*Mother]
Directeth sudden Dawnings and swift Starts.
Her Father, crown'ed Usil*, bearing
Bow [*Sun]
And Wreath, resideth here -- His Breast uncloaked.
Within She keepeth here Her Consorts Two,
The Pales; of Farming They're the Guardians.
The Ruthcwa* and the Luthcwa* go with Her
[*unknown groups of divinities]
To pick the Solar Eye, the Chamomile.
When Turm's had done His Task, to Catha's Friend
He went, the Moon, who dwelleth next to Her;
So came He from the Quadrant ruled by
Neth'*, [*Nethuns]
Creation's Quarter*, into Auster's** Realm,
[*E Quadrant, **S Wind]
Where Letham overseeth Nature's ways.
IX (SSE)
In Auster's realm the region that is first
Is Liberating Fufluns'; crowned with Rays,
He roams the Night and travels through the Gloom,
Because He is the son of Vesuna,
The Queen who's crowned with Rays and Crescent Moon,
And wears the Panther skin; who turns the Wheel,
And whom we're prone to call our Sacred
Tiv*. [*Moon, Month]
Within this House is found Betrayal's Queen,
Deceiving Spirit*, sly and
treacherous, [*Fraus]
The daughter born of Orcus and of
Nox*. [*Night]
X (S)
Swift Turm's the Midday's Precinct* next approached; [*S
Precinct]
The Lord of Forests, Selvans* dwelleth
there, [*Silvanus]
With Consus, Overlord of Animals,
Who overseeth Sowing of the Seed.
Although for children Selvans is a bane,
And He afflicteth Women giving birth,
Men call on Him to grant His leave to clear
The Land for cultivation of the crops.
Men know Him as Protector of the Fields,
Companion of Tellures Mother Earth,
And comrade true of Maris -- allies strong
of Satre, vegetation's verdant God.
In this rich region Turmus Selvans spied
Approaching naked but for hunting boots
And torque about His neck, His lance in hand;
Each hailed His friend and Turmus told the news.
His task completed, Turmus flew from this,
The Happy Part, and entered Regions Dire*.
[*Regiones Dirae, SW Part]
XI (SSW)
The light began to fade and Turmus knew
He'd reached the Dire Part, and yet within
He found the Queen of Hospitality*,
[*Juno Hospita]
The Wife of Nethuns; here She hath a Home.
Her faithful Squire Letham standeth near;
Though dwelleth He in Eita, instantly
He cometh for to shield His Kindly Queen,
Or aid His Neighbor Selvans, dealing Death.
XII (SW)
The Precinct next approached by Turm's contained
A second hall where sit the Bounteous Pair,
Tellustres, Parents of the Populus.
He also summoned Semo Sancus hence,
Protector fierce of promises and oaths,
The God of honest folk, good faith and trust.
The Helpful Lares also dwelleth here,
And happily they heard the nuptial news.
Then wing'ed Turm's took flight, left Auster's Realm* [*S
Quart.]
In Letham's care, and sought
Favonius*. [*W Wind, W Quart.]
XIII (WSW)
With dread did even Turm's alight within
The Twilight Land, the kingdom of Favonius,
The doorstep of the joyless Dead's domain.
The Lady Cel, Deep-breasted Fruitful Dame
Presideth over Evil Lares here,
Who vengeance cruel inflict for crimes upon
The Earth, and punish in the Black Abyss.
XIV (W)
Next Turm's arrived in Satre's somber realm,
The final refuge of the God deposed.
His Court He holdeth here, within which is
His faithful Wife, Celestial
Spiritess*. [*Juno Caelestis]
This also is the home of other Gods,
The Culs-Gods*, Alpan* and Bellariae**,
[*see below; **Graces or Hours, also
Ornitrices]
And Lusa hath a Station, Velchans too.
The gift of Alpan*, Turan's handmaid,
is [*Harmonia]
Consent that's freely given to desire;
Assisteth She whoever's making Love.
Two Culs-Gods* guard the boundary twixt Two
Worlds, [*Culscva]
Above is one, the other is below.
In sunlight Culsans shieldeth city gates,
Protecting houses, graves and all the folk.
But waiting on the Gate's infernal side,
The demon Goddess Culsu broodeth grim,
Expecting milk and honey, mercy's price.
The Fearful Regions'* Guardian of
Gates, [*SW Part]
She standeth watch within the Western Wall,
And by Her leave swift Turmus passed without.
XV (WNW)
Reluctantly alighted Turm's within
The Regions of the Greatest Fearfulness*,
[*Regiones Maxime Dirae, NW Part]
Where Howling Corus* drives the dismal
rain. [*NW Wind]
Resideth vulgar Methluns here, who is
In rustic realms the Chief of Spirit Throngs,
Of Fauni, Panes, and the Sprites of Springs.
The mellow quarter of Favonius*, [*W
Quarter]
The Sun's repose, is His; within it lives
The Walkers on the Earth, the Godly Dead,
Who kindly care for us who yet remain.
Destroyer Vetis also dwelleth here,
Whence Maris taketh into Eita Souls.
His task here done, fleet Turm's the zone
Approached that's last in Methlum's dark domain.
XVI (NW)
Descended Turm's, accustomed to the Clouds,
Until He reached the Heavens' deepest part,
The furthest reach of Methlum's realm forlorn,
Which lieth under Night's* obscuring
hand. [*Nocturnus]
The Destiny of cities, nations, kings,
And all the people Cilens doth decide,
And send from here or from the
following*. [*Reg. I]
But these two Gods already had been called,
So Turm's informed the others living here,
The troup of Earthly Deputies* of two
[*Ianitores Terrestres]
Resplendant Gods, our Noble Ancestors;
The Janid Twins, the blessed bridal pair!
The goal achieved, He soared toward the Stars.
* * *
[The chorus returned to the top of the mound.]
When Wing'ed Turm's perceived the shining spires
Of Tinia's Halls, He knew He had returned.
Approaching Tin', He said the deed was done,
But Tinia gave Him one more task to do:
Invite the Gods that work not in one place*.
[*Azonoi]
He called them too, and now we sing Their Names:
[This verse was sung by Columba.]
Her nakedness concealed by wings alone,
The Queen of Love and Insight, Lasa fair
Proclaimeth prophecy on Tin's behalf,
Assisteth Him, and guardeth boundaries.
[The following was sung by Aquila.]
Success doth Me'an* bring in Fight by Arms,
[*Victoria, Nike, pron. Meh-an]
Protecting Fields, in Striving of all kinds.
[Next Tigris (Tigress) sang.]
Like His Companion Maris, Hercle* is
[*Hercules]
A God of Strength and Martial Valor, who
Protecteth Families, their Belongings too.
He is a God of Water, Springs and Sea.
[Then Volpes sang.]
Protector of the Fields is Laran, who,
With Maris and with Letham, guardeth Homes.
[Sus (Sow) sang next.]
We call the God of ev'ry Boundary
Tul*, [*Terminus]
Protecteth He like Letham, Laran, Mar's.
[This was sung by Rapina.]
Of Death the Foulest Demon, Tuchulcha!
A Beast with writhing snakes and vulture's beak,
Enormous tongue, long ears and lipless snarl!
He draggeth into Eita frightened folk.
[This verse was sun by Lacerta, another of Aranea's daughters.]
Ah, Leinth! We sing no Thankful Song to Thee,
For truly Thou art Dreaded Death itself!
[The following was sung quietly by Serpens (Snake),
a dark-haired contralto.]
Of Resurrection Thou art Goddess, Tvath*,
[*Demeter or Aphrodite Epitymbia]
And of the Love that lingers for the Dead.
[The entire chorus sang.]
With Thee
This song of Sacred
Memory
Is done;
We sing next how our Land
was won!
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