February 28th, 2004 - Expiatory Concordia Rite

G. Iulius Scaurus S. P. D.

Salvete, Quirites.

When a vitium in a caerimonia has been determined by the celebrating
priest, it is his obligation to perform the caerimonia anew and to
offer a special piaculum to expiate the fault. It is my determination
that a vitium occurred in the caerimonia of the feria Concordiae and
the caerimonia has been offered anew with the piaculum.

I bathed in preparation, then, garbed in toga praetexta, cinctu
Gabino, capite velato, I began the praefatio.

Praefatio

"Iane pater, te hoc ture ommovendo bonas preces precor, uti sies
volens propitius mihi et Senatui Populoque Novae Romae [Father Ianus,
by offering this incense to you I pray good prayers, so that you may
be willingly propitious to me and the Senate and People of Nova Roma."
I placed incense in the focus of the altar.

"Iuppiter Optime Maxime, te hoc ture ommovendo bonas preces precor,
uti sies volens propitius mihi et Senatui Populoque Novae Romae
[Iuppiter Best and Greatest, by offering this incense to you I pray
good prayers, so that you may be willingly propitious to me and the
Senate and People of Nova Roma." I placed incense in the focus of the
altar.

"Iuno Dea, te hoc ture ommovendo bonas preces precor, uti sies volens
propitia mihi et Senatui Populoque Novae Romae [Goddess Iuno, by
offering this incense to you I pray good prayers, so that you may be
willingly propitious to me and the Senate and People of Nova Roma." I
placed incense in the focus of the altar.

"Minerva Dea, te hoc ture ommovendo bonas preces precor, uti sies
volens propitia mihi et Senatui Populoque Novae Romae [Goddess
Minerva, by offering this incense to you I pray good prayers, so that
you may be willingly propitious to me and the Senate and People of
Nova Roma." I placed incense in the focus of the altar.

"Mars pater, te hoc ture ommovendo bonas preces precor, uti sies
volens propitius mihi et Senatui Populoque Novae Romae [Father Mars,
by offering this incense to you I pray good prayers, so that you may
be willingly propitious to me and the Senate and People of Nova
Roma.]" I placed incense in the focus of the altar.

"Quirine pater, te hoc ture ommovendo bonas preces precor, uti sies
volens propitius mihi et Senatui Populoque Novae Romae [Father
Quirinus, by offering this incense to you I pray good prayers, so that
you may be willingly propitious to me and the Senate and People of
Nova Roma.]" I placed incense in the focus of the altar.

"Iane pater, uti te ture ommovendo bonas preces bene precatus sum,
eiusdem rei ergo macte vino inferio esto [Father Ianus, as by offering
to you the incense virtuous prayers were well prayed, for the sake of
this be honoured by this humble wine.]" I poured a libation on the
focus of the altar.

"Iuppiter Optime Maxime, uti te ture ommovendo bonas preces bene
precatus sum, eiusdem rei ergo macte vino inferio esto [Iuppiter Best
and Greatest, as by offering to you the incense virtuous prayers were
well prayed, for the sake of this be honoured by this humble wine.]"
I poured a libation on the focus of the altar.

"Iuno Dea, uti te ture ommovendo bonas preces bene precatus sum,
eiusdem rei ergo macte vino inferio esto [Goddess Iuno, as by offering
to you the incense virtuous prayers were well prayed, for the sake of
this be honoured by this humble wine.]" I poured a libation on the
focus of the altar.

"Minerva Dea, uti te ture ommovendo bonas preces bene precatus sum,
eiusdem rei ergo macte vino inferio esto [Goddess Minerva, as by
offering to you the incense virtuous prayers were well prayed, for the
sake of this be honoured by this humble wine.]" I poured a libation
on the focus of the altar.

"Mars pater, uti te ture ommovendo bonas preces bene precatus sum,
eiusdem rei ergo macte vino inferio esto [Father Mars, as by offering
to you the incense virtuous prayers were well prayed, for the sake of
this be honoured by this humble wine.]" I poured a libation on the
focus of the altar.

"Quirine pater, uti te ture ommovendo bonas preces bene precatus sum,
eiusdem rei ergo macte vino inferio esto [Father Quirinus, as by
offering to you the incense virtuous prayers were well prayed, for the
sake of this be honoured by this humble wine.]" I poured a libation
on the focus of the altar.

I washed my hands in preparation for the praecatio.

Precatio

"Dea Concordia Dea, fons felix pacis amicitiaeque nostrae, quae in
mente communi omnes Romanos consociat, quae post caedem tribunorum
sacrosanctorum Senatum ad templum exstruendum coegit ut concordia
ordinum redintegretur, tibi fieri oportet culignam vini dapi, eius rei
ergo hac illace dape pullucenda esto [Goddess Concordia, fortunate
font of our peace and friendship, who unites all Romans in a common
purpose, who after the murder of sacrosanct tribunes compelled the
Senate to erect a temple to restore the concord of the orders, to you
it is proper for a cup of wine to be given, for the sake of this thing
may you be honoured by this feast offering]." I poured a libation on
the focus of the altar.

Again I washed my hands in preparation for the redditio.

Redditio

"Concordia Dea, fons felix pacis amicitiaeque nostrae, macte istace
dape pollucenda esto, macte vino inferio esto [Goddess Concordia,
fortunate font of our peace and friendship, may you be honoured by
this feast offering, may you be honoured by the humble wine.]" I
offered Concordia cakes and wine on the focus of the altar.

"Quirine pater, uti te ture ommovendo bonas preces bene precatus sum,
eiusdem rei ergo macte vino inferio esto [Father Quirinus, as by
offering to you the incense virtuous prayers were well prayed, for the
sake of this be honoured by this humble wine.]" I poured a libation on
the focus of the altar.

"Mars pater, uti te ture ommovendo bonas preces bene precatus sum,
eiusdem rei ergo macte vino inferio esto [Father Mars, as by offering
to you the incense virtuous prayers were well prayed, for the sake of
this be honoured by this humble wine.]" I poured a libation on the
focus of the altar.

"Minerva Dea, uti te ture ommovendo bonas preces bene precatus sum,
eiusdem rei ergo macte vino inferio esto [Goddess Minerva, as by
offering to you the incense virtuous prayers were well prayed, for the
sake of this be honoured by this humble wine.]" I poured a libation
on the focus of the altar.

"Iuno Dea, uti te ture ommovendo bonas preces bene precatus sum,
eiusdem rei ergo macte vino inferio esto [Goddess Iuno, as by offering
to you the incense virtuous prayers were well prayed, for the sake of
this be honoured by this humble wine.]" I poured a libation on the
focus of the altar.

"Iane pater, uti te ture ommovendo bonas preces bene precatus sum,
eiusdem rei ergo macte vino inferio esto [Father Ianus, as by offering
to you the incense virtuous prayers were well prayed, for the sake of
this be honoured by this humble wine.]" I poured a libation on the
focus of the altar.

"Vesta Dea, custos ignis sacri, macte vino inferio esto [Goddess
Vesta, guardian of the sacred fire, be honoured by this humble wine.]"
I poured a libation on the focus of the altar.

"Illicet [It is permitted to go.]"

I profaned wine and cakes, and I partook of the epulum with Concordia,
praying as I ate and offering libations in my private devotions.

Piaculum

Since the historical caerimonia of the feria of Concordia has not yet
been recovered and vitium occurred in the initial observation her
feria, I offered a piaculum to Concordia if anything in this
caerimonia should offend her and to atone for the earlier vitium:

"Concordia Dea, si quidquam tibi in hac aut ulla caerimonia displicet,
hoc ture veniam peto et vitium meum expio [Goddess Concordia, if
anything in this or any ceremony is displeasing to you, with this
incense I ask forgiveness and expiate my fault.]" I offered incense
on the focus of the altar.

"Concordia Dea, si quidquam tibi in hac aut ulla caerimonia displicet,
his libis veniam peto et vitium meum expio [Goddess Concordia, if
anything in this or any ceremony is displeasing to you, with these
cakes I ask forgiveness and expiate my fault.]" I offered cakes on
the focus of the altar.

"Concordia Dea, si quidquam tibi in hac aut ulla caerimonia displicet,
hoc folio laureo veniam peto et vitium meum expio [Goddess Concordia,
if anything in this or any ceremony is displeasing to you, with this
leaf of laurel I ask forgiveness and expiate my fault.]" I offered a
leaf of laurel on the focus of the altar.

"Concordia Dea, si quidquam tibi in hac aut ulla caerimonia displicet,
his stirpibus croci veniam peto et vitium meum expio [Goddess
Concordia, if anything in this or any ceremony is displeasing to you,
with these shoots of saffron I ask forgiveness and expiate my fault.]"
I offered stalks of saffron on the focus of the altar.

"Concordia Dea, si quidquam tibi in hac aut ulla caerimonia displicet,
hoc vino inferio veniam peto et vitium meum expio [Goddess Concordia,
if anything in this or any ceremony is displeasing to you, with this
humble wine I ask forgiveness and expiate my fault.]" I poured a
libation on the focus of the altar.

Valete.

G. Iulius Scaurus
Flamen Quirinalis et Pontifex