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Translation Cons. Phil. Book 2 Metrum 8

Metrum 8

1 `Through Love the universe with constancy
2 makes changes all without discord:
3 earth's elements, though contrary,
4 abide in treaty bound:
5 Phœbus in his golden car
6 leads up the glowing day;
7 his sister rules the night
8 that Hesperus brought:
9 the greedy sea
10 confines its waves in bounds,
11 lest the earth's borders
12 be changed by its beating on them:
13 all these are firmly bound by Love,
14 which rules both earth and sea,
15 and has its empire in the heavens too.
16 If Love should slacken this its hold,
17 all mutual love
18 would change to war;
19 and these would strive to undo the scheme
20 which now their glorious movements carry out
21 with trust and with accord.
22 By Love are peoples too kept bound together
23 by a treaty which they may not break.
24 Love binds with pure affection
25 the sacred tie of wedlock,
26 and speaks its bidding
27 to all trusty friends.
28 O happy race of mortals,
29 if your hearts are ruled
30 as is the universe, by Love!

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