An example of the oldest Latin extant is contained in the sacred chant of the Fratres Arvales. The inscription which embodied this Litany was discovered A. D. 1778,[43] whilst digging out the foundations of the sacristy of St. Peter’s at Rome. The monument belongs to the reign of Heliogabalus;[44] but although the date is so recent, the permanence of religious formulæ renders it probable that the inscription contains the exact words sung by this priesthood in the earliest times. The Fratres Arvales were a college of priests, founded, according to the tradition, by Romulus himself. The symbolical ensign of their office was a chaplet of ears of corn (spicea corona,) and their function was to offer prayers in solemn dances and processions at the opening of spring for plenteous harvests. Their song was chanted in the temple with closed doors, accompanied by that peculiar dance which was termed the tripudium, from its containing three beats. To this rhythm the Saturnian measure of the hymn corresponds; and for this reason each verse was thrice repeated. The hymn contains sixteen letters: _s_ is sometimes put for _r_, _ei_ for _i_, and _p_ for _f_ or _ph_. The following is a transcription of it, as given by Orellius, to which an interpretation is subjoined:— Enos Lases juvate. Nos Lares juvate. Us O Lares help. Neve luaerve Marmer sins incurrere in pleoris. Neve luem Mars sinas incurrere plus. Nor the pestilence O Mars permit to invade more. Satur fufere Mars limen Salista berber. Satiatus furendo Mars lumen Solis sta fervere. Satiated with fury, O Mars, the light of the sun stop from burning. Semunis alternei advocapit conctos. Semihemones alterni ad vos capite cunctos. Us half-men in your turns to you take all. Enos Marmer juvato. Nos Mars juvato. Us Mars help. Triumpe, triumpe, triumpe, triumpe, triumpe. Triumph, &c. Of the Salian hymn (Carmen Saliare,) another monument of ancient Latin, the following fragments, preserved by Varro,[45] are all that remain, with the exception of a few isolated words:— (1.) Cozeulodoizesa, omina vero ad patula coemisse Jam cusiones; duonus ceruses dunzianus vevet.[45] This has been corrected, arranged in the Saturnian metre, and translated into Latin by Donaldson,[46] as follows:— Choroi-aulōdos eso, omina enim vero Ad patula’ ose misse Jani cariones. Duonus Cerus esit dunque Janus vevet. Choroio-aulodus ero, omina enim vero ad patulas aures Miserunt Jani curiones. Bonus Cerus erit donec Janus vivet. I will be a flute-player in the chorus, for the priests of Janus have sent omens to open ears. Cerus (the Creator) will be propitious so long as Janus shall live. (2.) Divum empta cante, divum deo supplicante.