Aelia Laelia Crispis: Not Born, Rising Again

...which the KING original: "REX" represents, shines more splendidly, I receive with bent knee and a devoted heart, I gaze upon it, and I venerate it. Allow me (I also pray to You as a suppliant) not to delay any longer in acknowledging here, and briefly professing, so great an honor—which, though it belongs specifically to me, is nevertheless shared by my fellow citizens, sent down to us from on high through You.

There will be a time when, once this immense joy has subsided a little, I shall gather my strength, and having traversed the vast reaches of your merits, I shall finally stand before the humble altar of my devotion original: "devotio" toward You—now sprinkled only with salted grain original: "salsa mola" — the mola salsa was a mixture of toasted flour and salt used by the ancient Romans to sprinkle on the heads of sacrificial victims before they were killed. Malvasia uses this to suggest his current thanks are just a small preliminary offering.—where, having offered worthier incense, I shall place fatter victims original: "victimae" to be sacrificed to You. Meanwhile, while I set forth this brief declaration of the Inscription The author is likely referring to the formal dedication or the title-page inscription of the book., I ask You, best of Patrons original: "Mecoenas" — Gaius Maecenas was the legendary patron of the Roman poets Horace and Virgil; his name became a synonym for a generous supporter of the arts and sciences., again and again, that you receive this hurried boldness in the best light, and graciously excu-