Antonio Canova, Venus and Mars

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Nam tu sola potes tranquilla iuvare

mortalis, quoniam belli fera moenera Marvors

armipotens regis in gremium qui saepe tuum se

reiicit aeterno devictus vulnere amoris,

atque ita suspiciens tereti cervice reposta

pascit amore avidos inhians in te, dea, visus

eque tuo pendet resupini spiritus ore.

Hunc tu, diva, tuo recubatem corpore sancto

circumfixa super, suavis ex ore loquellas

funde petens placida Romanis, incluta, pacem.

(Tutus Lucretius Carus, De Rerum Natura, Liber I, vv. 31-40)  

TRANSLATION:

 For thou alone hast powet with public peace

to aid mortality; since he who rules

the savage works of battle, puissant Mars,

how often to thy bosom flings his strenght

O’ermastered by the eternal wound of love

And there, with and full throat backward thrown,

gazing, my Goddess, open mouthed at thee,

pastures on love his greedy sight, his breath

hanging upon thy lips. Him thus reclined

fill with thy holy body, round, above!

Pour from those lips soft syllables to win

Peace for the Romans, glorious Lady, peace!