Prayer to Ceres

From Tibullus' first elegy — the one that sets out his whole programme: poverty, the countryside, quiet instead of military service.

The gift offered is exactly within his means: a garland of ears of corn "from our field", to hang before the temple doors. Not a hecatomb and not gold — what grew on the petitioner's own land.

This is Tibullus entire. What matters to him is that the gift is his own and not bought, and that it is small. Later in the elegy he will list the other offerings of the same order: a bunch of grapes, ears of corn, a wreath — and a wooden Priapus guarding the garden.

To the gods of rural poverty one brings what those gods themselves gave. The circle closes, and the exchange comes out honest.