est deus in nobis, agitante calescimus illo; impetus hic sacrae semina mentis habet

[Insomniac Jack]

I am planning to get a tattoo of my favorite Ovid quote and I want to make sure I have it right. I have about 4 years of Latin experience but I'd love a second opinion. The quote is from Fasti 6.5, it reads:

"est deus in nobis, agitante calescimus illo; impetus hic sacrae semina mentis habet"

I would translate it as:

"There is a god within us. His stirrings keep us warm and it is his impulse that sows the seeds of inspiration."

This quote has appeared in poems by Ezra Pound and Spenser so I have been able to see a wide variety of translations. I am using the Latin version for the tattoo. What do you think? Any feedback or suggestions?

 

[Adrian]

I would translate it as :
there is god in us, by whose movement we are inflamed; this impulse holds the seeds of sacred mind.

 

[Cambrinus]

I think that Adrian's translation of the first part is fine; your translation, IJ, of the second part is better, in Ovid's context.

 

[Manus Correctrix]

His stirrings keep us warm and it is his impulse that sows the seeds of inspiration.

Seems a bit free.

 

[Cambrinus]

there is god in us, by whose movement we are inflamed; it is his impulse that sows the seeds of inspiration. 'Free' is a relative term. Given that Ovid is talking about the genesis or mechanism of poetic inspiration, I do not think it is too free.