ODE XI. To QUINTIUS HIRPINUS. He endeavours to divert the mind of Quintius from public and private folicitudes, to a tafte for gaiety and enjoyment. Quintius Hirpinus, forbear to be inquifitive what the Cantabrian, and the Scythian, divided from us by the interpofition of the Adriatic, is meditating; neither be fearfully folicitous for the neceffaries of life, which requires but a few things. Youth and beauty fly fwift away, while faplefs old age expels the wanton loves and gentle fleep. The fame glory does not always remain to the vernal flowers, nor does the ruddy moon fhine with one continual afpect: why, therefore, do you fatigue. your mind, unequal to eternal projects? Why do we not rather (while it is in our power) thus carelefsly reclining under a lofty plane-tree, or this pine, with our hoary locks made fragrant with rofes, and anointed with Syrian perfume, indulge ourfelves with generous wine? Bacchus diffipates preying cares. What flave at hand here inftantly to cool fome cups of ardent Falernian in the paffing ftream? Who will tempt the vagrant wanton Lyde from her houfe? See that you bid her haften with her ivory lyre, not staying to drefs her hair, but being content to have it collected into a careless knot after the Spartan fashion. AD MECENATE M. e Licymniæ addiftum non posse ad graviora argumenta adfurgere. NOLLIS longa ferae bella Numantia, Nec dirum [a] Annibalem, nec Siculum mare Nec favos Lapithas, et nimium mero Saturni veteris: tuque pedeftribus Me dulces domina Mufa Licymniæ Quam nec ferre pedem dedecuit choris, Num tu, quæ tenuit dives Achæmenes, Plenas aut Arabum domos? 10 15 20 Dum [a] Nec durum Annibalem. ODE XII. To MECENAS. That he was fo given up to Licymnia, that he cou not rife to more ferious fubjects. Do not infift that the long wars of fierce N mantia, or the formidable Hannibal, or t Sicilian fea, impurpled with Carthaginian bloo fhould be adapted to the tender lays of the lyr nor the cruel Lapithe, nor Hylæus, exceffive wine, and the earth-born youths (giants) fubdu by Herculean force, from whom the fplendid hal tation of old Saturn dreaded danger. And y yourfelf, Mæcenas, with more propriety fhall : count the battles of Cæfar, and the necks of haug ty kings, led in triumph through the ftreets, in h torical profe. It was the mufe's will that I fhot celebrate the sweet strains of my mistress Licymn that I should celebrate her bright-darting ey and her breaft, laudably faithful to mutual lov who can with a grace introduce her foot into t dance, or, fporting, contend in raillery, or join ar: with the tight virgins on the celebrated Dian feftival. Would you, Macenas, change one of cymnia's treffes for all the rich Achæmenes poffe ed, or the Mygdonian wealth of fertile Phrygia, all the dwellings of the Arabians, replete with tr Dum flagrantia [a] detorquet ad ofcula CARMEN XIII. Dire in arborem, cujus cafu pene fuerat obtritus. Perniciem, opprobriumque pagi, 1 Hofpitis: ille venena Colcha, t quidquid ufquam concipitur nefas, In domini caput immerentis uid quifque vitet, nunquam homini fatis autum eft in horas. Navita Bofporum Poenus perhorrefcit, neque ultra Cæca timet aliunde fata; files fagittas et celerem [c] fugam arthi; catenas Parthus et Italum Robur: fed improvifa lethi Vis rapuit rapietque gentes. uam pene furvæ regna Proferpinæ, t judicantem vidimus acum, 25 ·5 10 15 20 Sedef [a] Fragrantia. [b] Illum et HIENS. Illum o. BENTL Et reducem fugam. BENIL. fures? Especially when the turns her neck to meet the ardent kiffes, or with a gentle cruelty denies, what she would more delight to have ravished by the petitioner,-fometimes the eagerly anticipates to fnatch them herself. ODE XIII To the tree, by the fall of which he had like to have been crushed: Tree, he planted you in an inaufpicious hour, whoever did it first, and with an impious hand raifed you to the deftruction of pofterity, and the fcandal of my ground. I could believe that he had broke his own father's neck, and stained his moft fecret apartments with the midnight blood of his gueft. He has practifed the Colchan poifons, and whatever wickedness is any where conceived, who planted in my field thee, a forry log; thee, ready to tumble on the head of thy inoffenfive master. What we ought to be aware of, no man is fufficiently cautious at all hours. The Carthaginian failor thoroughly dreads the Bofphorus; nor, beyond that, does he fear his hidden fate from any other quarter. The foldier dreads the arrows and the expeditious retreat of the Parthian; the Parthian, the chains and force of the Italians: but the unexpected affault of death has carried off, and will carry off the world in general. How near was I feeing the dominions of auburn Proferpine, and Eacus fitting in judgment; the selected manfions .G4 alfo |