the mounts behind the horfeman. Seeing then neither the Phrygian marble, nor the use of purple more dazzling than the fun,* nor the Falernian vine, nor the Perfian perfume, compofes a troubled mind, why fhould I fet about a lofty edifice with envy exciting columns, and in the modern taste? Why fhould I exchange my Sabine vale for wealth, that is attended with more trouble. ODE II. To his FRIENDS. He praises military bravery, probity, and fidelity in the keeping of a fecret. E T the robust youth, my friends, learn to en dure pinching want in the active exercise of arms, and an expert horfeman, dreadful for his fpear, let him harafs the fierce Parthians; and let him lead a life expofed to the open air, and in familiarity with dangers. Him, the confort and marriageable virgin-daughter of fome warring tyrant, viewing from the hoftile walls, may fighalas! left the royal.hufband, unacquainted with the state of the battle, fhould provoke by a touch this terrible lion, whom rage hurries through the midst of flaughter. It is fweet and glorious to die It is prefumed that commentators upon this paffage might have fucceeded better, had they remembered Seneca's expreflion, "clarum mundi fidus," speaking of the fun. The fun, in many languages, is frequently and emphatically termed the Star. "Clarior," here rendered dazzling, refers not at all to the colour of purple, but only to the use of it as a badge of dignity and office. Which he spreads wherever he goes. Mors et fugacem perfequitur [a] virum; Virtus, repulfe [b] nefcia fordida, Virtus, recludens immeritis mori Eft et fideli tuta filentio Sit trabibus, fragilemque mecum 15 26 25 30 CARMEN [a] Fugacem profequitur virum. Confequitur virum. BENTL. [b] Nefcia fordidæ, incontaminatis fulget. die for one's country: death even purfues the man that flies from him; nor does he fpare the trembling knees of effeminated youth, nor the coward back. Virtue, unknowing of bafe repulfe,* fhines with immaculate honours; nor does fhe affume or lay afide the enfigns of her dignity, at the capricious veering of popular air. Virtue, throwing open heaven to those who deferve not to die, directs her progrefs through paths of difficulty, and spurns with a rapid wing groveling crouds, and the flabby earth. There is likewife a fure reward for faithful filence. I will prohibit that man, who fhall divulge the facred rites of myfterious+ Ceres, from being under the fame roof with me, or from fetting fail with me in the fame precarious veffel: for Jupiter, when he is flighted, often joins a good man in the fame fate with a bad one. It is feldom that punifhment, though lame of foot, hath failed to overtake a villain. ODE * Virtue, as independent of factions and parties, can fuffer no dimunition of its native honours by popular caprice. Cato's virtues are here fuppofed to be alluded to, and how did they "Thro' the dark cloud of ills that cover'd him, "Break out, and burn with more triumphant brightness!" + The Eleufinian myfteries, fo named from Eleufus, in Attica, where they were celebrated. CARMEN III. Auguftum, ne fedem imperii Trojam transferat, clam dehortatur. JUSTUM, et tenacem propofiti virum Non civium ardor prava jubentium, Non vultus inftantis tyranni Mente quatit folida, neque Auster Dux inquieti turbidus Adriæ, Nec fulminantis magna Jovis manus: Hac arte Pollux, et vagus Hercules Hac te merentem, Bacche pater, tuæ Collo trahentes: hac Quirinus Gratum elocuta confiliantibus In pulverem, ex quo deftituit Deos [a] Innifus, arces attigit. Ennifus arces. BENTL. 5 15 20 Jam [b] Patris equis. EARTHIUS. [c] Damnatam Minerva. BENTL. ODE III. He privately diffuades Auguftus from any thoughts of transferring the feat of empire to Troy. NOT the rage of the people preffing to hurtful measures,,not the afpect of a threatening ty rant, can shake from his fettled purpose, the man that is just and determined in his refolution; nor ⚫ can the fouth wind, that tumultuous ruler of the restless Adriatic, nor can the mighty hand of thundering Jupiter: if a crushed world fhould fall in upon him, the ruins would strike him undismayed. By this means Pollux, by this the wandering Her- cules, arrived at the starry citadels: amongst whom Auguftus hath now taken his place, and quaffs nectar with impus pled lips. Thee, Ofather Bacchus, meritorious for this virtue, thy tygers carried, drawing the yoke with indocile neck; by this Romulus efcaped Acheron (death) on the horses of Mars. Juno fpoke what the Gods in full council approved: "Troy, Troy, a fatal and lewd judge, * and a foreign woman,† have reduced to alhes, condemned, together with its inhabitants and fraudulent prince; to me and the chafte Minerva, ever fince Laomedon difappointed the gods of the ftipulated reward. Now neither the infamous VOL. I. * gueft Alluding to the judgment of Paris. Helen. Apollo and Neptune, for building the walls of Troy. The origin of the fable is fuppofed to have been, his bore rowing money out of the temples of thofe two gods, which he never returned. |