CARMEN XXIX. AD MECENATE M. Invitat ad frugalem coenam, et ut anxias de rebus futuris curas omittat, fapienter admonet. TYRR YRRHENA regum progenies, tibi Jamdudum apud me eft. eripe te morae: Declive contempleris arvum, et Faftidiofam defere copiam, et Fumum et opes ftrepitumque Romae. Plerumque gratae divitibus vices; undaeque parvo fub lare pauperum Coenae, fine aulaeis et oftro, Solicitam explicuere frontem. Jam clarus occultum Andromedae pater Sole dies referente ficcos. Jam paftor umbras cum grege languido 'Rivumque feffus quaerit, et horridi ODE XXIX. To MECE NA S. He invites him to a frugal entertainment, and wifely admonishes him to lay afide all anxious cares about futurity. Mæcenas, thou progeny of Tufcan kings, there has been a long while for you in my house fome mellow wine in an unbroached hogfhead, with rofe-flowers and expreffed effence for your hair. Difengage yourself from any thing that may retard you, nor continually contemplate the marshy Tibur, and the floping fields of Aefula, and the hills of Telegonus f the parricide. Leave abundance, which is the fource of daintinefs, and yon pile of buildings approaching near the lofty clouds: ceafe to admire the fmoak and opulence and noise of flourishing Rome. A change is frequently agreeable to the rich, and a cleanly meal in the little cottage of the poor hath fmoothed an anxious brow without carpets or purple. Now the bright father † of Andromeda difplays his hidden fire; now Procyon rages, and the conftellation of the frantic lion, as the fun caufes the thirsty feafon to revolve. Now the weary fhepherd, with his languid flock, feeks the fhade, and the river, and the thickets of rough Silvanus; & the filent bank is free from 5 Telegonus, the founder of Tufculum, accidentally, killed his father. † Cepheus. N Tu, civitatem quis deceat status Bactra parent, Tanaifque (a) difcors. Caliginofa nocte premit Deus; Ridetque, fi mortalis ultra Fas trepidat. quod adeft, memento In mare, nunc lapides adèfos, Stirpefque raptas, et pecus, et domos Volventis una, non fine montium Clamore, vicinaeque filvae ; Cum fera diluvies quietos Irritat amnes. ille potens fui Laetufque deget, cui licet in diem Dixiffe, Vixi: cras vel atra Nube polum Pater occupato, Vel fole puro: non tamen irritum, Quod fugiens femel hora vexit. Nunc mihi, nunc alii benigna. Laudo manentem. fi celeris quatit Pennas, refigno quae dedit, et mea [a] Tanaifque diffors. BENTL. 25 30 35 40 45 50 Virtute from the wavering winds. You regard what conftitution may best fuit the ftate, and are in an anxious dread for Rome, what preparations the Seres, and the Bactrians fubject to Cyrus, and the factious Tanais, are making. The wife gods involve in obfcure darkness the events of the time to come, and laugh if a mortal is over and above folicitous. Be mindful to manage duly that which is present. What remains goes on in the manner of the river, at one time calmly gliding in the middle of its ichannel to the Tufcan fea, at another rolling along corroded ftones, and stumps of trees forced away, and cattle, and houses, not without the noise of echoing mountains and neighbouring woods, when the mercilefs deluge enrages the peaceful waters. That man is master of himself and fhall live happy, who has it in his power to fay, I have lived today to-morrow let father Jupiter inveft the heaven, either with a black cloud, or with clear funfhine; nevertheless he fhall not render ineffectual what is paft, nor change nor annihilate what the fleeting hour has once carried off. Fortune, happy in the execution of her cruel office, and perfifting to play her infolent game, changes uncertain honours, now to me, and by and by indulgent to another. I praife her while fhe abides by me. But if the moves her fleet wings, I refign what fhe has bestowed, and wrap myself up in my 1 Virtute me involvo, proba mque Ne Cypriae Tyriaeque merces CARMEN XXX. Famae perennitatem fibi ab fuis verfibus pollicetur. Quod non imber edax, non Aquilo impotens Lauro cinge volens, Melpomene, comam. [a] Regnator populorum. 55 бо Q. HORA |
