CARMEN VII. AD TORQUATUM. Illum propofita mortis neceffitate, ad hilariter jucundeque vivendum invitet. IFFUGERE nives: redeunt jam gramina D campis, Arboribufque comae ! Mutat terra vices; et decrefcentia ripas Flumina praetereunt: Gratia cum Nymphis geminifque fororibus audet 5. Ducere nuda choros. Immortalia ne fperes, monet annus, et [a] almum Frigora mitefcunt Zephiris; ver proterit aeftas, Pomifer autumnus fruges effuderit; et mox Bruma recurrit iners. Damna tamen celeres reparant coeleftia lunae : ΙΟ Quo[b]pius Aeneas, quo Tullus, dives et Ancus 15 Pulvis et umbra fumus. Quis fcit an adjiciant hodiernae craftina fummae ODE VII. To TORQUATUS. By reprefenting to him the certainty of death, he exborts him to live in a chearful and a joyous manner. THE * HE fnows are diffolved away, the herbage now returns to the fields, and the leaves to the trees. The earth changes her viciffitudes, and the decreasing rivers glide along their banks: the elder grace, together with the nymphs, and her two fifters, dares now naked to lead up the dance. That you are not to expect things permanent here, the year, and the hour that hurries away the agree ble day, fufficiently convinces us. The colds are mitigated by the returning zephyrs; the fummer follows clofe upon the fpring, fhortly to die itself, as foon as fruitful autumn fhall fhed its ftores; and anon fluggith winter returns again. Nevertheless, the quick-revolving moons repair their wainings in the fkies but when we defcend, to thofe regions where the pious Aeneas, where Tullus and the wealthy Ancus have gone before us, we become nothing but duft and fhade. Who knows whether the gods above will add to this day's reckoning the Ipace of to-morrow? Every thing which you fhall indulge in your friendly genius, fhall efcape the greedy hands of your heir. When once, O Torquatus, * There were three graces, Aglaia, Thalia, and Euphrosyne. Cum femel occideris, et de te fplendida Minos Non, Torquate, genus, non te facundia, non te, Infernis neque enim tenebris Diana pudicum Nec Lethaea valet Thefeus abrumpere caro CARMEN VIII AD MARCIUM CENSORINUM. Immortalitatem penes poetas esse. ONAREM pateras, grataque commodus, Donarem tripodas, praemia fortium Graiorum: neque tu peffima munerum 5 Quas aut Parrhafius protulit, aut Scopas; 1 Solers nunc hominem ponere, nunc Deum. 5 Poft quatus, you fhall be dead, and Minos fhall have made his awful dicifions concerning you; not your family, not your eloquence, not even your piety fhall restore you to life. For neither can Diana free the chafte Hippolytus from infernal darkness: nor is Thefeus able to break off the Lethaean fetters from his dear Pirithous. ODE VIII. To MARCIUS CENSORINUS. That the gift of immortality is in the power of the poets. Cenforinus, with liberal heart I would prefent my acquaintance with goblets and beautiful vases of brass: I would prefent them with tripods, which were the rewards of the brave Grecians: nor will you bear off the meanest of my donations, if ever I become rich in those pieces of art, which either Parrhafias or Scopas produced; the latter in ftatuary, the former in liquid colours, eminent to portray at one time the image of a man, at another that of a God. But I have no store of this fort, nor do circumstances or inclination require any fuch curiofities as these. You delight in verses: verfes I can give, and set a value on the donation. Not marbles engraved with public infcriptions, by the means of which breath your * and Cenforinus was very wealthy, and confequently was fufficiently provided with elegant furniture. Poft mortem ducibus; non celeres fugae; 15 20 25 CARMEN |