CARMEN XXXIV. Fita Palinodia Deorum providentiam prorfus evertit. PARCUS Deorum cultor & infrequens, Infanientis dum fapientiæ Cogor [a] relictos. Namque Diefpiter Plerumque, per purum tonantes Egit equos volucremque currum; Concutitur. Valet ima fummis Suftulit; hic pofuiffe gaudet. 5: 15 [a] Cogor relectos. HIENS. [b] Infignia attenuat. CARMEN ODE XXXIV. In a pretended recantation, he abfolutely overthrows the arguments in favour of the providence of the gods. I WAS an unfrequent and remifs worshipper of the gods, while I professed the errors of a senselefs philofophy; but now I am obliged to fet fail back again, and to renew the course that I had deferted for Jupiter, who ufually cleaves the clouds* with his gleaming lightning, lately drove his thundering horfes and rapid chariot through the clear ferene: at which the fluggish earth, and wand'ring rivers; at which Styx, and the horrid feat of detested Tænarus, and the utmost boundary of Atlas was fhaken. The deity is able to make an exchange between the higheft and loweft, and diminishes the exalted, by bringing to light the obfcure: rapacious fortune, with a fhrill whizzing, hath borne off the plume from one head, and delights in having placed, not fixed, it on another. *It was the opinion of the Epicureans, that thunder was caufed by the collision of one cloud against another. But Horace hearing thunder in a cloudlefs fky, gives up their doctrine. CARMEN XXXV. AD FORTUNAM. Pro republica, Augufto, & Romanis exercitibus deprecatur. DIVA, gratum quæ regis Antium, Præfens vel imo tollere de gradu Mortale corpus, vel fuperbos Verete funeribus triumphos: pauper ambit folicita prece Ruris colonus; te dominam æquoris, Carpathium pelagus carina. Te Dacus afper, te profugi Scythæ, Injuriofo ne pede proruas Stantem columnam; neu populus frequens Ad arma ceffantes, ad arma Concitet, imperiumque frangat. Te femper anteit [a] fæva neceffitas Uncus abeft, liquidumque plumbum. Te Spes, & albo rara Fides colit Vefte domos inimica [b] linquis. At vulgus infidum, & meretrix retro [a] Serva neceffitas. [b] Inimica vertis. BENTL. 5 15 20 25 Per ODE XXXV. To FORTUNE. He prays to her for the commonwealth, Auguftus, and the Roman armies. Goddefs, who prefideft over beautiful Antium; thou that art ready to exalt mortal man from the most abject state; or to convert fuperb triumphs into funerals. Thee the poor countryman folicits with his anxious vows; and whofoever ploughs the Carpathian fea with the Bithynian veffel, importunes thee as mistress of the fea. Thee, the rough Dacian; thee, the wandering Scythians, and cities, and nations; the warlike Latium also, and the mothers of barbarian kings, and tyrants, clad in purple, are in dread of. Spurn not with deftructive foot, that column which now ftands firm, nor let popular tumults rouse those who now reft quiet to arms,—to arms-and break the empire. Inexorable neceffity always marches before you, holding in her brazen hand huge fpikes and wedges, nor is the tormenting hook abfent, or the melted lead. Thee hope re verences and fidelity rare, robed in a white gar ment; nor does the defert thee, howfoever in wrath thou change thy robe and abandon the houfes of the powerful. But the faithlefs crowd of compa E 4 nions These were feveral inftruments of punishment and death, which were feulptured in the temple of Fortune at Antium. Perjura cedit: diffugiunt cadis Ferre jugam pariter dolofi. Serves iturum Cæfarem in ultimos Partibus, Oceanoque rubro. Eheu! cicatricum & fceleris pudet, Liquimus? Unde manum juventus Metu Deorum continuit? Quibus Maffagetas Arabafque ferrum. CARMEN XXXVI. 30 35 40 Plotio Numida fauftum ex Hifpania reditum gratu latur. T thure & fidibus juvat ET Placare, & vituli fanguine débito Cuftodes Numidæ Deos: Qui nunc Hefperia fofpes ab ultima, Nulli plura tamen dividit ofcula, 5 Muta [a] Defingas recufum. |