Catus idem per apertum fugientes agitato

Grege cervos jaculari et celer alto latitantem

Fruticeto excipere aprum.

XIII. AD FONTEM BANDUSIAE.

O FONS Bandusiae, splendidior vitro,

Dulci digne mero, non sine floribus,

Cras donaberis haedo,

Cui frons turgida cornibus

Primis et Venerem et proelia destinat,

Frustra: nam gelidos inficiet tibi

Rubro sanguine rivos

Lascivi suboles gregis.

Noxious days of dog-star flagrant
Nigh thee cannot come: tis thine
Pleasant chill to offer to vagrant
Sheep, and plough-wearied kine.

Mid noble fountains, moreover,

Shalt thou rank, now that I the holm sing
Whose branches the hollow stones cover
Whence thy garrulous waters down spring.

Written on the return of Augustus after closing the Cantabrian War. His return had been delayed by illness at Terracina.

CAESAR, of late declared by you, O people,
Hercules-like to be in quest of laurels

Sold at death's price, comes from the Spanish seaboard
Homeward, victorious.

Let the wife, then, to him alone devoted,

Forth come, our just gods' ritual observing,

And the great general's sister; and, adorned with
Suppliant fillets,

Mothers of virgins, and of youths in safety
Newly restored. Ye sons, and ye, O daughters
Recently wed, beware ye well of using

Words of ill omen.

Te flagrantis atrox hora Caniculae Nescit tangere: tu frigus amabile Fessis vomere tauris

Praebes, et pecori vago.

Fies nobilium tu quoque fontium,
Me dicente cavis impositam ilicem
Saxis unde loquaces
Lymphae desiliunt tuae.

XIV. AD ROMANOS.

HERCULIS ritu modo dictus, o plebs,
Morte venalem petiisse laurum,

Caesar Hispana repetit penates
Victor ab ora.

Unico gaudens mulier marito,
Prodeat, justis operata sacris:
Et soror clari ducis, et decorae
Supplice vitta

Virginum matres, juvenumque nuper Sospitum: vos o pueri, et puellae Jam virum expertae, male ominatis Parcite verbis.

This, to myself true festal day, shall banish
Sombre chagrin. No fear will I of tumult
Have, nor of death by violence, while Caesar
Is the world's master.

Go, boy, and seek for perfumes and for garlands,
And for wine-jar, mindful of Marsic contest,
If perchance such there be that has eluded
Spartacan pillage.

Bid, too, melodious Neaera hasten

In a neat knot to bind her auburn tresses:
Though, if grim porter offer to delay you,
Come away quickly.

Whitening hairs the froward temper soften,
Howsoe'er fond of strife and bitter wrangling.
This I had borne not in my fiery youth when
Plancus was consul.

Horace here appears in one of his least creditable moods, though one in which he was rather fond of indulging.

WIFE, you, of needy Ibycus,

To your iniquities and habits infamous

Put now at length a tardy end.

Since into timely grave full soon you must descend,

Hic dies vere mihi festus atras
Eximet curas: ego nec tumultum,
Nec mori per vim metuam, tenente
Caesare terras.

I pete unguentum, puer, et coronas,
Et cadum Marsi memorem duelli;
Spartacum si qua potuit vagantem
Fallere testa.

Dic et argutae properet Neaerae
Murreum nodo cohibere crinem:
Si per invisum mora janitorem
Fiet, abito.

Lenit albescens animos capillus
Litium et rixae cupidos protervae.

Non ego hoc ferrem, calidus juventa,
Consule Planco.

XV. AD CHLORIM.

UXOR pauperis Ibyci,

Tandem nequitiae fige modum tuae

Famosisque laboribus:

Maturo propior desine funeri