ODE X.

AD MERCURIUM.

MERCURI facunde, nepos Atlantis, Qui feros cultus hominum recentum Voce formasti catus, et decoræ

More palæstræ ;

Te canam magni Jovis et Deorum Nuntium, curvæque lyræ parentem ; Callidum, quicquid placuit jocoso

Condere furto.

Te, boves olim nisi reddidisses
Per dolum amotas, puerum minaci
Voce dum terret, viduus pharetrâ

Risit Apollo.

Quin et Atreidas, duce te, superbos Ilio, dives Priamus, relicto, Thessalosque ignes, et iniqua Trojæ

Castra fefellit.

Tu pias lætis animas reponis
Sedibus ; virgâque levem coerces
Aureâ turbam, superis Deorum

Gratus et imis.

ODE X.

TO MERCURY.

O Mercury, from Atlas sprung,
Persuasive god! whose artful tongue
Polish'd rude men, with labour wrung,

And graceless left;

Sly messenger of gods in heaven,
By whom the lyre to men was given,
Thee will I sing, who ne'er wast driven

To own a theft.

Thee, when a boy, Apollo spurn'd“If th’ oxen were not all return'd But wrath of his no longer burn'd,

His quiver lost !

Moreover, by thy powerful aid,
Priam eluded ambuscade,
When through Greek camps his way he made,

All safely cross'd.

Driving thy airy company
With golden wand, thou sett'st them free;
Above, below, the gods hold thee

At highest cost.

ODE XII.

AD AUGUSTUM.

Deos et Heroas primum, dein Augustum laudat.

Quem virum, aut heroa, lyrâ vel acri
Tibiâ sumes celebrare, Clio?
Quem Deum ? Cujus recinet jocosa

Nomen imago

Aut in umbrosis Heliconis oris,
Aut super Pindo, gelidove in Hæmo?
Unde vocalem temere insecutæ

Orphea sylvæ,

Arte maternâ rapidos morantem
Fluminum lapsus, celeresque ventos,
Blandum et auritas fidibus canoris

Ducere quercus.

Quid prius dicam solitis parentis
Laudibus ; qui res hominum ac Deorum,
Qui mare et terras, variisque mundum

Temperat horis?

Unde nil majus generatur ipso ;
Nec viget quicquam simile, aut secundum :
Proximos illi tamen occupavit

Pallas honores.

ODE XII.

TO AUGUSTUS.

What man or hero shall inspire,
O Clio, thy resounding lyre?
What god ?-whom echo's sportive choir

Shall sing again?

On Hæmus, or in Helicon,
Or Pindus' lofty tops upon

? From whence the woods rush'd wildly on

At Orpheus' strain :

When he display'd his mother's skill,
The rapid waves and winds stood still ;
Whilst listening oaks obey'd his will,

And follow'd near.

What can I justly celebrate
Before Jove's praises, -parent great
Of men and gods, who rules by fate

The varied year?

Than whom none greater e'er was made,All would-be rivals seek the shade ; Though Pallas in the nearest grade

Exalted stands.

Proeliis audax, neque te silebo,
Liber, et sævis inimica virgo
Belluis : : nec te metuende certâ,

Phoebe, sagittà.

Dicam et Alciden, puerosque Ledæ ;
Hunc equis, illum superare pugnis
Nobilem :
: quorum simul alba nautis

Stella refulsit,

Defluit saxis agitatus humor;
Concidunt venti, fugiuntque nubes,
Et minax (quod sic voluere) ponto

Unda recumbit.

Romulum post hos prius, an quietum
Pompilî regnum memorem, an superbos
Tarquinî fasces, dubito, an Catonis

Nobile letum.

Regulum, et Scauros', animæque magnæ
Prodigum Paulum, superante Pono,
Gratus insigni referam Camoenâ,

Fabriciumque.

Hunc et incomptis Curium capillis
Utilem bello tulit, et Camillum

i I have not been careful to make mention here of the Scauri ; for though they are in this place introduced by Horace among the illustrious sons of Rome, it seems that both father and son gained