Rejoicing games and festal days, Whilst strife shall cease. Then (if my verse can ought prevail) And bless the day's thrice-happy gale peace. And as the triumph swells along, Rome echoes the triumphant song; Whilst to the bounteous gods belong Each solemn rite. Ten bulls shall your fit offering be,- In heaven's sight; Whose horns are like a crescent now; Save where a spot adorns his brow ODE VI. AD APOLLINEM. DIVE, quem proles Niobea magnæ Cæteris major, tibi miles impar; Ille, mordaci velut icta ferro Pinus, aut impulsa cupressus Euro, Procidit late, posuitque collum in Pulvere Teucro. Ille non, inclusus equo Minervæ Sacra mentito, male feriatos Troas et lætam Priami choreis Falleret aulam; Sed palam captis gravis (heu nefas, heu) Nescios fari pueros Achivis ODE VI. TO APOLLO. PHŒBUS, submission hast thou wrung From her who swell'd with boastful tongue : Huge Tityus thine arrows stung ; Achilles, too, Though o'er the Grecian hosts he shone, Caused Troy to rue. He fell-like cedar or like pine, When woodman's strokes or winds combine; Then did his stately neck recline 'Mid Trojan dust. His part was not deceit, but force; Abusing trust: But openly-O harsh and stern! 1 Niobe. Ureret flammis, etiam latentes Matris in alvo: Ni, tuis victus Venerisque gratæ Rebus Æneæ potiore ductos Alite muros. Doctor argutæ fidicen Thaliæ Phoebe, qui Xantho lavis amne crines, Dauniæ defende decus Camœnæ, Lævis Agyieu. Spiritum Phoebus mihi, Phœbus artem Carminis, nomenque dedit poetæ. Virginum primæ, puerique claris Patribus orti, Deliæ tutela deæ, fugaces Lyncas et cervos cohibentis arcu, Pollicis ictum; Rite Latonæ puerum canentes, Volvere menses. Nupta jam dices; Ego Dis amicum, Sæculo festas referente luces, Reddidi carmen, docilis modorum Vatis Horatî. E'en babes unborn in one vast urn Form'd by the walls; Had not great Jove afforded rest, In distant halls. Phoebus!-to whom Thalia looks Whose locks are steep'd in Xanthus' brooks, Phoebus! defend with favouring looks The Latian Muse. Phoebus to me the poet's thought, The poet's art, and name hath brought ;- My beating thumb, this Sapphic strain, Chases the deer: Latona's son with joy resound; She 'tis who makes the earth abound, And rolls the year. A happy bride, some maid will say"Part took I on that festal day When to the gods I sang a lay To Horace dear." F |