Jam Fides, et Pax, et Honos, Pudorque Audet; apparetque beata pleno Augur, et fulgente decorus arcu Phoebus, acceptusque novem Camenis, Si Palatinas videt æquus arces, Quæque Aventinum tenet Algidumque, Hæc Jovem sentire, deosque cunctos, Dicere laudes. latent signification, healer of the pains and wounds of the civil wars. Possibly all these attributes may have been symbolised in the pedestal of the statue, or on the walls of the Palatine temple, to which direct reference is made in the following stanza. * Quindecim-virorum,' the elect Fifteen who had the custody of the Sibyl books, the charge of the Secular games and solemnities, and in fact, were the priesthood of Apollo.-See Smith's Dictionary, art. 'Ludi Sæculares.' BOOK IV.-ODE I. Franke, in his 'Fasti Horatiani,' assumes the first three books of the Odes to have been composed between ÂU.C. 724 and 730, in which latter year, or in the beginning of 731, they were given to the public, in the interval between Horace's thirty-eighth and forty-first year. Horace then appears to have devoted himself chiefly to his Epistles, and not to have published the Fourth Book of Odes till A.U.C. 741, when he was in his fifty-second year. It is said that Augustus had expressed a desire for its publication, as comprising the odes (iv. and xiv.) in honour of the victories of Drusus and Tiberius. These two odes are indeed unexcelled, even by the finest in the three preceding books; nor are most of the others below the standard of Horace's matured Wars long suspended, now Urgest thou, Venus? Spare! O spare! I pray; I am not what I was Under the reign of good Queen Cinara. Mother of loves so sweet, Thyself so cruel, cease to subject him Whom the tenth lustre finds No longer pliant to thy soft commands: Go where, with blandishing prayers, genius. Youth calls thee back; hearts easier kindled seek, And, borne on purple wings, Greet Paullus Maximus in banquet hours. If, as Estré observes ('Horat. Prosop.'), this be the Paullus Fabius Maximus who was consul A.U.C. 743, the words centum artium puer' could scarcely be applied to him, even in the widest sense in which the poets took the word 'puer' or 'juvenis.' In fact he could not well have been younger than Horace. On the other hand, if, as some com genius. The first ode was, he says himself, written in his fiftieth year. Macleane, in common with some other commentators, conjectures that it may have been an imitation from the Greek, and adds, 'that he may have published it to fill up his book, not as a prologue to it, as many of the chronologists say,-for what is there in this ode that bears. that character?' Not much, indeed, unless Horace wished to apprise his readers that they are not to expect in this book the lighter gallantries which had place in the former books. This book, indeed, only contains two love-poems besides the first-viz., the tenth and the eleventh; and one is glad to think that the tenth (omitted in the translation) was merely an artistic imitation or translation from the Greek. CARM. I. Intermissa, Venus, diu Rursus bella moves? Parce, precor, precor. Sub regno Cinaræ. Desine, dulcium Mater sæva Cupidinum, Circa lustra decem flectere mollibus Jam durum imperiis: abi, Quo blandæ juvenum te revocant preces. Tempestivius in domum Paulli, purpureis ales oloribus, Si torrere jecur quæris idoneum : mentators, including Ritter, suppose, it was the son of this P. Maximus and the friend of Ovid who is meant, he would, it is true, have only been about twenty; but how could the line pro sollicitis non tacitus reis,' which refers to his eloquence as an advocate, apply to a youth of that age? Noble and fair is he; Nor his the lips to pleading suitors mute; Youth of a hundred arts To bear thy conquering standards wide and far; Whene'er some rival, rich In gifts, he conquers, laughing, he shall place, By Alban waters, under citron roofs, Imaged in marble, Thee. There shalt thou take delight In spiced balms, and songs commingled sweet With Berecynthian fife And lyre-nor silent be the fluten reed. There, twice a-day, shall youths Choral with tender maidens, chant thy name, As thrice, in Salian dance, Quakes the green sod to feet that twinkle white. Me youth nor maid allures, Nor the hope credulous of mutual hearts, I wreathe my brows with vernal flowers no more. Namque et nobilis, et decens, Et pro sollicitis non tacitus reis, Et centum puer artium Late signa feret militiæ tuæ : Et, quandoque potentior Largi muneribus riserit æmuli, Albanos prope te lacus Ponet marmoream, sub trabe citrea. Illic plurima naribus Duces thura, lyræque et Berecyntiæ Delectabere tibiæ Mixtis carminibus, non sine fistula. Illic bis pueri die Numen cum teneris virginibus tuum Laudantes, pede candido In morem Salium ter quatient humum. Me nec femina nec puer Jam nec spes animi credula mutui, Nec certare juvat mero, Nec vincire novis tempora floribus. Sed cur heu, Ligurine, cur Manat rara meas lacrima per genas? Cur facunda parum decoro Inter verba cadit lingua silentio ? Nocturnis ego somniis Jam captum teneo, jam volucrem sequor Te per gramina Martii Campi, te per aquas, dure, volubiles. |