Hoc igitur, quo tu Jovis aurem impellere tentas,
Dic agedum Staio: pro Jupiter ô bone, clamet.
Jupiter! at sese non clamet Jupiter ipse ?
Ignovisse putas, quia cum tonat, ocyus ilex
Sulfure discutitur sacro, quam tuque, domusque?
An quia non fibris ovium, Ergennaque jubente,
Triste jaces lucis, evitandumque bidental,
Idcirco stolidam præbet tibi vellere barbam
Jupiter? aut quidnam est, qua tu mercede Deorum
Emeris auriculas? pulmone, et lactibus unctis ?
Ecce avia, aut metuens divum matertera, cunis
Exemit puerum, frontemque, atque uda labella
Infami digito, et. lustralibus ante salivis
Expiat, urentes oculos inhibere perita.

Tunc manibus quatit, et spem macram supplice voto
Nunc Licini in campos, nunc Crassi mittit in ædes.
Hunc optent generum rex et regina: puellæ

But do you hope, that Jove will lend an ear

To prayers, which Staius would refuse to hear?
Do you believe that Heaven at you connived,
Because its lightnings flew, and you survived:
Because o'er you the thunder harmless broke,
While the red vengeance struck the blasted oak?
Do you conclude that you may mock your God,
Because his mercy still hath spared the rod;
Because no silent grove's unhallow'd gloom

By mortals shunn'd hath yet conceal'd your tomb,
Where, in last expiation of the dead,

The augur worshipp'd, and the victim bled?

What are the bribes with which Jove's ear you win, Excusing guilt, and palliating sin?

Will prayer do this? will vows your pardon gain?

While entrails smoke, and fatted lambs are slain?
Lo, from his cradle, all his parents' joy,
The superstitious grandam lifts the boy;
Well skill'd the lines of destiny to trace,
She bathes his eyes, with spittle daubs his face,
Lays the mid-finger on his little brow,
Extends her hands, and meditates the vow.
In her quick thought Licinius quits his fields,
And wealthy Crassus his possessions yields.

"Let every bliss, sweet child of hope, be thine,

Bright stars beam on thee, and mild planets shine. "Let rival monarchs bow to thee the head,

"And queens design thee for their daughters' bed.

Hunc rapiant: quicquid calcaverit hic, rosa fiat.
Ast ego nutrici non mando vota : negato
Jupiter hæc illi, quamvis te albata rogarit.
Poscis opem nervis, corpusque fidele senectæ :
Esto, age: sed grandes patina, tucetaque crassa
Annuere his superos vetuêre, Jovemque morantur.
Rem struere exoptas caso bove, Mercuriumque
Arcessis fibra da fortunare penates,

Da pecus, et gregibus fœtum, quo, pessime, pacto,
Tot tibi in flammis junicum omenta liquescant?
Et tamen hic extis, et opimo vincere ferto
Intendit: jam crescit ager, jam crescit ovile,
Jam dabitur, jamjam: donec deceptus, et exspes
Nequicquam fundo suspiret nummus in imo.
Si tibi crateras argenti, incusaque pingui
Auro dona feram, sudes, et pectore lævo
Excutias guttas, lætari prætrepidum cor:
Hinc illud subiit, auro sacras quòd ovato
Perducis facies, nam fratres inter ahenos,

"To thee their charms may blooming nymphs expose,
"And still thy footsteps press the springing rose."
May never nurse with drawling canting whine,
Invoke such blessings on a child of mine!
But if she should, good Jove, the infant spare,
Though robed in white she shall prefer her prayer!
You ask strong nerves, age that is fresh and hale:
'Tis well; go on. But how shall you prevail?
For were great Jove himself to give his nod,
Your feasts and revels would defeat the god.
You sigh for wealth, the frequent ox is slain,
And bribes are offer'd to the god of gain.
For flocks and herds to household gods you cry;
Why then, you fool, do daily victims die?
Yet does this man the wearied gods assail,

And thinks by dint of offerings to prevail :

Now 'tis the field, and now the fold which teems, Hope rests on hope, and schemes are built on schemes;

Until at length, deserted and alone,

In the deep chest the last sad farthing groan.

If to you e'er a present richly wrought,
If silver cups and golden gifts I brought,

Your eager hand would grasp at the decoy,

And your light heart would dance with hope and joy.
Hence, to the shrine with splendid bribes you run,
In triumph carried, but by rapine won.

And now each brazen brother's power you know,
In bringing fortune, and averting woe.

D

Somnia pituita qui purgatissima mittunt,
Præcipui sunto, sitque illis aurea barba.
Aurum, vasa Numæ, Saturniaque impulit æra,
Vestalesque urnas, et Tuscum fictile mutat.
O curvæ in terris animæ, et cœlestium inanes !
Quid juvat hoc, templis nostros immittere mores,
Et bona dies ex hac scelerata ducere pulpa ?
Hæc sibi corrupto casiam dissolvit olivo:
Et Calabrum coxit vitiato murice vellus:
Hæc baccam concha rasisse, et stringere venas
Ferventis massæ crudo de pulvere jussit.
Peccat et hæc, peccat: vitio tamen utitur : at vos
Dicite pontifices, in sancto quid facit aurum?
Nempe hoc, quod Veneri donatæ à virgine puppæ.
Quin damus id superis, de magna quod dare lance
Non possit magni Messala lippa propago: