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Q. HORATII FLACCI

CARMINUM

LIBER III.

CARMEN I

Felicitatem in honoribus ac divitiis pofitam non effe.

O

DI profanum vulgus, et arceò.
Favete linguis: carmina non prius
Audita, Mufarum facerdos,

Virginibus puerifque canto,

Regum timendorum in proprios greges,

Reges in ipfos imperium eft Jovis,

Clari Giganteo triumpho,

Cuncta fupercilio moventis.

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T HIRD BOOK

COF THE

O D E S

OF

HORA C E.

ODE I.

That happiness confifts not in honour and riches.

Abominate the uninitiated vulgar, and drive them off. Give a religious attention: I, the

prieft of the inufes, fing to virgins and boys verfes not heard before. The dominion of dread fovereigns is only over their own fubjects*, that of Jupiter, glorious for his conqueft over the giants, who fhakes all nature with his nod, is over fove

reigns

Literally flocks. Homer is fond of terming kings fhepherds of the people. Thus the true GOD entitles himfelf the thepherd of his people, and them the sheep of his pafture: the expreffion thereof is not too low for the pomp of the strophe, agreeably to the charge of a late ingenious editor of cur author.

Eft, ut viro vir latius ordinet
Arbufta fulcis: hic generofior du
Defcendat in campum petitor;
Moribus hic, meliorque fama
Contendat; illi turba clientium
Sit major. qua lege neceffitas
Sortitur infignes et imos:

Omne capax movet urna nomen.
Diftrictus enfis cui fuper impia
Cervice pendet, non Sicula dapes
Dulcem elaborabunt faporem ;

Non avium citharæque cantus

Somnum reducent. Somnus agreftium
Lenis virorum non humiles domos

Faftidit, umbrofamque ripam,

10

35

20

Non Zephyris agitata Tempe. Defiderantem quod fatis eft, neque do 25 Tumultuofum folicitat mare,

Nec fævus Arcturi cadentis
Impetus, aut orientis Hædi;

Non verberate grandine vineæ,

Fundufque mendax; arbore nunc aquas

Culpante, nunc torrentia agros

Sidera, nunc hiemes iniquas.

Contracta pifces æquora fentiunt,
Jactis in altum molibus: huc frequens.
Cementa demittit redemtor

Cum famulis, dominufque terræ

Faftidiofus. Sed timor et minæ

Scandunt eodem

quo dominus.:
: neque

Decedit ærata triremi; et

Poft equitem fedet atra cura.

Efto ut viro. Bentl.

35

40

Quod

to

reigns themselves. It happens that one man plants trees, in regular rows, to a greater extent than another: this man comes down into the Campus Martius as a candidate of a better family, while another vies with him for morals and a better reputation: a third has a fuperior number of dependants; but death, by the impartial law of nature, is allotted both the confpicuous and obfcure: the capacious urn keeps every name in motion. Sicilian dainties will not force a delicious relish * that man, over whofe impious neck the naked fword impends: the fongs of birds or the lyre will not restore his fleep. Sleep difdains not the humble cottages and fhady bank of peasants, he dif dains not Tempe, fann'd by zephyrs. Him, who defires but a competency, neither the tempeftuous fea renders anxious, nor the malign violence of Arcturus fetting, or of the rifing kid; not his vineyards beaten down with hail, and a deceitful farm, his plantations at one feafon blaming the rains, at another, the influence of the conftellations parching the grounds, at another, fevere winters difturb him. The fishes perceive the feas contracted by the vaft foundations that have been laid into the deep: hither numerous undertakers, with their men, and lords difdainful of the land, fend down mortar: but anxiety, and the threats of confcience, afcend by the fame way as the poffeffor, nor does gloomy care depart from the brazen-beaked galley, and the mounts behind the horfeman. Seeing then VOL. I. neither

N

Alluding to the story of Damocles.

Quod, fi dolentem nec Phrygius lapis,
Nec purpurarum fidere clarior
Delenit ufus, nec Falerna

Vitis, Achæmeniumque coftum ;
Cur invidendis poftibus, et novo
Sublime ritu moliar atrium?
Cur valle permutem Sabina
Divitias operofiores.*?

CARMEN II.

AD AMICO S.

45

Bellicam fortitudinem, probitatem, et arcani fidem

AN

commendat.

NGUSTAM, amici, pauperiem pati
Robuftus acri militia puer

Condifcat; et Parthos feroces

Vexet, eques metuendus hafta; Vitamque fub dio, et trepidis agat In rebus. Illum ex manibus hofticis Matrona bellantis tyranni

Profpiciens, et adulta virgo,

Sufpiret, Eheu! ne rudis agminum

Sponfus laceffat regius afperum
Tactu leonem, quem cruenta

Per medias rapit ira cædes.

Dulce et decorum eft pro patria mori.

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Divitias onerofiores. Bentl.

Mors

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