Q. HORATII FLACCI CARMINUM LIBER III. CARMEN I Felicitatem in honoribus ac divitiis pofitam non effe. O DI profanum vulgus, et arceò. Virginibus puerifque canto, Regum timendorum in proprios greges, Reges in ipfos imperium eft Jovis, Clari Giganteo triumpho, Cuncta fupercilio moventis. 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 Omne capax movet urna nomen. Non avium citharæque cantus Somnum reducent. Somnus agreftium Faftidit, umbrofamque ripam, 10 35 20 Non Zephyris agitata Tempe. Defiderantem quod fatis eft, neque do 25 Tumultuofum folicitat mare, Nec fævus Arcturi cadentis Non verberate grandine vineæ, Fundufque mendax; arbore nunc aquas Culpante, nunc torrentia agros Sidera, nunc hiemes iniquas. Contracta pifces æquora fentiunt, Cum famulis, dominufque terræ Faftidiofus. Sed timor et minæ Scandunt eodem quo dominus.: 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, Vitis, Achæmeniumque coftum ; CARMEN II. AD AMICO S. 45 Bellicam fortitudinem, probitatem, et arcani fidem AN commendat. NGUSTAM, amici, pauperiem pati 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 Per medias rapit ira cædes. Dulce et decorum eft pro patria mori. Divitias onerofiores. Bentl. Mors |