Obrázky na stránke
PDF
ePub

Quid attinet tot ora
Roftrata duci pondere
Contra latrones atque

ra navium gravi

fervilem manum,

Hoc, hoc tribuno militum ?

esve 20

A

CARMEN V.

V

Pueri in Canidiam veneficam diras

Tô Deorum quidquid in cœlo regit
Terras et humanum genus,

Quid ifte fert tumultus? et quid omnium
Vultus in unum me truces and Isonyhas
Per liberos te, fi vocata partubusoned gems
Lucina veris adfuit,

Per hoc inane purpuræ decus, precor, in oof Per improbaturum hæc Jovember abdloft Quid ut noverca me intueris, aut uti

Petita ferro bellua ?

Ut, hæc trementi queftus ore, conftitit, bod sim

Infignibus raptis, puer,

Impube corpus, quale poffet impia

Mollire Thracum pectora

Canidia brevibus implicata viperis

Crines, et incomtum caput,

[ocr errors]

Jubet fepulchris caprificos erutas, fi Tarun Bor

Jubet cupreffos funebres,

Et uncta turpis ova ranæ fanguine,

Plumamque nocturnæ ftrigis,

Herbafque, quas Iolcos, atque Iberia

Mittit venenorum ferax,

20

هورش در

[ocr errors]

Et

Quidquid in cœlo regis, labenk vi

knight of diftinction To what purpofe is it that fo many brazen-beaked fhips of immenfe bulk fhou'd be led out against pirates and a band of flaves, while this, this fellow is a military tribune?

ODE V.

ضور

The imprecations of a boy against the witch Canidia.

B

OUT, oh whatever power of the Gods rules the earth and human race, what means this tumult? and what the hideous looks of all thefe old bags, fixed upon me alone? I conjure thee by thy children (if invoked Lucina was ever prefent at any real birth of yours), I conjure thee by this empty honour of my * purple, and by Jupiter, who muft difapprove thefe proceedings; why do you look at me like a step-mother, or as a wild beaft ftricken with a dart? While the boy made thefe complaints with a faultering voice, he ftood, with his f badges of diltinction taken from him, a delicate body, fuch as might foften the impious breasts of the favage Thracians: Canidia, having her hair and uncombed head interwoven with little vipers, orders wild fig-trees torn up from groves, orders funereal cypreffes, and eggs befmeared with the gore of a loathfome toad, and feathers of the nocturnal fcreech owl, and thofe herbs, which Iolchos, and Spain, fruitful in poisons, tranf

Bb 3

The toga prætexta, which the children of the

wore, was bordexed with purple.

mits,

nobility

The toga prætext, and the bulla, which latter was a

piece of gold or filver, made in the pape of au beart.

A town in Theffaly.

Et offa ab ore rapta jejuna canis,
Flammis aduri Colchicis."

At expedita Sagana per totam domum
Spargens Avernales aquas,

Horret capillis, ut marinus, afperis,

Echinus, aut *
t currens aper.
Abacta nulla Veia confcientia
Ligonibus duris humum.

25

30

Exhauriebat, ingemens laboribus;

Quo poffet infoffus puer

Longo die bis terve mutata dapis

Inemori fpectaculo;

Cum promineret ore, quantum extant aqua 35

Sufpenfa mento corpora;

Exfucta tuti medulla, et aridum jecur

Amoris effet poculum;

Interminato cum femel fixæ cibo

Intabuiffent pupule.

Non defuiffe mafculæ libidinis

Arminienfem Foliam,

Et otiofa credidit Neapolis,

Et omne vicinum oppidum :

40

Quæ fidera excantata voće Theffala,

45

Hic irrefectum fæva dente livido

Lunamque colo deripit.

Canidia rodens pollicem,

Quid dixit? aut quid tacuit ? O rebus meis

Non infideles arbitræ,

Nox, et Diana, que filentium regis,

Arcana cum fiunt facra;

Aut Laurens aper. Heins.

† Exfecta, exetta, Exefa uti medulla. Heins.

50

Nunc,

mits, and bones, fnatched from the mouth of a hungry bitch, to be burnt in Colchian flames. But Sagana, tucked up for expedition, fprinkling the waters of † Avernus all over the house, briftles up with her rough hair, like a sea-urchin, or a boar purfued. Veia, deterred by no remorfe of confcience, groaning with the toil, dug up the ground with the fharp fpade: where the boy, fixed in, might long be torrmented to death at the fight of food varied two or three times in a day; while he flood out with his face, juft as much as bodies fufpended by the chin in fwimming, project from the water, that his parched marrow and dry'd liver might be a charm for love; when once the pupils of his eyes had wafted away by being fixed on the forbidden food. Both the idle Naples, and every neighbouring town believed, that Folia of Arminium, a witch of mafculine luft, was not abfent from these rites: fhe who with her Theffalian incantations, forces the charmed conftellations and the moon from heaven. Here the fell Canidia, gnawing her unpaired thumb with her livid teeth, what said she? or what did she not fay? Oh ye faithful witneffes to my proceedings, Night, and Diana, who prefides o'er filence, when the fecret myfteries are celebrated; now, now be préfent:

Colebian, fuch as Medea of Colchos made ufe of, that is, according to art.

+ Avernus was a lake in Campania, whofe waters were Beld facred to the infernal Deities,

[ocr errors]

Nunc, nunc adefte: nunc in hoftiles domos

Iram atque numer vertite:
Formidolofis dum latent filvis feræ,
Dulci fopore languide:

Senem, quod omnes rideant, adulterum
Latrent Suburranæ canes,d
Nardo perunctum, quale non perfectius

Mex laborarint manus.

Quid accidit? cur dira barbare minus
Venena Medex valent?

Quibus fuperbar fugit ulta pellicem
Magni Creontis filiam;

Cum palla, tabo munus imbutum, novam

Incendio nuptam abftulit.

Atqui nec herbà, nec latens in afperis

Radix fefellit me locis.

[ocr errors]

55

бо

65

Indormit unctis omnium cubilibus

70

Ah, ah! folutus ambulat veneficæ

Oblivione pellicum.

Scientioris carmine.

Non ufitatis, Vare, potionibus (O multa fleturum aaput!)

Ad me recurres: nec vocata mens tua
Marfis redibit vocibus.

75

Majus parabo: majus infundum tibi

Faftidienti poculum.

Priufque cœlum fidet inferius mari,
Tellure porrecta fuper,

80

Quam non amore fic meo flagres, uti
Bitumen atris ignibus.

Sub

« PredošláPokračovať »