bout the fheepfold, nor does the rifing ground fwell with vipers: and many more things thall we, happy Romans, view with admiration: how neither the rainy caft lays wafte the corn-fields with profufe fhowers, nor is the fertile feed burnt by too dry a glebe; the king of Gods moderating both extremes. The fhip that carried the Argonauts never attempted to come hither; nor did the lafcivious Medea of Colchis fet her foot in this place hither the Sidonian mariners never turned their failyards, nor the toiling crew of Ulyffes. No contagious diftempers here hurt the flocks: nor does the fiery violence of any conftellation fcorch the herd. Jupiter fet apart thofe shores for a pious people, when he debafed the golden age with brafs with brass, then with iron he hardened the ages; from which there fhall be an happy escape for the good, according to my predictions. ODE XVII. Dialogue between HORACE and CANIDIA. He ironically begs her pardon: fhe answers that he never will be reconciled to him. [OW, now I yield to powerful fcience; and fuppliant befeech you by the dominions of Proferpine, and by the inflexible divinity of Diana, and by the books of incantations which are able to call down the itars difplaced from the firmament; oh Canidia, at length defift from your imprecations, and quickly turn, turn back your magical * maE e 2 chine, The rhombus was a kind of wheel, by the turning of which, certain forceries were performed. Movit nepotem Telephus Nereium,lands Alitibus atque canibus homicidam Hectorem; Heu! pervicacis ad pedes Achillei. Setofa duris exuere pellibus Laboriofi remiges Ulyffei, Volente Circe, membra: tunc mens et fonus. Relatus atque notus in vultus honor. Dedi fatis fuperque pœnarum tibi, Amata nautis multum et inftitoribus! Fugit juventas, et verecundus color Reliquit; offa pelle § amicta lurida: 20 bub Urget diem nox, et dies noctem; neque eft 25 Ergo negatum vincor ut credam mifer, Quid Ungere matres llie, Et fonus relapfus. $ Offa pelle amictus lurida. chine. Telephus * moved with compaffion the tgrandfon of Nereus, against whom he arrogantly had put his troops of Myfians in battle-array; and against whom he had darted his fharp javelins. The Trojan matrons lamented over the body of the man-flaying Hector, which had been condemned to birds of prey and dogs, after king Priam having left the walls of the city, proftrated himself, alas!! at the feet of the obftinate Achilles. The mariners. of the indefatigable Ulyffes put off their limbs, bristled with the hard skins of fine, at the will of Circe and then their reafon and voice were reftored, and their former comelinefs to their countenances. I have fuffer'd punishment enough, and more than enough, on your account, oh thou that art so dearly beloved by the failors and factors! My vigour is gone away, and my ruddy complexion has left me; my bones are covered with a ghaftly fkin: my hair too, with your preparations, is grown hoary. No eafe refpites me from my fufferings: night preffes upon day, and day upon night; nor is it in my power to) relieve my lungs, which are trained with gafping. Wherefore, wretch that I am, I am compelled to credit, what before was denied by me, That the charms of the Samnites difcompofe the breaft, and the head splits in funder at the Marfian incantations. What would you have Ee 3 more? Telephus, king of Myfia, oppofed the march of the Greeks through his kingdom in their way to Troy. He was wounded by the fpear of Achilles, and afterwards cured by fome filings from the fame weapon, for which he was directed to apply by the oracle Thetis, the mother of Achilles, was daughter to Nerens Quid amplius vis? O mare! ô terra! ardeo, 30 Quantum neque atro delibutus Herculesun Neffi truore, nec Sicana fervida ** Furens in Etna flamma. † Tu, donec cinis Injuriofis aridus ventis ferar. Cales venenis officina Colchicis. 35 Que finis aut quod me manet ftipendium? Effare juffas cum fide pœnas luam ; 16 : Paratus expiare, feu popofcerisio, ut bind Infamis Helene Caftor offenfus vice, 40 Fraterque magni Caftoris, victi prece, Baruguto Ademta vati reddidere lumina. Et tu (potes nam) folve me dementia, 45 Nec in fepulchris pauperum prudens anus Tibi hofpitale pectus, et pure manus; QUID CANIDIE RESPONSIO. UID obferatis auribus fundis preces Non faxa nudis furdiora navitis Neptunus alto tundit hibernus falo. Bentl Ureps in Etna flamma. 50 55 Inultus Tua, donec cinis. Calet venenis officina. Bend, $ Centum juvencos. more? O fea! O earth! I burn in fuch a degree as neither Hercules did, befmeared with the black gore of Neffus, nor the fervid flame burning in the Sicilian Etna. Yet thou, a laboratory of Colchian poifons, remains on fire, till I, reduced to a dry ember, fhall be wafted away by the injurious winds. What event? or what penalty awaits me? fpeak out: I will with honour pay the demanded mulct; ready to make an expiation, whether you fhall require to have it done with an hundred steers, or you chufe to be celebrated on a lying lyre: you a wo man of modesty, you a woman of probity, fhall traverse the stars, as a golden conftellation. Caftor, and the brother of the great Caltor, though offended at the infamy brought on their fifler Helen, yet, overcome by intreaty, reftored to the poet his that were from him. And do you (for it is in your power) extricate me from this frenzy, oh thou, that art neither defiled by family meannefs, nor, like an old forcerefs, art skilful to difperfe the afhes of poor people, after they have been nine days interred! You have an hofpitable breaft, and unpolluted hands; and your womb is a fruitful one; and, whenever you bring forth, you spring up with unabated vigour. eyes taken away CANIDIA'S ANSWER. * WHY do you pour forth your intreaties to ears that are clfinately fhut up against them? the wintry ocean, with its briny tempefts, does not lafh rocks more deaf to the cries of the naked mariners, The poet Sicfichorus wrote a fatwe against Helen, on account of which her brethren Caftor and Pollux deprived the bard of his fight; but, on kis making a recantation, he was reftored. |
