15 20 Tacent, et albus ora pallor inficit, Sic est acerba fata Romanos agunt ut immerentis fluxit in terram Remi 15 f. Horace dramatically turns to the spectators, 'They have no answer,' etc. albus deathly. — perculsae: i.e. with horror at their own situation. 17. sic est: 'this is the sum of the whole matter.'- acerba fata: the vis acrior of v. 13. 19 f. ut temporal, ever since. Cf. C. 4, 4, 42. — sacer: that brought a curse on. 5 ΙΟ 6 crated,' 'set apart for the gods,' then devoted to a god for destruction'; hence accursed,'' polluting, the Greek évayns. Cf. Verg. A. 3, 56 quid non mortalia pectora cogis, auri sacra fames? Lucan echoes the idea that the curse of the first fratricide hung over the whole Roman people, Phars. 1,95 fraterno primi maduerunt sanguine muri. Rogare longo putidam te saeculo cum sit tibi dens ater et rugis vetus frontem senectus exaret, hietque turpis inter aridas natis podex velut crudae bovis! Sed incitat me pectus et mammae putres, venterque mollis et femur tumentibus exile suris additum. Esto beata, funus atque imagines nec sit marita quae rotundioribus 15 20 Quid quod libelli Stoici inter sericos Inlitterati num minus nervi rigent? minusve languet fascinum, quod ut superbo provoces ab inguine, 9 Addressed to Maecenas in September, 31 B.C., on hearing of Octavian's success at Actium. In eager enthusiasm Horace asks his patron when they can hope to celebrate together this glorious victory, as they had celebrated a few years before the defeat of Sextus Pompey. The evidence seems to show that Maecenas was in Rome at the time this was written (see introduction to Epod. 1), but those who believe that Maecenas was present at Actium regard the opening lines as additional evidence that he took part in the battle. Some even hold that the graphic details mentioned prove that Horace also was there. After the address to Maecenas (1-10), Horace reflects on the disgrace Antony has brought on the Romans by enslaving himself to an oriental queen (11-16), a sight that made the Gauls desert to Caesar, and the queen's own fleet withdraw (17-20). Hail, Triumph, dost thou delay the great procession for the mightiest leader thou hast ever yet brought home (21-26). The enemy has changed his purple robe for mourning and flees to farthest lands (27-32). Come, boy, bring larger cups and stronger wine; I will forget my care and fear for Caesar (33-38).' With this epode compare C. 1, 37 written a year later in joy at the news of Cleopatra's death. Metre, 74. Quando repostum Caecubum ad festas dapes victore laetus Caesare tecum sub alta (sic Iovi gratum) domo, 1. repostum: for the syncope, see Intr. 40. Caecubum: one of the choicer wines. Cf. C. 1, 20, 9:37, 5. 3 f. sub alta. . . domo: Maecenas' palace on the Esquiline; Horace calls it C. 3, 29, 10 molem propinquam nubibus arduis, with 5 ΙΟ beate Maecenas, bibam, sonante mixtum tibiis carmen lyra, ut nuper, actus cum freto Neptunius minatus urbi vincla quae detraxerat Romanus eheu (posteri negabitis) fert vallum et arma, miles et spadonibus reference no doubt to its lofty tower which commanded a view of the city and surrounding country.-beate: fortunate, blest and happy. Cf. 2, 1 beatus ille. car 5 f. tibiis: Intr. 89. men: strain. The lyre shall raise a Dorian strain of victory, the music of a Pindaric epinicion; the pipes a Phrygian (barbarum) dithyrambic tune, suitable for reveling. Cf. the Berecyntiae tibiae of C. 3, 19, 18; 4, I, 22. 7 f. nuper in 36 B.C. after the battle of Naulochus. - freto: sc. Siculo. - Neptunius dux: said in scornful mockery. Pompey had styled himself the son of Neptune, according to Appian B. C. 5, 100 ἔθνε (ὁ Πομπήιος) μόνον θαλάσσῃ καὶ Ποσειδῶνι, καὶ υἱὸς αὐτῶν ὑφίστατο καλεῖσθαι. 9 f. vincla: Intr. 40. -servis : cf. n. to 4, 19. It is dependent on both detraxerat and amicus. Intr. 100. perfidis: for they had con 13. fert, etc. : Romans actually serve as common soldiers and carry on the march the valli and their arms, subject to a woman's orders!'- miles : trasted with spadonibus rugosis, as fert vallum et arma is set over against feminae. According to the Schol. Verg. A. 7, 696 the Roman contingent was commanded by Cleopatra and her eunuchs, Augustus in commemoratione vitae suae refert Antonium iussisse, ut legiones suae apud Cleopatram excubarent, eiusque nutu et iussu parerent. 14. servire: emphatic by position.-potest : can bring himself to. 15 20 interque signa turpe militaria sol adspicit conopium. Ad hoc frementis verterunt bis mille Galli canentes Caesarem, hostiliumque navium portu latent puppes sinistrorsum citae. Io Triumphe, tu moraris aureos currus et intactas boves? 15 f. turpe: a shameful sight, with conopium. -sol adspicit: the all-seeing sun is regularly invoked as the witness of shameful deeds. So by Aeschylus' Prometheus in his suffering, P. V. 91 kai τὸν πανόπτην κύκλον ἡλίου καλώ. Likewise by Shelley's, 'I ask you, Heaven, the all-beholding sun, | Has it not seen?'-- conopium: 'a mosquito bar,' then a canopied couch.' Symbolical of the abomination of oriental luxury. Cf. the similar passage in Propertius, who is speaking of Cleopatra, 3, 9, 45 foedaque Tarpeio conopia tendere saxo (ausa). 17 f. ad hoc: (in disgust) at this. — Galli: Galatians, led by Amyntas and Deiotarus, who went over to Octavian before the battle. vertĕrunt: Intr. 36. canentes Caesarem: cf. Verg. A. 7, 698 ibant aequati numero regemque canebant. 19 f. The naval maneuver here spoken of is not clearly understood. Horace evidently refers to a defection or at least a withdrawal from active battle by a part of the fleet, similar to the action of the equos 21 f. io Triumphe: the shout of the people to the personified Triumph, as the procession advanced towards the Capitol. Cf. C. 4, 2, 49. Horace already in imagination sees Octavian in the triumphal car. The triumph did not actually take place until Aug. 13-15, 29 B C. Cf. Verg. A. 8, 714728. aureos currus: the gilded car of triumph, to be used in the triumphal procession. With the plural, cf. 1, 2, 15 f. — intactas : sc. iugo. Only cattle that had not been broken to the service of man could be used in sacrifice to the gods. Cf. Verg. A. 6, 38 grege de intacto mactare iu vencos. The reference here is to the white bulls (the gender of boves is due to custom) which were driven in the triumphal procession and sacrificed to Jupiter on the Capitol. 25 339 30 Io Triumphe, nec Iugurthino parem neque Africanum, cui super Carthaginem Terra marique victus hostis punico aut ille centum nobilem Cretam urbibus, 23 f. parem . . ducem i.e. parem Caesari. Marius is meant. The mention of his service in the war against Iugurtha rather than of his greater exploits in repulsing the Teutons and Cimbri, is probably due to the recent appearance of Sallust's Bellum Iugurthinum. 433 battle wore either a purple or a white cloak (sagum purpureum). This Antony has put aside for that of the common soldier, as Pompey Idid after the battle at Pharsalia. Caesar B. C. 3, 96. For the order, see Intr. 21. 29 f. centum. . urbibus: kaTóμπоλIS. Cf. C. 3, 27, 33 centum potentem oppidis Creten. Cretam paralleled in construction with Syrtis. non suis: i.e. adversis. Cf. Mart. 10, 104, 3 f. et cursu facili tuisque ventis | Hispanae pete Tarraconis arces. 32. incerto: in doubt whither to turn his course. Intr. 99. Cf. Stat. Silv. 3, 2, 6 dubio committitur alto. 33 f. capaciores . . . scyphos : ordinary cups are quite too small. Seneca adapted the expression de Ira 3, 14, 2 bibit deinde liberalius quam alias capacioribus scyphis. - puer: the universal address to |