O DE XV. TO AUGUSTUS, on the restoration of peace. PHOEBUS chided me, when I was meditating to fing of batties and conquered cities on the lyre; that I might not fet my little fails along the vaft Tyrrhenian fea. Your age, ohCæfar, has both restored plenteous crops to the fields, and has brought back to our Jupiter the Roman standards, torn from the proud pillars of the Parthians; and has fhut up the temple of Janus founded by Romulus, now free from war; and has impofed a due difci. pline upon headstrong licentioufhefs and has extirpated crimes, and recalled the ancient arts; by which the Latine name and ftrength of Italy have increased, and the fame and majesty of the empire is extended from the fun's western bed, even to the eaft. While Cæfar is at the head of affairs, neither civil rage, nor violence, fhall difturb the general tranquillity; nor hatred which forges fwords, and fets at variance unhappy states. Not thole, who drink of the deep Danube, fhall now break the Julian edicts; not the Getæ, not the Seres, or the perfidious Perfians, nor those born upon the river * The temple of Jupiter Capitolinus. VOL. I. A a Tanais. Nofque et profeftis lucibus et facris, Cum prole, matronifque noftris, Rite Deos prius apprecati, Virtute functos, more patrum, duces, Trojamque, et Anchisen, et alma 25 30 QUINTI Tanais. And let us, both on common and feftal days, amidst the gifts of joyous Bacchus, together with our wives and families, having first duly invoked the Gods, celebrate, after the manner of our ancestors, with fongs accompanied with Lydian pipes, our late valiant commanders, and Troy, and Anchifes, and the offspring of benign Venus. AD ME CENA TEM. Ad bellum Actiacum profecturo comitem se offert. I BIS Liburnis inter alta navium, Paratus omne Cæfaris periculum Subire, Macenas, tuo. Quid nos? quibus te vita (a) fi fuperftite Jucunda; fi contra, gravis: Utrumne juffi perfequemur otium / Non dulce, ni tecum fimul? (a) Vita fit fuperftite. 5 An Horace offers to accompany him on his departure for the Actian expedition. Y OU will go, my friend Mæcenas, with Liburnian gallies amongst the tow'ring forts of Antony's large ships, ready at your own hazard to undergo any of Cæfar's dangers. What fhall I do? to whom life may indeed be agreeable if you furvive, but, if otherwife, it will be infupportable, Whether fhall I at your commands purfue my eafe, which cannot be pleafing unless in your company? or fhall I endure this toil with fuch a courage as becomes uneffeminate men to bear-I will bear it; |