ODE X. AD MERCURIUM. MERCURI facunde, nepos Atlantis, Qui feros cultus hominum recentum Voce formasti catus, et decoræ More palæstræ ; Te canam magni Jovis et Deorum Nuntium, curvæque lyræ parentem ; Callidum, quicquid placuit jocoso Condere furto. Te, boves olim nisi reddidisses Risit Apollo. Quin et Atreidas, duce te, superbos Ilio, dives Priamus, relicto, Thessalosque ignes, et iniqua Trojæ Castra fefellit. Tu pias lætis animas reponis Sedibus; virgâque levem coerces Aureâ turbam, superis Deorum Gratus et imis. ODE X. TO MERCURY. O MERCURY, from Atlas sprung, And graceless left; Sly messenger of gods in heaven, By whom the lyre to men was given, Thee, when a boy, Apollo spurn’d— "If th' oxen were not all return'd " But wrath of his no longer burn'd, His quiver lost! Moreover, by thy powerful aid, Priam eluded ambuscade, When through Greek camps his way he made, All safely cross'd. Driving thy airy company With golden wand, thou sett'st them free; Above, below, the gods hold thee At highest cost. ODE XII. AD AUGUSTUM. Deos et Heroas primum, dein Augustum laudat. QUEM virum, aut heroa, lyrâ vel acri Quem Deum? Cujus recinet jocosa Nomen imago? Aut in umbrosis Heliconis oris, Aut super Pindo, gelidove in Hæmo? Unde vocalem temere insecutæ Orphea sylvæ, Arte maternâ rapidos morantem Blandum et auritas fidibus canoris Ducere quercus. Quid prius dicam solitis parentis Laudibus; qui res hominum ac Deorum, Qui mare et terras, variisque mundum Temperat horis ? Unde nil majus generatur ipso ; Nec viget quicquam simile, aut secundum : Proximos illi tamen occupavit Pallas honores. ODE XII. TO AUGUSTUS. WHAT man or hero shall inspire, O Clio, thy resounding lyre? What god?-whom echo's sportive choir Shall sing again? On Hæmus, or in Helicon, Or Pindus' lofty tops upon ? From whence the woods rush'd wildly on At Orpheus' strain :— When he display'd his mother's skill, And follow'd near. What can I justly celebrate Before Jove's praises,-parent great Of men and gods, who rules by fate The varied year? Than whom none greater e'er was made, All would-be rivals seek the shade; Though Pallas in the nearest grade Exalted stands. Præliis audax, neque te silebo, Liber, et sævis inimica virgo Belluis nec te metuende certâ, Phoebe, sagittâ. Dicam et Alciden, puerosque Ledæ ; Stella refulsit, Defluit saxis agitatus humor; Unda recumbit. Romulum post hos prius, an quietum Nobile letum. Regulum, et Scauros1, animæque magnæ Gratus insigni referam Camœnâ, Fabriciumque. Hunc et incomptis Curium capillis 1 I have not been careful to make mention here of the Scauri; for though they are in this place introduced by Horace among the illustrious sons of Rome, it seems that both father and son gained |