3W IARY0/ naiH^ IVERSte THE WORKS OF HORACE. VOL. I. Printed by S. Hamilton, Weybridge. THE WORKS OF HORACE, TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH PROSE, AS NEAR THE ORIGINAL AS THE DIFFERENT IDIOMS OF THE LATIN AND ENGLISH LANGUAGES WILL ALLOW J WITH THE LATIN TEXT AND ORDER OF CONSTRUCTION IN THE OPPOSITE PAGE; AND CRITICAL, HISTORICAL, GEOGRAPHICAL, AND CLASSICAL, NOTES IN ENGLISH, FROM THE BEST COMMENTATORS BOTH ANCIENT AND MODERN; AND A PREFACE TO EACH POEM, ILLUSTRATING ITS DIFFICULTIES, AND SHOWING ITS SEVERAL ORNAMENTS AND DESIGN: Also the Method of scanning the several Sorts of Verse used by Horace, and a Table showing at one View of what Sort of Verse each Ode consists ; FOR THE USE OF SCHOOLS, AS WELL AS OF PRIVATE GENTLEMEN. A NEW EDITION, REVISED AND CORRECTED. IN TWO VOLUMES. VOL. I. LONDON : PRINTED FOK R. BALDWIN ; F. AND C. RIVINGTON ; W. OTRIDGE J WILKIE AND ROBINSON; w. LOWNDES ; j. WALKER; VERNOR, HOOD, AND SHARPE; LONGMAN, HURST, REES, AND ORME; J. CUTHELL ; LACKINGTON, ALLEN, AND CO.; R. LEA; J. NUNN J R. SCHOLEY ; J. MAWMAN ; J. RICHARDSON ; CRADOCK AND JOY ; j. RODWELL; AND j. JOHNSON AND co. 1811. Stack Annex . fi v. PREFACE. LYRIC Poetry being the designed subject of this pre- face, I shall here only premise a few observations on poetry in general, which, as those who are in the least acquainted with it know, chiefly consists in that enthu- siasm so much boasted of, which, seizing a poet, quite transports him. When sufficiently warmed with it, he triumphs over every thing that stands in his way: rhyme and measure are to him no obstacles at all, for he discourses with as much ease and energy as if he were tied down neither to the rigid rules of rhyme nor of measure ; which has made the ablest masters recom- mend the reading of the poets as the best method to learn the art of thinking. Aristotle proposes Homer in particular, as the pattern to be imitated by every one who would write well, as he excels all the ancients both in sentiment and expression ; and Quintilian says yet more of him ; " Homer," says he, " extended " the limits of human genius to their utmost stretch, " and possessed such complete ideas of all the different VOL. i. a u PREFACE. " kinds of writing, that he alone is a perfect model of " all the different beauties that can enter into any com- * position." And where indeed can we find such pat- terns for writing as in Homer, Pindar, Horace, and Virgil ? Can we read their works without discovering all that human invention can conceive of the truly grand, sublime, and heroic? Can we read their noble senti- ments, their daring and happy strokes, without being animated by their fire ? But if we look into the sacred poets, the beauty and excellency of poetry will be still more manifest ; for w-ho can read the song of Moses, the psalms of David, or the book of Job, without ad- miring the artful images and inimitable beauties where- with they abound? Rivers flow back to their sources, hills tremble, mountains dissolve like wax, seas meet and retire, at the voice of their Creator: these are expressions so lofty and sublime, as plainly show their author ; nor can such ideas fail of awakening the soul, and expand- ing its thoughts to the utmost extent and elevation. We cannot, therefore, be at too much pains to ac- quire a thorough knowledge of the ancient poets, whose primary design w-as to instruct men; and it is well known how greatly they contributed, in the first ages, towards polishing mankind, forming them into states and societies, and uniting them in one common interest ; which gave rise to the fables of Amphion raising the walls of Thebes by the sound of his lyre, and Orpheus softening rocks and taming wild beasts by the exquisite sweetness of his song. Of the very laws that Solon made for the wisest state in the world, he put the greater part PREFACE. iii into verse ; and the descendants of the first poets seem to have inherited their humane, social disposition. Ho- race and Virgil were the delights of the court of Au- gustus. The nature and true object of each kind of poetry, are to make us wiser and better. The Epic conveys instructions to us, couched under the allegory of one important heroic action. The Lyric celebrates the virtues and noble achievements of great men, in order to engage us to imitate their example. Tragedy regu- lates our pity and fear, by familiarizing us to these passions, which, when they surpass certain bounds, create so much trouble and disquiet. Comedy and Satire correct our vices in a pleasing and diverting manner, and wage an implacable war against whatever is absurd or ridiculous in conduct. Elegy laments the death of those persons who deserve to be mourned and regretted. The Eclogue sings the innocent plea- sures of a country life. Hence it is evident, that the intent of poetry is not so much to please the imagination, as to inform and enlighten the understanding. It only makes use of the imagination as a canal to convey truth to the mind and heart ; for which purpose it uses figures, fables, allegories, energy, and richness of ex- pression, and harmony of numbers. Accordingly we see that all the great men, poets, orators, historians, and philosophers, of every age and every country, have not scrupled to make use of the same innocent artifices for the same end. Poetry, with all its charms, would be of very little iv PREFACE. value, were amusement its only aim. A poet proposes to be really useful : Lectorcm dekctando, pariterque moncndo. HOR. And whatever subject he treats of, his view is still Jucunda et idonea dicere vitas : " To say what's pleasant and instructive too." But as our happiness depends chiefly on providing for the necessary demands of nature, and obeying the dictates of our serious affections towards our family, friends, and country, such pursuits demand the greater part of our time ; and all other personal gratifications ought to give place to them, as these necessarily en- . gage us in a course of very laborious application. Without intervals of relaxation and pleasing diversions, it would be difficult to support that cheerfulness of mind which is requisite towards success in our most important concerns ; wherefore even that poetry which only amuses us, and gives a relief from the fatigues of business, is far from being unprofitable ; but the ends' of poetry are far more noble, as has been already hinted, and will be more fully shown in the following treatise on lyric poetry, for a great part of which I am indebted to the best critics who have illustrated our author. LYRIC POETRY is allowed to be of all others the most ancient. It made its first appearance at the feasts which the first men made as a relief from their labours, and to return thanks to God for his blessings. But it o may be said to owe its origin more particularly to the PREFACE. v Hebrews ; and as they were influenced by a spirit of quite a different sort from that of the Gentiles, their poetry had a more noble origin, and was presently carried to the greatest perfection in the song of Moses and the children of Israel, on Pharaoh and his host being drowned in the Red Sea ; which is so very grand and sublime, I may say so divine, that wisdom itself seems to have dictated it. The same sublime spirit of poetry reigns throughout the prophetic books and the psalms. There shines, in all its majesty, that true poetry which excites virtuous affections only, which leads us to the true God, which pleases without seducing us, which instructs without . disgusting us, which is always agreeable yet always useful, ennobled by its sublime expressions, by its animated figures, and yet more so by the truth it announces, which makes it alone merit the name of divine language ; nor do any odes of Horace or of Pindar come near it, nor any human composition whatever ; whence it appears how far di- vine inspiration is above that poetic fury and enthusiasm which the poets endeavour to excite in themselves by every thing that can heat their imagination. The Greeks could not profit by the example of this grand lyric poem, nor by the sublime songs of David and Solomon, which were to them unknown, because of the little commerce they had with the Hebrews before the thirtieth olym- piad ; and, as they were left to their own natural genius, many years intervened before they produced their first essays in poetry, which were no other than vi PREFACE. unpremeditated praises of their gods and heroes. And these praises, says Aristotle, were sometimes mixed with a little satire : but it soon changed its form, ac- cording to the different talents of the poets ; for those who had the most elevated genius chose the most diffi- cult subjects, the praises of the gods and panegyrics on the heroes ; whereas those of a lower genius chose more easy subjects, raillery and satire ; for, in poetry as in painting, it is easier to show the defects of nature than to imitate her perfections. Those who sang the praises of the gods or heroes made use of heroic verse, and those who made raillery their subject chose iambic verse. After experience had taught them to give each kind of poetry the verse most proper for it, lyric poetry changed its tone, and assumed a greater freedom than any other, by admitting all kinds of verse, the pentameter alone excepted. What poets were the authors of these changes we know not ; but lyric poetry first appeared in its true form in the works of Alcman, who is the oldest lyric poet of whom we have any fragments. He lived long before Crossus, about the twenty-seventh olympiad, six hundred years before our Saviour. From this time lyric poetry began to debase itself by descending from those sublime subjects, the praises of the gods and heroes, to subjects less grave and serious ; such as describing games, amours, dances, feasts, and every kind of diversion and gallantry. This change plainly appears in the poems of Sappho and PREFACE. vii Alcaeus, who lived four or five hundred years after Alcman ; but we cannot persuade ourselves that they were the authors of it. In the space of fifty-five Olympiads, or 220 years, there appeared in Greece nine great lyric poets, whose names I here give in the order in which they lived : Alc- man, Stesichorus, Sappho, Alcaeus, Simonides, Ibicus, Anacreon, Pindar, Bacchylides. In the same space of time there appeared three iambic poets, Archilochus, Simonides, and Hipponax. We have no collection of the works of any lyric poets except Anacreon and Pindar; nor do there remain above two odes of Sappho : of the other six of her odes we have only fragments. Among the lyric poets, Pin- dar bears the pre-eminence ; and of the iambic poets, Archilochus is esteemed the first. To the nine lyric poets whom we have mentioned may be justly added Corinna of Thebes, Praxilla of Sicyon, and Telesilla of Argos. Thus have we given the state of lyric poetry during fifty-five olympiads, or two hundred and twenty years. After this we are not to look for the least vestige of lyric poetry among the Greeks, it having suddenly stopped, like certain rivers, which, after having watered several countries, and in their long course beautified and enriched the fields with their moisture, disappear without any body knowing what becomes of them. The Romans, like the Greeks, owed to nothing else but their own natural genius the origin of all kinds of poetry ; and their first essays were also nothing but the viii PREFACE. efforts of pure nature. Among them likewise, poetry was soon divided into two kinds. The first they con- secrated to the praises of gods and heroes, and the other they employed in raillery and satire. But it would seem that the former was the more ancient, the great care of this warlike people being to excite a love to arms and religion. From the year of Rome 57, the Salian verses were in vogue, which were a collection of songs chanted by the priests of Mars to the honour of the gods at the time they were making sacrifices to Hercules, when they mentioned the names of those who had distinguished themselves by any heroic action. Soon after this they introduced the custom of sing- ing at public feasts and at table, either with the voice alone, or in concert with the flute or lyre. These songs, in all appearance, were much the same with those which Achilles played on his harp to celebrate the heroes. But we do not find that for more than seven hundred years one lyric poet appeared in Italy, viz. from the first Punic war to the time of Augustus, when Horace sud- denly rose into fame. Born with a happy genius for poetry, assisted by his knowledge of the Greek lyrics, he was the first Roman poet that imitated Alcaeus, Stesichorus, Anacreon, and Sappho. It is true, that some years before Horace, in the dictatorship of Caesar, Catullus wrote some verses, for which, some think, the Romans ranked him among the lyric poets ; seemingly with little reason ; fpr, in all PREFACE. ix the works of Catullus, there are but three pieces that can be called lyric poems ; and, of these, one is only a translation of an ode of Sappho, and the other two are of a different sort from Horace's odes. All his other pieces entitle him rather to the name of an iambic poet : now iambic poetry and lyric poetry are quite different ; not but that a lyric poet may be also an iambic, as Horace is, and the Romans had as many iambic poets as the Greeks, but the lyric genius was far more rare at Rome than in Greece. Under the first kings of Rome there appeared only the poems of the Salii, and some indigested songs. Thus it continued under the commonwealth, because of the little regard they had for poetry, till Augustus's reign, when, as I have said, Horace appeared, who was the first and only poet that disputed the prize of lyric poetry with the Greeks he imitated. It was about this time, also, that Titius Septimius wrote, to whom Horace himself gives this great encomium, " that he was not afraid to drink in Pindar's fountain :" Pindarici fonlis qui non expalluit hmislui. But we do not find that his works were ever published. In Tiberius's reign there was not one lyric poet ; and under Nero there appeared only Cassius Bassus, to whom Persius addresses his sixth satire. In the reigns of Vespasian and Domitian we find only Salleius Bassus and Passienus, the latter of whom, after having written a few essays after the example of Propertius, tried his skill at lyric poetry, and attempted to imitate Horace. x PREFACE. These five or six are the only lyric poets that ap- peared among the Romans, a small number indeed of a people, who, for extensiveness of genius and greatness of soul, excelled all the other nations upon earth, and whose language, if it was not quite so rich and pompous as the Greek, yet had grandeur, variety, harmony, and graces, sufficient for any kind of poetry ; which shows that the great difficulty of lyric poetry was the only reason of its scarcity. However, it is a great happiness to mankind, that the only two lyric poets saved entire out of the ruins of Greece and Rome, are precisely the two that are most valuable, Pindar and Horace. It is certain that Horace has neither the sublimity, depth, nor rapidity of Pindar; nor has he herein imitated him ; he even cautions any one from attempting it, and warns all writers of their fate if they should be so pre- sumptuous, in these beautiful lines of the second ode of the fourth book : Pindarum quisquis studet amulari, 1- ule, ceratis ope Dizdalea Nititur pennis, vitreo daturus Nomina ponto. * Whoever, lulus, attempts to vie with Pindar, soars " on wings joined with wax, in imitation of Daedalus, " and will certainly, like Icarus, leave his name to the " azure sea, into which he falls." Horace, in his lyric poetry, follows Alcseus, Stesi- chorus, Simonides, and Anacreon ; and in his iambic poetry he follows Archilochus : not but that his flight PREFACE. xi is often very high, and that he supports himself in that height ; but then his flight is different from that of Pin- dar, who raises himself above the clouds, and whose efforts are always favoured with a prosperous gale. Beside, if Horace has not imitated Pindar in the form and character of his odes, which are continued, and not divided by strophes, antistrophes, and epodes, as Pindar's are ; we must not blame his language, which is rich enough to furnish out this variety, but we must impute it to the fault of the Roman music, which, being far inferior to the Greek, and quite different from it, did not suit this sort of poetry. Nor do I at all doubt that, if Horace had derived the same assistance from music which Pindar had, he would have imitated him in his secular poem, which, being so solemn as to require two choirs of young gentlemen and young ladies, gave him a fair opportunity so to do. But if Horace does not come up to Pindar in en- thusiasm and poetic rapture, he makes up this loss another way ; for I am persuaded that, of all the gifts of the Muses, Horace's poems are the most useful. He is a great poet, a great philosopher, and a great critic. And in none of his pieces do we find the dicta- torial author, but every where the accomplished gen- tleman, who, while he instructs us, always pleases, amuses, and diverts himself with us. There is nothing laboured, nothing pedantic; every thing flows easy, every thing seems noble, every thing grand. He is a great poet, even in his philosophy, notwith- standing his dialogue*tyle : he is a philosopher in his xii PREFACE. poetry and in his criticism ; and through the whole we perceive a happy and fruitful genius, an exquisite judge- ment and wonderful solidity. Of all the poets he is the only one that can form the gentleman, as he alone lays before us the duties of a civil life, and teaches men to live happily with themselves, with their equals, and with their superiors. The public man, the private man, the magistrate, the warrior, subjects, kings, in fine, men of all ranks and ages, may here find precepts and rules, the most important and the most necessary for their conduct in life. Horace's poems being then so excellent and so use- ful, they deserve the utmost care and pains to explain them as clearly as possible; and whoever attempts to do this, ought to show wherein consist the charms and beauties of his poetry ; set in a clear light the excellency of his fables, the strength and boldness of his figures, the loftiness and majesty of his ideas and images, the harmony and magnificence of his expressions, and make a just distinction between the natural, the graceful, and the sublime. For they greatly deceive themselves who think, that to understand the poets perfectly, and have a true taste of them, it is sufficient to know the terms they make use of ; neither is it strange that such per- sons should fail to discover the concealed niceties and secret delicacies that make the greatest excellencies of poetry, and take for beauties and ornaments the extra- vagancies of an irregular and wild fancy, \vhich they might easily avoid by observing the rules Horace has given, who demonstrates that the epic poem, the ode, PREFACE. xiii and all other species of poetry, have their fixed orna- ments and peculiar characteristics ; which if a poet knows not how to maintain, he deserves not the name of poet, as our author says of himself: Descriptas servare vices operumque colores, Cur ego, si nequeo ignoroque, Poeta salutor ? " If I know not how to observe all the different characters, and " give every piece its proper ornaments, why am I honoured with " the name of a poet ?" This shows what great care ought to be taken in form- ing the taste of youth in the course of their studies ; for it is a great defect not to have a true judgement of the beauties of poetry, and not to be acquainted with them, so far at least as to be able to distinguish the true from the false. If it is necessary to form the taste of youth, it is much more so to form their manners ; wherefore he that explains an author, ought to teach and maintain what- ever may contribute to improve them, and refute and amend what may have the least tendency to debase or corrupt them : and this is more particularly necessary in explaining poets ; for young people are not so ready to give attention to serious discourses as to those which are delivered in a pleasant jocose manner, and with a design rather to divert than instruct ; hence comes the taste they generally have for fables. Poetry also, by its allurements and charms, slides in- sensibly into their very souls ; and when it has once gained possession of the fancy, it quickly persuades the xiv PREFACE. heart ; and surely no pieces of poetry can strike the fancy sooner than Horace's odes, which offer us the fruits of wisdom curiously set off with the most charm- ing flowers of Parnassus. In them Horace teaches all to be content with their station, and not disturb their own peace with ground- less ambition ; to obey the laws, submit to their supe- riors, shun avarice, be moderate in every thing, and reckon none happy but those who know how to make a right use of the gifts of heaven, and who are more afraid of infamy than of death itself : Non possidentem multu t-ocaveris Recte beatum : red ids occupat Nomen benli, qui Deorum Muneribus sapienter uti Diiramque collet pauperism pad, Pejusque Ictho flagitium timet. He teaches the magistrate to keep his passions under entire subjection, and to administer justice with steadi- ness, resolution, and the utmost impartiality. He lays down most useful rules for young warriors ; he shows them that, to succeed in a profession attend- ed with so much glory, and at the same time with very great toil, they must renounce all indolence and sloth, expose themselves to dangers, bear up under the great- est fatigues, and, far from carrying the 'effeminacy and luxury of the city into the camp with them, must learn to suffer cold, hunger, and every other hardship to which a soldier is exposed. To generals he gives this excellent precept, which he PREFACE. x? enforces by a noble example ; that to the protection of heaven, they, on their part, ought to join vigilance and foresight, which are the surest resources of armies in all the operations of war, and which promise and ascer- tain a happy success to the most hazardous undertak- ings. His words are very remarkable : Nil daudict non perficient manus, Suas et benigno numine Jupiter Defendit, et euro, sagaces Expediunt per acuta belli. " No enterprise is too hard for the Neros, whom Jupiter favours " so remarkably with his protection, and who, by their great pru- " dence and conduct, are able happily to extricate themselves from " the most threatening dangers they are exposed to in battle." Without this prudence and conduct, the greatest force destroys itself, and sinks under its own weight : Vis consili expert mole ruit sud. For it is not on strength or force, but on wisdom and prudence, that states depend for safety. Sallust has an expression very much to this purpose : Ego ita comperio omnia regna, civitates, nationes, usque eo prosperum imperium habuisse, dum apud eos vera consilia valuerunt; " For me, I find that kingdoms, cities, and nations, continue to " flourish so long as good counsels prevail, and are put in execu- " tion." In fine, we may justly say of Horace, that of all the poets he has extracted the most from philosophy, and amassed in his odes more maxims of morality and phi- losophical truths than any Roman poet whatever. I xvi PREFACE. must transcribe the greater part of Horace, were I to collect all the momentous principles of morality dif- fused through his works, in which his chief intention is to improve reason, and purify the heart from every vicious passion ; to give us useful rules for our beha- viour, not only under adversity, but likewise in pro- sperous circumstances, which are more dangerous to virtue than afflictions ; and to establish a perfect tran- quillity in our minds, by rescuing us from the tyranny of ambition and of fear. Horace is not only a great poet and a great philoso- pher, but a great critic : nor is his Art of Poetry his only critical piece ; the fourth and tenth satires of his first book, and the second book of his epistles, are full of useful precepts. It is to be wished, that Horace had explained him- self as fully on lyric poetry, as he has on other kinds of it, and taught poets what to follow and what to shun ; but he has contented himself with pointing out its cha- racter without giving one precept ; whether he found it too difficult to lay down rules for this poem, or thought that a natural genius was sufficient to improve in it. Hence he says, Musa dedit, " The Muse hath "given, hath taught;" and so he thinks he maybe excused from saying any more : and indeed those to whom the Muse hath given this genius, have no occa- sion for rules relative to a poem so short ; they are led, or rather drawn, by a genius stronger and surer than any rules whatever. However, as none have yet given rules for the Ode, to assist in some sort those who read PREFACE. xvii the lyric poets, I shall give, from Dacier, some obser- vations that he made on the practice of Pindar and Horace, by which they may be enabled to judge more readily and more surely of the works of those who have courage to imitate them. The Ode is a poem that is generally short, made to be played on the harp, or in imitation of such as are played upon it, and which, at its pleasure, employs in its different compositions every kind of verse, and often admits several in the same piece ; and suiting itself to all sorts of subjects, treats the smaller in a florid man- ner, yet always noble, and the greater, with an eleva- tion that seems rather the effect of inspiration and en- thusiasm, than of a solid judgement. Grand lyric poetry being then the effect of enthu- siasm, my first observation is, that it may begin with transport and poetical fury; for inspiration has its ready and sudden motions; of which sort we see many in Pindar and in Horace. It is quite contrary in the epic poem, which being very long, the poet is obliged to pre- pare an exordium, to show its subject and pray to be inspired ; and this exordium is simple, as it is the poet that speaks when not yet inspired. This is the prac- tice of Homer and Virgil. There is then a great dif- ference between the beginning of the ode and the exor- dium of the epic poem; not but that the ode some- times makes use of this kind of exordium. The second is, that the poet ought to speak of things VOL. r. b xviii PREFACE. remarkable, entirely new, and that have not been sung by any other. This is Horace's own direction : Dicam insigne, recens, adhuc Indicium ore alto. And of consequence the poet ought to reject every thing that is mean or low, and that savours of mortality, as he else-where explains himself : Nil parvum, out humili mo do, Nil mortals loquar. It is in grand lyric poetry as it is in grand painting. In subjects grand and heroic, the painter does not amuse himself with searching into the little niceties ; he minds what is noble, what is grand, what is heroic, and dis- dains every thing that is frivolous, mean, or low. The lyric poet does the same, and when he descends to inferior subjects, gay or tender, which require not such majesty and loftiness, he never departs from this cha- racter. He searches for what is new and noble, and is particularly nice in his choice. As a painter does not make use of the utmost per- fection of his art, unless it be to imitate the most grand subjects, neither does the lyric poet make use of the whole of his, unless it be to set the grandest subjects in a just light. Both the one and the other must vary their manner, that they may imitate the tender, the light, the graceful, and the delicate, that true nature may be represented in all its different shapes. PREFACE. xix \ Tlie third, that the lyric poet observes neither order nor strict method ; so that his pieces are not a continued syllogism or chain of reasoning. Inspiration allows not motions so exact and so regular; it has allurements o more ready and more free. But we are not thence to infer, that the judgement ought to be banished from its composition; no; the judgement lies concealed under this beautiful disorder. There is somewhat divine in a lyric poet, which makes him excel other men in judge- ment. The fourth, that its strophes, its stanzas, its couplets, are not sharpened into epigrams or madrigals : there is nothing farther from the ode, nor what savours less of inspiration. In a poet truly inspired, we perceive not his spirit but his genius only, which are quite different, as might be easily shown. The fifth, that its morals, which are the very soul of poetry, must not be trivial and cold ; but, on the con- trary, solid, and ought to have all the fire of poetry ; nor must they appear different from the work, like gold inlaid, but should be incorporated into its very body. The sixth (or last) is, that in all its lines there must be such number and harmony as will charm the ear ; I say, number and harmony different from feet and rhyme, and which result from nice choice and magni- ficence of the terms, from their connexion and arrange- ment, that give them something musical, which won- derfully transports and ravishes the very soul. It is b2 ' xx PREFACE. this harmony that Homer first taught, and which reigns with sovereignty in the odes of Pindar and Horace. Neither is there music more perfect, or that gives greater pleasure. This is lyric poetry ; and every poem in which this is not found is not lyric, but counterfeit. This is the reason why genuine lyric poetry has been so scarce in all ages ; for a poet, to succeed in it, must have a happy genius, and that alone is not sufficient, if not improved by reading and meditating on the works of the ancients, and by a thorough knowledge and admiration of the beauties wherewith they shine. This made Horace recommend, with so much earnestness, to the poets of his time, the careful and diligent perusal of the Greek poets : Vos exemplaria Grctca Nocturna versate manu, versate diurna, This is the method to improve that sound reason has always taught ; by pursuing which, some of our best modern poets have gained a solid and lasting reputa- tion, and to it posterity will certainly put their last seal. As to this Translation of the Odes of Horace, which has met with so great encouragement from the public, all care has been taken to keep free of a paraphrase, and to give the full and true sense of the author, as near the original as the different idioms of the Latin and En- PREFACE. xxi glish languages will allow, without falling into a flat verbal translation. To this method our author himself directs in his Art of Poetry, when he says ; Nee verbum verbo curabis redderefidus Interpres ; " Nor like a servile interpreter study to follow your author too " closely, translating word for word." And Cicero says, in his book De Optimo genere ora- torum, when speaking of the two orations of ^Eschines and Demosthenes, which he had translated, Nan verbum pro verbo necessc habui reddere, sed genus omnium ver* borum vimque servavi. tf l did not think it necessary to translate word for word, but " only to express the whole force and propriety of the terms." St. Jerome also observes, " that Homer himself, " who is so judicious, harmonious, and sublime, be- " comes childish, insipid, and insupportably low, when " literally translated." All which shows the great absurdity of some transla- tions, which are so wretchedly servile, that they debase the very language in which they are written, and create in youth a distaste and aversion to the author they are reading. To avoid this evil, I have, in those passages which would not admit a close translation on account of the xxfi PREFACE. different idioms of the two languages, chosen rather to give the literal meaning of the words below the ver- sion, than debase the sense of the author by a mean servile translation. And here I must take notice of an objection some make against all translations, viz. That they encour- age slothfulness ; whereas the contrary has, by frequent experience, been found to be true ; for, as there is no- thing so discouraging to youth as the dry study of words, which has marred many a fine genius, whatever tends to make this study easy and agreeable, must en- courage youth in the progress of their studies, and en- tice them to proceed w ith alacrity and cheerfulness ; and what tends more to make study easy and agree- able than translations, by the use of which a youth will make a greater progress in the Latin tongue in one year than he can by the use of a dictionary in two or three ? A great deal of time is lost in searching; for words in a o o dictionary ; besides, few can distinguish, among the se- veral significations many words have, which is proper for their purpose ; and if they can, the very best dic- tionaries will often fail them, after all the pains they have taken : nor can the use of translations make them idle ; for, if they get their lessons soon, they ought to be increased in proportion, translations being only to be used in preparing their lessons, and not in rendering them to the master. The necessity of English translations to attain the Latin tongue expeditiously, still farther appears by the PREFACE. xxiii great use Latin translations have for many years been found to be of, for attaining the Greek tongue expedi- tiously ; and why should not English translations be of the same use for attaining the Latin tongue ? Having plainly shown the necessity and usefulness of English translations, I shall here only observe, that a translator in prose is more likely to give the true sense and meaning of an author than a translator in verse ; for if a translator in prose, who is at full liberty to make his choice, is often straitened to find words in one language, that convey the same idea and precise meaning of the words in another language, what must a translator in verse be, who is confined to number and measure ? though both the one and the other are in some sense confined; which is curiously described by the earl of Roscommon, in these inimitable lines : "Tis true, composing is the nobler part ; But good translation is no easy art ; For, though materials have long since been found, Yet both your fancy and your hands are bound j And by improving what was writ before, Inyention labours less, but judgement more. However, a translator in prose is not near so much confined as a translator in verse, especially if he is fetter- ed with rhyme, which forces him often to sacrifice the sense of his author, to preserve his exact numbers and the graces of his versification. xxiv PREFACE. What I have to add, as to this translation of the Odes of Horace, is, that the reader will find nothing translated contrary to the rules of decency or good manners, or that can offend the chastest ear. This is the reason why no version is made of the Eighth and Twelfth Odes of the Book of Epodes ; for whoever gives a translation of what may tend to corrupt the minds of youth, or debase their manners, manifestly transgresses that excellent rule of Juvenal; Nil dictu fcedum visuque hate Urnina tangut Intra (JUG puer est. Suffer no lewdness or indecent speech The apartment of the tender youth to reach; And also that of the judicious earl of Rosoommon; Immodest words admit of no defence ; For want of decency is want of sense. The ellipses necessary to connect the sense of the author are very few, and printed in Italics. As to the Latin text, all imaginable care and pains have been taken to make it correct, by comparing it with the best editions of Horace ; and on the same page with the text are the author's words put into the order of construction ; which, with the translation, and notes that are extracted from the best commentators both ancient and modern, and interspersed with several of PREFACE. xxv the translator's own, will, it is hoped, be of great use, not only to schools, but to young gentlemen who have only a superficial knowledge of the Latin tongue, in assisting them thoroughly to understand these inesti- mable poems. THE LIFE OF HORACE. HORACE was born at Venusium, a town of Apulia, on the eighth of December, in the year of Rome 688, two years before Catiline's conspiracy, in the consulship of L. Manlius Torquatus and L. Aurelius Cotta*. His father was only the son of a freedman and a tax- gathererf ; with which mean descent Horace was some- times reproached. When about ten years of age, he was brought to town by his father, who gave him a very liberal education, as he himself tells us in Book I. Satire VI. 'Puerum est ausus Romam portare, docendum Artes, quas doceat quii-is eques atque senator Semet prognatos. He boldly brought me up a child to town, To s^e those ways, and make those arts my own, Which every knight and noble taught his son. * See Book III. Ode xxi. and Book V. Ode xiii. . f Book I. Sat. vi. THE LIFE OF HORACE. xxvii % At the age of eighteen, he was sent to Athens to learn philosophy, and finish his studies. Romce nutriri mihi contigit, atque doceri, Iratus Gratis quantum nocuisset Achilles. Adjecere bonce paulo plus art is Athence ; Scilicet tit possem curco dignoscere rectum, Atque inter tylva's Academi (ju&rere verum. LIB. II. EPIST. II. Rome bred me first, she taught me grammar-rule;?, And all the little authors read in schools; A little more than this learn'd Athens show'd, And taught me how to separate bad from good. The Academic sect possess' d my youth, And 'midst their pleasant shades I sought for truth. In the twenty-third year of his age, he, with several others, joined Brutus then at Athens, and went into Macedonia with him, who made him a tribune* ; but Brutus and his party being defeated at the battle of Philippi, Horace, and many others, forfeited their estates. After this battle he left the army}", and set about writ- ing poetry, wherein he acquitted himself so well, that both Virgil and Varius took notice of him, and intro- duced him to Mascenas^, who was not only a great statesman, but a man of great learning, and a generous patron of all learned men, more especially so to Ho- race, who forgets not to mention it in several places of his poems, but particularly in the first Epode. * Lib. I. Sat. vi. f Lib- II. Ode vii. + Lib. I. Sat. vi. xxviii THE LIFE OF HORACE. Satis superque me benignitas tua, Ditavit. Your bounty gave my present store : 'Tis all I want, nor will I ask for more. In the progress of friendship^ Maecenas introduced our poet to Augustus, and procured for him a restitu- tion of his estate. Horace was at length so highly in favour at court, that the emperor offered to appoint him his secretary ; but he had the great address to re- fuse that high and honourable office without offending his prince. His taste for polite literature was very great : he was so fond of study, that he thought books as necessary to life as the things which support it. Sit bona librorum et provisa frugis in annum Copia. LIB. I. EPIST. XVIII. Born a poet, he composed verses rather like a gentle man than a poet by profession, indifferent about the approbation of the vulgar, and solicitous only to please a small number of select readers. Neque te ut miretur turba labores, Contentus paucis lectoribus. LIB. I. SAT. X. He liked retirement, and had an aversion to the hurry THE LIFE OF HORACE. xxix and trouble that attend a court-life, though no one was better qualified for it. He was very moderate in his diet, and contented with his condition, as appears by Ode XXXI. Book I. Me pascunt olivce, Me cichorea levesque malvce; Frui paiatis et valido mihi, Latoe, dones, et precor integrd Cum mtntc. Olives and mallows deck my board, The wholesome vegetable kind ; O ! let me thus alone be stor'd, With health of body, health of mind. It is thought he was never married, as he makes no mention of his wife or family in any of his poems. He was of a cheerful facetious temper, of an amorous disposition, and somewhat passionate and hasty ; but his anger was never of long continuance. He was short, but corpulent ; whence Augustus, in a letter to him, compared him to a thick little book he sent him. He was soon grey-haired, and could bear heat better than cold. Me primis urbis belli placuisse domique, Corporis exigui, prftcunum, solibus aptum, Irasci celerem, tamen ut placabilis essem. LIB. I. EPIST. XX. Tell them I the greatest please, A little man, and studious of my ease ; xxx THE LIFE OF HORACE. And pettish too, I can be angry soon, My passion's quickly rais'd, but quickly gone. Grown grey before my time, I hate the cold, And seek the warmth. His love of retirement increased with his age, which induced him to live very much at Tivoli*, near the grove of which his house is shown to this day. Here he desired to live, and here he desired to die, as in Ode VI. of Book II. Tibur Argeo positnin colono Sit niece sedes utinam scnecta ; Sit modus lasso maris, et cianim MUitiaqut. Quite tir'd of foreign lands and mains, Of journeys great, and dire campaigns ; My age at Tibur let me spend, At Tibur all my labours end. But if the Fates denied him this request, he wished that they would allow him to retire to Tarentum, and end his days there. Next to Tivoli, Tarentum seems indeed to have been his favourite seat and theme ; for never was a more beautiful description given of a villa than of this, in the following inimitable lines of the same Ode : Unde si Pares prohibent i/riquce, Duke pelliti-s oribus Galesi * Tivoli is the Italian name of 'i'ibur. THE LIFE OF HORACE. xxxi Flutnen, et regnata petam Laconi Rum Phalanto. Ille terrarum mild prater omnes Angulus ridet ; ubi non Hymetto Mella decedunt, viridique certut Bacca Venafro; f Ver ubi longum, tepidasque pr&bet Jupiter brumas, et amicus Avion Fertili Baccho minimum Falcrnis Invidct uvis. Ille te mecum locus et beatae Postulant arces : ibi tu calentem Debita sparges lacryma favillam Vatis amid. But if the Fates this wish refuse, Then fair Tarentum will I choose, Where sweet Galesus softly glides, And downy flocks adorn his sides. O'er all I prize that spot of ground, With honey and with olives crown'd ; This good as Attica can show, And these as at Venafrum grow ; Where Jove a lasting spring bestows, And winters free from frost and snows ; Where Aulon pours his generous wine, Nor envies the Falernian vine. To these fair plains, this happy seat, Will you and I, my friend, retreat ; Here shall you lay your poet, here On his warm embers drop a tear. Horace, being taken suddenly ill, was not able to sign his will ; but, declaring Augustus his heir with his last words, expired in the fifty-seventh year of his age. Some xxxii THE LIFE OF HORACE. think that he died a few days before his great and good friend Maecenas ; because, say they, Horace, who was one of the most grateful men upon earth to his bene- factors, would certainly have shown his gratitude, by expressing his sorrow in an elegy for Maecenas, to whom he owed his all. But the more common and received opinion is, that Maecenas died before his friend, and that Maecenas' death accelerated the decease of Horace. If so, could the poet have foreseen the time of Maecenas' death, and of his own, he could scarcely have spoken of them with more exactness than he does in Ode XVII., Book II., written twelve years before : Ah, te niece si partcm anirncE rapit Maturior vis, quid moror altera, Nee earns ceque, nee super stes Integer ? Ille dies ulra?nquc Ducet ruinam, Think not, since you and I are one, That Horace can himself desert, Or live when half his soul is gone, Or stay behind his better part. Thus hand in hand we'll greet the shades ; 'Tis so resolv'd and fix'd by fate : I'll follow where Maecenas leads; Our lives shall have one common date. He was buried in the Esquiline hill, near the tomb of Maecenas. And as he expected immortal fame from his works, it is supposed that his funeral was attended THE LIFE OF HORACE. xxxiii with no pomp, according to his own directions in the twentieth Ode of the second Book : Absint inanifunere ncenia, Luctusque turpes, et querimonice : Compesce clamorem, ac sepulcri Mitte supemacuos honorcs. Say not I died, nor shed a tear, Nor round my ashes mourn, Nor of my needless obsequies take care j The glare of pomp is lost upon an empty urn. VOL. I. XXXIV THE DIFFERENT SORTS OF VERSE USED BY HORACE, IN HIS ODES AND EPODES, ARE NINETEEN IN NUMBER. THE First is the Asclepiad, called so from Asclepias, the inven- tor, and consists of four feet *, viz. a Spondee, two Choriambic feet, and a Pyrrhichius, or Iambus, as Ode I. of Book I. Mcsce - nas atavis- - edits re - gibus. Others measure this sort of verse by putting a Caesura after the second foot ; and then a Spondee and a Dactyl go before it, and two Dactyls follow it ; thus, M&ce - nas ata - vis - cdite - rcgibus. The Second is the Sapphic, so called from Sappho the inven- tress ; and consists of a Trochee, Spondee, Dactyl, and two Tro- cheesj or Spondee for the last, as Ode II. Book I. Jam sa its ter - ris nivis - atque - dirte Grendi - nis mi - sit paler - et ru - bente Dexle - ra sa - crasjacu - latus - arces. But every fourth verse is Adonic, consisting of a Dactyl and Spon- dee, as Terruit - urbem. * A foot consists of two, three, or four syllables, of which there are ten mostly in use, viz. Pyrrhichius, Spondseus, Rambus, Trochaeus, Dactylus, Anapaestus, Tribrachys, Proceleusmaticus, Choriambus, Bacchius, f two short syllables, as deus two long ones, omnes "Vi a short and long one, pios c a long and short one, servat -" a long and two short ones, carmina r.2 i en two short ones and a long one, animos a o three short ones, melius four short ones, hominibus one long, two short, and one Ion &, nobilitas short and two long ones, dolor as. OF THE DIFFERENT KINDS OF VERSE. XXXV The Third is the Glyconic, so called from Glycon, the inven- tor, and consists of a Spondee, a Choriambus, and Pyrrhichius, or Iambus, as Ode III. Book I. Sic te - diva potens - Cypri. But every second verse is of the first sort of verse, viz. an Ascle- piad, as Sicfra - tres Helena; - lucida si - dera, The Fourth is the Dactylic Archilochic, and consists of Spon- dees or Dactyls indifferently in the four first feet, as in a heroic verse, then of three Trochees, or a Spondee for the last, as Ode IV. Book I. Solvitur - acris hy - ems gra - ta vice - veris - et Fa -'voni. But every second verse is an Iambic Archilochic, consisting of an Iambus or a Spondee, a Trochee, a Caesura, and three Trochees or a Spondee for the last, as Truhunt - que sic - cas - machi - nee ca - rinas. . The Fifth is the Pherecratian, the first two verses of which are Asclepiad, viz. of the first sort of verse, as Ode V. Book I. Quis mul - ta gracilis - te puer in - rosa Perfu - sus liquidis - urget odo - ribus. The third verse consists of a Spondee, Dactyl, and Spondee, aS Grata *- Pj/rrha sub - antro. But every fourth line is Glyconic, viz. of the third sort of verse, thus, Cuifla - vam religas - comam. The Sixth is the Asclepiad Glyconic, the three first verses being all Asclepiad, as Ode VI. Book I. Scribe - ris Vario -fortis et ho - stium c2 XXXVI OF THE DIFFERENT KINDS OF VERSE. Victor - Mtfonii - carminis a - lite Quam rem - cunqueferox - navibus out - equis. But every fourth verse is Glyconic, as Miles - le duce ges - serif. The Seventh is the Heroic Hexameter, and consists of six feet, a Dactyl and Spondee being used indifferently in all places ; though a Dactyl is very seldom used as the sixth foot, or a Spon- dee as the fifth, but is almost always the last foot, and sometimes a Trochee, as Ode VII. Book I. Lauda - bunt all - i da - ram Rhodon - out Mity - lenen. But every second verse is Dactylic Alcmanic, consisting of the four last feet of an heroic verse, as, Aut Ephe ' sum bima - riste Co - rinthi. The Eighth is the Aristophanic, and consists of a Choriambus .and a Bacchius, as Ode VIII. Book I. Lydia die - per omnes. But every second line is Choriambic Alcaic, consisting of an Epi- trit, which is composed of four syllables, commonly the second short, and the other three long ; after the Epitrit follow two Cho- riambic feet and a Bacchius, as Te Deos o - ro Sybarin - cur properas - amando. The Ninth is the Dactylic Alcaic, or Horatian, as some call it, because Horace seems to have taken great delight in this kind of verse. It consists of two Iambic feet, or a Spondee for the last, then a Caesura and two Dactyls, as Ode IX. Book I. Vides - ut al - ta - stet nive - candidum. Sora - cte nee -jam - siistine - ant onus. But every third verse is Iambic Archilochic, consisting of four feet, OF THE DIFFERENT KINDS OF VERSE. XXXV11 the first and third an Iambus or Spondee, the second and fourth an Iambus only, and a Caesura, thus, Sylva - labo - rantes - gelu - que. And every fourth verse is Dactylic Pindaric, consisting of two Dactyls and two Trochees, or a Spondee for the last Trochee, thws, Flumina - constite - rint a - cuto. The Tenth is the Choriambic Alcaic Pentameter, and con- sists of a Spondee, three Choriambic feet, and a Pyrrhichius or Iambus, as Ode XI. Book I. Tu ne - qucEsieris - scire nefus - quern mild quern - tibi. The Eleventh is the Iambic Archilochic, and consists of a long, a short, and a long syllable, and two Iambic feet, or the last Pyr- rhichius, as Ode XVIII. Book II., thus, Non ebur - ncqu' au - reum. But every second verse is Iambic Archilochic, and consists of five Iambic feet and a Caesura, thus, Mea - reni - del in - domo - lacu - nar. The Twelfth is the Ionic, and consists of three Ionics, which are respectively composed of two short and two long syllables, as Ode XII. Book III. Miserar' est - nequ' amori - dare ludum. Neque dnlci - mala vino - laver' out ex - But every third verse consists of four Ionics, thus, animari - metuentes - palnue ver - bera lingua. The Thirteenth is the Heroic Hexameter, as Ode VII Book IV. $u - jrerc ni - ves rede - untjam - gramina - campis. XXXV111 OF THE DIFFERENT KINDS OF VERSE. But every second verse is Dactylic ArchilochiCj consisting of two Dactyls and a Ceesura, thus, Arbori - busque co - mce. The Fourteenth is the Iambic Hipponactic, so called from Hipponax the inventor, consisting of six Iambic feet, admitting sometimes a Spondee for the first, third, and fifth, as Ode I. Book V. Ibis - Libur - nis in - ter al - ta na - mum. But every second verse is Iambic Archilochic, consisting of four Iambic feet, admitting sometimes a Spondee for the first and third feet, as, Ami - ce pro - pugna - cula. The Fifteenth is also the Iambic Hipponactic, as consisting of six Iambic feet, Ode XI. Book V. Petti - nihil - me sic - ut an - tea -juvat. But then every second verse is Sapphic, consisting of two Dac- tyls, a Caesura, and four Iambic feet, admitting also a Spondee for the first, third, and fifth feet : Scribere - version - los -amo - re per - cuhum - grari. The Sixteenth is the Heroic Hexameter, as Ode XIII. Book V. Horrida - tempe - stas cce - lum con - traxit et - imbres. But every second verse is Archilochic, and consists of four Iam- bic feet, with sometimes a Spondee for the first and third feet j then follow two Dactyls and a Caesura, thus, Rives - que de - ducunt - Jovetn - nunc mare - nunc silii - a. The Seventeenth is the Heroic Hexameter, as Ode XIV. Book V. OF THE DIFFERENT KINDS OF VERSE. XXXIX Molli$ in - ertia - cur tan - tarn dif.-fuderit - imis. But every second verse is Iambic Archilochic, and consists of four Iambic feet, admitting sometimes a Spondee for the first and third feet, as, Obli - vio - nem sen - sibus. The Eighteenth is the Heroic Hexameter, as Ode XVI. Book V. Altera -jam teri - tur bel - Us ci - vilibus - (Etas. But every second is Iambic Hipponactic, as, Suis - et ip - sa Ro - ma vi - ribus - ruit. The Nineteenth is the Iambic Hipponactic throughout, each rerse consisting of six feet, as Ode XVII. Book V. Jamf ef - fica - ci do - manus - scien - tice. A VERSE is called, 1. Acatalecticus, when it is every way complete, and has no syllable deficient or superfluous, as in this Iambic, Musce Jovis sunt filicE. 2. Catalecticus, when it wants a syllable at the end, as, Musce Jovem canebant. 3. Brachycatalecticus, when it wants a foot at the end, as, Muscc Jovis gnatcc. 4 Hypercatalecticus, or Hypermeter, when it has one or two syllables beyond its just measure, as, Musee sorores sunt Minerva ; and, Muscc sorores Palladia lugcnt. xl OF THE DIFFERENT KINDS OF VERSE. WHEN an Ode consists of one sort of verse only, It is called Monocolos, as Ode I. Book I. When of two sorts of verse, it Is styled Dicolos, as Ode II. Book I. And, When of three sorts of verse, it is called Tricolos, as Ode V. Book I. ACCORDING to the number of verses in a Strophe or Stanza *, an Ode takes its name. If the same sort of verse return after the second line, it is called Distrophos, as Ode III. Book I. If after the third line, it is called Tristrophos, as Ode XII. Book III. And, If after the fourth line, it is called Tetrastrophos, as Ode II. Book I. * The Ode originally had but one strophe or stanza, but was at last divided into three parts ; the strophe, antistrophe, and epode. For the priests went round the altar singing the praises of Jupiter and Juno in verse : so they called their first entrance to the left Strophe, or turning to ; the second returning to the right they de- nominated Antistrophe, or the returning ; and the songs they styled Ode or Antode, as they called their entrance and return strophe and antistrophe. At last, standing still before the altar, they sang the rest, and that they called the Epode. xli THE READER MAY HERE SEE AT ONE VIEW, OF WHAT SORT VERSE EACH ODE IS COMPOSED. Book I. Ode Sort of Verse. Book 1. Ode Sort of Verse. Book II. Ode Sort of Verse. 1. 1 XX. 2 1. 9 II. 2 XXI. 5 II. 2 III. 5 XXII. 2 III. 9 IV. 4 XXIII. 5 IV. 2 V. 5 XXIV. 6 V. 9 VI. 6 XXV. 2 VI. 2 VII. 7 XXVI. 9 VII. 9 VIII. 8 XXVII. 9 VIII. 2 IX. 9 XXVIII. 7 IX. 9 X. 2 XXIX. 9 X. 2 XI. 10 XXX. 2 XI. 9 XII. 2 XXXI. 9 XII. 6 XIII. 3 XXXII. 2 XIII. 9 XIV. 5 XXXIII. G XIV. 9 XV. G XXXIV. 9 XV. 9 XVI. 9 XXXV. 9 XVI. 2 XVII. 9 XXXVI. 3 XVII, 9 XVIII. 10 XXXVII. 9 XVIII. 11 XIX. 3 XXXVIII. o XIX. 9 XX. 9 xlii THE READER MAY HERE SEE AT ONE VIEW, OF WHAT SORT OF VERSE EACH ODE IS COMPOSED. Book III. Ode Sort of Verse. Book III. Ode Son of Verse. Book IV. Ode Sort of Verse. Book V. Ode Sort of Verse. I. 9 XVI. 6 I. 8 I. 14 II. v a XVII. 9 11. 2 II. 14 III. 9 XVIII. o III. 3 III. 14 IV. 9 XIX. 3 IV. 9 IV. 14 V. 9 XX. 2 V. 6 V. 14 VI. 9 XXI. 9 VI. 2 VI. 14 VII. 5 XXII. 2 VII. 13 VII. 14 VIII. 2 XXIII. 9 VIII. 1 VIII. 14 IX. 3 XXIV. 3 IX. 9 IX. 14 X. 6 XXV. 3 X. 10 X. 14 XL n XXVI. 9 XL 2 XL 15 XII. 12 XXVII. 2 XII. G XII. 7 XIII. 5 XXVIII. 3 XIII. 5 XIII. 16 XIV. 2 XXIX. 9 XIV. 9 XIV. 17 XV. 3 XXX. 1 XV. 9 XV. 17 XVI. 18 XVII. 19 XVIII. 2 ODARUM TABULA ALPHABETICA. ^LI, vetusto nobilis ab Lamo, ........ . ........................... iii. 17 .^Equam memento rebus in arduis, .................................. ii. 3 Albi, ne doleas plus nimio, memor, ......... . ................... ... i. 33 Altera jam teritur bellis civilibus aetas, ........................... v. 16 Angustam amice pauperiem pati, ............ . ................. ... iii. 2 At 6 Deorum quisquis in coelo regis, ..................... , ........ , v. 5 Audivere, Lyce, Di mea vota, Di, ................................. iv. 13 B Bacchum in remotis carmina rupibus, ............................ ii. 19 Beatus ille qui procul negotiis, ..... .............. . .................. v. 2 c ' Coelo supinas si tuleris manus, .............................. ; ..... iii. 23 Coelo tonantem credidimus Jovem, ................................. iii. 5 Cum tu, Lydia, Telephi, ............................ v ............... i. 13 Cur me querelis exanimas tuis, .................................... ii. 17 D Delicta majorum immeritus lues, ................................... iii. 6 Descende crelo, et die age tibia, ..................... . .............. iii. 4 Dianam tenerae dicite virgines, .................. ..... .............. i. 21 Diffugere nives : redeunt jam gramina campis, .................. iv. 7 Dive, quern proles Niobaea magnae, ................................. iv. 6 Divis orte Ijonis, optime Romulae, ................................. iv. 5 Donarem pateras, grataque commodus, ........................... iv. 8 Donee gratus eram tibi, .,.., ........................................ iii. 9 xliv ODARUM TABULA ALPHABETICA. E LIB. ODE. Eheu, fugaces, Posthume, Posthume, ." ii. 14 Est mihi nonum superantis annum, iv. 11 Et thure et fidibus juvat, i. 36 Exegi monumentum aere perennius, iii. SO Extremuni Tanaim si biberes, Lyce, ,. t iii. 10 F Faune, Nympharum fugientum amator, iii. 18 Festo quid potius die, iii. 28 H Herculis ritu modo dictus, 6 plebs, iii. 14 Horvida tempest as coelum contraxitj et inibres, v. 13 I Ibis Liburnis inter alta navium, v. 1 Icci, beatis nunc Arabum invides, i. 20 Ille et nefasto te posuit die, , ii. 13 Impios parrae recinentis omen, iii. 27 Inclusam Danaen turris ahenea, iii. 16 Intactis opulentior, iii. 24 Integer vitas scelerisque purus, i. 22 Intermissa Venus diu, iv. 1 J Jam jam efficaci do manue scientise, v. 17 Jam pauca aratro jugera regise, ii. 15 Jam satis terris nivis atque diree, i. 2. Jam veris comites qua? mare temperant, iv. 12 Justuin et tenaccm propo&iti virum^ , "..., iii. 3 ODARUM TABULA ALPHABETICA. xlv LIB. ODE. Laudabunt alii claram Rhodon aut Mitylenen, i. 7 Lupis et agnis quanta sortito obtigit, v. 4 Lydia, die, per omnes, i. 8 M Maecenas, atavis edite regibus, i. 1 Mala soluta navis exit alite, v. 1O Martiis coelebs quid agam calendis, iii. 8 Mater sseva cupidinum, i. 19 Mercuri facunde, nepos Atlantis, i. 10 Mercuri, nam te docilis magistro, iii. 11 Miserarum est neque amori dare ludum, iii. 12 MolUs inertia cur tantam diffuderit imis, v. 14 Montium custos nemorumque virgo, iii. 22 Motura ex Metello consule civicum, ii. I Musis amicus tristitiam et metus, i. 26 N Natis in usum laetitiae scyphis, i. 27 Ne forte credas interitura, quae, iv. 9 Ne sit ancillffi tibi amor pudori, ;.... ii. 4 Nolis longa ferae bella Numantise, ii. 12 Non ebur neque aureum, ii. 18 Non semper imbres nubibus hispidos, : ii. 9 Non vicles quanto moveas periclo, iii. 2O Non usitata nee tcnui ferar, ii. 20 Nondum subacta ferre jugum valet, iir5 Nox erat, et coelo fulgebat luna sereno, v. 15 Nullam, Vare, sacra vite prius severis arborem, f i. 18 Nullus argento color est avarls, ii. 2 L-A bibendum, mine pede libero, i. 37 xlvi ODARUM TABULA ALPHABETICA. a Llfi. ODE. O Diva, gratum quae regis Antium, < i. 35 O fons Blandusiae, splendidior vitro, iii. 13 O cmdelis adhuc, et Veneris muneribus potens, iv. 1O O matre pulchra filia pulchrior, v i. 16 O nata irecum consule Manlio, iii. 21 O navis, referent in mare te novi, i. 14 O ssepe mecum tempus in ultimum, ii. 7 O Venus, regina Cnidi Paphiqoe, i. 3O Odi profanum vulgus, et arceo, , iii. I Otium Divos rogat in patent!, ii. 10 P Parcius junctas quatiunt fenestras, i. 25 Parcus Deorum cultor et infrequens, i. 34 Parentis olim si quis impia manu, v. 3 Pastor cum traheret per freta navibus, , i. 15 Persicos odi, puer, apparatus, i. 38 Petti, nihil me, sicut antea, jurat, v. 11 Phoebe, sylvarumque potens Diana, Carmen Seculare Phoebus volentem proelia me loqui, iv. 15 Pindarum quisquis studet aemulari, iv. 2 Poscimus, si quid vacui sub umbra, i. 32 jguae cura patrum, quaeve Quiritium, iv. 14 Qualem ministrum fulminis alitem, iv. 4 Quando repostum Csecubum ad festas dapes, v. 9 Quantum distet ab Inacho, iii. 19 Quern tu, Melpomene, semel, iv. 3 Quern virum aut heroa lyra vel acri, i. 12 ODARUM TABULA ALPHABETICA. xlvii T.1B. ODE. .Quid bellicosus Cantaber et Scythes, ii. 11 Quid dedicatum poscit Apollinem, i. 31 Quid fles, Asterie, quern tibi candidi, \. , Hi. 7 Quid immerentes hospites vexas, canis, v. 6 Quid obseratis auribus fundis preces, v. 17 Quid tibi vis, mulier, nigris dignissima barris, v, 12 Quis desiderio sit pudor aut modus, ....,., i. 24 Quis multa gracilis te puer in rosa, i. 5 Quo me, Bacche, rapis tui, ,... iii. 25 Quo, quo scelesti ruitis ? aut cur dexteris, *. v. 7 R Rectius vives, Licini, neque altum, li. 10 Rogare longo putidam te seculo, v. 8 S Scriberis Vario fortis, et hostium, , i. Septimi, Gades aditure mecum, et, ii. Sic te Diva potens Cypri, i. 3 Solvitur acris hiems grata vice veris et Favoni, i. 4 T Te maris et terrjE numeroque carentis arenas, x i. 28 Tu ne quaesieris (scire nefas) quern mihi, quern tibi, i. H Tyrrhena regum progenies, tibi, iii. 29 V Velox amoenum saepe Lucretilem, i. 17 Vides ut alta stet nive candidum, , i. 9 Vile potabis modicis Sabinum, i. 2O xlviii ODARUM TABULA ALPHABETICA. LIB. ODE. Vitas hinnuleo me similis, Chloe, i. 23 Vixi puellis nuper idoneus, iii. 26 U Ulla si juris tibi pejerati, ii. 8 Uxor pauperis Ibyci, iii. 15 THE TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH PROSE, QUINTI HORATII FLACCI CARMINUM LIBER PRIMUS. ODE I. Horace, in this beautiful Ode, shows the different inclinations of men in gene- ral, and his own in particular. It is placed first, as a dedication of the poet's works to his great patron Maecenas, though composed after a great number of those that follow ; but when it was written is uncertain. It is curious in all its parts, the characters being natural and lively; but it* AD M^ICENATEM. MAECENAS, atavis edite regibus, O et praesidium et dulce decus meum, Sunt quos curriculo pulverem Olympicum Collegisse juvat ; metaque fervidis, Evitata rotis, palmaque nobilis 5 Terrarum dominos evehit ad Deos. ORDO. O Maecenas, edite atavis regibus, O et picum curriculo; metaque evitata fervidU praesidium et meum dulce decus, sunt plu- rotis, nobilisque palma evehit ad deos do- rimi quos juvat collegisse pulverem Olym- minos terrarum. w NOTES. 1. M&cenas.'] This great favourite of of these two eminent poets.- Augustus was distinguished by the regard 1. Regibits.~] Propertius, Peilo Albino- he alwavs paid to men of learning; inso- vanus, Silius Italicus, and Manial, agret much that his name is, even at this day, with Horace, that Maecenas was descended a title of honour bestowed upon all such as of a royal family; and Marcus Portius Cato encourage learning, and patronise the pro- confirms the account in some fragments ; fessors of it. This great man showed a very hi which he says, that Elbius Volturenus, particular regard for Horace and Virgil ; and who was killed near the Lake of Vadiraon, it was by his means they were first recom- in the year of Rome 445, was the last of mended to Augustus, who proved a great the kings of Tuscany, whose descendants benefactor to them both. This is the rea- he names from father to son, till he comes son why Maecenas is so often addressed, to Maecenas, who had no children, and so honourably mentioned, in the work* HORACE'S ODES. BOOK FIRST. ODE I. principal beauty consists in the fine turn given by the poet to his expres- sions, which he manages so artfully, that thoujzh he is obliged often to mention the same thing, in running over the different employments of nen, yet he never falls into a tautology, nor makes use of a low term. TO MAECENAS. M/ECENAS, descended from the princes of Tuscany, your royal ancestors, my generous patron, whose favour I esteem my greatest honour, some take pleasure* in being covered with dust in the chariot-races at the Olympic games; and, if they gain the glorious prize for dexterously turning their glowing wheels round the dan- gerous goal, they think they are as great as gods, the rulers of the earth. * To have gathered Olympic dust. NOTES. 3. Sunt quos curricula.'] How expressive of his father Jupiter Olvmpios. They were of the sense is the sound of these charm- celebrated every fourth year with great pomp ing verses'. We can scarcely read them and solemnity, and continued for five days without thinking that we are carried along together, consisting of five several kinds of with the chariots, and see the dust flying- exercises. The conquerors had the greatest There are many instances of this kind in honours paid them, being carried in a tri- our author and Lucretius, but more espe- umphant manner back int6 their own city, daily in Virgil. See the preface to the prose and had an annual allowance granted them translation of Virgil. by the republic ; so that nothing was es- 3. Olympicum.] The Olympic games teemed more honourable than to return were at first instituted by Pelops; and after victorious from these warlike exercises, they had been discontinued for some time, 4. Meta."\ A goal or mark set up to de- were r-8tbUhtd by Herculet, in honour ttrnjine the extent of the race, The gmt B 3 Q. HORATII CARMINA. LIB. I. Hunc, si mobilium turba Quiritium Certat tergennnis tollerc honoribus j Ilium, si proprio condidit horreo Quidquid de Libycis verritur areisj Gaudentein patrios findere sarculo Agros, Attalicis conditionibus Nunquam dimoveas, ut trabe Cypria Myrtoum pavidus nauta secet mare. Luctantem Icariis fluctibus Africum Mercator metuens, otium et oppidi 'Laudat rura sui ; mox reficit rates Quassas, indocilis pauperiem pati. Est qui nee veteris pocula Massiei, Nee partem solido demere de die Spernit, nunc viridi membra sub arbuto Stratus, nuuc ad aquae lene caput sacrae. 10 15 20 OR DO. Si turba inobilium Quirkium cerlat tollere hunc tergeminis honoribus, nuuquam euin di- moveas eiiam Attalicis conditionibus, ut pa- vidus nauta secet Myrtoum mare Cyprii trabe; ntque ilium, si condidit quidquid ver- rirur de Libycis arcis in proprio horreo; nee alium gaudentem findere patrios agros sar- culo. Mercator, metuens.Africum luctantem Icariis fluctibus, laudat otium et rura sui op- pidi ; mox tamen reficit rates quassas, indoci- lis pati pauperiem. Est alius qui nee spernit pocula vini Massiei veteris, nee demere par- tem de solido die, stratus membra nunc sub viridi arbuto, nunc ad lent caput aquae sacrae. NOTES. . art, in these chariot-races, consisted in turning swiftly round die goal, and yet so rietir as to seem to touch it ; by which the charioteers were often in danger of being dashed to pieces against it. 10. Lil-ycif.'] Libya was a part of nor- thern Africa, bounded on the east by Egypt, and on the west by the kingdom of Tripoli. The abundance of corn it yielded, made it one of the granaries of Italy. It supplied Rome yearly with forty millions of bushels, on which it subsisted for eight mouths. The poets often give the name of Libya to all that part of Africa which lies along the Me- diterranean. 11. Gaudaitem.'] Commentators refer this word to ilium, and maintain that Ho- race speaks only of one individual person. But I am persuaded our author meant other- wise ; and that by this word he introduces a character distinct from the former. By hiuic he represents to us one whose sole am- bition b to be advanced to the highest pre- ferments. By ilium he points at a rich but avaricious citizen, who thinks of nothing but of enriching himself by the corn-trade of Africa, without exposing his person to any danger on that account. And by gau- dertlem, he describes to us one who is so fond of the tranquillity of a country life, that he neither covets riches nor honour?, but chooses above all things, as the greatest pleasure in life, to cultivate his estate with his own hands. Horace says, that none of these three men can ever be prevailed on to run the risk of going to sea, though the riches of Attalus, with all the gain in the world, were proposed to them. This sense has doubtless more of beauty and strength than the other ; and (wh;it is still more re- markable) it perfectly agrees with the like expressions our poet uses, which is done by the ether explication in a forced and im- proper manner. To contend that gauden- tem refers to ilium, is contending that Horace has given two such different passion* ODE I. HORACE'S ODES. If one finds the giddy mob bent on raising him to offices of the highest trust and honour ; if another has stored his granarie^ with vast quantities of corn from Africa ; and if a third places his sole delight in cultivating his paternal estate himself; were you to offer them the immense riches of Attains to commence traders and brave the seas, you would not prevail. The merchant, alarmed when the stormy south-west wind swells the Icarian sea, praises the sweet retreat and pleasant fields of his country-seat; yet the danger is no sooner over, than he refits his shattered vessels, hating the thought of being reduced to poverty. The toper takes pleasure in spending the greater part of the day at his bottle, stretched at his ease, sometimes under a shade, and sometimes near the pleasant source of a sacred fountain. NOTES. to one man, as never were found yet in one person together. Fot it is inconceivable how the avarice of him who hoards up in store- houses the corn of Africa, can consist with the moderate desires of that man whose de- light is in cultivating the lands of his fore- fathers. What has led commentators into this mistake, is the admirable change of the terms hunc, ilium, and gaudentem. To use alter for a third, would be too low ; and therefore, to express a third character, he uses the participle, according to the oc- casional practice of the Greeks and Latins. 12. Attalicis cf Rome is the ways in the greatest esteem, only atonement that can expiate so great 33. Erycina riilens.'] All the deities here a crime. Besides, Ilia's resentment in this mentioned; patronised Rome. And the poet case must be satisfied. But the coin- takes care to give Venus a designation that plaints and condescension of both are ex- must raise a sensible pleasure in Augustus. cessive. Jupiter equally disapproves the /Eneas, from whom Augustus descended, one and the other, and will admit of none had brought from Sicily into Italy a statue with Augustus to share in the glory of re- of Erycine Venus, to whom afterwards a venging Caesar's death. So, you se <, it is temple with a magnificent portico was built indifferent whether you refer nimium to at Rome without the gate Collina. The qurrenti or jactat, though I choose to join goddess received this name from the moim- it with the first. ' tain Eryx in Sicily, on which she was wor- 27- Firgines sanclae] The Vestal virgins, shipped. Its modern name is SanJuliano, the chief part of whose office was the pre- in the valley of Massara, near Trepano. Or servatkm of the eternal fire. They were rather i he goddess and mountain were so sacred to Vesta ; and, of consequence, their called (mm Eryx, the son of Venus and Butes. prayers, it might be supposed, would be 36. Respids auctar.] The Romans were the more powerful with her. . descended of Mars by Ilia, on whom he be- 32. Augur Apftllo.] Apollo presided over got Romulus and Rsmus. iivlnation and soothsaying. He inspired ther 12 Q. HORATII CARM1NA. LIB. I. Heu, nimis longo satiate ludo ; Quern juvat clamor, galeeeque leves, / Acer et Mauri peditis cruentum Vultus in hostem. 40 Sive mutatR juvenem figur& Ales in terris imitaris, almse .-Filius Maise, patiens vocari Csesaris ultor : Serus in coelum redeas, diuque 45 Lfetus intersis populo Quirint j Neve te nostris vitiis iniquum Ocior aura Tollat. Hie magnos petius triumphos, Hie ames dici pater atque princeps j 50 Neu sinas Medos equitare irmltos, Te duce, Ceesar. ORDO. satiate ludo heu nimis longo; quern clamor diuque laetus intersis populo Quirini; neve juvat, galeajque leves, et vultus Mauri pedi- ocior aura tollat te iniquum nostris vitiis. tis acer in hostem cruentum : sive, tu ales Ames hie potius magnos triumplios, ames hie filius almae Maiae, patiens vocari ultor Cae- dici pater atque priuceps ; neu sinas, O saris, imitaris in terris juvenem Avgustum, Caesar, Medos equitare inultos, te duce. mutata figura : redeas serus in coelum ; , NOTES. 41. SivemutaJa.] There can be nothing when Caesar was killed. Dio too calls him more exquisite than this is. The poet Ntov. It was from no regard to his age would persuade the Romans that Augustus that the poets gave him the names of was no other than Mercury come down to Jurenis and Puer ; for Horace, Virgil, and avenge Caesar's death. Ovidj addressed him thus when he could 41. Juvenem.] Augustus is here meant, not be said to be a young man. who was at most but nineteen years of age ODE III. We may look on this ode as the last farewell of Horace to Virgil, when he embarked for Greece ; and they never saw one another more. Had Horace foreseen what was to happen, he could scarcely have expressed his grief in a more affectionate manner than he does in this ode ; the first eightlines of which have something in them admirably tender, and the rest something very grand ; for nothing can be more finished in its kind than this ode, Horace being about forty-seven years of age when he composed it. This is one of those odes wherein he is censured for his Pindaric excur- sions and sallies, but without reason ; for lyric enthusiasm is not only ODE III. HORACE'S ODES. 15 come touched with compassion for your offspring, which you seem to have forgotten, ice shall be highly pleased ; for you are surely fully surfeited, by this time, with the cruel diversion which our civil wars have so long given you. Or, if it be you, * Mercury, chaste Maia's son, who appear here on earth in the form of our young prince, ready to avenge Caesar's murder, may your return to heaven be late, that the Romans may long be blessed with your desirable presence ; and let not, we beg, the abhorrence you have of our late crimes make you leave us soon. Stay rather and enjoy the glorious triumphs prepared for you. Vouchsafe to bear the amiable titles of prince and father of our countiy ; nor suffer, great Csesar, in your happy reign, the Par- thian cavalry to insult us unrevenged. * Winged Mecrury, NOTES. 42. dies,] Mercury obtained this appella- 51. Medox.'] Horace means the Parthians, tion from the wings he had on his head and whom he before calls Persians. These three heels. different people have been undistinguished 45. Serus in cesium redtas.] This is a by some authors, because their kingdoms noble, delicate, and happy turn; and the have been so too. The Persians subdued the more so, as it agrees with Mercury, whose Medes, and rhe Parthians became masters to natural habitation was heaven, and with Au- the first. gustus, who was, as the descendant of Venus 51. Equitare.~\ Our author uses this term, by ./Eneas, of heavenly origin. because the greatest strength of the Persians 49. Magnos tmunphos,~\ A year and a and Parthians consisted in their cavalry: half elapsed between these triumphs and the and inultos, because of the signal defeat date of this ode. The time of their cele- given by the latter to Crassus. bration was for three days of the month tliat 52. Te dncc.] This is an honourable epi- goes under O.'tavius' name, in the year of thet, and is equivalent to imperator. Ho- Kome 7'2l- His first triumph was for de- race uses it often when speakingof Augustus, feating the Pannonians and Dalmatians, his In the fifth Ode of the 4th Book, he ad- second for the victory at Actium, and his dresses him twice with the title of Dux third for the reduction of Egypt. lone. ODE III. an enemy to grammatical connexion and methodical transitions, but like- wise gives a licence to pass from one subject to another that has some affinity with the principal. After fulfilling the duties which the sepa- ration of a great and intimate friend required of him, the idea of the vessel in which Virgil had embarked, and the hazards that he might incur, had thrown our poet into a bad humour. He abhors naviga- tion, and looks on it as a wicked attempt against the laws of nature, and an open defiance to heaven, and ascribes all the bold adventures of this kind to an ungovernable and precipitant disposition in man after 14 Q. HORATII CARMINA. LIB. I, things forbidden ; and from this source he draws all the miseries with which human life is chequered. From this account one may venture to say that there is no great disagreement in the progress of this piece, and that all the three parts of which it consists naturally arise the one from AD NAVEM VIRGILIUM ATHENAS VEHENTEM, Sic te Diva potens Cypri, Sic fratres Helena, lucida sidera, Ventorumque regat pater, Obstrictis aliis, prater lapyga, Navis, quae tibi creditum 5 Debes Virgllium ; finibus Atticis Reddas incolumem, precor, Et serves animae dimidium meae. 111! robur et aes triplex Circa pectus erat, qui fragilem truci 10 Commisit pelago ratem Primus, nee timuit praecipitem Africum Decertaritem Aquilonibus, Nee tristes Hyadas, nee rabiem Noti, Quo non arbiter Adriae 15 Major, tollere seu ponere vult freta. Quem mortis timuit gradum, Qui siccis oculis monstra natantia, Qui vidit mare turgidum, et Infames scopulos Acroceraunia ? 20 ORDO. O navis, quae debes Yirgilium creditum truci, nee timuit Africum pracipitem cvm tibi, precor ut sic potens diva Cypri, sic fra- aquilonibus decertantem, nee tristes Hyadas, tres Helena lucida sidera, et pater ventorum, nee rabiem Noti, quo non est major arbiter obstrictis aliis venth prater lapyga, regat te, Adriap, *eu vult tolleje seu ponere freta. ut reddas cum incolumem finibus Atticis, et Quem gradum mortis timuit ille, qui vidit serves dimidium animae meae.. monstra natantia siccis oculis, qui i-idit mare Robur et aes triplex erat illi circa pectus, turgidum, et infames scopulos Acroceraunia ? qui primus commisit fragilem ratem pelago NOTES. 1. Diva potens Cypri.'] Veirus is invoked sea of the rovers and pirates that infesttd here, probably, because that planet is of it. great use to seamen, in directing their 3. fentarum pater.] Ancient mythology course. represents the wine's as volatile, restless,' 2. Fratres Helena] Castor and Pollux and turbulent deities, taking pleasure in were feigned by the ancients to have been throwing the universe into confusion, transformed into those stars which are called They forced a passage for the sea into Gemini, or the Twin-stars. In their life- the main land, tore numbers of inlands time, they were remarkable for clearing the from the continent, and committed num- ODE III. HORACE'S ODES. 15 the other. Either all kinds of digressions must be discarded from lyric poetry, which would be absurd, or it must be owned that this piece has nothing extravagant in it. Virgil's voyage happened in the year of Rome 735, probably in the beginning of spring : the date of this ode, therefore, cannot be doubtful. TO THE VESSEL THAT WAS CARRYING VIRGIL TO ATHENS. DEAR ship, as the life of Virgil, my beloved Virgil, is intrusted to you, take care, I conjure you, to keep the half of my very soul from all danger, and land him safe on the coast of Attica ; on this condition may the goddess Venus, who reigns in Cyprus, and Helen's two brothers, those auspicious stars, direct your course ; on this condition, may * ^Eolus, putting all the winds under confine- ment except the west, favour your voyage. His heart must surely have been cased in oak or three plates of brass, who first had the courage to expose himself to the raging sea in a slender bark, and defied the violent south-west wind beating against the north, nor feared the stormy Hyades, or south wind's rage, which swells or smooths the waves of the Adriatick sea at pleasure. What form of death would frighten him, who could f unconcerned behold the huge sea-monsters rolling in the deep, who could without terror look on the tempestuous sea, and those notoriously dangerous rocks of Epirus ? * The father of the winds. ( With dry eyes. NOTES. Lerless devastations. To prevent the like showing that Horace, who was five yean dismal catastrophes, they confined them younger than Virgil, was in the 47th year of to a certain country, and imposed a king nis age when he composed it. on them, by name .Solus. This new mon- 7. Reddas incolitmrm.'] The propriety of arch, or rather new god, has always had the terms debes, credit urn, reddas, incolu- a great part to act in every poem, either % to inem, ought by no means to be passe* I over raise or calm a storm. Ulysses prajs to unobserved. They are borrowed from the him for a happy voyaee; Juno, the queen notion of debit and credit, or from the ob- of the gods, stoops to implore his aid for legations arising from having a trust, which defeating the establishment of the Trojans have a peculiar and singular beauty in this in Italy; and it may be said, that /Eolus has place. the honour of beginning the broil of that 14. Hyadas.~] The seven stars. The poets great subject in the yEneiH of Virgil, for feign them to be the daughters of Atlas and which see the Prose Translation, Book I. yEthra; who, greatly lamenting the death 6. Finibus Atticis."} Virgil, in the 52d of their brother Hyas, were translated into year of his age, resolved to go to Athens, heaven, where they are supposed still to to give the last polished turn to his jEneid. continue weeping ; it being observed, that And it is to this voyage that Monsieur le their rising and setting are frequently at- Fevre, with good reason, refers this ale ; tended with storms of win. 16 Q. HORATII CARMINA. LIB. I. Nequicquam Deus abscidit Prudens Oceano dissociabili Terras, si tamen impiae Non tangenda rates transiliunt vada. Audax omnia perpeti, 25 Gens humana ruit per vetitum nefas. Audax lapeti genus Ignem fraude mala gentibus intulit : Post ignem aetherea domo Subductum, macies, et nova febrium 30 Terris incubuit cohors, Semotique prius tarda necessitas Lethi corripuit gradum. Expertus vacuum Daedalus aera Pennis non homini datis : 35 Perrupit Acberonta Herculeus labor. Nil mortalibus arduum est. Crelum ipsum petimus stultitia ; neque Per nostrum patimur scelus Iracunda Jovem ponere fulmina. 40 ORDO. Deus prudens nequicquam abscidit terras cessitasque prius tarda corripuit gradum lethi Oceano dissociabili, si tamen rates impiae semoti. Daedalus expertus est vacuum aera transiliunt vada non tangenda. pennis non datis homini : labor Herculeus Gens humana, audax perpeti omnia, ruit perrupit Acheronta. per vetitum nefas. Audax Prometheus genus Nil est arduum mortalibus. Petimus coe- lapeti intulit ignem gentibus fraude mala: lum ipsum stultitia; neque patimur Jovem macies et nova cohors febrium incubuit terris ponere fulmina iracunda per scelus nostrum, post ignem subductum setlierea domo : fle- NOTES. 24. Nan tangenda.'] As the ancients were metheus, with a box to her husband, from persuaded that God had set the ocean as a which, as soon as he opened it, there flew boundary to the land, so they firmly believed out sundry sorts of diseases, and spread that the man who first broke through these themselves up and down the earth, bounds was punished for his bold attempt : 30. Macies, et nova febrium,] Consump- tion and fevers represent all the infirmi- Exitu dim temerata ponti ties of the body. The poet alludes to the Jurapiavit. above story of Pandora. Jupiter, to punish the audacious Prometheus, dispatched this 27. lapeti genus.'] Prometheus, the son woman to him with a box which contained of lapetus, first made a man of clay, and the seeds of all kinds of diseases. Prome- afterwards, by fire stolen from heaven, put theus suspected the present, and refused life in his image. In revenge for this free- it : but his brother incautiously received dom, Jupiter sent Pandora, the wife of Epi- and opened it. Hence arose that inundation ODE III. HORACE'S ODES. In vain hath God divided the several kingdoms of the earth by wisely placing the ocean between them*, if profane men will, in small vessels, cross those seas on which they ought not to venture. But what is it bold man will not attempt, furiously bent on every thing that is wicked and forbidden ? Thus Prometheu-*, the aspir- ing son of Japhet, stole fire from heaven for the use of man, by an artifice fatal to his posterity; for thisf piece of sacrilege was followed by famine, and a frightful swarm of diseases entirely new to us, which over-ran the whole earth ; and death, sure before, though slow, began from that time to double his pace Daedalus also dared to soar in the air with wings not intended for man, and Hercules forced his way to hell; in fine, nothing seems impossible to men ; we are even so mad as to attempt to storm heaven itself;^ hence it is, that Jupiter, provoked at our repeated crimes, still finds use for his thunderbolts. * If impious ships cross. -f- Fire stolen from the heavenly house. J Nor, through our wickedness, do we suffer Jupiter to lay aside his angry thunderbolts. NOTES. of calamities that pursue and embitter all our pleasures. 31. Inculuif, This word has been ad- mirably chosen to point out to us that every part of this our earth was seized with the corruption. Virgil has used it with the same meaning in his first /Eneid : "' ponto nox inculat atra. " Sable night covers the sea." 32. Semotique priits tar da necessitas^ Never were there two more beautiful verses. And Horace has infinitely surpassed in this the original which he had in his eye. I do not dwell upon ihe terms, than which no- thing can be more proper. But I cannot help remarking the happy art observed in the lowness of the first verse. Horace seems to make death move heavily, and with a slow pace in the first, with a view to hasten his pace in the second, and as it were gives him wings by the swiftness of that one expression, corripuit. 34. Expcrtus vacuum Dtedalus.'] Dedalus was a famous architect. He lived in Crete at Minos' court, a little before the Trojan war, and there built, by his order, the famous labyrinth, into which himself was shut, for having discovered the secret of his way to Theseus. His friends, and even the queen herself, who was under some obligations to him for having favoured her amorous ad- ventures, bribed his guards, procured his escape, and put him in a vessel, which sailed so well, that those who pursued him reported that she had wings. This was genera!]) be- lieved among the people, as if in fact she had flown; whereas those people spoke only of the wings of his ship, as all the ancients have given that name to the sails of a ship. 36. Perrupit Acheronta.~] This earth furnishing no more monsters for the exercise of Hercules' valour, he goes down to hell, thence takes Theseus, and drags Cerberjs himself to the very foot of Pluto's throne. 38. Ccelum ipsum petimus.] The poet here alludes to the story of the giants. 13 Q. HORAT1I CARM1NA. LIB. 1. ODE IV. Though the subject of this ode is common, Horace's manner of treating it is far from being so. A gaiety of spirit, under an air of seriousness, appear* through the whole. The prospect of approaching death at the end of it, was, according to the principles of the Epicureans, a strong reason for spending life agreeably ; but to let us into a thorough knowledge of this ode, and into our author's ingenuity, it will be necessary to lay before the reader's eye a sketch of the Roman calendar. In it the fifth day after the nones of February, that is to say, the tenth day of the month, was reckoned the spring's commencement. The very next day began Faunus' festivals, which were no sooner ended, than immediately succeeded the Feralia or Ferioe of the dead. Thus Ovid says, in his second book of Fasti : En etiam si quis Boream horrere solebat, Gaudeat : a Zephyris mitior aura venit. Quintus ab aequoreis nitidum jubar extulitundis Lucifer, et primi tempora veris erant. " Now if there be any who used to shrink at the cold northern wind, let " him be glad, since a kinder breeze blows in the Zephyrs ; and from the com- " mencement of the early spring, the great luminary of the day has now the " fifth time raised his refulgent beam from the watery main." And afterwards : AD L. SEXTIUM CONSULAREM. SOLVITUR acris hiems grata vice veris et Favoni, Trahuntque siccas machinae carinas; Ac neque jam stabulis gaudet pecus, aut arator igni, Nee prata canis albicant pruinis. Jam Cytherea chores duck Venus, imminente Luua; Junctseque Nymphis Gratiae decentes OR DO. Hiems acris solvitur grata vice veris et canis. Favoni, macbinacque trahunt carinas siccas ; Venus Cytherea jaifa duck chores Luna im- ac qenue pecus jam gaudet stabulis, aut ara- mineme; Gratiaecniedeceiites-jimctiE nympliis lor g&uUt igni, uec prata albicant pruinis NOTES. 1. Soh'itur, *c.] This introduction is bare words, that they are expressive of the beautiful; there is poetry in the sense itself, rigour and mildness of the two seasons here and propriety in the expression. These two mentioned, words acris aud grata are so far from being 5. Cytherea feniw.J Cythera, now Cerigp, ODE IV. HORACE'S ODES. ID ODE IV. Idibxis agrestis fumant altaria Fauni, Hie ubi discretas insula rumpit aquas. " Upon the ides (that is, on the 13th of the month), the altars of rural " Faunus smoke in the island which separates the waters of the Tiber." Five days afterwards, the last of which was the last too, and grandest holiday of the fast instituted for the dead, Hanc quia justa ferunt dixere Feralia lucem, Ultima placandis manibus ilia dies. " They call this day the holiday of the dead, because they sacrifice to them, " and the last day of the solemnity is destined for appeasing the Manes." All this serves to give us a good insight into this ode, in letting us see that the very subject of it was taken from the festivals of the calendar, which was a kind of remembrancer to them, of making the best use of every moment of their time; because scarcely has the spring begun, and carried with it the agreeable and de- lightful festival of Faunus, when immediately follows the dismal and mournful festival of the dead, to put us in mind of our exit or departure out of this life. This appears to me highly ingenious, and well deserving an explication. The very first line of the ode shows that it was written in the spring, but in what year is uncertain. TO L. SEXTIUS.J THE spring, with its warm, refreshing breezes, comes at length to free us from the extreme cold of winter; and they now begin to haul with engines the ships out of the docks. The cattle * now forsake their stalls, and the ploughman takes no pleasure in sitting by the fire, nor are the fields any longer covered with nipping hoar- frost, f Venus now leads her joyful choirs by moon-light j the * Do not rejoice in. f Cytherean Venus. NOTES. was an island of the ^Egean sea, on the coast and divided themselves into three companies, of Peloponnesus. In this island there was a out of which they formed several choruses, most ancient temple belonging to Venus j They passed all this time in dancing, and whence she was called Cytherea. in singing hymns to the honour or their 5. Chores ducit. Venus.] Horace here goddess. speaks of the festival of Venus, which began 6. Gratia;.'] The Graces were doubtless on the first of April. Then the young the most amiable divinities in the ancient ladie walked for three nights successively, mythology. They were looked upon as the Ca 20 Q. HORATII CARMINA. LIB. I. Alterno terrain quatiunt pede, dum graves Cyclopum Vulcanus ardens urit officinas. Nunc decet aut viridi nitidum caput impedire myrto, Aut flore, terrae quem ferunt solutae : 10 Nunc et in umbrosis Fauno decet immolare lucis, Seu poscat agnam, sive rnalit hoedum. Pallida mors sequo pulsat pede pauperum tabernas, Regumque turres. O beate Sexti, Vitae summa brevis spem nos vetat inchoare longam. 15 Jam te premet nox, fabulaeque Manes, Et domus exilis Plutonia ; quo simul mearis, Nee regna vini sortiere talis, Nee tenerum Lycidam mirabere, quo calet juventus Nunc omnis, et mox virgines tepebunt. 20 ORDO. quatiunt terrain pede alterno, dum Vulcanus turresque regum pede sequo. O beate Sextt, ardens urit graves officinas Cyclopum. brevis summa vine vetat nos inchoare spem Nunc decet impedire caput nitidum aut longam. Nox jam premet te, fabulaeque viridi myrto, aut flore quem terrae solutae fe- Manes, et domus exilis Plutonia ; quo simul runt. Nunc et decet immolare Fauno in lu- mearis, nee sortiere regna vini tails, nee cis umbrosis, seu poscat agnam, sive malit mirabere tenerum Lycidam, quo juveutus hoedum. omnis nunc calet, et virgines rcox tepebuut. Pallida mors pulsat tabernas pauperum NOTES. source of all that is agreeable and cheerful out their modesty and reservedness at these in nature. They are generally thought to festivals. be the daughters of Bacchus and Venus: 7- Cyclopum.] The Cyclops wereapeo- some make Eurynome their mother. The ma- pie of Sicily : it is said that Vulcan employed jority of poets determine their number to be them at his forges. Virgil names three of three, viz. Aglaia, Euphrosyne, and Thalia, them, viz. Brontes, Steropes, and Pyrac- Horace calls them Gratia decentes, to point mon ; they were the first inhabitants of that ODE V. Horace, in this ode, ridicules, in a very handsome manner, the weakness of those youths who are deluded by intriguing women, such as Pyrrha was, and exposes the arts by which they seduce the unwary ; and, at the same AD PYRRHAM. Quis multa gracilis te puer in rosa Perfusus liquidis urget odoribus ORDO. O Pvrrha, quis gracilU puer, perfusus odoribus liquidis, urget te in ros multa, sut ODE V. HORACE'S ODES. 21 Nymphs and lovely Graces dance hand in hand, while glowing Vulcan blows the fire to his labouring Cyclops in the stifling forge. Now is the time to perfume our hair, and to crown our heads with garlands of verdant myrtle, or flowers just sprung from the preg- nant earth. Now is the time to offer in the shady groves, to Faunus, a lamb or a kid, whichever he may best approve. Grim death, with equal freedom, attacks the palaces of kings, and cot- tages of peasants. Our life, dear friend, at its greatest extent, is so short, that it suffers us not to form great designs, which cannot soon be put in execution, or entertain any hopes which are too remote. You yourself will be soon buried in eternal darkness, among the Manes so much talked of, in Pluto's melancholy abode; where once arrived, you shall no more cast lots who is to be master of the feast, nor shall you any more admire young Lycidas, with whom all of his age are now charmed, and of wJtom the ladies will soon be enamoured. NOTES. island, and possessed the western coast of it destroy what follows ; and Monsieur le_Fe- round Tvapani and cape Lilybeum. . vre has observed, that fabnla is not always. 8. Vulcanus.] The god of fire, and son taken in a bad sense, but often, on the con- of Jupiter and Juno. He was employed In Vrary, for reality and matters of fact ; and so making his father's thunderbolts, in which is fiuBo; among the Greeks. Therefore the work he was assisted by the Cyclops. phrase Jahdce manes is the same with manes 11. Fauno.] Faunas is the same with (he de quilus mullee simt Jabulte, i. e. " the god Pan. to whom they usually sacrificed in Manes who are much talked of." And su the beginning of the spring, that he might when he says " the fabulous Hydaspes," he be propitious to the flocks, which were then does not mean the Hydaspes is a pure fable, broughs forth to feed in ihe fields. but that it is much talked of either by poets 1 6. Fal.-uUeque Manxes.] Some learned or historians. men have grossly mistaken this epithet 18. Nee regna vim sorliere toZr's.] The fabula, in thinking that Horace calls the ancients ordinarily made choice of a master Maaes groundless fie- ions. But it is rer- at theii feasts, and the election was deter- tain, that an admission of this meaning would mined by the cast of the dice. ODE V. time, shows what they must expect who are caught in their snares. He chooses such fine expressions, and words so well adapted to the subject, that there are few or none of his odes more finished than this. TO PYRRHA. t WHO, Pyrrha, is this slender young gallant perfumed with rich odours, that caresses you on a bed of roses in a pleasant grotto ? 22 Q. HORATII CARM1NA. LIB. I. Grato, Pyrrha, sub antro ? Cui flavam religas comam, Simplex munditiis ? heu, quolies fidem 5 Mutatosque Decs flebit, et aspera. Nigris sequora ventis Emirabitur insolens, Qui nunc te fruitur credulus aurea; Qui semper vacuam, semper amabilem 10 Sperat, nescius aurse Fallacis ! Miseri, quibus Intentata nites. Me tabula sacer Votiva paries indicat uvida Suspendisse potenti 1 5 Vestimenta maiis Deo. ORDO. tntro grato ? Cui religas comam flavam, sira- aure& ; qui, nescius aurae fallacis, sperat te plex munditiis ? fare semper vacuam, et semper amabilt m ! Heu, quoties ills flebit fidem, Deosque Miseri sunt illi quibus nites inientata. Pa- rnutatos, et insolens emirabituraequora aspera ries sacer indicat ex tabula votiva me suspen- ventis nigris, qui cretiulus uunc fruitur te disse uvida vestimenla potenti Deo mails. [NOTES. 4. Cm _flavam religas comam.] Horace from aura, which is as much as to say, splen- ic pc-iuting at the careless manner of the dour, brightness. '>;>>. tan ladies in dressing their hads, who 13. Me talula. sacer votivti paries.] Th contented themselves with tying their hair construction must run thus; Paries sacer behind, in a knot, with a bunch of flowers, indicat tabulavoti-ca me su< Aut Ephesum, bimarisve Corinthi Moenia, vel Baccho Thebas, vel Apolline Delphos Insignes, aut Thessala Tempe. ORDO. Alii laudtibunt claram Rhodon, aut Mity- marls, vel Thebas insignes Baccho, vel Del- leuen, aut Ephesum moeniave Coriuthi bi- phos insignes Apolline, aut Tempe Thessala. NOTES. * Munatium Plancum."] This is the same Cicero, which we have. He was engaged person who wrote those admirable letters to in Mark Antony's party, but left it, and ODE VII. HORACE'S ODES. 2/ dust in the Trojan fields ? Who can represent *Diomede, the valiant Diomede, who by Pallas' favour was made equal to tlie gods? For me, in whatever state I am, free or amorous, and always given to change, I think of nothing but singing love-feasts, and the mock- fights of our young ladies, who cut their nails cl-jse, lest they should scratch their lovers. * The son of Tydeus. i NOTES. Quos ntque Tydides, nee Larissteus Achilles, presses the natural temper of the young Non anni domuere decem. fair, who only make a soft resistance, and never fight but with a view to yield. It is " A people whom neither Diomede, nor this natural turn of mind which Horace so " Achilles, nor a siege of ten years, cguld curiously describes in the ninth Ode of this " vanquish." Book: 18. Sectis in juvenes va^iibus acrium.] Horace intimates, that young ladies would Pignusqite dereptum lacertis, willingly be on the defensive, but not in Aut digito malt pertinaci. uch a manner as to offer violence to their opponents by a passionate and rude resist- And in the twelfth Ode of the second ance; and for this reason they take care Book: to have their nails well pared. From this play and contrariety in the terms, acrium Autfacili stzvitia neganti } sectis unginbus, arises the chief beauty of Qua poscente magis gaudeat eripi, the expression. Besides, it admirably ex- Interdum Tupcu'e occupet. ODE VII. country, whence he was banished by his father for not revenging the af- front put on his brother Ajax by the Grecian princes in giving Achilles' armour to Ulysses ; a decision which so incensed Ajax, that he destroyed himself. Much more reason had Plancus to be cheerful, who had left Mark Antony's party, and had come over to Augustus, under whom he needed fear nothing. It would seem that Horace composed this ode a little after Maecenas had made him a present of a country-seat. TO MUNATIUS PLANCUS. SOME will praise famous Rhodes or Mitylene, Ephesus, or Co- rinth situate between two seas, Thebes noted for * Bacchus' birth, or Delphos so renowned for f Apollo's oracle; or, in fine, the sa- cred valley of Tempe, the ornament of Thessaly. Others employ * Bacchus. , } Apollo. NOTES. went over to Caesar's, which was called af- 1. Claram Rhodan.] Rhodes was an island terwards by the name of his successor Au- of Asia the Less, and in great repute even gustus. Besides several honourable places before the Trojan war. Ji had enjoyed, he was twice cotsul. 2* Q. HORATII CARMINA. LIB. I. Sunt quibus unum opus est, intactae Palladia urbem 5 Carmine perpetuo celebrare, et Undique decerptae frondi pneponere olivam. Plurimus, in Junonis honorem, Aptum dicit equis Argos, ditesque Mycenas. Me nee tam patiens Lacedaemon, 10 Nee tam Larissae percussit campus opimae, Quam domus Albuneae resonantis, Et praeceps Anio, et Tiburni lucus, et uda Mobilibus pomaria rivis. Albus ut obscure deterget nubila coelo 15 Saepe Notus, neque parturit imbres Perpetuos, sic tu sapiens finire memento Tristitiam vitaeque labores Molli, Plance, mero, seu te fulgentia signis Castra tenent, seu densa ; tenebit . 20 Tiburis umbra tui. Teucer, Salamina patremque Cura tugeret, tamen uda Lvseo Tempora populea fertur vinxisse corona, Sic tristes affatus amicos : Quo nos cunque ierat melior fortuna parente, 25 ORDO. tsuntjtod* quibus est opus unum cele- obsruro, neque parturit imbres perpetuos, sic, urare urbem intactae Palladis carmine perpe- O Plance, tu sapiens n.ememo finire tristi- tuo, et praeponere olivam frondi uiidiqne tiam iaboresque vitse molli mero, sen castra dccerptae. fulgentia signis tenent te, seu densa umbra Plurimus, in honorem Junonis, dicit Ar- Tiburis tui tenebit te. gos aptum equis, ditesque Mycenas. Cum Teucer iugeret Salamina patremque, Nee patiens Lacedxmon, nee campus La- fertur tamen vinxisse temjx)ra iwaudaLyteo, rissse opimae, tam percussit me, quam domus corona populea, sic afflatus tristes amicos : Albuneae resouantis, et famo praeceps, et " O socii, eomitesque, ibimus quocunque lucu* Tiburni, et pomaria uda rivis mobilibus. " fortuna melior parente feret nos. Ut albus Notus sacpe deterget nubila coelo NOTES. 1. Mityknen.'] The isle of Lesbos, one Bimaris. Some derive its name from one of the chief in the Archipelago, and towards Corinthus, the son of Sisyphus. the western coast of Natolia, has for its 3. Barcho Theias.] Thebes, a city in capital the city of Mitylene, which has given Bceotia, built by Cadmus. It was famous to the island the name it bears even at this on account of Bacchus, who was born there day. of Stmeie, the daughter of Cadmus. 2. Ephesum.'] Ephesus, once a famous 3. Apoltine Delphos.] Delphos was built city of Asia Minor in Ionia, now only a ujxw mount Parnassus, by a grandson of miserable village, on the coast of the Archi- Lycorus, en the ruins of a village named Par- pelago. nas^us, which had been destroyed in the flood 2. Bimarisve Corinthi.] Corinth, now Co- of Deurtlion. It was chiefly remarkable for ranto, a city of Peloponnesus, situated in the the temple and oracles of Apollo in it. middle of the isthmus between the Ionian 4. Terrpe.'] A very pleasant place in Thes- and ^Egean seas, whence Horace calls it saly, enriched with a variety of mountains, ODE VII. HORACE'S ODES. 29 themselves wholly in composing an entire poem in praise of the city of chnste Pallas, and in giving the preference to the sacred olive before all other trees. Many, in honour of Juno, sing of Ar- gos as a fine place for breeding horses, and of the opulent city My- cene. As for me, I am not so much charmed with Lacedemon, whose inhabitants are so renowned for their patience, or with the fertile fields of Larissa, as with my house and my fountain of Albunea, who^e current makes a pleasant noise, or with Anio that falls like a cascade upon the rocks ; or with my sacred grove of Tiburnus, and orchards that are watered with a thousand ductile springs. As the south wind brings not always rain, but often dissipates the clouds, that darken the air, do you also, sage Plancus, banish your cares with a cheerful glass, whether you are in the camp that is brilliant with standards, or in the thick shade of your Tivoli. Teucer, in greater distress than you, being forced to leave his father and his country, * yet crowned himself with poplar ; and, with his glass in his hand, thus addressed himself to his deject- ed friends : " My fellow-sufferers and companions, to whatever * Is said to have bound with a poplar crown his temples moistened with wine. NOTES. rivers, valleys; insomuch, that in giving a 11. Larissa campus opimcc.] There have description of any fine country, it was said to been many cities of this name; but that be as beautiful as Tempe. which Horace hints at here, was in Thessaly, 5. Palladia urlem.] Athens, the seat of situated in an airy fruitful toil, learning, where art? and sciences flourished 12. Albunetf.] This was a fountain in in their utmost perfection. No wonder then, the mountains of Tibur, not far from a wood if it be spoken of as belonging properly to of the same name. They were both so Pallas, she being the goddess of wisdom, and called from the Sibyl Albunea, although patroness of learning and arts. Servius derives the name from the clearness 9. Aflinn (licit equis Argos.] Argos was of the water. a city of Peloponnesus, situated in a fertile 13. Et jrreeceps Anio."] This river takes soil, not far from the rivers Phrixus and its rise also in the same mountains; its cur- Inachus, being surrounded with plains that rent is very strong, until it empties itself produced fine pasturage for horses. into the Tiber, a little above Rome, with 9. Ditesque Mycenas.] Mycene was a great rapidity. city of Pelcpounesus, famous for the history 13. Tilurni lucus.'] The wood Albunea; of Agamemnon. Horace calls it rich, after so called from the neighbouring city Tibur, Homer and Sophocles, who have given it the built by one Tiburnus. In this place, Ho- ame epithet. race had a small country-seat. 10. Patiens Lacedcemon.'] Lacedaemon, 19. Plance.] Plancus was a person of otherwise Sparta, was situated in Laconia, a distinction in the Roman republic. He province of Peloponnesus, on the river Euro- governed Gaul about the time that Julius tas. Horace styles it patient, because it was Caesar was slain. He had the honour of a the constant practice of the Lacedemonians triumph, and was afterwards consul and to accustom their children to all manner of censor. hardships, that so they might be inured to 21. Teucer] Teucer and Ajax were the fatigue and labour, and trained up in a con- sons of Telamon, born of different mo- tempj of the greatest danger*. ihers. They went together to the siege o SO Q. HORAT1I CARMINA. LIB. I. Ibimus, 6 socii, comitesque. Nil desperandum, Teucro duce, et auspice Teucro : Certus enrm promisit Apollo Ambiguam tellure nova Salamina futuram. O fortes, pejoraqiie passi 30 Mecum s.epe viri, nunc, vino pellite ctiras : Cras ingens iterabimus aequor. ORDO. " Nil est desperandam Teucro duce, et au- " nova. O" viri fortes, passique saepe pejor* *' spice Teucro ; Apollo enim certus promisit " mecum, nunc pellite curas vino. Cras " Salamina ambiguam futuram in tellure " iterabimus aequor ingens." NOTES. Troy, when Ajax having slain himself, be- without his brother, he landed in Cyprus, cause the arms of Achilles were given to awl built a city, which he named Salamis, Ulvsses rather than to him, Teucer returned from that which existed in his own country, to Salamis. But being driven thence by Te- 25. Meliorfortuna parente.] It is true, lamon, who was offended to see him return thai Teucer received worse treatment from his ODE VIII. The real design of Horace, in this ode, is to reproach Lydia for suffering Sybaris, who had distinguished himself in manly exercises, to live with her in softness and effeminacy, disguised in woman's apparel ; and this he does in a very beautiful manner. We cannot precisely tell at what time AD LYDIAM. LYDIA, die, per omnes Te Deos oro, Sybarin cur properas amando Perdere ? cur apricum Oderit campum, patiens pulveris atque solis ? Cur neque militaris 5 Inter aequales equitat, Gallica nee lupatis Temperat ora frsenis ? ORDO. O Lydia, oro te pr omnes Deos, die cur qne solis ? cur neque militaris equitat inter properas perdere Sybarin amando ? cur ille sequales, nee temperat ora Gallica froenis lu- oderit campum apricum, patiens pulveris at- patis ? NOTES. 3,4. Apricum campum.'] After the ex- Martius. It was so large, as not only to be pulsion of Tarquin, his estate and his whole sufficient for training up the youth in all property being confiscated, the field which he warlike exercise*, but also for holding the possessed betwixt Rome and the Tiber, was public assemblies of the people, consecrated to Mars, and called the Campus ODE VIII. HORACE'S ODES. SI " place fortune, much kinder than my father^ shall think proper to " conduct us, we will follow her. Ye need despair of nothing " under the conduct and auspices of Teucer ; for Apollo, whose " oracles arc infallible, hath promised that we shall be settled in <( a new and better country, and build another Salamis scarcely " to be distinguished from that out of which we have all been ex- " pelled. Come then, my friends, ye who have given so many " proofs oj your courage, and often gone through greater hard- " ships with me than these, drown all your cares in wine to-day ; " to-morrow we shall put to sea again." NOTES. father than from fortune, who was so kind of whom we have a panegyric in Isocrates. as to conduct h'rn to Cyprus, where he built 29. Aniliguam] That is to say, that it the celebrated Salamis, and where his pos.- should so far resemble his native Salamis, te-ity flourished on the throne for above that one would be at a loss to distinguish 700 years, till the days of that Evagoras, between them. ODE VIII. this ode was composed. It is certain that the 13th, 23d, 25th of this Book, and the gth of the third Book, were written a considerable time after- wards ; and that he composed the 25th, which was the last of those that he wrote, before he reached the advanced part of his age. TOLYDIA. IN the name of all the gods, tell me, dear Lydia, I conjure you tell me, why do you take so much pains to ruin young Sybaris by captivating his affections ? Why does he hate the * Campus Mar- tius, he who was bred to arms, and is so much accustomed to sun and dust ? Why does not he appear in our tournaments among the youth of his age in shining armour, managing the swift courser ? * Sunny field. NOTES. 5. Cur neque militaris.] This passage has gustus' age, as Suetonius informs us : Trojte not been thoroughly understood : Militaris ludum tdiditjreqnentissime, rnqjorttm minor- tquifat, is here put for militat inequis." For umve puerorumdelertUsprisddecvriquemoris Horace is speaking of that noble exercise existimaru clarte shrpis indolent sic rutescere, which Ascanius introduced into Italy, under " He often celebrated the Trojan game its native name Ludus Troj&, of which we " with the chiefs of the eldest and youngest have a most beautiful description in the 5th " of the youth, thisking that, from so an- Book of the /Eneid. See the prose trans- " cient and laudable a custom, the minds lation of Virgi!. This game was used at " of the youth might be inspired with Rome, till die days of Claudius Caesar, but " glory." And for this reason Horace speaks never was in such vogue w it was in Au- of it in thisodr, 32 Q. HORATII CARMINA. LIB. I. Cur timet flavuin Tiberim tangere ? cur olivum Sanguine vipcrino Cautius vitat ? neque jam livida gestat armis 10 Brachia, saepe disco, S4sone goes a ong, with- out stopping. Every 5aj is as a delieate flower, that flour/she* bat a short time, and that decays and wastes while on delays to take it up. Horace concludes with advice which he pould wish that aB men would follow. 40 Q. HORATII CARMINA. LIB. I. ODE XII: All the learned have bestowed magnificent praises on this ode, and have justly considered it as one of the finest odes of Horace, as the ideas are grand, the expressions noble, and the versification chaste and well supported. Horace, in this curious ode, undertakes to sing of gods, heroes, and men. The gods are Jupiter and his offspring. After this pompous beginning, he comes to the heroes, whom he places in due order, and confines himself to those of the Roman nation : he mentions the kings first, after them the great juien of the republic, each distinguished by particular strokes ; then a panegyric on the living heroes closes the piece. We see here two things that we seldom meet with together, an exact method and a great variety. This is only a plain enumeration ; but the execution of it is so well set off, that it has nothing tedious in it. Apostrophes, interrogations, metaphors, com- parisons, suspensions, descriptions, images, in fine, all the rich ornaments of eloquence and poetry, are intermixed with so much art, that the methodi- cal connexion of persons and of facts disappears under these fine ornaments with which it is clothed. But that which shows particularly the great skill of the poet, and gives the greatest beauty to his poem, is the manner in which he has conducted the whole to answer his design, which is to praise a young prince, who is the darling of the emperor, and hope of the whole empire. He could not find in him, as yet, either those warlike achievements that sur- prise by their magnitude, or those shining actions the brightness whereof dazzles the eyes ; indeed the fine qualities with which he was adorned, gave ground to hope all this; but are conjectures sufficient of themselves tofurniih out handsomely an heroic ode? What does Horace then? He borrows, from fable and from history, shining strokes to embellish his subject, and HYMNUS DE LAUDIBUS DEORUM ET HOMINUM. OUEM virum aut heroa lyr& vel acri Tibi& sumes celebrare, Clio ? Quern Deum ? cujus recinet jocosa Nomen imago, Aut in umbrosis Helicdnis oris, j Aut super Pindo, gelidove in Haemo? ORDO. O Clio, quern Tirum aut heroa, qum Deum, . nomen imagojocosa recinet autin umbrosis ori* ' sumes celebrare lyra, vel acri tibia, ? Cujus Heliconis,autsuperPindo,ge]iioveinHaemo? NOTES. 1. Gvem mrurn, &JV.] The first three whole piece: and the gradation observed stanzas contain the invocation and divii icn ; in it makes a noble introduction. The and these serve as an exordium to the poet alters the order, i executing the dc- ODE XII. HORACE'S ODES. 41 ODE XII. raise it to the majesty of lyric poetry. He does more: he is obliged at the same time to flatter Augustus, and not offend his nice taste ; and, to do this, he takes a method he knew would give Augustus the utmost pleasure, which was, praising young M ;rcellus ; but that this might come naturally in, he makes Marcellus the Great appear in the number of his heroes, and him he brings in last: this name gives rise to the eulogium of the young prince, and this eulogium leads naturally to that of Augustus, in the last three stanzas. Virgil found this word have so good an effect, that some months after he made use of it to enrich his JEneid, and it is well known how much Augustas and Octavia were affected therewith: nor can one to this day rea-1 taat passage, which is at the end of the sixth Book of the JEneid, without being moved. Some will perhaps say, that the panegyric on the gods is far-fetched, and takes up too great a part of the ode. Not at all, as it contains the counsel he gives to two princes in a noble method, and the more ingenious the more it is concealed, consisting of a model of all the virtues, which he sets be- fore their eyes Prudence in governing, courage, resolution, temperance, and love of our country, are there enforced by the examples of the gods, and the great men of the republic. In fine, to omit nothing that can enhance the value of this ode, Horace hath joined to the panegyric on the gods, and the heroes already dead, two persons living, Marcelius and Augustus. The former, in an age yet tender, had already trodden in the footsteps of he- roes ; the second had merited divine honours even in this life. Ihus, no- thing is here foreign to his subject, and the whole ode hath a perfect har- mony. Considering it in this view, we may justly say it is worthy of its author, and highly deserves our admiration. This ode is thought to have been composed in the year of Rome 731. Fixing it here makes it later than the battle of Actium, and prior to the death of young Marcellus, and Augustus" expedition for the reduction of the Par- thians and Indians. This is the most exact account that can be given on this point, with this farther addition, that it was composed in one or other of the first six months of that year; that is, before Augustus' sickness, which happened in the month of August. WHAT man, * my muse, what hero, or what god, will you choose to praise on the harp, or shrill flute ? Whose name shall mimic Echo resound, and on ichat mountain ? Shall it be on the shady tops of Helicon, on Pindus, or cold Haemus, whence the woods in Clio. NOTES. sign he proposed. He begins with what 1. Clio.] One of the nine Muses. See is most striking, I mean, with an eulo- the ode Vilx potalis. ium of the gods, and has reserved that 5. HeliconuJ] Helicon is a mountain sacred of Augustus to the conclusion. A regard to the Muses, in Boeotia, near Parnassus. to every particular would have escaped, 6. Pindo, H~; ,8>iu, lux vitte, was the chose to die, rather than to survive the same with Apollo, and the Sun. He excelled dismal scene of seeing her either expiring very much in the management of the bow in their streets, or excluded out of their ope was so enchanting, as to tame even the most savage beasts, and set the woods and rocks in motion. 22. Liler.~\ Bacchus, so called, quod ru- n's lile>-at ammum, because he frees the _mind from cares; or because, having van- quished all his enemies, he vindicated his own liberty, as also that of his followers. His actions are related at large by Diodorus SiculUs. 22. Inimica virgo Minis.] Diana, who was remarkably fond of hunting. She was born at the same time with Apollo, being and arrow. 25. dlcidfn.'] Hercules, so called from Alceus, the father of Amphitryon, who was the husband of Alcmena, the mother of Hercules. 25. Puerosque Led&.~\ Castor and Pollux, who were the sous of Jupiter, by Leda the happiness was this to prince and people ! wife of Tyndarus. The one excelled in the 34. Superlos Tarquimfasces.'] Horace un- fombat on horseback, the other iii that on doubtedly speaks of Tarquin ths elder, the gates. 33. Quictum Pompili regnum.'] Numa* reign was as peaceable, as that of his pre- decessor was full of the toil, noise, and hum-, of war. In Numa's life, Janus' tem- ple continued shut for 43 years. What a t* Q. HO&ATII CARMINA. LIB. 't, Regulum, et Scauros, animeeqne magnfe Prodigum Paulum, superante Poeno, Gratus insigni referam cameuS, Fabriciumque. 40 Hunc, et incomtis Curium capillls Utilem bello tulit, et Camilhim Sseva paupertas, et avitus apto Cum lave fundus. Crescit, occulto velut arbor sevo, 46 Fama Marcelli : micat inter omnes Julium sidus, velut inter ignes Luna minores. Gentis hunmnae pater atque custos, Orte Saturno, tibi cura magni 50 Caesaris fatis data : tu secundo Csesare regnes. Ille seu Parthos Latio imminentes Egerit justo domitos triumpho, Sivc subjectos orientis orae 55 Seras et Indos, Te minor latunv reget aequus orbem : ORDO. Gratus rcferam insigni cameni Rpgulum, velut luna inter ignes n.inores. et Scaaros, PauUimq\ie prodigum animse mag- pater atque cusios gentis Imman.T, orte na, superam*, 1 Poeno, Fabriciumque. Sstva Saturno, cura magni- Caesaris data est tibi paupertas, et avitus fundus cum apto lare, fatis : tu rrgnes, Ca-sare secundo. Seu ille tulit hunc, et Curium incoruptis capillis uti- egerit Parthos irnminentes Latio domitos justo lem bello, et Camillum. triumpho, sive Seras et Indos subjmos irt Fama Alarcelli crescit, velut arbor occulto oris orientis, minor quidcm te a-qnus reget vo : Julium sidus micat inter omnes ignes, hunc latum orbem : NOTES. fifth ling of Rome, who conquered the who, being taken prisoner by the Carthagl- Tuscans, and who first, in imitation of that nians, and sent to Rome upon his parole, to people, introduced into Rome the use of the persuade the Romans to exchange prisoner*, fasces, rings, ivory chairs, the purple was the first that hindered them, and so re- robes, and several other usages, borrowed turned to Africa, where the Carthaginians from the same people, which added to the put him to a m^st cruel death, splendour, dignity, and majesty, of their 37- Srtnn ew.] He puts iSozwros in the plu- government. And it is for this reason that ral number, because there were two fa- Horace speaks of these fascts, because in his milies of this name, viz. one of the Va- time they were the badges of the sovereign Irrii, another of the /Emilii ; Marcus J- power. milius Scaurus, and Marcus Valerius Scau- 35. Calonis.^ He means Cato of tltica, rus. who, hearing that Caesar had defeated the rest 38. Prodigum.] He chooses this epithet, of Pompey's party, after having embraced because, when he could have escaped as his his children and friend?, chose rather to die, colleague did, he could not bear the thought than see the kingly government take place of surviving the death of his troops. again. 38. Paulum.'] He spraks of Paulus :m\- 37. Regulum."] Marcus Attilius Regulus, flus, who was consul with Varro, and fought ODE XII. HORACE'S ODES. particular pleasure to make Regulus famous, the Scaurl, and Para- lus Emilius, who was too lavish of his * blood at tfie battle of Can- n&, when the Carthaginian defeated us ; she will also sing of Fa- bricius, of Curius with his shaggy hair, and of Camillus, those three great men, whom, for the safety of the state in time of war, pinching poverty took care to train up in a little house proportion- ed to a small estate which they held of their ancestors. The fame of old Marcellus, far from being obscured by time, grows and spreads Insensibly like a tree : but, the young Marcel' lus, the star of Caesar, out-shines all the rest as much as the moon does the smaller lights of the night. Father and preserver of men, son of Saturn, it is to thee the fates have committed the care of great Augustus. Reign, but allow Augustus to reign under thee. For whether he shall drive in triumph before his chariot the Parthians that threaten Italy, or the people of the eastern coast, the Indians and Seres, he will still acknowledge thee above him, and be satis- fied with the government .of the spacious world, while with the * Great soul. NOTES, *gainst Hannibal near Cannes, a town in A- pulia, where forty thousand Romans fell. 40. Fabriciumque^\ Fabricius being sent against Pyrrhus, he could not bribe him even with the fourth part of his kingdom, nor vrould he give ear to Pyrrhus' physician, who offered to poison him, but sent him back to Pyrrhus in chains; which made ^that prince SHY, it would be more difficult to make Fabricius do any thing dishonourable, than to make the sun change his course. 41. Jncomtis capillisJ] By the ancient tatues it appears, that the primitive Romans ' did not cut their hair. Therefore Grid calls those that were shaved intonsos. _No such thing as a barber was known at Rome before the time of Curius. 43. PaupertasJ] Horace represents po- verty as descriptive of the personages of Fa- oricius, Curius, and Camillus, who were poor. Yet the first rejected all thf proffers made by Pyrrhus; the second despised all the silver offered to him bv the Samnites; and the last consecrated to Jupiter's temple all the gold he had taken from the Gauls. 45. Crescit, occulto vflut arbor tfvoJj This is a noble comparison. A tree, when first it sprouts, is but a tender plant, but in- sensibly it extends its roots, spreads ita branches, and gathers firmness and strength, &c. The same may be said of Marcellus' (lory. Horace has, in this allusion, imitated Pindar, in his 8th Nemean ode, wTjo expresses himself thus: " As the trees " watered by the dew of heaven grow in- " sensibly, so does virtue when watered, " i.e. cherished by tlie applause of th " wise." 46. Mar eel! L] The great Marcelltts, who was five times consul. He defeated the Gauls and Germans, took Sy'racuse,-and kill- ed Hannibal the terror of the Romans, whose ashes he sent to his son in a silver urn, embellished with a golden coronet. 47. Julium sidus.] This new constella- tion was Marcellus, the son of Octavius ; he died the same year, and a few months after this piece was composed. Seneca speaks of him as a yonng prince endowed v.-ith every virtue. Augustus was extremely affected with his immature death, as were the Romans in general, whose darling he was. See the Prose Translation of Virgil, at the end of the sixth Book of the ZEneid. 50. Orle Saturn'!."] This ode concludes with what i" had begun, that is, the praises of Jupiter. This-conclusion is possibly one of the best-laboured turns in the whole piece. The poet divides the government of the world between Jupiter and Augustus, with- out making the authority of the prince to encroach upon the sovereignty of the king of the gods. Here let it l>e remembered, that the senate granted Augustus divine honour* 46 Q. HORATII CARM1NA. LIB. I. Tu gravi curru quaties Olympum ; Tu parum castis inimica mittes Fulmina lucis. CO ORDO. f n vero quaties Olympum gravi curru, tu mittes fulmina inimica lucis parum castis. NOTES. in the year 725, as has been more than once has in the beginning of this ode said, that observed already. there is nothing equal to Jupiter; or so 51. Tu secundo Ceesare regnts.~\ Horace like him, as to claim the next place to ODE XIII. It appears, by the conclusion of this ode, that Horace had some difference with Lydia, who, out of revenge, spoke continually of Telephus, to show the respect she had for him. Horace, at the same time, being very jealous, endeavours to recover her favour, by giving her an aversion to the AD LYDIAM. CUM tu, Lydia, Telephi Cervicem roseam, cerea Telephi Laudas brachia, vae, meum Fervens difficili bile tumet jecur. Tune nee mens mihi, nee color, 5 Certa" sede manent ; humor et in genas Furtim labitur, arguens Quam lentis penitus macerer ignibus. Uror, seu tibi candidos Turparunt humeros immodicae mero 19 Rixae, sive puer furens Impressit memorem dente labris notam. " ORDO. Lydia, cum tu laudas cervicem roseam Te- argnens quam penitus macerer ignibus lentil. Jephi, et cerea brachia Telphi, vae, meum Uror, seu rixae immodicre ex mero turpfc- jecur tumet fen-ens difficili bile. runt tibi candidos humeros, sive puer furerw Tune nee mens nee color manent mihi dente impressit tuis labris notam memorem. certa sede ; et humor furtim labitur in genas, NOTES. 1 . TeJeptd.'] Some think that this Tele- without any foundation, and rather think h* phus was the nomenclator of Livia, the was a person of qualify. wife of Augustus; but the most judicious 2. Ceivicem roseam.] The younger Scali- ommen'ators reject this as a conjecture ger had no reason to censure Horace for th OUE XIII. HORACE'S ODES. 4? weight of thy chariot thou shalt shake Olympus, and discharge thy destructive thunderbolts on our sacred groves that hare been pro- faned. NOTES. him. And yet he here begs of Jupiter, that his autlwrity and power. Augustus may be ranked next to him. I have only two words to offer to solve this diffi- Divisum impen'ium cum Jocc Ciesar habet. culty. Horace, in the beginning, speaks of the very nature of the god, but here of " Caesar rules in concert with great Jove," ODE XIII. whole behaviour of his rival ; but all his efforts are fruitless, till, by a new engagement with Chloe, he, in his turn, makes Lydia jealous, and by this stratagem effects a reconciliation with her. TO LYDIA. LYDIA, when I hear you praise with such transport Telephus* rosy neck and your Telephus' * taper arms, ah ! my bosom burns with rage, and swells with rankest spleen. My mind knows then no quiet ; my colour comes and goes ; and the tears, that in spite of me steal down my cheeks, betray with what slovr fires I am inwardly consumed. I burn when the rake quarrels with you through excess of wine, and stains your snowy shoulders, or when the fiercely-fond boy impresses with his teeth a mark on your lips, that will not soon wear off. Believe me, Lydia, you have NOTES. application of rosea to cervix, since rosea 2. Tdephi.'] This repetition lias a good does not import the colour of roses here, deal of gracefulness ; and Horace by it in- o much as it does beautiful. Virgil uses sinuates, tliat Telephus was Lydia's eternal the same expression, when speaking of Ve- topic, nus, 5. Tune nee metis mihi.] Horace here unites the three characteristics of love an. Achaicus.~\ Achaia was a part of should fall. Greece ; whence the Greeks in general are 03. Iracimda dassis Achillei] Achilles, often mentioned under die name of Achaians. Q. HORAT1I CARMINA. LIB. I. ODE XVI. Of all the performances of Horace that hare come down to us, there is not one that gives us any light upon the occasion of this ode, in which our poet begs pardon for certain verses he had composed when young. But I shall offer a very probable account of it, grounded on the inscription that this ode has in two ancient manuscripts, viz. Palinodia Gratidia? ad Tyndaridem amicam. " A Palinodia for Gratidia, to my mistress Tyndaris." PALINODIA. O MATRE pulchr& filia pulcbrior, Quem criminosis cunque voles' modum Pones iambis, si\ 7 e flamma, Sive mari libet Adriano. Non Dindymene, non adytis quatit 5 Mentem sacerdotum incola Pythius, Non Liber aeque ; non acuta Sic geminant Corybantes aera, Tristes ut irse ; quas neque Noricus Deterret ensis, nee mare naufragunv 10 Nee ssevus ignis, nee tremendo Jupiter ipse ruen? tumultu. Fertur Prometheus addere principi Lirao coactus paiticulam undique ORDO. O Filia pulchrior matre pulchra, pones acuta, ut tristes irze; quas neque Noricu* quemcunque modum voles meu criminosis ensis, nee mare naufiagum, nee soevus ignis, iambis, sive libet flamma, sive mari Adriano. nee Jupiter ipse, ruens tremendo tumultu, Non Dindymene, non incola Puhius in . dettrret. Fertur Prometheus coactus addere arlytis, non Liber uequfe quatit mentem sacer- principi limo particulam undique dotum j non Corybantes sic geminant sera NOTES. 1 . Matre pulchra.] This first address oracles at Delplios ; called Pythius, from the must flatter Gratidia and Tyndaris. serpent Pytho, which he killed. 3. Inml-if.'] Horace had written a poem 5. DliidymeM.} Among others, 'there against Gratidi*, Tyndaris' mother, in iambic we:e three mountains in Phrygia, sacred to verse, as being the most proper for satire ; Cyl ele, vi/.. Dindymus, Ida, and Bere- but that satire is amongst the number of cynthus. Hence that goddess is to often Horace's pieces that are lost. calk J Diidjrnne, Idaea, Berecynthia. i. Pythins.] Apollo, who rend*r*me take him to harp. See Ode x, 73 Q. HORATII CARMINA. LIB. L Non lenis precibus fata recludere, Nigro compulerit Mercurius gregi. Durum ; sed levins fit patientia, Quidquid corrigere est nefas. 20 ORDO. redeat vana imcsrint, quani Mercurius, non Durum quiilem illud er-t : sed quicquid est lenis recludere fata pvecibus, semel nigro ncfas corrigere, fit levius patientia. gregi compulerit virga horriua. NOTES. 18. Compulerit^] This term is borrowed or collect into one place flocks of the same from the shepherds. It signifies to drive or different kinds. Thus Virgil, in his Tih ODE XXV. Lydia being now old, and forsaken by her lovers, he takes occasion to insult her for her former rude and haughty behaviour to him j and tells her, that AD LYDIAM. PARCIUS junctas quatiunt fenestras Ictibus crebris juvenes protervi, Nee tibi somnos adimunt ; amatque Janua limen, Quse priiis multum faciles movebat 5 Cardines. Audi's minus et minus jam, u Me tuo longas pereunte noctes, " Lydia, dorm is ?" Invicem moechos anus arrogantes Flebis in solo levisangiportu, 10 Thracio baecbante magis sub inter- lunia vento; ORDO. Juvenes protervi parclus quatiunt junctas Mintu et minus jam audis: " O Lydi*, fenestras ictibus crebris, nee adimunt somnos " dormis, m tuo perennte longas noctes ?" tibi; jaiuiaque quae prius movebat cardines Jam anus invicem flebis mcechos arrogan- multum faciles, HUHC amat limcn. tes, levis in angiportu solo, vento Tiuracio NOTES. 1. Parcins junctas quathtnt fenestras.'] and axes, to set fire to their windows ar.d gates, Among the ancients in Greece and Italy or to pull them to pieces, in case of a refu- their youths, in their nocturnal visits to their sal of admittance. This train of snillery n/iiUesses, carried fiambtaux, batous, bows which _lhe yoxuig gaUants made use of to ODE XXV. HORACE'S ODES. 79 which inexorable Mercury, who never breaks the decrees of fate, has once ranged, with his dreadful rod, among the black subjects of Pluto*. This is hard indeed ; but patience makes supportable what we can neither remedy nor prevent. * In the black company, NOTES. Eclogue, sap, 19. Levins Jit patienlia.] Patience, says Publius Syrus, is the asylum of the afflicted: Compttlerantqiie greges Cory don et Tkyrsis in Miserorum portus est patientia. ODE XXV. whatever art she might use to gain a crowd of admirers, all would be to-no purpose. TO LYDIA. THE rude young rakes are not now so frequently battering your wln- dowsf with redoubled strokes ; nor do they now disturb your rest; and your gate, which formerly opened so easily and so often, is now almost continually shutt. From day to day you are more rarely ad- dressed after this manner, once so familiar to you : " Ah ! cruel " Lydia, while I your lover languish at your gate the live-long night, Sceviet circa jecur ulcerosum ; 15 Non sine questu, Laeta quod pubes edera virenti Gaudeaf, pulla magis atquc myrto; Aridas frondes byemis sodali Dedicet Hebro. 20- ORDO. bacchante magis sub interlunia : cum flagrans non sine questu ; quod pubes laeta hedera vi- amor, et libido quoe solet furiare matres e- renti atque myrto pulla magis gaudeat ; de quorum, saeviet tibi circa jecur ulcerosum, dicet verij frondcs aridas Hebro sodiiii hyemb. NOTES, in. it; and tlierefcre the Thracian wind always signifies the north among the Grecian ODE XXVI. Being free from all fears and apprehensions, which were removed at a great distance from him, he invites his Muse to celebrate the praises of Lamias, a* his attempts, unless seconded by her, would be of no effect. Tiridates DE ^ELIO LAMIA. Musis amicus, tristitiam et metiw Tradam protervis in mare Creticum Portare ventis ; quis sub Arcto Rex gelidae metuatur oras, Quid Tiridatem terreat, unice 5 Securus. O quae fontibus integris ORDO. Ego amioua masis, tradam tristitiam et me- uniee securus quis rex metuatur sub Arclo tn protervis ventis poriare iu mare Creticum ; gelidae orae, quidve terreat Tiridatem. NOTES. 1. Musis emioAS.] What a charming pleasures. Hence it is, that all those who amusement is poetry ! I mean, properly con- have been great poets have boasted of the sidered ; when it neither retards our duties in great sweetness they have tasted from their life, nor is set up as a trade. To be able to imercourse with the Muses. But one must regulate so valuable a talent, is to enjoy in be a poet, before he finds their expressions to ae's self a source of th most innocent be true. ODE XXVI. HORACE'S ODES. 81 love and brutal lust * shall seize your wounded heart. In fine, you shall observe, to your sorrow, that the youth take pleasure only in the verdant ivy, and the growing myrtle, but consecrate the withered and decayed leaves to Hebrus, the companion of winter. * Lust, which uses to infuriate the dams of horses, shall rage around your ulcerated liver. NOTES. poets, though improperly; for the north the winds cold, and very violent, wind does not at all blow into Italy from 19. Hyemis sodali Helro.~\ This was a river Thrace. that, taking its rise on mount Hemus, wa- 11. Bacchante magi's svl interlunia.~\ Du- tered Thrace, and emptied itself into the ring the time that intercedes betwixt the old Adriatic sea. He denominates it the com- and new moon, or while the sun and moon are pankm of winter, from the coldness of the in conjunction, tempests are frequent, and region through which it took its course. ODE XXVI. rebelled against Phraates, and made himself master of the kingdom of the Parthians, in the year of Rome 723, in Augustus' fourth consulate, whilst he laid siege to Alexandria. And here we must fix the date of this ode, according to Mr. Le Fevre, Horace being then 36 years of age. OF .ELIUS LAMIAS. WHILE the Muses vouchsafe to smile upon me, I will give care and fears to the" wanton winds to transport them to the sea f, indifferent what king of the cold northern regions may make himself the terror of all the nations round him, or why Tiridates especially is so greatly alarmed. O thou, my Muse, my } Cretan sea. NOTES. 2. Mare Creticum.] Crete, now Candia, one the greater, the other the smaller ; whenre was one of the greatest islands in the jEgean the word is here made to stand for the north *ea, lying south, towards Africa. It was in general. famous of old for its hundred cities, and be- 5. Tiridaten.] This Tiridates having ba- cause there was situated the celebrated nished Phraates, king of the Parthians, mount Ida, where Jupiter received his edu- was, by the unanimous consent of the no- cation, bility, chosen in his place. But hearing 3. Arcto.'] Arctos, from the Greek word that Phraates approached with a great body ofx-roj, which signifies a bear. This name of Scythians to recover his kingdom, he is applied to two constellations in the northern was so overcome with fear, that, forsaking hemisphere, called by the Latins, Bears ; the Parthia, he fled to Augustus j to whom VOL. I. G 32 Q. HORATII CARMINA. LIB. I. Gaudes, apricos necte floics, Necte meo Lamiae coronani, Pimplea dulcis : nil sine te mei Prosunt honores. Hunc fidibus novis, 10 Hunc Lesbio sacrare plcctro, Teque tuasque decet sorores. ORDO. O Pimplea dulcis, quae gaudes fontibus in- cet teque tuasque sorores sacrare hunc novis tegris, necte apricos flores, necte coronam meo fidibus, sacrare hunc plectro Lesbio. Lam'ue. Mei honores nil prosunt sine te. De- NOTES. Phraates sent ambassadors, demanding that Lamiae took their name and rise from one he should be delivered up into his hands. Laruus, the son of Neptune, and king of See Justin, lib. 42. the Lestrigons ; he reigned in the maritime 8. Lamite.] The noble family of the ODE XXVII. Horace was at an entertainment, where a dispute began to warm the guests, who were already heated by the fumes of wine. The reflecting part of the company had doubtless employed the most reasonable remarks to make up the difference. The poet at last gave it an artful turn, by a merry, tart, and unexpected proposition. This occurrence appeared to him as a proper oc- casion for an ode, which he probably composed after supper, without giv- ing time to his imagination to cool. The character of it is singular. Vi- vacity shines through the whole ; but the sallies are different : sometimes sudden, sometimes witty and humorous, sometimes moral, but still so skil- fully managed, that the natural turn makes them appear quite destitute of art. The whole concludes with a little sketch of satire, which falls upon two persons. They laugh at the expense of what is obvious and plain, and endeavour to guess at what they cannot see or understand. Thus the quar- AD SODALES. NATIS in usum ketitise scyphis Pugnare, Thracum est. Tollite barbarum ORDO. Thracum est pugnare scvphis natis in usum lattitiae. Tollite barbaium ODE XXVII. HORACE'S ODES. 83 only darling, who takest such a pleasure in pure and untouched fountains, collect the choicest flowers, and make a coronet to adorn the head of ray dear Lamias : my noblest productions 'can- not do him sufficient honour, unless you contribute your assistance. It belongs to you and your sacred sisters, to make him immortal by some new strains after the manner of Sappho and Alcaeus. NOTES. parts of Italy, where he built the city of 11. Leslio.] Lesbos was an island of the Formire. jfigean'sea; see Ode I. ver. 34. It was famous 9. Pimplea."] Pimpla was a mountain of tor the birth of Alcaeus and Sappho, who ex- Macedonia, at the foot of which there was celled in lyric poetry. a fountain of the same name, sacred to the 11. Pleclro.] The plectrum is an instru- Muses ; whence they often obtain the name ment for touching the strings of the harp, of Pimplece and Pimplcides among the and mny be said to resemble the bow where- poets. with we strike the violin. ODE XXVII. rel vanishes by an agreeable diversion, and good humour succeeds wrang- ling. When I say that this ode is an extemporary one, composed at table, I am under no apprehension of being contradicted. The case of Bernnrdin Perfetti, a gentleman of Sienna, and who lately resided at Rome, makes this very probable. They tell us, that he composed extempore, and upon whatever subject v/as proposed to him, the most beautiful Italian verses, and \vith such rapidity that the hand of the readiest writer could not follow him. And they add, that he was not the first whom they have seen improvisare, as Italians call this practice. It is to no purpose to inquire into the date of this ode, or to whom it was addressed, since there is nothing handed down to us that can supply us with any conjectures on these two points. TO HIS COMPANIONS. IT is the custom of the Thracians, to quarrel at entertainments, which were designed for the indulging of innocent mirth and NOTES. 2. Tkracum.~\ The Tbracians, who inhabit- in drinking, but also for the animosities and ed Thrace, now Romania, a country near the contentions that prevailed among them at .rtigean sea, lying to the north of Macedo- their entertainments. nia, were not only infamous for (heir excess G2 84 Q. HORATII CARMINA. LIB. I. Morem, verecundumque Bacchum Sanguineis prohibete rixis. Vino et lucernis Medus acinaces 5 Immane quantum discrepat ! impium Lenite clamorem, sodales, Et cubito remanete presso. Vultis seven me quoque sum ere Partem Falerni ? dicat Opuntise 10 Frater Megillae, quo beatus Vulnere, qua pereat sagitta. Cessat voluntas ? non alia bibam tVtercede. Quae te cunque domat Venus, Non erubescendis adurit 15 Ignibus, ingenuoque semper Amore peccas : quidquid habes, age, Depone tutis auribusi Ah miser, Quanta laboras in Charybdi, Digne puer meliore flamm& ! 20 Quse saga, quis te solvere Thessalis Magus venenis, quis poterit Deus ? Vix illigatum te triformi Pegasus expediet Chimaera. ORDO. rnorem, prohibeteque verecundum Bacchum Quaecanque Veuui domat te, adurit igni- sanguineis rixis. Quantum immane Medus bus non erubescendis, seinperqije peccas acinaces discrepat vino et lucernis ! amore higenuo : age, quicquid nabes, de- O sodales, lenite clamorem impium, etre- pone tutis auribus, manete cubito presso. Vultis me quoque Ah raiser, in quanta Charybdi laboras, O smnere pariem Falerni vini seveii ? Frater puer digr.e meliore flamma ! Qute saga, Opuntij, the ode Soluitur acris hyems. In represent- pulertas : she is feigned to have been the ing the Graces dressed, they described them wife of Hercides. neither with belts nor clasps, but left their 6. Gratite.] To moderate the passionate dress to flow at the pleasure of the winds. I and quick sallies of the little winged god, have spoken of these deities in annotating they associate the Graces with him, and upon the ode Quantum distet ab Inacko. must have him make his appearance even in 8. Mercuriusque.'] H e who first taught man- their dress : that is, the festival must be kind the use of speech. He is here added kept with a great deal of decorum and mo- as one of the companions of Venus, because desty. Soiutis Gratia zonis, must then be love usually inspires us with eloquence. >4 Q. HORATII CARMINA. LIB. I. ODE XXXI. This ode would appear somewhat considerable from the nature and im- portance of the subject. In the year 726, Octavius dedicated to Apollo the temple and library which he had built in his palace on Mount Palatine. The same year he concluded the lustrum, or survey of the Roman citizen s, and receive'd the honourable title of Prince of the Senate. These three events afforded a noble theme for a poem. I know not if Horace composed on that occasion any other piece besides those which are handed down to us. Be that as it will, he restricts himself in this ode to prayers and wishes con- AD APOLLINEM. QUID dedicatum poscit Apollinem Vates ? quid orat, de patera novum Fundens liquorem ? non opimas Sardinia segetes feracis ; Non gestuoste grata Calabriae 5 Armenta ; non aurum, aut ebur Indicum ; Non rura, quse Liris quieta Mordet aqua, tacitarnus amnis. Premant Calena falce, quibus dedit Fortuna vitem : dives et aureis 10 Mercator exsiccet culullis Vina Syra reparata merce, Pis carus ipsis ; quippe ter et quater Anno revisens aequor Atlanticum Impun. Me pascunt olivae, 13 Me cichorea, levesque raalvee. ORDO. Quid vates poscit dedicatum Apollinem ? li quibus fortuna dedit vitem, premant quid orat, fundens novum liquorein de pa- earn Calena falce; et dives rnercator, carus tera ? Non poscit segetes opimas Sardinix Diis ipsis, quippe ter et quater anno iropune feracis ; non grata armenta sestuosse Cala- revisens aequor Atlanticum, exsiccet vina re- briae ; non aurum, aut ebur Indicum ; non parata Syra merce culullis aureis. rura, qua Liris uciturnus amnis mordet aqul Olivse pascunt me, cicborea quoque, leves- quieta. que malvoe pascunt me. NOTES. 1 . Dedicatum.] In the year of the city by the assistance of Apollo, erected and de- 726, Augustus Caesar, having overcome An- dicated a temple to him on Mount Palatine, tony and Cleopatra, chiefly, as he thought, 4. Sardinite.] Sardinia is an island on ODE XXXI. HORACE'S ODES. ODE XXXI. nected with his particular interest ; and one may venture to say, that when the ode is considered in this view, it is far from being unworthy of our es- teem. In it we find abundance of morality and criticism, serving to dis- cover to us the vanity of our wishes, and the unprofitableness of our hurry and bustle in business. The avaricious and the ambitious cannot satisfy themselves with that which our poet here prays for ; but reason and nature have few wants, whereas avarice never ceases creating new ones. TO APOLLO. WHAT does the poet ask of Apollo on the day of the dedication of his temple ? What does he expect from his libation of new wine on this extraordinary occasion ? He does not covet either the corn of Sardinia, so justly famous for plentiful crops, or the fine cattle ichich feed on the plains of the scorching Calabria. He has no desire to possess the gold or ivory of India; nor has he set his heart upon the fields which Liris, a silent gentle river, saps with its waters, that glide insensibly along. Let those on whom fortune has bestowed the vines that grow round the city of Cales, take care to cultivate them *. Let the rich merchant, who by heaven's indul- gence makes every year three or four voyages to the Atlantic sea, and returns in safety, drink out of his golden cups the wine which he has received in exchange for the goods he brings from Syria. As forme, I canlive with pleasure upon olives, cichory, f and wholesome * Prune them with a Calenian hook. -f- Called also succory. NOTES. the coast of Italy, separated from Corsica 7. Lirij.] A river in Italy remarkable by a narrow streight. The soil of it is very for its smooth and gentle current. It sepa- fertile. rated Latium from Campania, and the coun- 5. Calalrritel] This is a region situated try of the Samnites. At this day it obtains near the extremity of Italy, and pact of the the name of Garigliano. present kingdom of Naples. It abounds in 9. Cnlena.] From Gale's, a town in Cam- pasture, pania, now Calvi. 6. Indicum.] India was a kingdom of very 14. Mqvor Atlanticum^] The African sea large extent in Asia, lying about the rivers along the coast of Mauritania, where Mount Indus and Ganges. It was rich in gold, Atlas stands. ivory, gems, and spices. 96 Q. HORATII CARM1NA. LIB. I. Frui paratis et valido mihi, Latoe, dones, et, precor, Integra Cum mente ; nee turpem senectam Degere, nee cithari carentem. 20 ORDO. O Latoe, precor ut dones mihi valido, et senectam nee turpem, nee carentem cithara. frui paratis cum Integra raente, et degere NOTE'S. I?. Frui paratu."] Most men are so in- to be hoarding. Horace, who knew how to satiable as to make it their great business be contented with a little, was only concerned ODE XXXII. Augustus does Horace the honour to cast his eyes on him to make the secular hymn ; this was in some sort declaring him the best lyric poet of the age. Horace, very sensible of the great honour conferred upon AD LYRAM. POSCIMUS ; si quid vacui sub umbr , Lusimus tecum ; quod et hunc in annum Vivat et plures, age, die Latinum, Barbite, carmen, Lesbio primum modulate civi ; 5 Qui ferox bello, tamen inter arma, Sive jactatam religftrat udo Litore navim, Liberum, et Musas, Veneremque, et illi Semper haerentem puerum canebat, 10 Et Lycum nigris oculis nigroque Crine decorum. ORDO. O barbite, poscimiu; si vacui lusimus arma, sive religarat navim jactatam in udo quid tecum sub umbra, age, die Latinum litore, canebat Liberum, et Musas, Vene- carmen, quod vivat et in hunc annum, et remque, et puerum semper hierentem illi; plures; larbite, inquam, primum modulate et Lycum decorum nigris oculis, nigroque Lesbio civi, qui ferox bello, tamen inter crine. NOTES. 3. Quod hunc in annum.'] This with lu$imus makes a pretty contrast. Horace looks ODE XXXII. HORACE'S ODES. I>7 mallows. All therefore that I ask of thee, Apollo, is, that I may enjoy the little that I have in perfect health 5 let me be sound in body, and in mind; let me live with honour when old, and enjoy the in- nocent pleasures of poetry and music as long as I live. NOTES. how to enjoy it ; he immediately grasped at tobe pitied;ashe has happiness in hishands, the present happiness, and allowed others to but will not enjoy it. run all their life after an imaginary bliss. 20. Nrc cithara carentem. To preserve Nothing is more rational than this which our in old age a taste and inclination for 'music poet here demands. Every man who knows and poetry, is a very great, but raie bless- not to be happy with a competency, is not ing. ODE XXXII. him, and that he might the better answer the choice of so great a prince, addresses himself here to his harp, and desires the assistance he wanted on this occasion. TO HIS HARP. IF ever, at my leisure hours, under a sweet delightful shade I have sung any odes in concert with you, I pray, my harp, you will now assist me in composing one in Latin, that may be worthy of immor- tality. You first had the honour of being tuned and touched by the Lesbian citizen, renowned for arms ; who, whether he was in the camp, or at his moorings on the briny shore, never ceased after a storm to sing of Bacchus, the Muses, Venus, and Cupid her insepar- able companion, and Lycus with his charming black eyes, and lovely NOTES. on what he has already done, as nothing in not the beauty or force of the former, comparison to what Augustus demands of 5. Letbio.] AIcwus was a Greek poet, and him. Hitherto, says he, we have produced said to be the first inventor of lyric poetry, nothing but some inerry songs, which are at- which from him was called Alcaic. He was tended with little or no other effect, than that born at M'nylene, the metropolis of the isle of of amusing us for a short time : now we Lesbos, in the /Egean sea. He carried on a must set about some more important perform- very considerable war with the Athenians- ance, that will deserve to be transmitted to and expelled Pittacus, the tyrant of Mitylene; latest posterity. Quod refers to carmen, and excelling HO less in military discipline than not to quid, as some great commentators in poetry, would Have it ; for, in the latter case, it has VOL. I. H g Q. HORATII CARM1NA. Lin. I. O decus Phoebi, et dapibus supremi Grata testudo Jovis, 6 laborum Dulce lenimen, mihi cunque salve 15 Rite vocanti. ORDO. O testudo, decus Phoebi, et grata dapibus salve mihi quando cunque it rite vocanti. supremi Jovis, O dulce lenimen laborum, NOTES. 14. Testudo.'] A kind offish that derives its name from the large shell with which it is ODE XXXIII. He comforts Albius, who, being in love with Glycera, had no reciprocal re- , gard shown him by her ; he shows him that this was not his fate alone, but AD ALBIUM TIBULLUM. ALBI, ne doleas plus nimio, memor Immitis Glycerae ; neu miserabiles Decantes elegos, cur tibi junior Lsesa praeniteat fide. Insignem teniu fronte Lycorida 5 Cyri torret amor: Cyrus in asperam Declinat Pholoen : sed prills Appulis Jungentur caprepe lupis, Quam turpi Pholoe peccet adultero. Sic visum Veneri, cui placet impares 10 Formas ..tque aniinos sub juga ahenea Saevo mittere cum joco. Ipsum me, melior cum peteret Venus, ORDO. O Albi, ne doleas plus nimio, memor im- loen : sed capreoe Jungentur lupis Appulis, mitis Glycerse ; neu dccantes miserabiles ele- priusquam Pholoe peccet turpi adultero. Sic gos, cur junior, lassa illius fide, praeniteat tibi. visum est Veneri, cui placet mittere impares Amor Cyri torret Lycorida insigucm fronte formas atque animos sub juga ahenea cum tenui: Cyrus autem declinat in asperam Pho- saevojoco. NOTES. 1 . Alli^\ This is the same with the poet Elegies still remaining, which are of an ex- Tilmlhis, of whom we have four books of quisite tastt. He died much about the same ODE XXXIII. HORACE'S ODES. 99 black hair. O thou, my dear lyre, who art the ornament of Apollo, and so acceptable at the table of Jove, who so agreeably sweetenest the most painful toils, be propitious to me whenever I invoke your kind assistance, but especially on this great and solemn occasion. NOTES. covered; in Latin, testa. Of the shell of shell, when struck, sent forth a very pleasant the tortoise, Mercury is reported to have sound. made a harp, having added strings to it, 15. Salve.'] i.e. Fave mihi te vocanti quo- which, by reason of the concavity of the tiescunque te rite vocabo. ODE XXXIII. that of many others; Venus taking a pleasure sometimes to inspire us with the love of those who already have their hearts otherwise engaged. TO ALBIUS TIBULLUS. BE not too much dejected with grief, Albius, when you reflect upon the harsh treatment you meet withjrom cruel Glycera; nor repeat mournful elegies, because that treacherous woman has broken her promise, and preferred the addresses of a younger lover. The charming Lycoris, so distinguished for her lovely forehead, is pas- sionately in love with Cyrus, while Cyrus burns for the inexorable Pholoe; but sooner shall the goats join with the ravenous wolves of Apulia, than Pholoe yield to so vile an adulterer. Such is the will of Venus, who sometimes takes a cruel pleasure in bringing, under her brazen yoke, persons and hearts of different inclinations. I my- self, though beloved by a kinder mistress, yet could not shake off NOTES. time with the poet Virgil. of Tihullus to this Pholoe, we may ttnder- 2. Immiti.'i Glycerte.] This was no doubt stand, that she was of a humour not at all the same Glycera who was beloved by Horace, agreeable to hor gallants : for, in speaking of who, however, was no rival to Tihullus, he her to one of his friends, whom she had being in love with some other person when treated with such rigour and disdain as oc- Horace was engaged in that amour. From casioned his death, he tells her, this we may learn, that many of Tibullus' Oderunt, PhoRe, moneo faslidia divi; works must be lost, as, in the pieces of his Nee prodest sanctis tliura dedissejbcis. that still remain, he makes no mention of ' Pholoe,! warn you, that the disdain where- Glycera, or of the strict amity that subsisted with you treat your lovers displeases the gods; between him and the poet Horace. arid so long as you continue to be cruel, it is 7. Phol'Jen.] By an elegy which we have vain for you to offer incense.' Ha 100 Q. HORATII CARMINA. LIB. I. Gratft detinuit compede Myrtale Libertina, fretis acrior Adriae 1 Curvantis Calabros sinus. ORDO. Myrtale libertina, acrior fretis Adrize cur- pede, cum melior Venus me peteret. vantis sinus Calabros, detinuit mcipsum com- ODE XXXIV. He accuses himself, that, led aside by the Epicurean philosophy, he had ne- glected the worship of the deity ; takes notice of those amazing instances of power that evidence his superintendence of the universe j and acknowledges AD SEIPSUM. PARCUS Deorum cultor et infrequens, Insanientis dum sapientiae Consultus erro; nunc retrorsum Vela dare, atque iterare cursus Cogor relictos : namque Diespiter, i Igni corusco nubila dividens, Plerumque per purum tonantes Egit equos volucremque currum ; Quo bruta tellus, et vaga flumina, Quo Styx, et invisi horrida Taenari 10 Secies, Atlanteusque finis Concutitur. Valet ima summit ORDO. Parcus equidem et. infrequens fui cultor egit equos tonantes Tolticremque currum pet Deorum, cum consultus iusanientis sapientice purum : quo bruta tellus, et vaga flnmini, erro; nunc vere cogor retrorsun dare vela, quo Styx et horrida sedes invisi Tsenari, atque iterare cursus reliotos. Namque Dies- AUauteusque finis concutitur. Deus valet piter dividens nubila igni corusco, plerumque NOTES. 1. Parcus t/ infrequent.] The Epicu- or at lealt rarely, that is, infrequent er. reans denied the existence of the gods, and 2. Insanientis sapieiitite.] The Stoic* only conformed externally and with grimace pronounced the sentiments of Epicurus mad- to religion, which, as they pretended, the ness, while the Epicureans thought therm credulity of the people only had established, wise. Horace hath very facetiously johied This is what gave occasion to the words both the terms, which seemingly destroy one Parcus et iitfrequens. Wliatever one does another. Let me observe one thing more, contrary to his sentiments, or what is purely which at the same time serves for an equi- ceremony, is done but superficially, parce, vocation and ambiguity; it is this, that ODE XXXIV. HORACE'S ODES. 101 the pleasing chains of that freed slave Myrtale, whose temper is more stormy than the Adriatic sea, where it winds itself into gulfs on the coast of Calabria. ODE XXXIV. that he is possessed of an absolute and uncontrolled dominion, to exalt or depress whomsoever he will. When this ode was composed is uncertain ; some have thought of the defeat of Antony and Cleopatra, but that is doubtful. TO HIMSELF. WHILE I gave myself up to the errors of a frantic philosophy, I ne- glected to render to the gods the worship due to them : but now I am obliged to turn my sails, and pursue the course 1 lately forsook ; for Jupiter, dividing the clouds with his rapid lightning, drove his thundering coursers and impetuous chariot through a clear and serene air; at which this sluggish mass of earth shook ; at which the flowing rivers ware troubled; even hell itself was astonished; and Atlas trembling from one end to the other confessed his omnipotence. God, at his pleasure, can make high what is low ; can depress the NOTES. Mpienties signifies both wisdom and philoso- 11. Atlanleiis f.nis.~\ The ancients were phy ; the Epicureans might have taken it in of opinion, that the world did not extend the former sense, and the Stoics in the latter, westward beyond the Atlantic Ocean. Thus both might find their account in it. 12. Vakt ima summis, &c.] Here begins 5. Diespiler.] Jupiter, quasi, diet pater, the unriddling of the whole piece. The poet, 10. <9/J/.r.] A celebrated river in hell, after he had for some time performed the An oath by this was counted so sacred, that actor, quits the mask of Stoicism, and shows the gods themselves would not violate it; and himself in his native colours, i. e. an ortho- when theMts the Kpu .-lie raiseu by 17. Te semper an/cit.] This is a de- Augustus' vii tories; ami, a,, it ,ferrcjugised on this subject, this is the last, but not the less beautiful on that account. ' His genius is not weak- ened by its productions, but maintains its force to the very last. The great success of Augustus gives him new strength and vigour ; the poet and hero triumph equally. The character of the queen of Egypt is a finished piece, and her tragical death is here represented in the most lively and na- tural colours. In the month of August, from the building of the city 724, Octavius made himself master of Alexandria, subdued all Egypt, and drove Antony and Cleopatra to the sad necessity of laying violent hands on themselves. This catastrophe was not known at Rome before the middle of September ; and this is the nearest date at which the ode can be put. Horace was then in the thirty-fifth year of his age. Here we bave a palpable proof of what I have asserted in a preceding ode I mean our poet's constant regard for the person of Antony. It was he that put Egypt and all the East under arms against Octavius ; and his death delivered this prince from a dangerous rival, and put an end to the civil wars which for several years had convulsed the republic. All ur poet's indignation then should in all probability have fallen on Antony, ODE XXXVII. HORACE'S ODES. 109 of our happy days; let us take a hearty glass, dance, and be merry. Let not that toper Dainalis triumph over Bassus, by drinking more large bumpers than he. Let us neither want roses, parsley, nor lilies, to make us garlands at this agreeable entertainment. The whole company shall show they have a great affection for Da- malis ; but none shall be able to prevail with her to forsake her new lover Numida, to whom she will be as constant as the ivy to the oak. NOTES. the same as to testify some great cause of 14. Threida amysHde.'] The term here rejoicing. vised is Greek, and denote* a manner of 12. Morem in SaHum.] The Salii were drinking usual with the Thracians in their the priests of Mars, who made their proces- debauches ; which was, to dihik off a large sions by singing ami dancing. full cup at one draught. ODE XXXVII. who was no longer to be regarded, since he was in no capacity of resent- ing it ; yet he does not speak a syllable of him. The death of Cleopatra wholly engrosses the poet ; this is the only object that he proposes for the public joy. What could be the motive of such a procedure? That which naturally offers itself to the reader in perusing this ode, but what none of the commentators have thoroughly examined. To canvass the reasons of our poet, we must show the circumstances of that period in which he wrote. I have already hinted at some of them, which agree as well to this piece as they do to others. Besides, Julius Antonius, son of the triumvir, had obtained his pardon of Octavius, who endeavoured to win him over, and afterwards conferred on him several favours. And possibly Octavius was very glad of having the treacherous Antony's memory tenderly dealt with, that all the odium might be turned on Cleopatra his rival. What induces me to think thus, is, that Octavius being on the point of undertak- ing a war against Antony, that princess, having more of the Roman in her sentiments than what her birth entitled her to, begged her brother to for- get the ill-treatment which he had received from her vinworthy husband. In short, the senate,., as I have observed elsewhere, had given Horace the precedent for the moderation which he has observed, and the glory of Oc- tavius could suffer nothing by it. Propertius, in the sixth elegy of his fourth book, has treated the same subject nearly in the same manner. 110 Q. HORATII CARMINA. LIB. L AD SODALES. NUNS est bibendum, nunc pede libero Pulsanda tellus : nunc Saliaribus Ornare pulvinar Deorum Tempus erat dapibus, sodales. Anteliac net'as depromere Caecubura Cellis avitis, dum Capitolio Regina deincntes ruinas, Funus et imperio parabat, Contaminate cum grege turpium Morbo virorum, quidlibet impotens Sperare, fortunaque dulci Ebria : sed minuit furorem Vix una sospes navis ab ignibus ; Mentemque lymphatam Mareotico Redegit in veros timores Caesar, ab Italia volantem Remis adurgens (accipiter velut Molles columbas, aut leporem citus Venator in campis nivalis /Emonifie), daret ut catenis ORDO. 10 15 20 O soJales, nunc est bifeendun, nunc tellus impotens sperare quidlibet, ebriaque fortuna est pulsanda pede libero : nunc tempus erat dulci. ornare pulvinar Deorum dapibus Saliari- b Antehac nefas erat depromere Caecuhum Sed una navis vix sospes ab ignibus mi- nuit furorein ejus ; Caesarque redegit men- tern ejus, lymphatam vino Mareotico, in ve- rhium cellis aviiis ; dum regina, cum gvege TOS timores, adurgens remis illam volantem ab virorum turpium contaminate morbo, parabat Italia (velut accipiter aclurget molles colum- E XXXVII. HORACE'S ODES. Ill TO HIS FRIENDS. Now, my dear friends, we may drink heartily, and indulge our- selves in mirth and dancing: now is the time, were it in our power, to make our feasts equal in magnificence and delicacy to the repasts that were served up to the priests of Mars in their solemn processions *. Till now it was a crime, even to hring out of our vaults our most delicious wine, while, with an infamous troop of vile miscreants, & furious queen, flushed with her good fortune, and blindly promising herself success in all her attempts, was threatening the ruin of the Capitol, and utter subversion of our empire. But her whole fleet being burned, except a single vessel, that with great difficulty escaped the flames, her fury began to abate ; and her mind, already disordered by the fumes of Mare- otic wine, was put into a real consternation, when she in her flight from Italy heard, that she was closely pursued by Augustus, who, burning with desire to put this monster in chains, that was so fatal to the Roman empire, followed her as a hawk does the ti- morous doves, or a swift huntsman runs down a hare in the plains of f. She, in the mean time, desiring nothing more than to * See Notes 2 and 3 . f- Snowy jEmonia. NOTES. their temples, and offered to them the most exquisite repasts. The expression ornare is most correct and just ; for the gods had no more than the show of this rich repast, while the priests had all the substance. 6. Capitolin.] The capitol was the temple of Jupiter, built upon the Tarpeian rock. It was so called, because, while they were digging the foundations of it, they kmnd the head of a man. 7. Regina.] Cleopatra, queen of Egypt, with whom Antony was violently in love, and divorced CVesar's sister Octavia ; which Caesar resenting, declared war against him, and de- feated him in a sta-dght at Actium. Anto- ny upon this killed himself, whose example Cleopatra following, ended her life by ap- plying two poisonous asps to he* breast, choosing death rather than to be taken pri- soner, and made to adorn the triumphs of Augustus. 13. Ab igmhisJ] After Antony had fled,. Augustus, tired with the obstinate resistance of his enemies, ordered fire to be brought from his camp on shore. This soon changed the face of affairs : in a moment they pour- ed into tlifi hostile fleet red-hot darts and torches, and, by the help of machines, drove earthen vessels, full of boiling pilch and burning coals, which soon set the ships on fire. But Augustus's men endeavoured to extinguish the flames, to save the riches they expected to find on board. 14. Marcotito.] Wine, so called because it grew near a marsh in /Egypt, called Ma- reotis. Horace would here insinuate, that Cleopatra had so disordered her mind, as to entertain such foolish and vain hopes as those do who are intoxicated. 16. Ab Italia vvlantem.~] The ambitious queen had left Egypt with a numerous and formidable fleet, to invade Italy as a secure and unavoidable prey. This prey which was the object f her views, soon became the ob- ject of her dread ; hi disorder she quits her course for Itily, and crowds all the sails pos- sible, and plies all her oars to make good her retreat into Egypt. What a reverse of fortune '. 20. JEmonLs.'] This is by some inter- preted of Thrace, so called from mount Hae- inus. But it seems rather u> be a region of 112 Q. HORATII CARMINA. LIB. I. Fatale monstrum ; quae gcnerosius Peri re quaerens, nee muliebiiter Expa\ it ensem, nee latentes C'lasse cita reparavit oras ; Ausa et jacentem visere regiam 25 Vuitu sereno, fortSs et asperas Tractare serpentes, ut atrum Corpore combiberet venenum; Deliberate raorte ferocior; Saovis Liburnis scilicet invidens 30 Privata deduci superbo Non humilis mulier triumpho. ORDO. mouiw nivalis) ut daret fatale monstrum cate- asperas serpentes, ut combiberet atrum ve- nis ; qnce quaerens generosius perire, nee mu- nenum corpora ; ferocior morte deliberate ; liebriter expavit ensem, nee reparavit laten- invidens deduci triumpho superbo ut privata tes oras cita classe ; et ausa est sereno vultu in Liburnis saevis, nou liumilis scilicet mu- visere regiam jacentem, etfortiserof tractare Her. NOTES. Thessaly, bordering upon Macedonia, and so ways wore a dagger, with which she was go- called from one of the sons of Deucalion ing to s:ab herself, as soon as she saw Pro- named jEmon. culeius coming up to her. But Procule- 23. Expavit fnsem.'] Cleopatra, of all ius soon stopped her intention, by snatching things, dreaded most the falling into the it out of her hands. hands of Octavius. For that reason she al- ODE XXXVII. HORACE'S ODES. 113 die gloriously, was not, like other women, at all terrified at the point of a spear, nor attempted with her' fleet to make all the sail she could for a country unknown to the enemy ; on the contrary, be- coming more haughty after she was fully resolved to die, she liad the courage to hehold with a serene countenance her palace all in. ashes, and to take hissing snakes into her hands, and make them pour all their poison into her veins, disdaining to be carried in Augustus' fleet as an ordinaiy captive, to be an ornament to his triumph ; she, whose greatness of soul was equal to her birth.* * Being not a mean woman. NOTES. 26. Asperas.~\ This word bears the same meaning here with asperatas, exacsrbatas, i. e. exasperated; which gives us a beautiful idea, and in every respect corresponds to the history. Cleopatra, unable to execute the . design of murdering herself by her dagger, got a snake to bite her in the arm ; and to make the wound more incurable, she exas- perated the noxious animal (with a golden, spindle, as Plutarch tells us: Aspidem per- luic/it, aureofaso ipxam lacessentis etstimu- lantis adripuisse Cleopalne bracliium..} Thus died one of the most beautiful and ambitious princesses in the universe, at the age of thirty-eight years, of which she had reigned seventeen. With her fell the Egyptian mo- narchy, after it had subsisted 294 years un- der the government of thirteen of the family of the Lagidae. 30. Liburnis.'] A sort of vessel of great use to Augustus in the sea-fight at Actium, built by the Liburni, a people of Illyricum. They were very light, easily managed, and remarkable for their celerity. 9-2. No7i humilis mulicr,~\ Our author probably used this term in imitation of the conversation that passed between this princess and Augustus, who addressed Cleopatra with no oil;. lit than Mulier, woman. Woman, says Augustus to her, take courage, you h.ive nothing to fear: Bono aitimo esio, as Dio has it in his 5 1st Book. Voi. I. 114 Q. HORATII CARMINA. LIB. I. ODE XXXVIII. There is nothing remarkable in this ode, either for its subject or composition. It is more like an extemporary roundelay than an ode. However, a great connoisseur will discover himself in his meanest performances. For here ate to be found an easy and natural expression, a smooth verse, and fine ca- dency, with a little air of gaiety, with which the ode agreeably conclude?. AD PUERUM. PERSICOS odi, puer, apparatus ; Displicent nexse philyra coron* : Mitte sectari, rosa quo loeorum Sera moretur. Simplici myrto nihil allabores Sedulus euro : neque te ministrum Dedecet myrtus, neque me sub arcta Vite bibentem. OR DO. Puer, odi Persicos apparatus ; coronae euro, ut allabores nihil simplici myrto : nexae philyra uisplicent mihi : mitte sectari, neque vero myrtus dedecet te ministnim, qno tocorum sera rosa moretur. Sedulus neque me bibentem sub arcta vite. NOTES. 1. Persicos."] The Persians were a pecple you need only read the first two chapters of remarkable for the magnificence and luxury Esther, and the first Alcibiad of Plato, where they showed in their entertainments, dress, Socrates tells Alcibiades, that if he will ob- &c. : to form a true judgement of which, serve the riches of the Persians, the maj- GDI; XXXVIII. HORACE'S ODES. 115 ODE XXXVIII. It appears, that Horace had a mind to* have a carousal with some of his friends. ( His servant concluded with himself to make great preparations. But his master, like a true son of Epicurus, tells him, that the simplest and cheapest pleasures were those that would please him most. This hap- pened during autumn, or about the beginning of winter, in what year is uncertain. TO HIS BOY. POMP and Persian magnificence are my aversion; garlands adorned with too much art, and platted with the bark of trees, give me no pleasure : never trouble yourself, boy, to seek roses of the later season ; a garland of myrtle without any ornaments, will fit my head. While you serve me with my glass, in an arbour made of vines, the simple plain myrtle will equally become both you and me. NOTES. nificence of their habits, their prodigious expense in perfumes and essences, the great number of their slaves, and extravagancy in every thing, he will perhaps be ashamed to find himself so inconsiderable. 2. Philyra.] The inner bark of trees, which they platted in garlands. 3. Rosa sera.] The nice people were fond of nothing so much as they weve of roses, when their season was uv<-r ; as Pacat. informs us : Delicati illi ac ftuentes, parum se lautos putabant, nisi luxuria ver- tisset annum, nisi hylemts poadis rosce inna- tassent. " Nice and affluent men never " thought that they had tared sumptuously, " unless the seasons had been inverted by " their luxury, unless roses had graced their " bowls in the very middle of winter." The Romans gave the name of tardus to all those vegetables that v/rre late. 7- Sub arctd vitc.] The scene destined for the party of pleasure-, was a vine-arbour in Horace's garden, which was sufficiently thick to keep off the sun-beams from the company it contained ; this is the meaning of the word arcta. J16 QUINTI HO&ATII FLACCI CARMINUM LIBER SECUNDUS. ODE I. Catus Asinius Pollio, after he had enjoyed very considerable places under k Caesar, was one of the first rank at the court of Augustus. He commanded armies, subdued the Dalmatians, triumphed, and was consul. But he was not less esteemed for his fine genius and his works, than for his valour and conduct. He wrote against Cicero and Sallust, and was the first that dis- covered the Faduan in the style of Titus Livius. His chief works were some tragedies, and the history of the civil wars. Virgil means these tragedies in his third Eclogue, Pollio et ipse facit nova carmina. " Pollio himself makes admirable verses." And Horace, in the sixteenth Satire of the first Book, says : Pollio regwn Facia canit pede ter percusso. " Poilio, in iambics, sings of the actions of kings." His history of the civil war is particularly noticed in this ode ; and it was from this history that Suetonius took that expression of Cassar, who, viewing the great num- ber of Romans that were killed at the battle of Pharsalia, said, Hoc voluerunt. Tantls relus gestis, C. Caesar condemnatus essem, nisi al excrcitu auxilium petiissem. " This they would have. After so many brave actions, I Caesar had been " condemned, had not I demanded succour from the troops I commanded." HORACE'S ODES, BOOK THE SECOND. ODE I. There can be nothin-j more grand than the praises Horace gives here to that history ; yet I dare affirm, that these praises are not the real subject of this ode. Horace has another design, which interpreters have not perceived. There are some who believe he thought of nothing but to solicit Pollio to quit tragedy, and apply himself entirely to the history he had begun; and others pretend, that he presses him to quit both tragedy and history ; but they all mistake his design : wherefore, to give great light to this ode, and to discover all its finesse, it is necessary to fix the time of its being composed to be under the consulate of Pollio ; that is, in the year of Rome 713, and about two years after the battle of Philippi. This being granted, we need only represent the state in which Horace then found himself. He came from carrying arms against Augustus in Brutus' s army ; he had, with great difficulty, obtained his pardon, through the favour of Maecenas ; and he experienced every day, how difficult it was to obtain the good graces of a prince, after a fault of this nature. Besides, he had many friends in the same state with himself. Pollio's history could not but renew several things that might prove very prejudicial both to him and his friends, es- pecially in its first parts. To prevent this misfortune, he earnestly desires Pollio to interrupt, for some time, the course of his history : but he does it in such a manner that, though Pollio should continue it, he had nothing to fear, in praising this history, in lamenting the civil wars, and in throw- ing the cause of all these deplorable events on circumstances in which neither he nor his friends were in the least concerned, and upon times that could not be imputed to them. It may be also, that Horace was not so much afraid for himself, or his friends, as for Pollio. In that conjuncture, it was a delicate task to write the history of the civil wars ; and it would be very difficult for Pollio, consider- ing how much he had been attached to Mark Antony, to observe all the precaution necessary not to offend Augustus. 1 13 Q. HORAHI CARMINA. LIB. II. AD ASINIUM POLLIONEM. MOTUM ex Metello consule civicum, Bellique causas, et vitia, et modos, Ludumque Fortunse, gravesque Principum amicitias, et arma Nondum expiatis uncta cruoribus, 5 Periculosae plenum opus alese, Tractas, et incedis per ignes Suppositos cineri doloso. Paulum severse Musa tragoedias Desit theatris : mox, ubi publicas 10 Res ordinaris, grande munus Cecropio repetes cothurno, Insigne mcestis presidium reis, Et consulenti, Pollio, curiae ; Cui laurus seternos honores 15 Dalmatico peperit triumpho. ORDO. Pollio, trsctas motum civicum ex' Me- PoWo, insigne presidium mrtstis reis tello consule, causasque belli, et vitia, et et corsiilnvi curiae, cui laurus peperit aeter- modos, ludumque Fortur.ce, gravesque ami- n&s honores Dalmatico triumpho, Musa se- citias principum reipuHiccs, el arma uncta verae trago?diae, ubi ordinaris res publicas, cruoribus nendum expiatis, opus plenum paulum desit theatris ; mox repetes grande periculosae aleae ; et inceJi? per ignes sup- munus Cecrcpio cothurno. positos doloso cineri. NOTES. 1. Ex Metello consule.] There were se- Poir,pr:anis tl;r;is mires mincci mur- Quis campus, pinpuior Latino sanguine, mure ccrnuum : jam litui strcpunt ; jam ful- r.(-;i 'e- tatur ex sepulchris impia pr