Complete Works of Horace (Illustrated) (Delphi Ancient Classics)

by Horace Quintus Horatius Flaccus

  X

  O crudelis adhuc et Veneris muneribus potens,

  insperata tuae cum ueniet pluma superbiae

  et, quae nunc umeris inuolitant, deciderint comae,

  nunc et qui color est puniceae flore prior rosae

  mutatus Ligurinum in faciem uerterit hispidam, 5

  dices, heu, quotiens te speculo uideris alterum:

  ‘Quae mens est hodie, cur eadem non puero fuit,

  uel cur his animis incolumes non redeunt genae?’

  ODE X.

  TO LIGURINUS.

  O cruel still, and potent in the endowments of beauty, when an unexpected plume shall come upon your vanity, and those locks, which now wanton on your shoulders, shall fall off, and that color, which is now preferable to the blossom of the damask rose, changed, O Ligurinus, shall turn into a wrinkled face; [then] will you say (as often as you see yourself, [quite] another person in the looking glass), Alas! why was not my present inclination the same, when I was young? Or why do not my cheeks return, unimpaired, to these my present sentiments?

  XI

  Est mihi nonum superantis annum

  plenus Albani cadus, est in horto,

  Phylli, nectendis apium coronis,

  est hederae uis

  multa, qua crinis religata fulges, 5

  ridet argento domus, ara castis

  uincta uerbenis auet immolato

  spargier agno;

  cuncta festinat manus, huc et illuc

  cursitant mixtae pueris puellae, 10

  sordidum flammae trepidant rotantes

  uertice fumum.

  Vt tamen noris quibus aduoceris

  gaudiis, Idus tibi sunt agendae,

  qui dies mensem Veneris marinae 15

  findit Aprilem,

  iure sollemnis mihi sanctiorque

  paene natali proprio, quod ex hac

  luce Maecenas meus affluentis

  ordinat annos. 20

  Telephum, quem tu petis, occupauit

  non tuae sortis iuuenem puella

  diues et lasciua tenetque grata

  compede uinctum.

  Terret ambustus Phaethon auaras 25

  spes et exemplum graue praebet ales

  Pegasus terrenum equitem grauatus

  Bellerophontem,

  semper ut te digna sequare et ultra

  quam licet sperare nefas putando 30

  disparem uites. Age iam, meorum

  finis amorum

  (non enim posthac alia calebo

  femina), condisce modos, amanda

  uoce quos reddas; minuentur atrae 35

  carmine curae.

  ODE XI.

  TO PHYLLIS.

  Phyllis, I have a cask full of Abanian wine, upward of nine years old; I have parsley in my garden, for the weaving of chaplets, I have a store of ivy, with which, when you have bound your hair, you look so gay: the house shines cheerfully With plate: the altar, bound with chaste vervain, longs to be sprinkled [with the blood] of a sacrificed lamb: all hands are busy: girls mingled with boys fly about from place to place: the flames quiver, rolling on their summit the sooty smoke. But yet, that you may know to what joys you are invited, the Ides are to be celebrated by you, the day which divides April, the month of sea-born Venus; [a day,] with reason to be solemnized by me, and almost more sacred to me than that of my own birth; since from this day my dear Maecenas reckons his flowing years. A rich and buxom girl hath possessed herself of Telephus, a youth above your rank; and she holds him fast by an agreeable fetter. Consumed Phaeton strikes terror into ambitious hopes, and the winged Pegasus, not stomaching the earth-born rider Bellerophon, affords a terrible example, that you ought always to pursue things that are suitable to you, and that you should avoid a disproportioned match, by thinking it a crime to entertain a hope beyond what is allowable. Come then, thou last of my loves (for hereafter I shall burn for no other woman), learn with me such measures, as thou mayest recite with thy lovely voice: our gloomy cares shall be mitigated with an ode.

  XII

  Iam ueris comites, quae mare temperant,

  impellunt animae lintea Thraciae,

  iam nec prata rigent, nec fluuii strepunt

  hiberna niue turgidi.

  Nidum ponit, Ityn flebiliter gemens, 5

  infelix auis et Cecropiae domus

  aeternum obprobrium, quod male barbaras

  regum est ulta libidines.

  Dicunt in tenero gramine pinguium

  custodes ouium carmina fistula 10

  delectantque deum, cui pecus et nigri

  colles Arcadiae placent.

  Adduxere sitim tempora, Vergili;

  sed pressum Calibus ducere Liberum

  si gestis, iuuenum nobilium cliens, 15

  nardo uina merebere.

  Nardi paruus onyx eliciet cadum,

  qui nunc Sulpiciis accubat horreis,

  spes donare nouas largus amaraque

  curarum eluere efficax. 20

  Ad quae si properas gaudia, cum tua

  uelox merce ueni; non ego te meis

  inmunem meditor tinguere poculis,

  plena diues ut in domo.

  Verum pone moras et studium lucri, 25

  nigrorumque memor, dum licet, ignium

  misce stultitiam consiliis breuem:

  dulce est desipere in loco.

  ODE XII.

  TO VIRGIL.

  The Thracian breezes, attendants on the spring, which moderate the deep, now fill the sails; now neither are the meadows stiff [with frost], nor roar the rivers swollen with winter’s snow. The unhappy bird, that piteotisly bemoans Itys, and is the eternal disgrace of the house of Cecrops (because she wickedly revenged the brutal lusts of kings), now builds her nest. The keepers of the sheep play tunes upon the pipe amid the tendar herbage, and delight that god, whom flocks and the shady hills of Arcadia delight. The time of year, O Virgil, has brought on a drought: but if you desire to quaff wine from the Calenian press, you, that are a constant companion of young noblemen, must earn your liquor by [bringing some] spikenard: a small box of spikenard shall draw out a cask, which now lies in the Sulpician store-house, bounteous in the indulgence of fresh hopes and efficacious in washing away the bitterness of cares. To which joys if you hasten, come instantly with your merchandize: I do not intend to dip you in my cups scot-free, like a man of wealth, in a house abounding with plenty. But lay aside delay, and the desire of gain; and, mindful of the gloomy [funeral] flames, intermix, while you may, your grave studies with a little light gayety: it is delightful to give a loose on a proper occasion.

  XIII

  Audiuere, Lyce, di mea uota, di

  audiuere, Lyce: fis anus, et tamen

  uis formosa uideri

  ludisque et bibis impudens

  et cantu tremulo pota Cupidinem 5

  lentum sollicitas. Ille uirentis et

  doctae psallere Chiae

  pulchris excubat in genis.

  Importunus enim transuolat aridas

  quercus et refugit te quia luridi 10

  dentes, te quia rugae

  turpant et capitis niues.

  Nec Coae referunt iam tibi purpurae

  nec cari lapides tempora, quae semel

  notis condita fastis 15

  inclusit uolucris dies.

  Quo fugit Venus, heu, quoue color, decens

  quo motus? Quid habes illius, illius,

  quae spirabat amores,

  quae me surpuerat mihi, 20

  felix post Cinaram notaque et artium

  gratarum facies? Sed Cinarae breuis

  annos fata dederunt,

  seruatura diu parem

  cornicis uetulae temporibus Lycen, 25

  possent ut iuuenes uisere feruidi

  multo non sine risu

  dilapsam in cineres facem.

  ODE XIII.

  TO LYCE.

  The gods have heard my prayers, O Lyce; Lyce, the gods have heard my prayers, you are become an old woman, and yet you would fain seem a beauty; and you
wanton and drink in an audacious manner; and when drunk, solicit tardy Cupid, with a quivering voice. He basks in the charming cheeks of the blooming Chia, who is a proficient on the lyre. The teasing urchin flies over blasted oaks, and starts back at the sight of you, because foul teeth, because wrinkles and snowy hair render you odious. Now neither Coan purples nor sparkling jewels restore those years, which winged time has inserted in the public annals. Whither is your beauty gone? Alas! or whither your bloom? Whither your graceful deportment? What have you [remaining] of her, of her, who breathed loves, and ravished me from myself? Happy next to Cynara, and distinguished for an aspect of graceful ways: but the fates granted a few years only to Cynara, intending to preserve for a long time Lyce, to rival in years the aged raven: that the fervid young fellows might see, not without excessive laughter, that torch, [which once so brightly scorched,] reduced to ashes.

  XIV

  Quae cura patrum quaeue Quiritium

  plenis honorum muneribus tuas,

  Auguste, uirtutes in aeuum

  per titulos memoresque fastus

  aeternet, o qua sol habitabilis 5

  inlustrat oras maxime principum?

  quem legis expertes Latinae

  Vindelici didicere nuper

  quid Marte posses. Milite nam tuo

  Drusus Genaunos, inplacidum genus, 10

  Breunosque uelocis et arces

  Alpibus impositas tremendis

  deiecit acer plus uice simplici.

  Maior Neronum mox graue proelium

  commisit immanisque Raetos 15

  auspiciis pepulit secundis,

  spectandus in certamine Martio,

  deuota morti pectora liberae

  quanti fatigaret ruinis,

  indomitas prope qualis undas 20

  exercet Auster Pleiadum choro

  scindente nubes, impiger hostium

  uexare turmas et frementem

  mittere equum medios per ignis.

  Sic tauriformis uoluitur Aufidus, 25

  qui regna Dauni praefluit Apuli,

  cum saeuit horrendamque cultis

  diluuiem meditatur agris,

  ut barbarorum Claudius agmina

  ferrata uasto diruit impetu 30

  primosque et extremos metendo

  strauit humum sine clade uictor,

  te copias, te consilium et tuos

  praebente diuos. Nam tibi quo die

  portus Alexandrea supplex 35

  et uacuam patefecit aulam,

  Fortuna lustro prospera tertio

  belli secundos reddidit exitus

  laudemque et optatum peractis

  imperiis decus arrogauit. 40

  Te Cantaber non ante domabilis

  Medusque et Indus, te profugus Scythes

  miratur, o tutela praesens

  Italiae dominaeque Romae;

  te fontium qui celat origines 45

  Nilusque et Hister, te rapidus Tigris,

  te beluosus qui remotis

  obstrepit Oceanus Britannis,

  te non pauentis funera Galliae

  duraeque tellus audit Hiberiae, 50

  te caede gaudentes Sygambri

  compositis uenerantur armis.

  ODE XIV.

  TO AUGUSTUS.

  What zeal of the senators, or what of the Roman people, by decreeing the most ample honors, can eternize your virtues, O Augustus, by monumental inscriptions and lasting records? O thou, wherever the sun illuminates the habitable regions, greatest of princes, whom the Vindelici, that never experienced the Roman sway, have lately learned how powerful thou art in war! For Drusus, by means of your soldiery, has more than once bravely overthrown the Genauni, an implacable race, and the rapid Brenci, and the citadels situated on the tremendous Alps. The elder of the Neros soon after fought a terrible battle, and, under your propitious auspices, smote the ferocious Rhoeti: how worthy of admiration in the field of battle, [to see] with what destruction he oppressed the brave, hearts devoted to voluntary death: just as the south wind harasses the untameable waves, when the dance of the Pleiades cleaves the clouds; [so is he] strenuous to annoy the troops of the enemy, and to drive his eager steed through the midst of flames. Thus the bull-formed Aufidus, who washes the dominions of the Apulian Daunus, rolls along, when he rages and meditates an horrible deluge to the cultivated lands; when Claudius overthrew with impetuous might, the iron ranks of the barbarians, and by mowing down both front and rear strewed the ground, victorious without any loss; through you supplying them with troops, you with councils, and your own guardian powers. For on that day, when the suppliant Alexandria opened her ports, and deserted court, fortune, propitious to you in the third lustrum, has put a happy period to the war, and has ascribed praise and wished-for honor to the victories already obtained. O thou dread guardian of Italy and imperial Rome, thee the Spaniard, till now unconquered, and the Mede, and the Indian, thee the vagrant Scythian admires; thee both the Nile, who conceals his fountain heads, and the Danube; thee the rapid Tigris; thee the monster-bearing ocean, that roars against the remote Britons; thee the region of Gaul fearless of death, and that of hardy Iberia obeys; thee the Sicambrians, who delight in slaughter, laying aside their arms, revere.

  XV

  Phoebus uolentem proelia me loqui

  uictas et urbes increpuit lyra,

  ne parua Tyrrhenum per aequor

  uela darem. Tua, Caesar, aetas

  fruges et agris rettulit uberes 5

  et signa nostro restituit Ioui

  derepta Parthorum superbis

  postibus et uacuum duellis

  Ianum Quirini clausit et ordinem

  rectum euaganti frena licentiae 10

  iniecit emouitque culpas

  et ueteres reuocauit artes

  per quas Latinum nomen et Italae

  creuere uires famaque et imperi

  porrecta maiestas ad ortus 15

  solis ab Hesperio cubili.

  Custode rerum Caesare non furor

  ciuilis aut uis exiget otium,

  non ira, quae procudit enses

  et miseras inimicat urbes. 20

  Non qui profundum Danuuium bibunt

  edicta rumpent Iulia, non Getae,

  non Seres infidique Persae,

  non Tanain prope flumen orti.

  Nosque et profestis lucibus et sacris 25

  inter iocosi munera Liberi

  cum prole matronisque nostris

  rite deos prius adprecati,

  uirtute functos more patrum duces

  Lydis remixto carmine tibiis 30

  Troiamque et Anchisen et almae

  progeniem Veneris canemus.

  ODE XV.

  TO AUGUSTUS, ON THE RESTORATION OF PEACE.

  Phoebus chid me, when I was meditating to sing of battles And conquered cities on the lyre: that I might not set my little sails along the Tyrrhenian Sea. Your age, O Caesar, has both restored plenteous crops to the fields, and has brought back to our Jupiter the standards torn from the proud pillars of the Parthians; and has shut up [the temple] of Janus [founded by] Romulus, now free from war; and has imposed a due discipline upon headstrong licentiousness, and has extirpated crimes, and recalled the ancient arts; by which the Latin name and strength of Italy have increased, and the fame and majesty of the empire is extended from the sun’s western bed to the east. While Caesar is guardian of affairs, neither civil rage nor violence shall disturb tranquillity; nor hatred which forges swords, and sets at variance unhappy states. Not those, who drink of the deep Danube, shall now break the Julian edicts: not the Getae, not the Seres, nor the perfidious Persians, nor those born upon the river Tanais. And let us, both on common and festal days, amid the gifts of joyous Bacchus, together with our wives and families, having first duly invoked the gods, celebrate, after the manner of our ancestors, with songs accompanied with Lydian pipes, our late valiant commanders: and Troy, and Anchises, and the offspring of benign Venus.