'le safely ride My Bark shall stem the highest Tide Tho Tempests toss and th' Ocean raves Castor shall gather gentle Gales And Pollux fill my spreading Sails And bear me safe thro the Aegean Waves ODE XXX He promiseth himself Eternity 'T Is finish't I have rais'd a Monument More strong than Brass and of a vast extent Higher than Egypt's statelyest Pyramid That costly Monument of Kingly Pride As High as Heaven the top as Earth the Basis wide Which eating showers nor North wind 's seeble blast Nor whirling Time nor flight of Years can wast Whole Horace shall not dye his Songs shall save The greatest portion from the greedy Grave Still fresh I 'le grow still green in future praise Till Time is lost and Rome it self decays Till the chief Priest and silent Maid no more Ascend the Capitol and Jove adore Where violent Aufid rouls thro humble Plains And where scorch'd Daunus rul'd the labouring Swains There shall my fame resound there all shall cry 'T was I the great from mean descent 't was I That first did dare to bind the Grecian Song And unknown numbers in the Roman tongue Muse take thy Merits due and proudly raise Thy Head and gladly Crown my Brows with Bays The End of the Third Book ODES Book the Fourth ODE I. To VENUS 1. He is now grown Old and unfit for Love 2. Desires her to go and visit Young Paulus 3. Yet He still thinks on his lovely Boy Ligurine 1. LOng interrupted War Thou Venus dost again renew And former hate pursue Oh spare for Pitty Venus spare I am not what I was In lovely Cynera's easy Reign When heat warm'd every Vein And manly Beauty filld my Face Cease Queen of soft Desires To bend my Mind grown stiff with Age And fifty years engage To crackle in thy wanton Fires But Youth and Beauty hear Go where their tender wishes call And let their sighs prevail Go free young Virgins of their fear 2. There is a Noble game In Paulus House go drive thy Doves And revel with thy Loves His Heart deserves thy choicest Flame For He is great in Charms The chiefest Honor of the Bar He 'l make successful War And spread the Glory of thy Arms When He the lovely smiles When he the happy Man shall prove And win by naked Love His giving Rivals costly spoyls Of Cedar grac't with Gold A stately Pile shall proudly rise As glorious as the Skies And thy blest Image gladly hold Before Thee thrice a day With Incense sweet thy Shrine shall smoke And Boys and Maids invoke And dance and praise Thee as they pray In wanton order move Whilst Pipe and Flute and charming Lyre Compose the joyful Quire And naked all and fit for Love No Maids no wanton Boys No Empty hopes of mutual Love My feeble passions move Or quicken my dead Soul to joys E'en Crowns and VVine displease I cannot roar and drink all Night Old Age doth cramp Delight And lead me down to lazy Ease 3. But Ah! what 's this my Dear Dear Ligurine ah tell me why These drops forsake my Eye And tender sighs fan every tear Why doth my flowing Tongue In unbecoming silence fall And why do sighs prevail And in the midst surprise my Song Thee Thee my lovely Boy Now now I clasp and now in Dreams Pursue o're Fields and Streams Thee Thee my Dear my flying Joy ODE II. To ANTONIUS JULUS 1. None can imitate Pindar 2. Commends Antony and proposes Caesar 's Actions as a fit subject for his Muse 1. HE that to equal Pindar trys With Waxen wings he vainly flys Too near exalted Fame And must expect a Fate like his Who fell and gave the Sea a name As violent Rivers swoln with Rain Break o're the neighbouring fruitful Plain With an impetuous stream So Pindar doth all Banks disdain And overflows the highest Theme In all He doth deserve the Crown Whether He rushes boldly on And rouls new words along Through lawless Dytherambicks thrown Or Thunders in a looser Song Or Gods or Gods next Kindred Kings In mighty numbers mighty things Or valiant Heroes names That kill'd the Centaurs nobly sings And quench'd the fierce Chimaera's flames Or praised him that swiftly rode And Crown'd return'd almost a God From the Olympian race Or Verses on the Brave bestow'd More sounding and more strong than Brass Or softly sings with pious grief A Youth snatcht from his weeping Wife And bears their names on high Their vertuous manners pleasant life And doth forbid their Loves to dye The Theban Swan vast whirls of Air Thro highest Regions swiftly bear When he designs to rise When He his lofty head doth rear And shoots it thro the Cloudy Skies I like a Bee with toil and pain Fly humbly o're the flowry Plain And with a busy tongue The little Sweets my Labors gain I work at last into a Song 2. But You shall sing in higher strains What Conquests mighty Caesar gains How great his Pomp appears When justly Crown'd he leads in Chains The German Trophies of his Wars Greater than him no Age can know Nor if they would the Gods bestow No they can bless no more If they their bounty strove to show And would the Golden Age restore Then thou shalt sing our feasting days Our City's Joy and publick Plays At Caesar's wisht return Then thou shalt sing how strife decays And Courts their peaceful Clients mourn And there if any patient Ear My Muses feeble Song will hear My voice shall sound thro Rome Thee Sun I 'le sing Thee lovely fair Thee Thee I 'le praise when Caesar's come As you great Poet march along From every Heart and every Tongue A joyful sound shall move Io Triumph be the Song VVhilst Incense smoaks to Gods above Ten fair large Bulls ten lusty Cows Must dy to pay thy richer Vows Of my small stock of Kine A Calf just wean'd now Youthful grows In Pastures fat to fall for mine Unus'd to push doth wildly run And as the third-days rising Moon So bend his tender horns All over Red but where alone A milky spot his front adorns ODE III. To his Muse By her favor he gets immortal Reputation AT whose blest birth propitious rays The Muses shed on whom they smile No dusty Isthmian game Shall stoutest of the Ring proclaim Or to reward his toyl Wreath Ivy Crowns or grace his head with Bays Nor Victor Laurel round his Brows In an Achean Chariot ride No glorious feats of War His happy Skill and Arms declare When He hath broke the pride And baffled dreadful threats of haughty Foes But fruitful Tibur's shady Groves It s pleasant Springs and purling Streams Shall raise a lasting name And set him high in sounding same For Lyric Verse the noblest Themes Great as his Mind and various as his Loves Rome Empress of the Nation 's Writes Writes me amongst the Lyrick Train And hence I Honor raise Immortal Love and lasting praise Secure from fears and pain For sharp-tooth'd Envy now but
with-held His great Deserts and Fame conceal'd From Shades below and gloomy Night By Poet's power and force of Wit Good Eack freed serenely reigns A Mighty King in happy Plains The Muse forbids great worth to dye On whom she will bestows the Sky Thus Great Alcides carves the Feast With Jove himself a noble Guest Thus shining Castor kindly saves A feeble Ship in roughest Waves And Bacchus crown'd with Ivy hears Our modest Vows and speeds our Prayers ODE IX To LOLLIUS His Songs shall never dye and he is resolv'd to make his Friend Lollius his Name live for ever VAin fear to think those Words will dye Which born by Aufid's whirling stream With unknown Art I first did try In Lyric numbers joyn'd With charming strings to bind And gently raise my noble Theme Tho King in Verse great Homer reigns And doth Equality refuse Yet Pindar lives in lofty strains Alcoeus nobly charms The Coean Lyrick warms With grave Stesichorus stately Muse We read Anacreon's wanton toys Whilst they our passions gently move No Envy blasts no Age destroys And Sappho's charming Lyre Preserves her soft desire And tunes our ravisht Souls to Love Not only Helen's Heart was fir'd When basely careless of her fame She Paris Princely Train admir'd His Curls surprizing grace His Dress his Art his Face And lewdly fed her lawless Flame Not Teucer first drew fatal Bows Not Troy but once felt Grecian rage Not only Stheneleus brav'd his Foes The great first-born of Fame That fought and overcame And lives in Verse to future Age. Not Hector first the glory won Of bravely spending Royal Blood To guard his hopes his darling Son Nor first profuse of Life To save a Vertuous Wife And do his dying Country good Before that Age a thousand liv'd And sent surprising Glories forth But none the silent Grave surviv'd In Night their Splendor's gone They fell unmourn'd unknown Because no Verse embalms their Worth What worth doth lazy floth excel If 't is withheld from sounding Fame Thy Glories I will loudly tell And in immortal Verse Thy living praise reherse Nor suffer Age to wast thy Name A Generous Mind in Action bold Wise in debate in Council grave Too strong for all-attracting Gold Let Fortune frown or smile Thy soul is constant still In either State 't is great and brave Not Consul only for one Year But still the Chair as oft obtain'd As equal justice rul'd the Bar As oft as Crimes accus'd And guilty Bribes refus'd With haughty look she nobly Reign'd Believe not those that Lands possess And shining heaps of useless Ore The only Lords of Happiness But rather those that know For what kind Fates bestow And have the Art to use the Store That have the generous skill to bear The hated weight of Poverty Who more than Death will baseness fear Who nobly to desend Their Country or their Friend Embrace their Fate and gladly dye ODE X. To scornful LIGURINE Age will come Beauty wast and then he will be sorry for his present Pride AH lovely yet and great in Charms Ah coy and flying from my Arms When an unlook't for Beard shall hide And scatter'd hairs spread o're thy Pride When all those wanton Curls shall fall Thy Rosy Color yield to Pale Thy Cheeks grow wan thy Body pine And leave a different Ligurine Ah thou shalt say when e're the glass Shall show Thee quite another Face Ah whilst I was a vigorous Boy Why did I not this Mind enjoy Or since I now so freely burn Why won't my former Face return ODE XI To PHYLLIS On Mecaenas his Birth Day He invites her to a Feast I Keep some Casks of racy Wines Full nine years old to Crown thy hair My Parsly grows my Ivy twines To grace thy head and make Thee fair My Rooms well furnish'd joy proclaim My Altar Crown'd with Sacred Wood And Vervine chast expects her Lamb And thirsts to drink the promis'd Blood All hands at work my Boys and Maids With busy hast the Feast prepare My Torches raise their trembling Heads And roll dark Volumes thro the Air But now to tell what joys to Night I call Thee to I keep the Ide That April's Month the choice delight Of Sea-born Venus doth divide A Day of Joy and Mirth appears And almost dearer than my own It shuts Mecaenas former years And brings another gently on That Telephus whom you desire A richer Maid and Beauty gains Young Wanton Gay and full of fire And holds him fast in pleasing Chains Burnt Phaëton checks hopes too high From Heaven by dreadful Thunder thrown And Pegasus refus'd to fly And threw his mortal Rider down The Phillis stop thy rising Flame And all ambitious thoughts remove 'T is Sin to hunt too great a Game And fly at an unequal Love Come come my last my dearest Miss The last I can I must adore No Face shall e're provoke a Kiss And other Beauty warm no more Come learn my Dear some pleasing Song Which you with a surprising Air Might warble o're your charming Tongue For Songs are good to lessen Care ODE XII To VIRGIL He describes the Spring and invites him to Supper THe soft Companions of the Spring The gentle Thracian Gales Spread o're the Earth their flowry Wing And swell the greedy Merchants Sails The Streams not swoln with melted Snow In fair Meanders play To quiet Seas they smoothly flow And gently eat their easy way The Swallow with the Spring returns And as she builds her Nest Her murder'd Itys sadly mourns And sighs and beats her troubled Breast The swallow Athens lasting shame For tho her Cause was just Her Breast conceiv'd a lawless flame And ill reveng'd the Tyrant's Lust The Swain whilst Flocks securely feed Sits down and sweetly plays He softly blows his Oaten Reed And pleaseth Pan with rural Lays The Season Virgil brings us thirst And if you Mirth design VVith Noble youths bring Oyntment first And I 'le provide Thee racy VVine For one small Box of Oyntment brought I will a Cask prepare 'T is strong to tame a lofty thought Check hopes and wash down bitter Care Now if you 'l make a joyful Guest I 'le not as Nobles do Bear all the Charges of the Feast But must expect a share from you Think Life is short forget thy fears And eager thoughts of Gain Short Folly mix with graver Cares 'T is decent sometimes to be vain ODE XIII To LYCE. He insults over her now she is grown old THe Gods have heard Lyce the Gods have heard The Gods have heard my Prayer As I have wish'd and you have feard Your'e old yet would be counted fair You toy you impudently drink to raise Your lazy dull desire You strive to highten to a blaze VVith your cold breath the dying fire In vain 't is all in vain coy Cupid flys A better Seat He seeks In young soft Chloe's Face he lyes And gently wantons in her Cheeks Coy he flies o're dry Oaks he scorns thy Face
it better to convey down the Learning of the Antients than their empty sound suited to the present times and show the Age their whole substance rather than their thin Ghost imbody'd with some light Air of my own As for ill Nature Horace requires none nay disclaims it in a Satyrist his sharpest touches if we believe both himself and those that best understood him are innocent Waggery admissus circum praecordia ludit He endeavours to laugh men out of their Vices and doth not lance or cauterize the sores but tickles till He heals and how much this method surpasses the rougher handling every one may imagine who knows that 't is more grievous to any man to be Ridicul'd than beaten and who is there that would not rather appear in Company with a black Eye than a smutted Face Some few advis'd me to turn the Satyrs to our own Times they said that Rome was now rivall'd in her Vices and Parallels for Hypocrisie Profaneness Avarice and the like were easie to be found But those Crimes are much out of my acquaintance and since the Character is the same whoever the Person is I am not so fond of being hated as to make any disobliging applications Such pains would look like an impertinent labor to find a dunghill only that I might satisfy an unaccountable humor of dirting one Man's Face and bespattering another Some have taken this way and the ill-Nature of the World hath conspir'd to think their rudeness Wit All their smartness proceeds from a sharp Humor in their Body which falls into their Pen and if it drops upon a Man's Reputation that is as bright and solid as polisht Steel it sullys it presently and eats thro Such are never lov'd or prais'd but shun'd and fear'd like Mad-Dogs for their Teeth and Foam and are excellently represented by Luca's Basilisk Who drives all other Serpents from the Plains And all alone in the vast Desart reigns What I have borrow'd from others if ever I have stock enough I will honestly endeavour to repay But the debt which I have contracted from my Lord Roscommon is so vast that I shall never be able to discharge To his admirable Version I must gratefully acknowledge That I owe the sence and the best lines in the Art of Poetry THE ODES OF HORACE The First Book ODE I. To MECAENAS Several Men have several Delights Lyrick Poetry is his MECAENAS born of Royal Blood My joy my guard and sweetest good Some love with rapid wheels to raise Olympian dust and gather praise Where Races won and Palms bestow'd Do lift a King into a God And some in high Commands are proud That great preferment of the Crowd Blown by their breath the Bubble flies Gaz'd at a while then breaks and dies Another ploughs his Fathers Fields His Barn holds all that Lybia yields And hopes of Wealth and Worlds of Gain Shall never tempt him from the Plain Or draw his fearful Soul to ride In feeble Ships and stem the Tide The Merchants tost in angry Seas That praise their fields and quiet ease Yet rigg their tatter'd Ships once more Untaught unable to be poor Some underneath a Myrtle shade Or by smooth Springs supinely laid With Mirth and Wine and wanton Play Contract the business of the Day Shrill Trumpet 's sounds and noisy Wars That Mothers hate please other Ears The Hunter doth his ease forgoe He lies abroad in Frost in Snow He soon forgets his pleasing Wife And all the soft delights of Life Whilst faithful Hounds a Deer pursue Or have a raging Bore in view The purling streams and shady grove The Nymphs and Satyrs dance and Love Green Ivy Crowns that only spread Fresh Honors round a learned head Shall raise my Name above the Crowd And lift me up into a God If Muses kind shall string my Lyre Or Tune my Pipe and heats inspire If You my Lord approve my vein And count me ' mongst the Lyrick train Secure from Death I 'le proudly rise And hide my head in lofty Skies ODE II. To AUGUSTUS Rome hath smarted for killing Caesar and all their Hopes are in Augustus ENough of Thunder mighty Jove Enough thy flaming Arm has thrown Enough hath torn the sacred Grove Enough amaz'd the frighted Town Lest Purrha's age return'd they fear'd Strange Age when from the former floods Old Proteus drove his scaly Herd To visit Hills and glide in Woods The Fishes hung on lofty boughs Those Seats well known to Doves before The spreading Waves snatcht trembling Does They swam and look't in vain for shore We saw swoln Tiber backward flow And from the Tuscan waves retire The Monuments of Kings o'rethrow And hiss in Vesta's sacred fire Whilst He too too Uxorious flood Swoln big with fury cuts along The left-hand banks though Jove withstood To right Complaining Ilia's wrong The Youth shall hear that impious steel Against our selves we madly drew Which better haughty Medes should feel The Youth our faults have left but few What God to prop the falling State Shall we invoke with earnest Prayers How shall our Virgins soften fate And weary Vesta's deafned Ears And whom to expiate Caesar's blood Will Jove appoint Apollo come O're thy bright shoulders cast a cloud And kindly succour guilty Rome Or Venus fair whom Joys attend Whom Youth flies round and smiling Grace Or Father Mars at last descend And pity thy decaying Race Oh long too long thy fierce delight Hath glutted Thee whom Wars do please With Darts and Spears and stern in fight The frightful Moors unlearn'd in ease Or whether chang'd to Mortal Eys You seem a Youth Kind winged God Nor dost the friendly name despise Of the Avenger of our Caesar's blood Oh Late may You return to Jove May quiet Days extend thy reign Nor vext at Us in hast remove To visit happy seats again Our Empires Father Prince and Guide In Triumphs live Nor let the Medes Proud in our Spoyls unpunisht ride Whilst Mighty Caesar bravely leads ODE III. To VIRGIL Taking a Voyage to Athens SO may kind Venus guide thy Sails So Helen's Brothers shining Stars Secure thee from thy fears So Eol loose the Southern gales And all the other Winds controul As Thou dost waft my Virgil o're And land him on the Attick shore Preserving half my Soul His Heart was Brass who first did dare In feeble Ships to stem the Seas Who weeping Hyades And Monsters saw nor stoop't to bear Who saw the headlong Whirlwinds fight And South-winds rage that best can raise Or smooth the Adriatick Seas Nor dy'd at such a sight What Face of Death can move his fears That saw with an undaunted Eye Vast Rocks and Waves as high And could restrain his flowing tears In vain the Gods designd in vain In vain they did the Lands divide By an unfriendly Tide If impious Ships can cross the Main Man forc't by an imperious Will Do's make all hast to be undone And very eagerly rush on To court forbidden Ill. Prometheus brought
and fear And now my fresh and present Care Take heed and fly the flattering Seas Between the shining Cyclades ODE XV. Nereus sings the Fall of Troy occasion'd by Paris 's Rape of Helen VVHen faithless Paris stole away And carry'd Helen thro the Sea Then Nereus still'd the Wind He quieted the angry Seas And lull'd the Billows into ease Ease to the Lovers hast unkind Whilst thus he sang Thou carry'st home Thine own false Youth and Country's doom VVhom Greeks shall fetch again VVith all their force and all combine To break that wicked Match of thine And Ancient Priam's noble reign VVhat labor ah what dust and heat And how the Men and Horses sweat Ah Troy what Fates engage E'en furious Pallas now prepares Her Helmet and her Shield for VVars Her dreadful Chariot and her Rage In vain shalt thou thy safety place In Venus aid and paint thy face In vain adorn thy hair In vain thy feeble Harp shalt move And sing soft tales of easie Love To please the wanton and the fair In vain shalt Thou avoid thy Foe The winged Dart and Cretan Bow Things grievous to thy joys In vain with grief shalt fear to view Stout Ajax eager to pursue And strive to fly the hated noise But ah too late ah much too late Thou shalt endure the stroak of Fate And find the Gods are just Too late Thou shalt deserv'dly feel The force of the revenging steel And soyl th' Adulterous locks in dust Dost Thou not see grave Nestor's age And fierce Ulysses wilely rage The ruine of thy State Nor Teucer's brave undaunted force Nor Stheneleus that drives his Horse As furious and as fast as Fate Ah Thou shalt see Merione In Trojan dust severely gay And fierce Tydides rave Look how he frowns and roves about To find the Feeble Paris out Tydides as his Father brave These feeble Paris thou shalt fly As trembling Does whose fears espy A Lion in a Grove They leave their Herbs with panting Breath They strive to shun pursuing Death Was this thy Promise to Thy Love Achilles angry for a Wrong Shall Troyes approaching Fate prolong But after certain years Thessalian Flames and Grecian Fire Shall o're the proudest Piles aspire And fill the Matrons Eyes with Tears ODE XVI A Recantation for a Copy of Iambicks written on a young Lady OH Daughter fair of greater Charms Than those with which thy Mother warms My guilty Verses how you please Destroy in Flames thô scarce so hot As that fierce rage with which I wrote Or in the angry Seas Not Cybele such heat inspires Ne're Phoebus with such raging fires His Prophet's Soul possess 't Not Bacchus self can raise a Man Half so much as Anger can When once it burns the Breast Not Tears nor Kindness can asswage Nor Force nor Danger curb the rage It ventures boldly on It scorns to be confin'd by Jove Or all the Thund'ring Powers above But by its boundless self alone When Bold Prometheus first began As Story goes to make a Man From every thing He snatcht a part To furnish out his Clay And to compleat his rude essay And plac't a Lions fury in the Heart 'T was Rage that made the Brothers hate Rage wrought Thyestes wond'rous fate 'T was Rage that kill'd the Child That fed the Father with the Son And when it saw the mighty Mischief done Stood by and what was strange it smil'd 'T is that that raises all our Wars And brings our Dangers and our Fears When the insulting Foe Whil'st Anger burns and Rage prevails O're Town and Cities ruin'd Walls Doth draw the heavy Plough Then curb thy Anger charming Maid That once my heedless Youth betray'd It rais'd a deadly flame And hurry'd on my thought-less Muse In swift Iambicks to abuse And wanton with thy fame But now I do repent the wrong And now compose a softer Song To make Thee just amends Recant the Errors of my Youth And swear those scandals were not Truth So You and I be friends ODE XVII He Commends his Country Seat and invites his Mistriss thither SWift Faunus oft Lyceum leaves behind And to my pleasing Farm retreats And from the Summer heats Defends my Goats and from the rainy wind O're Vales o're craggy Rocks and Hills they stray Seek flowry Thyme and safely brouze And wanton in the boughs Nor fear an angry Serpent in the way No lurking Venom swells the harmless mould The Kids are safe the tender Lambs Lie bleating by their Dams Nor hear the Evening Wolves grin round the fold Soft rural Lays thro every Vally sound By low Ustica's purling Spring The Shepherds pipe and sing Whilst from the even Rocks the tunes rebound Kind Heaven defends my soft aboads I live the Gods peculiar Care Secure and free from fear My Songs and my Devotion please the Gods Here naked Truth Love Peace good Nature reign And here to Thee shall Plenty flow And all her Riches show To raise the honor of the quiet Plain Here crooked Vales afford a cool retreat Or underneath an Arbor's shade For Love and Pleasure made Thou shalt avoid the Dog-Star's raging heat And sweetly sing the harmless Wars of Love How chast Penelope's desires And wanton Circe's fires With various heats for one Ulysses strove At Noon with Wine the fiery beams asswage Beneath a shade on beds of Grass And take a Chirping glass But never drink till Mirth boils up to rage Ne're fear thy old Gallant He 's far away He shall not see nor seize nor tear Thy Chaplet from thy Hair We shall have leisure and have room to play ODE XVIII Wine moderately taken cheers the Mind but too much makes men mad DEar Varus urge thy wise design And chiefly plant the noble Vine In Tibur's fertile shade Or round Catilles Wall The sober Dotards Cares invade And numerous mischiefs wait on all Pale Cares are rude And must intrude Untill forgetful Cups go round And who in drink doth prate of Wars Of Want or State affairs Each head is free and busie thoughts are drown'd But Mirth and Women Sport and Play Is all the trouble of the Day But lest thy growing Mirth surpass The moderate freedom of a merry glass Think on the Centaurs blood Think how those Beasts did fight With Wine and G ore their Tables flow'd And then command thy Appetite What wild desires What Madness fires The Thracian Bruits how fierce a God When Drunken They all Right and Just Do measure by their Lust And eagerly rush on to brawls and blood Attending Death strikes every Guest And none survive the fatal Feast Submitting to thy easie yoke I 'le freely use but ne'r provoke Thy rage obliging God Nor shall my Tongue reveal To the prophane and common Crowd The mysteries thy boughs conceal Preserve my Age From drunken Rage Which blind Self-love does still attend With Vanity which loves to spread Her Plumes and raise her Head Above the Common level of her Friend With these with an uneven pace Walks broaken
Faith which lets all Secrets pass Much more transparent than a glass ODE XIX To GLYCERA He confesseth his Love THe cruel Mother of Desires And wanton Youth reproves And bids me rais'd by Bacchus Fires Restore my self to my forsaken Loves Fair Glycera my wish provokes More white than polisht Marble Stone Inviting coy and slippery looks Coy looks too slippery to be gaz'd upon Now Venus leaves her Cyprian Seats And fills my Soul with all her heats Bids me not mind the Parthian force When dreadful on his Flying Horse He makes his proud and conquering retreats All that I think on must be Love Bring Wine my Boys an Altar rear A tender Lamb perhaps may move And make the angry Goddess less severe ODE XX. He invites Mecaenas to take a Bottle of Wine at his house POor Sabine Wine in Cups as poor Is all my present store 'T was bottled then when You my Lord In crowded Theaters ador'd Smooth Tyber's Banks around Return'd the joyful sound And babling Eccho's the glad shouts restor'd Rich Casks from the Colenian Vine Or smooth Caecubian Wine Your Cellar store but meaner juice Contented I must humbly use My Cups the Formian Hill Nor the Falernian fill 'T is Wealth 's great priviledge to be profuse ODE XXI He exhorts the Boys and Maids to sing Apollo 's and Diana 's praise YE tender Maids Diana sing Apollo Praise Ye rising Boys And both to equal Honors bring Latone too whom mighty Jove Did deeply love And show the pious duty of your joys Diana sing Diana loves The purling Springs that softly flow The pleasing Woods and quiet Groves That shady Erymanthus bears Or Cragis rears Or in cold Algidum but slowly grow Ye Males with equal Songs reherse The flowry Tempe's open Air Or sing with an immortal Verse Fair Delos Isle the happy Earth That gave him birth His charming Harp his Bow and graceful Hair He by your Pious Vows o'rcome Pale Famine and rough Wars shall drive From Caesar and his happy Rome And make those raging Plagues infest The distant West Whilst we in wanton Peace and Plenty live ODE XXII Nothing will hurt a good innocent Man and a faithful Lover A Man unstain'd and pure from Sin No Quiver fraught with poyson'd Heads No Africk Javelin needs He has a Guard and Arms within Whether o're Syrtes wandring sands Or bruitish Caucasus He goes Or where Hydaspes flows And swiftly cuts the savage Lands Of late when Cares forsook my head I stray'd and Sang i th' Sabine Grove My Lalage my Love A Woolf saw me unarm'd and fled A Beast so large did never roar i th' Daunian Woods and fright the Swains Nor in her burning Plains The Lyons Dry-Nurse Africk bore So place me where no Sun appears Or wrapt in Clouds or drown'd in tears Where Woods with whirling Tempests tost Where no relieving Summers breeze Does murmur thro the Trees But all lyes bound and fixt in Frost Or place me where the scorching Sun With beams too near doth burn the Zone Yet fearless there I 'le gladly rove Let frowning or let smiling Fate Or Curse or Bless my State Sweet smiling Lalage I 'le always love ODE XXIII He tells his young Mistriss that she is now of Age and need not be affraid of him YOu fly me Maid as tender Fawns Seek absent Dams in deep despair O're craggy Rocks o're Woods and Lawns And idly fear at every breath of Air. If Winds do whistle thrô the Grove Or ruffle Vinâ—s they quickly start If Lizzards in a Bramble move An Icy trembling runs thrô every part Not Tyger I or angry Bore Pursue Thee Chloe to destroy Attend thy Mother's heels no more Now grown mature for Man and ripe for Joy ODE XXIV He comforts Virgil Mourning for the Death of his Friend ANd who can grieve too much what time shall end Our mourning for so dear a Friend Melpomene whom Jove hath blest With melting Voice and mournful Tongue And with a Harp above the rest Hath grac't begin the Melancholly Song And doth eternal Sleep close Varus Eyes How soon our Pride and Glory dyes And where will equal Justice find Where steddy Faith and naked Truth So generous and so great a Mind And where an Equal to the falling Youth To be bewail'd by all the Good the Just He fell by you dear Virgil most By you who now dost mourn in vain By Pious you who idely pray To have thy Varus back again He was not lent Thee for a longer stay Could you with foster touch than Orpheus move The Harp that drew the list'ning Grove The Grove that danc't to Tunes he play'd Yet Blood and Bones would scarce return Nor Flesh to cloath the empty shade The Shade that once lay naked in the Urn. Which Mercury a hard uneasie God To open Fate with frightful Rod Hath driven thrô the gloomy Air And shut amongst the Shades of Night 'T is hard but when We needs must bear Enduring Patience makes the Burthen light ODE XXV He insults over his Mistriss Lydia now grown Old HA Ha! Thy Trade at last is done And all thy wanton Lovers gone No sighing Youths attend thy State There 's no such rattling at thy dore As Heretofore And now thy Threshold loves thy quiet Gate Now you may rest secure from noise And sadly dream of former joys You seldom hear despairing Sighs My Lydia rests in soft delight All the long night Whil'st here her faithful Lover pines and dyes Now now 't is thine thy turn to moan The haughty wantons all alone Now to a shady Grove retire Whilst Winds as cold as thy dull Age Do fiercely rage And cool the poor remainders of thy fire When Lust as fierce as Mares desires Thy ulcerous Heart and Liver fires Then Thou shalt mourn but mourn in vain That wanton Youth seeks blooming Charms And greener arms Whilst longing Age still meets with cold disdain Then thou shalt think on sweets before And dye at the despairing thought No more ODE XXVI He desires his Muse to commend his Friend Lamia I I the Muses merry Friend Deliver all my busie Cares Unto the wanton VVind What Tyrant of the North Leads dreadful Armies forth Secure alone and laugh at others fears Sweet Muse that dost delight to sing In strains to Roman Ears unknown And tast the Virgin spring Trace o're the shady Bowers And gather sweetest flowers And wreath my Lamia wreath a noble Crown What Honors I without thy Aid Bestow to grace my Friends are vain My Crowns will quickly fade You Muse and all the Nine should raise In new Alcaïcks Lamia's praise And make him live in an unusual strain ODE XXVII He adviseth his Friends not to quarrel in their drink AMidst our Cups for mirth design'd To fight and quarrel suits Rough Thracian Brutes But not the sober temper of a Friend This Savage Humor Sirs forbear And free the modest God From brawls and blood And let your Humor as your Wine be clear How Cups and Swords do
and to please their Gods ODE XVI The contented Man the most happy FOr ease the Seaman asks the Gods When tost in the Egaean Floods When darkness spreads to heighten fears And not one friendly Star appears For ease the Warlike Thracians plead The Persian and the quiver'd Mede For ease too precious to be sold For costly Gems or bought with Gold For neither Power nor Wealth controul The sad disorders of the Soul Nor yet remove the Cares that wait About the Palace of the Great Blest he with little on whose thrifty Board That Salt still shines that call'd his Father Lord No vexing fears his Breast can seize No sordid Lust will break his ease Why these extended Cares and Strife And trouble for so short a Life VVhy do we ply our Sails and Oars And fondly visit forreign Shores Can he that flies his Country find That he can leave himself behind For baneful Care will still prevail And overtake us under sail It dogs the Horseman close behind More swift than Roes or Stormy Wind A man contented with his present doom Hates to look on for what 's to come With mirth he sweetens bitter Fate There is no perfect happy State The stout Achilles dy'd in hast Long Age did old Tithonus wast Those years swift time denies to Thee Perhaps his hand shall reach to me Round Thee ten thousand Heifers low Stout Oxen bend beneath thy Plow In his gilt Coach neigh generous Mares The Purple dies what e're he wears A Farm as large as my desire With some few heats of Lyrick fire On me hath stubborn Fate bestow'd With Pride enough to Scorn the Crowd ODE XVII To MECAENAS He is resolv'd not to survive him and congratulates his Recovery VVHy am I kill'd with thy Complaint 'T is more than any God will grant 'T is more my Lord than I can bear That you on whom my hopes rely That you my great support should dy And leave thy Melancholly Horace here Did you my better half decay For what should I the other stay What comfort could compose my Mind When neither whole nor yet so dear I should be doom'd to linger here And feel my worser part still left behind The same black Day shall seize on both It is a fixt and Solemn Oath Wee 'l go I 've Sworn We both will go Tho you may first begin the Race I 'le follow with a nimble pace And joyn you e're you reach the Waves below Did fierce Chimera dart her fire To make my frighted Soul retire Yet still I would attend you State Tho hundred handed Gyas Rose In vain should all his strength oppose For Justice bids and 't is approv'd by Fate What ever Star did at my Birth prevail Whether my Fate was weigh'd in Libra's Scale Or Fatal Scorpio's Beams did shine Or Capricorn's disturbing Rays Those Tyrants of the Western Seas 'T is Strange how much your Stars consent with mine From Saturn's fatal influence Jove's milder Rays were your defence He clog'd the Wings of hasty Death When thrice with an auspicious voice The States of Rome proclaim'd their joys And with their own supply'd their fading Breath My Head had felt a falling Oak But Faunus did divert the stroak Faunus the Witts kind guardian God The Shrine you vow'd the Gods prepare Let offer'd Bulls reward their Care For me a Lamb shall shed his meaner Blood ODE XVIII Against Covetousness NOr Ivory nor Indian Stuff Nor Gold adorns my gawdy Roof No Cedar Beams press costly Stone From Quarries of the torrid Zone Where burning Rayes the Marble mould And joyn the Mass with flowing Gold Nor yet have I an Heir unknown E're seiz'd on Attalus his Throne No honest Clients hang my Rooms With Purple stretcht on Tyrian Looms But yet I make a fair pretence To Honesty and Innocence And store of Wit and these compleat And make me sought to by the great This is my Wealth This all my Store Content I ask the Gods no more Nor my great Friends O bounteous Fate How happy in my mean Estate Days push on Days with equal pace New Moons still hast to the decrease But you e'en whilst the Bell doth toll And sadly warn thy flying Soul Rich Stones provide large Piles you rear Unmindful of your Sepulcher Thy Moles and thy incroaching Mounds Remove thy floods to streighter bounds For greedy you would seem but poor Confin'd by Nature's narrow Shore Nay more you leap the Sacred bounds And seize your meaner Clients Grounds No Fence too high no Ditch too deep For Wealthy Injury to leap Expell'd by greedy Avarice The Wife with her dear Husband flies With all her Gods too weak defence For Poor and injur'd Innocence They suffer in the common harms And sordid Infants in her Arms Yet after all this toyl and heat This Fraud and Treachery to be great The last retreat the Rich must have The last and surest is the Grave What wouldst thou more to Swains and Lords An equal Room just Earth affords Nor does she take a Prince's Bones With greater Rev'rence than a Clowns Ne're surly Charon brib'd with Gold Brings back the Cunning or the Bold Nor will He waft Prometheus o're And land him on the living Shore Proud Tantalus and all his Line Tho Kings His lasting Chains confine And whether we his aid Implore Or not He 's ready still to ease the Poor Free him from want and place him on the happy Shore ODE XIX In praise of Bacchus BOrn out by an unusual rage I saw believe it future Age Where Bacchus taught the Nymphs a Song In distant Vales from every Wood With prickt-up Ears the Satyrs stood And smiling Fauns compos'd a list'ning throng Evae new fear disturbs my Soul With troubled joy my Passions roul Whilst full of the impetuous God Evae spare mighty Liber spare Urge not the violent rage too far Spare Liber dreadful with thy angry Rod Now boldly I can speak thy Praise Rehearse the stubborn Thyades Too fierce to bear the easy Yoke Thy streams of Wine thy milky Spring And in repeated Numbers Sing Distilling Honey from the melting Oak Thy happy Bride's refulgent Hairs That grace the Skies with brighter Stars What Fate the Impious Theban strook How Aunt and Mother strangely tore The trampling Wolf and rooting Bore And fierce Lycurgus falling by his hook Indus and Ganges own thy sway And Thee the barbarous Seas obey You flush't o're craggy Mountains lead O're Hills and Dales o're Springs and Lakes The Thracian Rout whilst harmless Snakes In innocent folds twine round each drunken Head When impious Giants climb'd on high And dar'd to storm thy Fathers Sky Thy single hand secur'd his Crown You with a Lyons dreadful Jaws And frightful Nails retriev'd the Cause Bold Rhetus quell'd and sav'd the falling Throne Tho much more us'd to soft delight Unfit unable for a fight You once were thought and doom'd to ease Yet when your Heat and Vertue rose What fury seiz'd your haughty Foes How equally inclin'd to Wars
Secure from Bears and creeping Snakes Should lie so long that Doves should spread The Sacred Laurel round my Head And I a Child not fear the Woods The Care and Darling of the Gods Yours Muses yours I live your Care On Sabine Hills or cold Praeneste's Air Or whether watry Baiae please Or wanton Tibur lulls me into ease Because your Springs your Sport and Grove Are all the objects of my Love When Brutus lost Philippi's Field I safely fled and scorn'd my Shield 'T was Sin to guard or to defend By mortal Arms the Muses Friend By you the proud Sicilian Rock I brav'd and scap't the cursed Oak Whilst you my feeble Ship shall guide I 'le singly stem the proudest Tide I 'le travel thro the farthest East Where never Mortal foot hath prest Britans Inhospitable Flood And Thracians pleas'd with Horses Blood On Scythian Sands I 'le boldly tread And stoutly see the quiver'd Mede When Caesar great as all our Hopes In Towns hath hid his weary Troops You cheer his Soul you soften Cares And ease the harsh fatigue of Wars You Kind instruct him how to live Give good advice and joy to give We know we know how mighty Jove Whose guiding Nod rules all above Who governs with an equal hand The raging Sea and quiet Land Whose easy and Almighty sway The Gods and Ghosts and all obey With Thunder strook bold Titans down And beat their fury from his Throne We know how impious Giants fell From climbing Heaven to deepest Hell That horrid Troop those impious Bands Relying on their numerous hands Whilst they on Mountains climb'd on high Spread no small terror thro the Sky And shady Pelion rais'd above The high Olympus frighted Jove But how could Brawny Mimas rise How large Porphyrion's frightful size Against the Thunder of the Skies How bold Typhaeus aim a stroak How impious Encel dart his Oak Too weak their force and soon repell'd By Virgin Pallas sounding Shield Here Vulcan fought a greedy God On that side Matron Juno stood And Phoebus there a dreadful Foe Still arm'd with an unerring Bow Who loves to haunt the Lycian Woods And in the pure Castalian Floods Wash his loose locks who Songs inspires And fills his Priests with pleasing fires On Patara and Delos Fame Bestows and takes from both a Name Rash force by its own weight must fall But Pious strength will still prevail For such the Gods assist and bless But hate a mighty Wickedness Proud Gyges proves this fatal truth And hot Orion's lawless youth E'en Virgin Pallas scarce could scape The Lustful fury of a Rape 'Till her Bow reach't him whilst He strove With fiercer Darts than those of Love The Earth on her own Monster thrown Now mourns the ruin of her Son She grieves that her proud Children fell By Thunder strook to deepest Hell Nor do hot Aetna's flames decay Yet cannot eat the load away Hot Tytius Liver Vulturs tear They watch as soon as parts appear And seize them streight the Doom was just He punisht in the seat of Lust Wrath waits on Sin three hundred Chains Perithous bind in endless pains ODE V. To AUGUSTUS Praising him for enlarging their Empire and discommending Crassus 's Souldiers which draws on the Story of Regulus HIs Thund'ring proves that mighty Jove With wondrous Force rules all above And now as mighty Actions show That Caesar is a God below O're British Shores our Empires spread Our Arms have reacht the haughty Mede Could Crassus Souldiers lead their lives So meanly yokt to barbarous Wives Could they grow old degenerate race Inverted Souls and Rome's disgrace In Hostile Arms the Mede obey And fight for a Barbarians pay Forget their Rites their Name and Blood Whilst Jove was safe and Rome yet stood Wise Regulus did this prevent He scorn'd base Terms that Carthage sent Nor would he e're by his advice Tempt future Age to Cowardice He knew that Vertues Crowns would fade Unless the Captive Youth were made Unpittied Preys to barbarous Foes And bore the Slavery they chose I saw said He our Eagles shine And basely fill a Punick shrine With hanging Wings our fears upbraid By which they were so soon betray'd I saw how Coward Armies stood And yield without a drop of Blood I saw when they their Arms resign'd Their Slavish Hands drawn back behind I saw our Free-men bound led home Bound Conquer'd Citizens of Rome Their Gates unbar'd they plough'd the soyl Which Roman Troops did lately spoyl Redeem'd perhaps more free from fear More fierce they shall return to War More bold more careful of their Fame You add new losses to your shame Wool once infected with a stain Ne're takes it's Native white again And when true Vertue falls it lies Prest down and never cares to rise If trembling Does when freed from Snares Will fight then He 'l forget his fears Then He 'l be stout who basely chose To trust the Treachery of his Foes He He no doubt will brave appear And beat them in another War Whose Arms could tamely bear the Cords And Whips of domineering Lords Who sold his precious Liberty For meaner Life and fear'd to Die Resolv'd for Life He did not know To which he should his safety owe His Roman Courage or his Fear And mixt dishonest Peace and War Oh shame Great Carthage rais'd more high On the Disgrace of Italy His Wives chast Kiss his pratling Boys The former Partners of his joys Now grown a Slave thrown down by Fate And less'ned from his former State He shun'd with manly modesty On Earth he cast his stubborn Eye Whilst thus by strange advice He fought And fixt the wavering Senate's Vote Then thro his weeping Friends He ran In hast a glorious banisht man What Cords and Wheels what Racks and Chains What lingring Tortures for his Pains The Barbarous Hangmen made He knew And hightning Fame told more than true Yet He his Wife and Boys remov'd His hindring Friends and all he lov'd And thro the Crow'd he made his way That wept and beg'd a longer stay As free as if when Term was done And Suits at end He left the Town From Business and from Cares retreat To the cool pleasures of a Country Seat ODE VII To ASTERIA He tells her that her absent Husband is Constant and adviseth her to have a care of her solliciting Neighbour ANd why does fair Asteria mourn And why despair of his return The first Spring Winds shall thy Dear Love restore Soft Gales shall waft the charming Youth Of constant and unshaken truth With Wealthy lading to the Roman Shore He 's driven to a distant Coast Whilst Winter binds the Floods with Frost Sleep grows a Stranger to his Eyes He mourns in melancholly Creeks Whilst falling Tears freez on his Cheeks And lengthens out the lingring Night with sighs Whilst some from Chiloë strive to move And draw him to another Love They tell the fury of her Flame They tell how melted in thy Fires The miserable Maid expires And
use all Arts that Treacherous Wit can frame They tell how Phaedra's treacherous Tears Did urge believing Proetus Fears And with what Lustful heat she strove What Crimes she feign'd to hasten on The Death of chast Bellerophon And take sharp vengeance for her slighted Love How neer chast Peleus reacht his Fate And felt the force of Woman's hate Whilst from Hyppolite He fled A Thousand tales those Bawds to Vice They still force on him to entice Or fright him to despairing Chloe's Bed In vain in vain He hears no more Than Rocks when Winds and Waters roar Nor owns the Conquest of her Eyes But fair take heed and guard your Heart And let not fond Eunipe's Art Steal in and your unguarded Soul surprize Tho none with equal manly force In Mars his Field can guide his Horse Tho none appears so brave in Arms Tho none with equal Art divides The headlong force of Tiber's Tides Yet scorn the winning beauty of his Charms Shut all your doors at Evening's shade Nor when you hear a Serenade Look down with a regarding Eye Although he vows and mourns his pains And calls Thee cruel and complains Be cruel Still and more and more deny ODE VIII To MECAENAS Whom He invites to an Entertainment which He made for joy of his deliverance from the falling Tree VVHat I a Batchelor intend My learned Lord and noble Friend In Mars his Calends you admire What mean those Flowers that Crown my Head The Coals on green-turf Altars laid Where in small Censures thankful sweets expire To Bacchus pleasing Feasts I vow'd And a White Goat's attoning Blood When I had scap't the falling Oak This day as years run round a Feast Shall pierce my Casks and claim the best That long stor'd up hath drank digesting Smoak Drink drink let numerous Cups extend The Life of thy deliver'd Friend Cups large as thy extensive joys Let watching Tapers chase the Night Till rising Morn restore the light Let mirth attend and banish Strife and Noise Forget forget thy publick Cares And take no thought for state Affairs We hear the German Troops o're thrown The Medes now hate their Former Lords They fight nor yet expect our Swords But sadly conquer for us with their own Our ancient Foe the Pride of Spain The fierce Cantabrian takes the Chain Tho late at last He 's forc't to yield The Parthians fly the Scythians now Their Arrows break unstring their Bow And are resolv'd to quit the fatal Field Neglect the various turns of State The sports of Chance or nods of Fate Grown private watch not o're Affairs But smile and eagerly receive The Goods the present time can give And leave behind the Grave Fatigue of Cares ODE IX A Dialogue between Horace and Lydia WHilst I was welcome to your Heart In which no happier Youth had part And full of more prevailing Charms Threw round your neck his dearer Arms I flourisht richer and more blest Than the great Monarch of the East Lydia Whilst all thy Soul with me was fill'd Nor Lydia did to Chloe yield Lydia the celebrated Name The only Theme of Verse and Fame I flourisht more than she renown'd Whose Godlike Son our Rome did found Horace Me Chloe now whom every Muse And every Grace adorn subdues For whom I 'de gladly die to save Her dearer Beautys from the Grave Lydia Me lovely Calais doth fire With mutual flames of fierce desire For whom I twice would die to save His Youth more precious from the Grave Horace What if our former Loves return And our first fires again should burn If Chloe's banisht to make way For the forsaken Lydia Lydia Tho He is shining as a Star Constant and Kind as he is Fair Though light as Cork rough as the Sea Yet I would Live would Die with Thee Duke ODE X. He tells Lyde that perhaps He shall not always be able to endure her Scorn DId Lyde Drink cold Tanais Flood A Scythians Bride that fed on Blood Yet would you grieve to see the Kind The constant Horace grasp the Floor Extended by thy cruel Door Expos'd toth ' fury of the Native Wind. Dost hear what Tempests beat thy Gate How all rush on as arm'd with Fate And how thy pleasing Groves are tost With what severe and piercing light The Moon and Stars now guild the Night And glaze the scatter'd Snow with hoary Frost Thy haughty Pride and Scorn remove Ingrate and Enemy to Love My passions Tide may ebb again No Scythian Mother brought Thee forth And hardned by the freezing North That ardent Lovers thus should court in vain If all my Prayers and Gifts are weak Nor violent paleness of my Cheek The Lover's Livery can move If that thy Husband scorns thy Charms And takes a Songstress to his Arms Can n're provoke Thee to my firmer Love O stiff as Oaks to warm desire Too hard to burn in my soft Fire As fierce as Snakes on Lybian Shore Tho now my patient side can bear Thy Door the Rain and piercing Air Yet time will come when 't will endure no more ODE XI To Mercury and his Shell whom He desires to move Lyde and tells the Story of Danaus 's Daughters SWeet Mercury for taught by you The listning Stones Amphion drew And pleasing Shell well skill'd to raise From seven stretcht strings the sweetest Lays Once mute but now a Friend to Feasts To cheer the Gods and Rich-mens guests Play Tunes as may provoke to hear E'en Lydes coy denying Ear. She like a Colt frisks o're the Plain A Rider hates nor takes the Rein Unable yet to bear the force And strength of the obliging Horse You Tigers you the listning Woods Can draw and stop the rapid Floods E'en Cerberus thy force confest Well-pleas'd He lay and lull'd in rest Tho thousand hissing Serpents spread And guard around his horrid Head And Gore foam'd round his tripple Tongue He gently list'ned to thy Song Ixion Tytius heard below And smil'd but with a gloomy Brow The leaky Tub a while was dry And Danaus Race stood idle by Whilst thy harmonious Tunes did please They smil'd at their unusual ease Begin sweet Lays let Lyde hear What Crimes they did what Pains they bear Tell how their Tub can nought retain But still gives space for idle pain How Vengeance comes tho moving slow And strikes the guilty Souls below They could could Hell contrive a blacker deed Their Husbands stab and smile to see them bleed But one more Worthy of the Name of Wife The hopes and end of every Virgin 's Life Her perjur'd Father bravely disobey'd And lives thro future Age a glorious Maid With Love and Pity in her look She wakt her Spouse and thus she spoke Fly fly lest Fate should seize thy breath And sleep be lengthned into Death Fly fly thy unexpected Fate My Sisters Rage and Fathers Hate Like Lionesses on a Steer They grin and tear ah me they tear More tender I 'le not strike the blow Nor keep Thee from a fiercer