Obire, Maecenas, mearum Ducet ruinam. Non ego perfidum Me nec Chimaerae spiritus igneae, Seu Libra seu me Scorpios adspicit Formidolosus pars violentior Natalis horae, seu tyrannus Hesperiae Capricornus undae, Utrumque nostrum incredibili modo Consentit astrum. Te Jovis impio 5 10 15 20 to them, decreed by them.'-3. Mearum rerum, nearly equivalent to 'my, of me.'-5. Partem animae, scil. alteram, the half of my soul.' -6. Maturior vis; that is, if thou diest sooner than I.-7. Nec carus aeque, who am neither so dear, so valuable to myself, as thou art to me.'-9. Ducet ruinam. The verb ducere is used, because when part of a building falls, it commonly draws' along with it the part which would otherwise stand. Horace's prediction was almost literally fulfilled. He survived his noble patron only a few months: both died in the year 8 B. C. Non-sacramentum, the oath which I took when I entered thy service was not a false one: I will keep it.'11. Supremum iter carpere, to go the last journey, to die.' lter carpere is a common expression with the Latin poets, and is taken from the gradual progress along the road, gathering it up, as it were, bit by bit.-13. Chimaerae. See i. 27, 24.-14. Gyges, a hundred-armed giant, son of Uranus and Gaea.-17. The poet goes to the notions of the astrologers, and makes use of them to express figuratively that he will die at the same time with Maecenas. He says, whether the Balance, or the Scorpion, or the Capricorn looks upon me, as the most powerful part of my natal hour.' For although there are always more constellations than one looking down upon the birth of a child, yet one of them, according to the dogmas of astrologers, has the preponderance, is in the ascendant, and has most influence upon the fate of the man. Adspicit was the technical expression in astrology.-19. Tyrannus Hesperiae undae, the lord of the Hesperian wave, or sea,' because its setting excites storms in the Mediterranean. As to Hesperius, see ii. 1, 32.-23. Jupiter, according to the astrologers, was a favourable, Saturn an unfavourable planet to be born under. Hence the protection (tu tela, also a technical term in the so-called science) of Jupiters who Eripuit volucrisque Fati Tardavit alas, cum populus frequens Dextra levasset, Mercurialium 25 25 30 30 shone forth in opposition to wicked Saturn, has saved thee, when thy sickness seemed unto death.'-24. Volucris Fati. Fate as a deity, is represented with wings, like Fortune in i. 34, extr.-25. Three times had the people, when Maecenas appeared in the theatre after his recovery, applauded him. See i. 20, 7.-27. This refers to the same mischance, which forms the subject of the 13th ode of this book.-28. Sustulerat, for sustulisset, would have removed from the earth, killed.' Gram. § 336, 1.-29. Mercurialium. See ii. 7, 13.-30. The rich, when they escaped any great danger, brought great offerings to the gods, and built them altars or temples. Poorer people were content with a little lamb for a sacrifice. CARMEN XVIII. A LIGHT and pleasing ode, in which the poet expresses his contentment with his humble lot: he has in truth as much as the rich man, since death will not spare the one any more than the other. NON ebur neque aureum Mea renidet in domo lacunar, Non trabes Hymettiae Premunt columnas ultima recisas 6 5 1. Aureum-lacunar, 'a golden (gilded) roof.' See ii. 16, 11.3. Non trabes Hymettiae premunt-Africa, Hymettian architraves (for these are what are here, from their similarity, called trabes) do not press (surmount) pillars hewn in the remotest part of Africa.' Hymettian' is here of white marble, procured from Mount Hymettus, in Attica.' The African or Numidian marble, of which the pillars themselves consisted, was variegated.-5. Attali-occupavi. Attalus, the last king of Pergamus, who in 133 B. C. bequeathed his kingdom to the Romans, was celebrated for his wealth Hence"I have not as an unknown heir taken possession Ignotus heres regiam occupavi, Nec Laconicas mihi Trahunt honestae purpuras clientae. Benigna vena est, pauperemque dives Deos lacesso nec potentem amicum Satis beatus unicis Sabinis. Novaeque pergunt interire lunae. Locas sub ipsum funus, et sepulchri Marisque Baiis obstrepentis urges Parum locuples continente ripa. Limites clientium Salis avarus? Pellitur paternos 10 15 20 25 of the palace of Attalus,' is equivalent to 'I have not suddenly and unexpectedly fallen heir to a large property.' -7. Laconicas-purpuras. A particular and excellent species of the murex was found on the Laconian coast; consequently the purple dyes of that district were famed. Hence wool dyed with Laconian purple was a sign of wealth. The poet here joins to it an indication of rank and distinction by saying, 'the wives of respectable clients spin (trahunt) this wool.-9. Fides, the lyre.'-10. Benigna vena, a rich vein.' -12. Deos lacesso a diis peto, 'I ask from the gods.' Potentem amicum. Though the poet in these words does not name or directly allude to his patron Maecenas, yet there can be no doubt that he had him principally in his thoughts.-14. Unicis Sabinis, with my single Sabine farm.' Supply praediis.-17. Secanda marmora locas, 'thou lettest out the marble to be hewn.' Compare line 4, recisas columnas. -18. Sub ipsum funus. Sub, of the approach of time: notwithstanding that thy death is near.'-20. Marisque-litora. Baiae, the favourite Roman watering-place, near Cumae, in Lower Italy. The Lucrine Lake, in its neighbourhood, was quite bor dered with the villas of the wealthy Romans. In fact, they built into the lake, thus removing' or 'forcing back' the bank (for this is summovere litora.) The rich Roman thought himself parum locuples continente ripa, not rich enough, from the bank which encloses the lake.' — 23. Quid, quod, 'aye, even.' Usque proximos, 'always the next,' are to be connected. The poet alludes here to the so-called latifundia, immense private estates of wealthy Romans, which were laid out in villas and parks a great injury to Italy, since the most fertile districts were thus thrown out of culti vation. See ii. 15.-26. Salis, from salio, 'thou overleapest.' 27. In sinu ferens deos, as in the olden times, Aeneas, when fleeing from burning Troy, carried with him his father and his household gods, penates. The whole of this very beautiful description reminds us of scenes too often witnessed of late years in the Scottish Highlands.-28. Sordidos natos, the poor, ill-clad children.'-30. Fine destinat, 'than the region, place, appointed by Fate in the lower world.'-32. Aequa, poetically for aeque, and to this refers the que in line 34, for this que is used for ac, which would have to be employed in prose: as to the sons of kings.'-33. Recluditur, 'is opened, opens,' when a person descends to Tartarus. 34. Satelles Orci; namely, Charon, who ferries the spirits of the departed over the Styx-36. Auro captus, 'bribed with gold.'-37. Tantali genus, Pelops, Atreus, Agamemnon, Orestes, and others, hence the most renowned and powerful kings.-38. Levare is dependent on vocatus, and is used for ut levet: 'called upon to deliver." CARMEN XIX. IN BACCHUM. HYMN to Bacchus, in which the poet describes the power of the god. He so represents the matter, as if he had unexpectedly fallen in with Bacchus (lines 1-8); and then, inspired by him, begins to sing his praises. BACCHUM in remotis carmina rupibus Vidi docentem, credite posteri, 1. In remotis rupibus. For Bacchus loves lonely woods and rocks; there he teaches his followers the mystic songs (carmina.) – Nymphasque discentes et aures Evoe! recenti mens trepidat metu, Fas pervicaces est mihi Thyiadas Fas et beatae conjugis additum Thracis et exitium Lycurgi. Tu flectis amnes, tu mare. barbarum, 5 10 15 4. Acutas, pricked up;' that is, the Satyrs (described by the poets as having goats' feet) intently listening.-5. Evoe, the cry of the worshippers of Bacchus. - 6. Turbidum laetatur, my mind is confounded, or confused, but delightfully.' Turbidum, neuter of the adjective used for the adverb. See Zumpt, 383, fin. -7. Parce. The poet trembles, as it were, fearing to give himself up to the influence of the god, and prays for mercy.-9. Fas est. Now, since thou hast inspired me, it is right, proper, that I should sing thy praises. He praises him first as the god of abundance, making wine, and milk, and honey flow in the land. Mythology tells us that when the Bacchantes, in their divinely-inspired madness, beat upon the ground, wine and milk (lactis rivi) streamed forth; and when they struck decayed trunks of trees (trunci), honey came out. Thyiadas, the Bacchantes:' they are styled pervicaces, persevering in their inspiration. They rage until these miracles take place. 12. Iterare, to sing, celebrate, tell of;' to make the honey, as it were, flow again. 13. Beatae conjugis; namely, Ariadne, the daughter of Minos and Pasiphaë. Her ornament, or crown (honos), which Bacchus had given her, was placed among the stars: that is, the constellation of the crown (corona) was named after her. - 14. Penthei. Pentheus, king of Thebes, was opposed to the introduction of the worship of Bacchus, and the god, as a punishment, caused his destruction. - 16. Lycurgi. Lycurgus, king of the Edoni, attempted to uproot all the vines in his country, and for this crime was visited by Bacchus with madness. While in this condition he killed his son, and maimed himself.-17. Mare barbarum, the Indian Ocean, which Bacchus is said to have reached in his Asiatic expedition. - 18. The idea is this: when thou art drunk (uvidus), thou tiest up the hair of the Bacchantes with snakes, in such a manner, however, that the snakes do no harm. Separatis, remote, solitary.' Bistonides; properly, the Thracian women,' for the Bistones were a Thracian tribe. But as Thrace was the chief seat of the worship of Bacchus, the word comes to mean 'Bacchantes.' |