HORATII CARMINA.

LIBER IV.CARMEN IV.

DRUSI LAUDES.

QUALEM ministrum fulminis alitem, (Cui rex deorum regnum in aves vagas Permisit, expertus fidelem

Jupiter in Ganymede flavo)

Olim juventas, et patrius vigor Nido laborum propulit inscium, Vernique jam nimbis remotis, Insolitos docuere nisus

Venti paventem; mox in ovilia Demisit hostem vividus impetus; Nunc in reluctantes dracones

Egit amor dapis atque pugnæ;

SELECT ODES OF HORACE.

BOOK IV.-ODE IV.

THE PRAISES OF DRUSUS.

As the swift arm-bearer of Jove,

(With lofty flight 'tis his to soar, King of his race, who faithful bore

Fair Ganymede to realms above)

Whom Nature and his royal breed
Urge from the eyrie, all untried,—
When Spring's soft gales the storms succeed
In motion new his timid wing to guide;

Soon rage instinctive bears away

To mock the shepherd's crafty toil; Next, lust of strife, and bleeding prey Match with the struggling serpent's coil;

Qualemve lætis caprea pascuis Intenta, fulvæ matris ab ubere Jam lacte depulsum leonem, Dente novo peritura, vidit;

Videre Rhætis bella sub Alpibus Drusum gerentem Vindelici; (quibus

Mos unde deductus

per omne

Tempus Amazonia securi

Dextras obarmet, quærere distuli: Nec scire fas est omnia). Sed diu Lateque victrices catervæ

Consiliis juvenis revictæ,

Sensere, quid mens rite, quid indoles Nutrita faustis sub penetralibus Posset, quid Augusti paternus In pueros animus Nerones.

Fortes creantur fortibus et bonis ; Est in juvencis, est in equis patrum Virtus; nec imbellem feroces Progenerant aquilæ columbam.

Or, as the lion's form and flashing eye,

Roused by his growling dam and udders dry, Browsing in flowery meads the kid espies,

And soon the monarch's jaws her gentle lifeblood dyes;

Such Drusus on the Alps' wild height

The Rhætians' broken ranks behold!

(The axe their hand yet grasps in fight, Borne by the Amazons of old.

Such fashion whence by me unsought
All knowledge not to any given)
But hordes long conquering wide are taught
By youthful force their masses driven,

What can a soul and nature dare,
Nursed by the shelter of a throne;
What great Augustus' princely care
To Nero's sons paternal shown!

Still spring the brave from generous blood;
In cattle in the noble steed,

The sire's restored; nor Eagle's brood
Proclaim the Dove's degen'rate breed.

Doctrina sed vim promovet insitam, Rectique cultus pectora roborant: Utcunque defecere mores, Indecorant bene nata culpæ.

Quid debeas, O Roma, Neronibus, Testis Metaurum flumen, et Asdrubal Devictus, et pulcher fugatis

Ille dies Latio tenebris,

Qui primus alma risit adorea; Dirus per urbes Afer ut Italas, Ceu flamma per tædas, vel Eurus Per Siculas equitavit undas.

Post hoc secundis usque laboribus Romana pubes crevit, et impio Vastata Pœnorum tumultu

Fana deos habuere rectos;

Dixitque tandem perfidus Hannibal :

"Cervi, luporum præda rapacium, Sectamur ultro, quos opimus

Fallere et effugere est triumphus ;