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BOOK III.-ODE XXIII.

TO PHIDYLE.

IF, Phidyle, thy hands thou raise
On each new moon, the Gods to praise ;
If incense sweet, and this year's corn
With greedy swine in off'ring borne,
The household-Gods have won;
Nor shall thy vines unfruitful fail
'Neath Afric's pestilential gale,
Nor sterile mildew take thy crop,
Nor tender nurslings sick'ning drop
In Autumn's sultry sun.

The victim that devoted grows

Midst Algidum's o'erspreading snows, And holm-oaks bright, or sportive feeds In sweet Albanus' verdant meads,

May stain the Pontiff's knife; Not thine with blood of beasts profuse For guilty deeds to seek excuse, While crowning Gods of lesser might With rosemary and myrtle slight In innocence of life.

Immunis aram si tetigit manus, Non sumptuosa blandior hostia Mollivit aversos Penates

Farre pio et saliente mica.

What though thy hand hath empty touched

The altar's edge; no victim, clutched
By hireling hands, can more appease
The power who all discerning sees,
Than meal and crackling salt.

E

LIBER II.-ODE XVIII.

NON ebur neque aureum

Mea renidet in domo lacunar,

Non trabes Hymettias

Premunt columnas ultima recisæ

Africa; neque Attali

Ignotus heres regiam occupavi,

Nec Laconicas mihi

Trahunt honestæ purpuras clientæ.

At fides et ingeni

Benigna vena est, pauperemque dives

Me petit: nihil supra

Deos lacesso nec potentem amicum

Largiora flagito,

Satis beatus unicis Sabinis.

Truditur dies die,

Novæque pergunt interire lunæ.

BOOK II.-ODE XVIII.

AGAINST AVARICE AND LUXURY.

No roof of ivory or gold,

Within my humble dwelling gleams;
No columns from far Afric roll'd,
Sustain the rich Hymettian beams.

Nor do I with an upstart's voice
Proclaim my wealth, the wealth of kings:
For me no highborn dames rejoice,
To weave fair Sparta's purple strings.

But mine is probity of mind,

A fertile muse that always flows;
Though poor yet do the wealthy find,
That poverty with friendship glows.

Ah! more than this! from Gods above
I nothing crave:-nor can thy hand,
My noble friend, its gifts improve;
Too happy midst my Sabine land.

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