19. An Ionic system: ten pure Ionici a minore

variously arranged by editors and metrists. III., 12.

For minor points of prosody, treated in the notes, see the grammars and the treatises of Christ, and Schmidt (translated by John Williams White).

Aesthetic criticism of Horace's exquisite metrical art can be addressed only to those who read him aloud precisely as they read English poetry. Such students will observe for themselves in their favorite passages the reinforcement of the leading thought by the emphasis of the rhythm, the symmetrical responsions and nice interlockings of words and phrases, the dainty but not obtrusive alliteration, the real or fancied adaptation of sound to sense in softly musical, splendidly sonorous, or picturesquely descriptive lines. This kind of criticism may easily pass into the fantastic. It is better suited to the living voice than to cold print.

Q. HORATII FLACCI

CARMINUM

LIBER PRIMUS.

5

I.

Maecenas atavis edite regibus,

O et praesidium et dulce decus meum,
Sunt quos curriculo pulverem Olympicum
Collegisse iuvat metaque fervidis

Evitata rotis palmaque nobilis

Terrarum dominos evehit ad deos;
Hunc, si mobilium turba Quiritium
Certat tergeminis tollere honoribus;
Illum, si proprio condidit horreo,
Quidquid de Libycis verritur areis.
Gaudentem patrios findere sarculo
Agros Attalicis condicionibus

Numquam dimoveas, ut trabe Cypria
Myrtoum pavidus nauta secet mare.
Luctantem Icariis fluctibus Africum
Mercator metuens otium et oppidi
Laudat rura sui; mox reficit rates
Quassas, indocilis pauperiem pati.
Est qui nec veteris pocula Massici
Nec partem solido demere de die
Spernit, nunc viridi membra sub arbuto

Stratus nunc ad aquae lene caput sacrae.
Multos castra iuvant et lituo tubae
Permixtus sonitus bellaque matribus
Detestata. Manet sub Iove frigido
Venator tenerae coniugis immemor,
Seu visast catulis cerva fidelibus,
Seu rupit teretes Marsus aper plagas.
Me doctarum hederae praemia frontium
Dis miscent superis me, gelidum nemus
Nympharumque leves cum Satyris chori
Secernunt populo, si neque tibias
Euterpe cohibet nec Polyhymnia
Lesboum refugit tendere barbiton.
Quodsi me lyricis vatibus inseris,

Sublimi feriam sidera vertice.

II.

Iam satis terris nivis atque dirae
Grandinis misit pater et rubente
Dextera sacras iaculatus arces
Terruit urbem,

Terruit gentes, grave ne rediret

5

Saeculum Pyrrhae nova monstra questae,

Omne cum Proteus pecus egit altos

Visere montes,

Piscium et summa genus haesit ulmo,
Nota quae sedes fuerat columbis,

Et superiecto pavidae natarunt

Aequore dammae.

10