Illum aget penna metuente solvi Latius regnes avidum domando Crescit indulgens sibi dirus hydrops, Redditum Cyri solio Phraaten Dissidens plebi numero beatorum Vocibus; regnum et diadema tutum ing. Gram. 277, 2, note 1. Compare Zumpt, § 437.-7. Penna metuente solvi; that is, penna quae non solveter or dissolvetur. The goddess Fame is, as is well known, represented with wings. In the word solvi, Horace seems to allude to the story of Icarus, who fled from Crete along with his father Daedalus, by means of wings which the latter had constructed of wax. Icarus perished in the sea called after him Icarian-his wings having been melted by the heat of the sun.-10. Remotis Gadibus, to Gades (used for Spain) far distant from us.' Uterque Poenus also refers to this; for there was a Carthage in Spain as well as in Africa. The sense, consequently, is this: one who can rule his desires has a wider dominion than if he were lord of Spain and Africa. - 13. Comparison of avarice with the disease of dropsy. As this disease grows, if it indulges itself (sibi indulgens)—that is, strives to quench with water the morbid thirst (this should, properly, be said of the sufferer, not of the disease) so also avarice, the more it has, the more it would have. Nothing but the conviction that virtue alone is able to make a man happy can eradicate this vice.-17. Phrauten. Phraates IV. king of the Parthians, whom his subjects had expelled for his cruelty, had recently (26 B. C.) been reinstated in his power by the help of the Scythians. He was thus Cyri solio redditus, restored to the throne of Cyrus ;' for the Parthian monarchs considered themselves to be the successors of the old kings of Persia.-18. Dissidens plebi virtus, virtue, dissenting from the common people;' that is, the wise and virtuous man, being of a different opinion from the mass of the people, who regard Phraates as happy because he has been restored to his kingdom, numero beatorum eximit, excepts him from the number of the happy,' does not consider him as really happy. Observe, in the scanning of this line, that the um of beatorum is cut off before the first word of the next line, which begins with a vowel.-22. Deferens uni, yielding, ascribing to him alone.' The doctrine of the Stoics, of whom Horace is here chiefly thinking, was that the wise man only was happy; and was a king, having a crown secure and indestructible, and the laurel peculiar to him Quisquis ingentes oculo irretorto self, belonging to him alone (propriam laurum.)—23. Oculo irretorto. A person is said to throw back his looks or glances (oculos retor, quere), who, on going away from anything which he is anxious but unable to possess, casts his eyes wistfully towards it. Hence oculo irretorto is here said of him who can pass by great heaps of gold without even looking at them. CARMEN III. AD Q. DELLIUM. Q. DELLIUS, to whom this poem is addressed, was one of that numerous class of Romans, who, not possessing any spirit of political independence, and being heedless of, if indeed they had, any inward conviction, were content, during the civil wars, to follow the majority, and the tide of success. He had been connected in succession with all the great parties, and was now in favour with Augustus. This ode, however, has no reference to his character or political relations, but is simply an exhortation to enjoy life temperately, never going to excesses either of joy or sorrow. AEQUAM memento rebus in arduis Seu maestus omni tempore vixeris, 5 1. Aequam mentem should refer properly to equanimity in prosperity (in bonis, scil. rebus) as well as in adversity (in arduis rebus); but the regular use of the expression in Latin is in regard only to calmness under affliction and calamity: so here. Equanimity in prosperity is expressed by mens temperata ab insolenti laetitia, 'a mind kept free from immoderate joy.' -4. Moriture is to be connected with the following seu-seu; who art doomed to die, whether. . or. -6. Remoto; namely, from the world, and the harassing pursuits of men.-7. Bearis beatum reddideris, hast blessed.'- 8. Interiore nota. To the amphorae, in which the wine was kept, short notices (notae) were affixed, stating the year by the names of the consuls. Hence nota here is equiva = bus Qua pinus ingens albaque populus Lympha fugax trepidare rivo, Huc vina et unguenta et nimium breves Flores amoenae ferre jube rosae, Dum res et aetas et sororum Fila trium patiuntur atra. Cedes coëmptis saltibus et domo Divitiis potietur heres. Divesne prisco natus ab Inacho Omnes eodem cogimur, omnium Sors exitura et nos in aeternum Exilium impositura cymbae. Jan lent to 'sort,' and interior is, 'taken from the inner part of the cellar; that is, stored up longer ago, hence better." -11. On the bank of a winding stream (rivus obliquus), where pines and poplars grow. Laborat lympha trepidare; that is, cum labore trepidat lympha; the water flows, as it were, with labour and difficulty over the pebbles of the brook, and its rippling is a trepidatio.-13. Nimium breves flores, the flowers, too soon to fade.' For ferre we should expect ferri, but supply puerum. 15. Res, your circumstances, fortune. Sororum trium, the three Parcae, of Fates. 17. Salti pascuis, pastures,' on which extensive flocks were kept. 18. As to flavus, compare i. 2, 13. - -22. Nil interest divesne (that is, utrum dives) — an pauper sub divo moreris. Prisco natus ab Inacho, sprung from ancient Inachus,' a fabulous king of Argos; hence of ancient and noble descent.' Sub divo morari = vivere. 25. Eodem cogimur; that is, in eundem locum (eodem being thus an adverb) compellimur. -26. Connect the words thus: versatur sors (the lot is shaken') exitura (ex) urna serius ocius. In the most ancient kind of trial by lot (mentioned even by Homer), the lots were cast into an urn, which was then shaken, and that which fell out was the one taken. 28. Cymbae, Charon's boat, which will take us over the Styx to eternal exile - residence in the land of shades. 6 6 in terra 1 CARMEN VI. AD SEPTIMIUM. THIS ode is addressed to a certain Septimius, a person otherwise unknown, but who appears to have been an intimate friend of Horace. The poet laments that he is about, probably in the company of some noble Roman, to set out for Spain, where in the years 27 and 26 B. c., a fierce war was carried on with the tribe of the Cantabri. He declares that he is wearied of an unsettled life and of campaigning; and he wishes, as the abode of his old age, either his house in Tibur or one in Tarentum. SEPTIMI, Gades aditure mecum et Tibur, Argeo positum colono, Sit meae sedes utinam senectae, Unde si Parcae prohibent iniquae, Ille terrarum mihi praeter omnes Angulus ridet, ubi non Hymetto 5 10 2. Indoctum, who has not learned, and will not learn ;' juga ferre nostra, to bear our yoke,' the Roman supremacy. -3. Syrtes. The fancy of the poet connects Africa with Spain, and he names the part of Africa least cultivated, and most inaccessible to ships. 5. Argeo positum colono, 'founded by Argive colonists.' See i. 18, 2.-7. Lasso maris, weary of the sea.' In prose we should have had the ablative instead of the genitive. Gram. § 277, 2, note 1. Comp. Zumpt, § 437. Modus finis.-9. Unde si Parcae prohibent, if the Fates keep me from this;' namely, from living in Tibur; hence unde a Tibure. — 10. Dulce-flumen. Galaesus (modern Galaso) was the name of a river in the neighbourhood of Tarentum. The district was admirably suited for the breeding of sheep, and Tarentine wool and Tarentine dyes were famous among the Romans. Ovibus pellitis is the dative. The sheep are called pellitae, because they used to be covered with hides to protect the wool from impurity and injury.-12. Rura regnata Phalanto Laconi, poetical for rura gubernata olim a Phalanto. Phalantus, a Lacedaemonian, is said to have founded Tarentum.-14. Angulus, in reference to the fact that Tarentum was situated in the furthest corner Mella decedunt viridique certat Ver ubi longum tepidasque praebet Ille te mecum locus et beatae 15 20 20 of Italy. Hymetto decedunt, yields not to the honey of Hymettus,' a hill in Attica, famed for the sweetness of the honey produced upon it. The name of the hill is used for its products, in the same way as Venafro in line 16.-16. Bacca: namely, the olive. Venafrum, a town in Campania, produced the best olives.—18. Aulon, a mountain of Calabria, in the neighbourhood of Tarentum, where good wine was grown, on which account it is here called amicus fertili Baccho, and is said to be little inferior (minimum invidet) to the world-famed Falernian.-21. Te mecum-postulant, 'that place wishes thee, and me.' This is a poetical inversion, the sense of course being, Thou and I wish for that place, desire to live there.' Arces is said generally of the city of Tarentum, which lay high.22. Ibi amici. The sense is this: there we should wish to die, I before thee, so that, standing beside the funeral pile, thou shouldst moisten with thy tears the still hot ashes of thy poet-friend. CARMEN VII. AD POMPEIUM VARUM. AN ode of congratulation to an old fellow-soldier, one who had been with Horace in the republican army of M. Brutus; had then served under Antony; and at last, after the battle of Actium, had reached the haven of tranquil repose. Horace invites him to a banquet at his house. O SAEPE mecum tempus in ultimum Pompei, meorum prime sodalium? 5 1. Tempus in ultimum deducte, brought into the greatest peril,' for tempus ultimum is a time at which a person believes death to be imminent.-4. Dis patriis, the gods of thy home, thy household gods.'-5. Pompei is to be read as a word of two syllables. Com |