Redditum Cyri solio Phraaten

Dissidens plebi numero beatorum
Eximit Virtus, populumque falsis
Dedocet uti

Vocibus; regnum et diadema tutum Deferens uni propriamque laurum, Quisquis ingentes oculo inretorto Spectat acervos.

ODE III.

TO Q. DELLIUS.

The commentator in Cruquius has Gellius for Dellius, assuming the person addressed to be L. Gellius Poplicola, brother of Messalla, the famous orator. But the common supposition is that the poem is addressed to Q. Dellius, to whose changeful and adventurous life its admonitions would be very appropriate. Dellius sided first with Dolabella, then went over to Cassius, then to M. Antony and Cleopatra. To Cleopatra he is said to have dictated the advice that

With a mind undisturbed take life's good and life's evil,
Temper grief from despair, temper joy from vainglory;
For, through each mortal change, equal mind,
O my Dellius, befits mortal-born,

Whether all that is left thee of life be but trouble,
Or, reclined at thine ease amid grassy recesses,
Thy Falernian, the choicest, records
How serenely the holidays glide.

Say, for what do vast pine and pale poplar commingle Friendly boughs that invite to their welcoming shadow ? 1 Wherefore struggles and murmurs the rill

Stayed from flight by a curve in the shore ? 2

Thither, lo, bid them bring thee the wine and the perfumes, And the blooms of the pleasant rose dying too swiftly;

'The oldest and best MSS. have "quo," which signifies "to what purpose;" as, "Quo mihi fortunam, si non conceditur uti?" (Epp. 1. v. 12). He seems to mean, "What were the stream and the cool shade given for? Bring out the wine and let us drink."-MACLEANE.

that she should rather subjugate M. Antony than be subjugated by him. Not long before the battle of Actium, he gave some offence to Cleopatra, probably more serious than that which has been assigned-viz., a sarcasm on the meagreness of her entertainments-and deserted Antony for Augustus, by whom he was cordially received. Like so many other public men of his time he cultivated literature, and wrote a history (now lost) of the war against the Parthians, in which he served under Antony. A terse sketch of his versatile career will be found in Estré, 'Pros. Horat.,' 314.

CARM. III.

Æquam memento rebus in arduis
Servare mentem, non secus in bonis
Ab insolenti temperatam

Lætitia, moriture Delli,

Seu mæstus omni tempore vixeris,
Seu te in remoto gramine per dies
Festos reclinatum bearis

Interiore nota Falerni.

Quo pinus ingens albaque populus
Umbram hospitalem consociare amant
Ramis? Quid obliquo laborat
Lympha fugax trepidare rivo? 2

Huc vina et unguenta et nimium breves
Flores amœnæ ferre jube rosæ,

Yonge, in his notes, cites parallels from English poets with the elegance of taste which characterises his edition.

'Laborat-trepidare.' The stream struggles or labours to hurry on (trepidare), being obstructed by the curve in the bank (obliquo rivo), from which delay comes its pleasant murmur.'—ORELLI.

While thy fortune, and youth,' and the woof

Of the Three Fatal Sisters allow.

Woodlands dearly amassed2 round the home proudly builded,
Stately villa with walls laved by Tiber's dun waters,
Thou must quit; and the wealth piled on high
Shall become the delight of thine heir.

For no victim has Death either preference or pity,
Be thy race from the king who first reigned o'er the Argive,
Or thy father a beggar, thy roof

Yonder sky,-'tis the same to the Grave.

Driven all to that fold; 3 in one fatal urn shaken,
Soon or late must leap forth the sure lot for an exile
In the dark passage-boat which comes back

1

To the sweet native land never more.

Atas,' which Acron translates 'youth,' an interpretation ap proved by Estré and Macleane. It more accurately, however, means 'the time of life,' including every period before that in which old age deadens the sense of such holiday enjoyments. Dellius was not young at the date of this poem; but, at years more advanced, M. Antony was young enough to enjoy the present hour rather too much.

36

Cogimur.' Gregis instar compellimur '—' we sheep.'-ORELLI.

are driven like

Dum res et ætas et Sororum
Fila trium patiuntur atra.

Cedes coëmptis saltibus, et domo, Villaque, flavus quam Tiberis lavit, Cedes, et exstructis in altum Divitiis potietur heres.

Divesne prisco natus ab Inacho,
Nil interest, an pauper et infima
De gente sub divo moreris,
Victima nil miserantis Orci.

Omnes eodem cogimur ;3 omnium
Versatur urna serius ocius

Sors exitura, et nos in æternum
Exilium impositura cumbæ.