Wean thy heart then at last from such softening laments, Chant we rather fresh trophies our Cæsar has won, Linking on, to the nations subdued, Bleak Niphates all ice-locked, the Mede's haughty river, Now submissively humbling the crest of its waves ; And the steed of each rider halts reined at the borders. That Niphates was the name of a mountain-range east of the Tigris is certain; whether there was also a river of that name is much disputed, though Lucan and Juvenal take it for granted. Possibly the Tigris, which, according to Strabo, rises on the mountain-range of Niphates, may be the river here meant. which flowed into the Araxes, mention Horace makes of the existence; and most of the later commentators concur in thinking the river thus designated was the Euphrates. There was a small river called Medus but this was too insignificant for the Medum flumen,' even if he knew of its Tandem querellarum, et potius nova Cantemus Augusti tropea Cæsaris, et rigidum Niphaten,1 Medumque flumen, gentibus additum Victis, minores volvere vertices, Intraque præscriptum Gelonos Exiguis equitare campis. ODE X. TO LICINIUS. Licinius Murena was the son of the Murena whom Cicero defended, subsequently adopted by A. Terentius Varro. He was then called A. Terentius Varro Murena. Mæcenas married his sister; and Horace speaks of him subsequently (C. iii. 19) as one of the College of Augurs. The caution to discretion and moderation contained in this ode has a melancholy Licinius, wouldst thou steer life's wiser voyage, He who elects the golden mean of fortune, Nor in proud halls, shuns with an equal prudence Winds rock most oft the pine that tops the forest, The mind well trained to cope with either fortune, Scatters them. Sad days may have happy morrows. His hand at times the silent muse awakens melancholy interest as that of a foreboding. He was put to death despite the intercession of Mæcenas and Proculeius, on the charge, whether true or false, of having entered with Fannius Cæpio and others into a conspiracy against Augustus. As his death occurred A.U.C. 732, this ode must have been composed before that date. Dio speaks of the unrestrained license he allowed to his tongue, and his words may have incriminated him more than his actions, the guilt of which Dio leaves doubtful. CARM. X. Rectius vives, Licini, neque altum Auream quisquis mediocritatem Sæpius ventis agitatur ingens Pinus, et celsæ graviore casu Sperat infestis, metuit secundis Alteram sortem bene præparatum Pectus. Informes hiemes reducit Summovet. Non, si male nunc, et olim M |