IO 15 scandet cum tacita virgine pontifex, the Capitol as the most significant 9. scandet, etc.: we do not know whether Horace refers to any regular procession; it is most probable that he mentions the Vestal Virgin and Pontifex simply as representatives of two ancient a Greek construction. ex humili potens: with Daunus, a ruler sprung from low estate. com 13 f. princeps: Horace ignores Catullus. Aeolium: cf. I, I, 34 and n.; 2, 13, 24. Italos: since the conquest of Italy, equivalent to Latinos. deduxisse : posed; apparently a metaphor taken from spinning. Cf. Epist 2, 1, 225 tenui deducta poemata filo, and our common 'spin,' 'to run on at length,' 'to relate.' modos : strains. Horace's claim to eminence is that he has been the pioneer in writing lyric poetry after the manner of the best of the Greeks. 14 ff. sume superbiam: i.e. 'as is thy right, for thou, goddess, hast inspired all my song.' Cf. the acknowledgment 4, 3, 24 quod spiro et placeo, si placeo tuum (Pieri) est. — Delphica : cf. 4, 2, 9, laurea Apollinari.—volens: graciously; with propitius a common formula in prayers. So Livy I, 16, 3 precibus exposcunt uti volens propitius suam semper sospitet progeniem. - Melpomene: cf. n. to I, I, 33. LIBER QVARTVS I Ten years after the publication of what he had regarded as the definitive edition of his lyric poems, Horace gathered into a fourth book some occasional odes written at the request of Augustus, and certain other poems. See Intr. 9. At the head of the collection he placed some light verses reminiscent of his earlier service as a poet of love, and intended to remind the reader that this was still his proper field. In these verses he protests that at fifty his days of love are over, and that Venus should spare him. Young Paulus Maximus, the noble, comely, and eloquent, will do the goddess larger service and pay her greater honor. For himself, he no longer finds delight in maid or boy, in hope for love returned, in sport with wine and flowers. And yet, what means this tear! The unexpected turn at v. 33 is similar to that in 3, 26, 11 f. Paulus Maximus is introduced by Horace, partly to compliment his young friend, and partly to secure a foil for himself and his ten lustra. The ode was probably written but a short time before the publication of the book, i.e. about 14-13 B.C. Metre, 71. Intermissa, Venus, diu rursus bella moves? Parce, precor, precor. Non sum qualis eram bonae sub regno Cinarae. Desine, dulcium I f. intermissa: naturally placed first, referring to the ten years in which his lyre had not sung of love. - bella: cf. v. 16 below, and 3, 26, 2 and n. - parce, etc. : frequently imitated by later poets; cf. e.g. Ovid Trist. 2, 179 parce precor fulmenque tuum, fera tela, reconde; 5, 2, 53; Mart. 7, 68, 2 parce precor socero. 4 f. sub regno: sway; cf. 3, 9, 9 me nunc Thessa Chloe regit. Cinarae apparently the only one among all of Horace's loves who had a real existence. Between her and the poet there seems to 15 mater saeva Cupidinum, circa lustra decem flectere mollibus iam durum imperiis; abi quo blandae iuvenum te revocant preces. Tempestivius in domum Pauli purpureis ales oloribus comissabere Maximi, si torrere iecur quaeris idoneum. et pro sollicitis non tacitus reis puer late signa feret militiae tuae, et quandoque potentior have been a genuine bond of affection; the reference to her in 4, 13, 22 ff. shows that at this time she was dead. dulcium saeva: the two sides to love. Cf. Catull. 68, 17 dea. quae dulcem curis miscet amaritiem. mater: an echo of 1, 19, I mater saeva Cupidinum. 6 ff. circa lustra decem: sc. me. The lack of a present participle in Latin (Greek övrα) makes the exHorace was pression awkward. 50 in 15 B.C. flectere conative. -imperiis: dative wlth durum, as the interlocked order and the contrast between mollibus and durum show. revocant: call (with greater right); cf. n. reponens 1, 9, 6. on 9. tempestivius: for he is young; cf. tempestiva 3, 19, 27. - Pauli: Paulus Maximus, cos. II B.C., was a member of one of the noblest Roman families, the friend of Ovid, and a confidant of Augustus. He was about twentytwo years Horace's junior. — purpureis: the rosy hue of divinity; -ales: winged cf. 3, 3, 12 and n. by; cf. 3, 28, 15. — comissa bere: carry thy revelry. torrere: cf. 1,33,6 Lycorida Cyri torret amor. - iecur: 1, 13, 4. 13 f. et et, etc.: the repetition has a cumulative force; cf. nec nec, etc. v. 29 ff. — pro sollicitis, etc. : cf. similar compliment to Pollio 2, 1, 13; Ovid ex Pont. 1, 2, 118 addressing this same Maximus, (vox tua) auxilio trepidis quae solet esse reis. 16. signa, etc. cf. bella, v. 2 above. On the order of words see Intr. 21. whenever. i.e. through the 17 ff. quandoque : - potentior : largi muneribus riserit aemuli, Albanos prope te lacus ponet marmoream sub trabe citrea. Illic plurima naribus duces tura, lyraeque et Berecyntiae delectabere tibiae mixtis carminibus non sine fistula; illic bis pueri die numen cum teneris virginibus tuum laudantes pede candido in morem Salium ter quatient humum. Me nec femina nec puer iam nec spes animi credula mutui nec certare iuvat mero nec vincire novis tempora floribus. 35 40 Sed cur heu, Ligurine, cur manat rara meas lacrima per genas? Cur facunda parum decoro inter verba cadit lingua silentio ? Nocturnis ego somniis iam captum teneo, iam volucrem sequor te per gramina Martii campi, te per aquas, dure, volubilis. comissatio. novis: of the spring, when the young man (but not the man of fifty years) lightly turns to thoughts of love. 33 ff. sed: the unexpected turn. cur. . . cur: Intr. 28 c.-Ligurine the same name occurs again 4, 10, 5. We need not suppose that he existed outside Horace's fancy. rara a single tear, which he unexpectedly finds on his cheek. Cf. 1,13,6 umor et in genas furtim labifacunda lingua: i.e. ordinarily.-parum: cf. n. to minus 1,2. tur. 2 27.-decoro: hypermetric. Intr. 71. With the signs of love, cf. Sappho, Frg. 2, 7 ff. ws yàp evidov ẞpoxéws σε, φώνας | οὐδὲν ἔτ ̓ εἴκει· ¦ ἀλλὰ καμ μὲν γλῶσσα ἔαγε. Imitated by Catullus 51, 6 ff. nam simul te, Lesbia, adspexi, nihil est super mi lingua sed torpet. Also Epod. 11, 9. 38 ff. iam .. iam: cf. nunc nunc above. -aquas: of the - volubilis: cf. Epist. 1, 2, 43 at ille (amnis) labitur et labetur in omne volubilis aevum. Tiber. 'Whoever tries a flight in rivalry with Pindar, will surely fall like Icarus. That mighty poet pours forth his verse like mountain flood and is supreme in every field (1-24). He soars aloft, a swan of Dirce, while I am but a Matine bee that gathers sweets with toil (25–32). But thou, Antonius, art a poet, and canst sing in fuller strain the triumphs of our supreme Caesar and hymn his glad return. Then I too will add my voice to swell the greeting (33-52). Thou shalt make large thanksgiving sacrifice of ten bulls and heifers, while I offer a young calf, as fits my humble station (53–60).' This ode is evidently composed in anticipation of the return of Augustus to Rome from the German frontier, to which he went in 16 B.C. after the defeat of M. Lollius. The Iullus Antonius addressed was the son of Mark Antony and Fulvia. He was educated in Augus |