Heu, nimis longo satiate ludo!

Quem juvat clamor, galeæque leves,

Acer et Mauri peditis cruentum
Vultus in hostem.

Sive, mutatâ juvenem figurâ

Ales in terris imitaris, almæ

Filius Maiæ, patiens vocari

Cæsaris ultor.

Serus in cœlum redeas, diuque
Lætus intersis populo Quirini,

Neve te nostris vitiis iniquum

Ocior aura

Tollat hic magnos potius triumphos, Hic ames dici Pater atque Princeps; Neu sinas Medos equitare inultos,

Te duce, Cæsar.

Thou still regardest; now, alas!

Glutted with thy too lengthen'd sport! Whom noise delights, and helms of brass, And 'gainst the foe the threatening port Of Maurish infantry.

Or whether, having chang'd thy state,
Propitious Maia's winged son,

Thou here a youth wilt personate,
Of Cæsar the avenging one
Submitting to be call'd.

Late unto heaven mayst thou repair,
And with Quirinus' people stay
Long pleas'd; and may no fatal air
Too quickly hurry thee away,

Offended at our crimes.

Here splendid triumphs rather lead,

Here names of Prince and Father love;

Nor longer let th' exulting Mede

Across our bounds unpunish'd rove,

Our general, Cæsar, thou.

CARMEN III.

AD NAVEM VIRGILIUM ATHENAS VEHENTEM.

SIC te Diva potens Cypri,

Sic fratres Helena, lucida sidera,

Ventorumque regat Pater,

Obstrictis aliis præter Iapyga,

Navis, quæ tibi creditum

Debes Virgilium finibus Atticis,

Reddas incolumem, precor,

Et serves animæ dimidium meæ.

Illi robur et æs triplex

Circa pectus erat, qui fragilem truci Commisit pelago ratem

Primus, nec timuit præcipitem Africum Decertantem Aquilonibus,

Nec tristes Hyades, nec rabiem Noti, Quo non arbiter Adriæ

Major, tollere seu ponere vult freta.

ODE III.

TO THE SHIP IN WHICH VIRGIL WAS ABOUT TO

SAIL TO ATHENS.

So may the Goddess great of Cyprus' isle,
So Helen's brothers, constellations shining,
may the Father of the winds, the while,
Saving Iapyx, all the rest confining,

So

Guide thee, oh ship! embounden to restore
My Virgil now confided to thee whole;
Safe render him, I pray, to Athens' shore,
And thus the half preserve me of my soul.

Around his breast there must have been a mail
Of oak and triple brass, who trusted first
To the relentless sea his vessel frail;

Nor dreaded he the Afric's headlong burst, Warring for mastery with the northern winds; Nor the sad Hyades, nor Notus' rage,

Than whom no mightier power the Adrian finds Its waves at will to ruffle or assuage.

Quem mortis timuit gradum,

Qui siccis oculis monstra natantia, Qui vidit mare turgidum, et

Infames scopulos, Acroceraunia? Nequidquam Deus abscidit

Prudens Oceano dissociabili

Terras, si tamen impiæ

Non tangenda rates transiliunt vada.

Audax omnia perpeti

Gens humana ruit per vetitum nefas: Audax Iapeti genus

Ignem fraude malâ gentibus intulit. Post ignem ætheriâ domo

Subductum, macies et nova febrium

Terris incubuit cohors ;

Semotique prius tarda necessitas

Lethi corripuit gradum.

Expertus vacuum Dædalus aëra

Pennis non homini datis :

Perrupit Acheronta Herculeus labor.