Flammeolo, Tyriusque palam genialis in hortis
Sternitur, & ritu decies centena dabuntur
Antiquo, veniet cum fignatoribus aufpex.

Hæc tu fecreta, & paucis commiffa putabas :
Non nifi legitime vult nubere. Quid placeat, dic:
Ni parere velis, pereundum eft ante lucernas :
Si fcelus admittas, dabitur mora parvula, dum res,
Nota urbi & populo, contingat principis aures.
Dedecus ille domus fciet ultimus: interea tu
Obfequere imperio, fi tanti eft vita dierum
Paucorum: quicquid levius meliusque putaris,
Præbenda eft gladio pulchra hæc & candida cervix.
Nil ergo optabunt homines? fi confilium vis,
Permittes ipfis expendere numinibus, quid
Conveniat nobis, rebusque fit utile nostris.
Nam pro jucundis aptiffima quæque dabunt Dii:
Carior eft illis homo quam fibi: nos animorum
Impulfu, & cæca magnaque cupidine ducti,
Conjugium petimus, partumque uxoris: at illis
Notum qui pueri, qualisque futura fit uxor.
Ut tamen & pofcas aliquid, voveafque facellis
Exta, & candiduli divina tomacula porci:

Orandum eft, ut fit mens fana in

corpore

fano.

To blank defpair and moping madness drove
The foul fuggeftions of rejected love.

When Shame and Hatred in one bofom dwells,
The female fiend with all her fury fwells.

"Shall then no wish from lab'ring bosoms rise, "And shoot on trembling pinions* to the skies ?" No 'tis thy wisdom to the Powers above,

465

Of fway omnipotent and boundless love,

470

To truft the conduct of thy ftation here;

Still to those Powers, than to thyself, more dear.

They, with infufion due, will mix thy bowl,

Harfh to the tafte, but healing to the soul.

We fondly with, by fightless paffion led,

475

The spouse endearing and prolific bed:

'Tis their's alone to know, if child and wife Will prove the bane, or bleifing, of our life.

If ftill fome lurking wifh corrode thy reft, And aspiration heave thy ft uggling breast; If doating zeal fome hallow'd rites require, The victin-blood,+ and facrificial fire;

Then fay, "Kind Heaven! a healthful frame impart, "A brain unclouded, and a spotlefs heart:

480

"Nerves, that shall ftem Misfortune's rougheft tide, 485 "Uncheck'd by fears, by death unterrified:

*

ETEα πlegoEvτα, wirged words: Hemer; from the velocity with which

found is communicated.

+ More properly "The victim-fine." See my note on the Eumenides of Afchylus, ver. 283.

Fortem pofce animum, & mortis terrore carentem;

Qui fpatium vitæ extremum inter munera ponat
Nature; qui ferre queat quofcunque labores,
Nefciat irafci, cupiat nihil'; & potiores
Herculis ærumnas credat, fævosque labores,
Et Venere, & cœnis, & plumis Sardanapali.
Monftro, quod ipfe tibi poffis dare: Semita certe
Tranquillæ per virtutem patet unica vitæ.
NULLUM numen abeft, fit fit prudentia: fed te

Nos facimus, Fortuna, Deam, coloque locamus,

«To greet, ferene and firm, life's evening close, "As Nature's kind provision for repose.

May no vain with my tranquil thoughts controul, "Nor Rage pour out his tempeft on my foul! "Give ftrength, Herculean toils to undergo, "And run with Temp'rance the career of woe; "Left foft feductive Pleasure's Syren-strains "Melt the frail heart, and thrill the throbbing veins:

490

"To fpurn th' enjoyments brute sensations bring; 495 "The down, the banquets, of Affyria's king.*

One bleffing on ourselves we may bestow;

'Tis peace: and Virtue is our peace below.

No

power haft thou where Wisdom's altars rife;

We, Fortune! build thee fhrines, we station in the skies.

* Sardanapalus.

Q. HORATII FLACCI

CARMINUM

LIBER I.

AD MECENATEM.

ODE I.

MACENAS, atavis edite regibus,

O & præfidium et dulce decus meum!
Sunt, quos curriculo pulverem Olympicum
Collegiffe juvat; metaque fervidis
Evitata rotis, palmaque nobilis

Terrarum dominos evehit ad Deos.
Hunc, fi mobilium turba Quiritium
Certat tergeminis tollere honoribus ;
Illum, fi proprio condidit horreo
Quidquid de Lybicis verritur areis :
Gaudentem patrios findere farculo
Agros, Attalicis conditionibus
Nunquam dimoveas, ut trabe Cypriâ
Myrtoum pavidus nauta fecet mare.