ODE XXXIV.

PŒNITET QUÒD CULTUM DEORUM NEGLEXERIT.

ARCUS Deorum cultor et infrequens,

PARC

Insanientis dum sapientiæ

Consultus erro; nunc retrorsum
Vela dare, atque iterare cursus
Cogor relictos. Namque Diespiter,
Igni corusco nubila dividens,
Plerumque per purum tonantes

Egit equos volucremque currum;
Quo bruta tellus et vaga flumina,
Quo Styx, et invisi horrida Tænari
Sedes, Atlanteusque finis

Concutitur. Valet ima summis
Mutare, et insignem attenuat Deus,
Obscura promens. Hinc apicem rapax
Fortuna cum stridore acuto

Sustulit; hic posuisse gaudet.

M

ODE XXXIV.

THE POET'S RECANTATION.

Y worship of the Gods was scant and slack
What time I err'd, a mad philosophy

Professing; now my canvas to turn back

And sail anew, compell'd am I,

The course I left.

For Jove, who's wont to rive

The clouds with fire coruscant, has been seen

His winged car and thund'ring steeds to drive
Across the sky when quite serene;

Whereat earth's pond'rous mass rocks to and fro,
The wand'ring rivers shake, and, horrid place,
Detested Tænarus, and Styx also,

And Atlas' utmost bounds. The base God can exalt, the great pull down ; at will Change low to high. Rapacious Fortune one Robs of his crown with whirring noise and shrill; Another joys to place it on.

ODE XXXV.

AD FORTUNAM.

DIVA, gratum quæ regis Antium,
Præsens vel imo tollere de gradu
Mortale corpus, vel superbos

Vertere funeribus triumphos:
Te pauper ambit solicitâ prece
Ruris colonus: te dominam æquoris
Quicunque Bithynâ lacessit
Carpathium pelagus carinâ.

Te Dacus asper, te profugi Scythæ,
Urbesque gentesque et Latium ferox,
Regumque matres barbarorum, et
Purpurei metuunt tyranni;
Injurioso ne pede proruas

Stantem columnam : neu populus frequens

Ad arma cessantes, ad arma

Concitet, imperiumque frangat

Te semper anteit sæva Necessitas,
Clavos trabales et cuneos manu
Gestans ahenâ; nec severus

Uncus abest, liquidumque plumbum.

Te Spes, et albo rara Fides colit

Velata panno, nec comitem abnegat,

Utcunque mutatâ potentes

Veste domos inimica linquis :

G

ODE XXXV.

TO FORTUNE.

ODDESS, o'er pleasant Antium who dost reign, Ready the mortal frame from lowest grade To raise, or to the sad funereal train

Transform the triumph's proud parade;

The husbandman, borne down by poverty,
With anxious pray'r thee sues: he too who beats
With keel Bithynian the Carpathian sea,

Mistress of the Ocean, thee entreats.

Thee the fierce Dacian, thee of Scythia's land
The roving race, towns, peoples, Latium bold,
The mothers of barbarian rulers, and

Purple-robed tyrants in dread hold;

Lest thou, with foot injurious should'st o'erthrow
The standing column, or the mob let call
To arms, To arms, those who are quiet now,
And thereby cause the empire's fall.

Aye hard necessity before thee tramps,

Carrying in her hand of bronze display'd
Wedges and spikes; nor wanting are strong clamps,
And lead the fire has liquid made.

Hope worships thee; so rare Fidelity,

In white robe clad, nor does she hesitate

To keep with thee when, adverse, thou dost hie,

In alter'd garb, from houses great.

At vulgus infidum, et meretrix retro
Perjura cedit; diffugiunt, cadis
Cum fæce siccatis, amici

Ferre jugum pariter dolosi.

Serves iturum Cæsarem in ultimos
Orbis Britannos, et juvenum recens
Examen, Eois timendum

Partibus, Oceanoque Rubro.
Eheu, cicatricum et sceleris pudet,
Fratrumque. Quid nos dura refugimus
Ætas? Quid intactum nefasti

Liquimus? Unde manum juventus

Metu Deorum continuit? Quibus
Pepercit aris? O utinam novâ
Incude diffingas retusum in
Massagetas Arabasque ferrum.