The Odes of Casimire Part 9

Tis not in Fate to promise length of dayes, To things of such esteeme and praise; Nor can the starrs suffer so ripe a birth To be long sullied with dull earth.

Load not the Heavens then with unjust complaints, For taking back one of their Saints.

The courage of her richly temp'red breast Made her for them a fitter guest: Such jewells of her mind sparkle about her The starres themselves can't shine without her.

Sic Tanaquil, sic quae cunctantem Claudia rexit Virginea cervice Cybellen, Quaeque maritali successit Thessala fato, Et Latiis vaga Cllia ripis; Ante diem raptae vivunt post funera, vatum Perpetuos in carmine fastos.

Illa quid? non, si surdos ad carmina Manes Orphea testudine vincam, Eductas adamante fores, & ahenea rumpat Elysiii pomria muri, Reddaturq; tibi. Stat nulli janua voto, Nullis exorata Poetis.

Thus _Tanaquil_; thus _Claudia_'s virgin band Steer'd the unwilling Barke to land.

Thus shee, that durst her Husbands fate abide, And _Cloelia_ over _Tiber's_ tyde; Too early crop'd, survive in Poesie, And keepe perpetuall jubilie.

'Tis not in Art to fetch her back againe, Or charme the spirits with _Orpheus_ straine, To breake the bars of Adamant or scale The Rampiers of th'Elysian wall, No Orisons prevaile, sent from the breast Of great _Apollo_'s choisest Priest.

Sunt tamen exiles insigni in limine rimae Qua possint arcana videri, Haec ego si nullos fallunt insomnia maneis, Aut vidi, aut vidisse putavi Errantem campo in magno, quem gemmea circ.u.m Perspicuis stant mnia portis: Auro prata virent; arbor crinitur in aurum; Crispantur violaria gemmis, Quae nec Apellaeus liquor, nec pulchra trigoni a.s.simulent mendacia vitri.

Yet in the arched entrance c.h.i.n.ks there bee, Which may befriend the covetous eye; Through these to th'hidden mysteries I peep, And (if the spirits nor dream, nor sleep) I saw, or else me thoughts, I there had seene Her, wandring o're a s.p.a.cious Greene, With walls of Diamond, gates of purest gla.s.se, No Chrystall more transparent was: Each blade of gra.s.se was gold, each tree was there, A golden Periwig did weare.

The swelling banks of Violets did curle Themselves with Gems, and Orient Pearle; The glorious nothing, of the _Trigon_ gla.s.se-- And all _Apelles_ Art, which pa.s.se.

Centum ibi formosis in vallibus Heronae Aeternum Paeana frequentant.

Stant virides campo stellae, madidisque corusca Connivent sibi sidera flammis.

Illa inter medias parvo comitata nepote Et roseo vivacior ore, Ibat ovans, grandemq; sibi, grandemque nepoti Nectebat de flore coronam.

Cetera me vetuit magni caligo sereni Mortali percurrere visu.

Nectu plura velis; satis est, cui fata dederunt Aeternis muta.s.se caduca.

Through the sweet vales a Quire of Damsels sing Eternall Paeans to their King.

The stars with sparkling light stand round I see, Twinkling to their shrill melodie.

Her and her tender darling, then I spy, I'th' mid'st of that blest company; With looks more fresh and sweet, then are the Roses Of which her Garlands shee composes-- Two flowry Chaplets, which with Gems set round Her owne and Nephew's temples crown'd.

But here a veyle was drawne, I must not prie Nor search too farre with mortall eye, Nor would you more. It may suffice that shee Hath chang'd fraile flesh for blest Eternitie.

_Ad Albertum Turscium._

De suis somniis & lyricis.

_Ode 32. Lib. 4._

To _Albertus Turscius_.

_Of his Dreames, and Lyricks._

_Ode 32. Lib. 4._

_Tursci_, seu brevior mihi Seu pernox oculos composuit sopor, Pennas Somnia laevibus Affigunt humeris; jamque virentia Latus prata superuolo, Qua se c.u.mque novum molle tumentibus Campis explicuit nemus, Herbosaeque patet scena superbiae: Mox & nubibus altior, Mistus flumineis ales oloribus; Vivos despicio lacus, Et dulci volucrem carmine mentior.

VVhether a shorter sleep, or whether A long one (_Turscius_) joyns mine eyes together In my soft dreames, me thinks, I see To my light shoulders wings set on, and I With joy transported, upward soare, The flowry Meddowes, and the pastures o're; Where the greene Grove its coole shade yeilds To th'stately gra.s.se plotts, and ripe swelling fields: Straight, 'mid'st the river Swans, up hyer A winged fowle above the cloudes I'aspire; The lively Lakes below, I sleight, And with sweet straines a bird I counterfeit.

Jam tunc nubila, jam mihi Blandis dissiliunt fulmina cantibus; Et quae plurima circuit Collum, punicea vincior Iride.

Idem jam vigil, & meus, Non ingrata simul somnia dispuli, c.u.m ter mobilibus lyram Percussi digitis, immemor & ducis Nil sectator Horatii, Sublimis liquidum nitor in aera; Et nunc littera, nunc vagas Siccis trajiciens pa.s.sibus insulas, Nil mortale mei gero, & Jam nil sollicito debeo ponderi.

See, now me thinkes, the cloudes in throngs The lightning leaps too, at my ravishing songs; _Iris_ about my neck hangs round, And with her divers colour'd bow, I'me bound.

Being now my selfe, and newly wak'd, My not unwelcome dreames, just now off shak'd; Thrice o're my Lute, I scarce had run With nible finger neat division; Remembring _Horace_, Thee, my guide, When my high Genius through th'ayre doth ride; Now o're the scatt'red Islands, then O're Seas, with dry feet pa.s.sing back again; Nothing that's mortall of mee, now I beare, and nought to my dull bulke I owe.

_Tursci_, saepe tamen mones Olim ne veteri clarior Icaro Veris fabula casibus Mutem Parrhasii nomina Balthiri.

Frustra; nam memor Icari, Addo stult.i.tiae consilium brevi: Nam, seu dormio, me torus; Seu scribo, stabili sella tenet situ.

Yet _Turscius_ thou hast often told, And warn'd mee, lest then _Icarus_ of old By a true fall indeed, I make A lowder tale, and change the name o'th'Lake.

In vaine: Remembring Him, I had A care, and counsell, to my folly, add: For when I sleep, in bed I lye, And if I write, my secure chaire holds mee.

Ad Quintum Tiberinum.

Ode 34. Lib. 4.

Divitem numquam, _Tiberine_, dices, Cuius Eois potiora glebis Rura, fortunae sine faece pulcher Rivus inaurat; Quem per insigneis geniale ceras Stemma claravit; vaga quem per urbes Quem per & gentes radiante vexit Gloria curru.

Pauper est, qui se caret; & superbe Ipse se librans, sua rura latam Addit in lancem, socioq; fallens Pondus in auro, Ceteris parvus, sibi magnus uni, Ipse se nescit, pretioque falsa Plebis attollit, propriaq; se mi- ratur in umbra.

Splendidam vera sine luce gazam, Turgidum plena sine laude nomen Mitte; te solo, _Tiberine_, disces Esse beatus.

To _Quintus Tiberinus_.

_Ode 34. Lib. 4._

Thou shalt not _Tiberinus_, call Him rich, whose every Acre shall Outvie the Easterne glebe, whose field Faire Fortune's clearest streame doth gild.

Nor him, whose birth, and pedigree Is fam'd abroad by's Heraldrie; Hee who by fleeting glory's hurld In his rich Chariot through the world: He's poore that wants himselfe, yet weighs Proudly himselfe; in this scale layes His lands, in th'other broad one, by, The false weight of his gold doth lye, Great to himselfe, to others small, That never knowes himselfe at all, As the false people raise him higher, Himselfe in's shadow hee'l admire.

The fairest Gemme without true light, Without true praise great t.i.tles, flight: Blest _Tiberinus_, and most free In thy selfe alone thoul't learne to bee.

Ad Paulum Coslovium.

_Ode 35. Lib. 4._

To _Paulus Coslovius_.

_Ode 35. Lib. 4._

Iam pridem tepido veris anhelitu Afflarunt reduces arva Favonii; Jam se florida vernis Pingunt prata coloribus: Stratus frugiferis Vilia puppibus Grato praeter abit rura silentio, Quamvis proximus omni Collis personet alite; Quamvis & viridi pastor ab aggere Dicat graminea carmina fistula.

Et qui navita debet Plenis otia carbasis.

The Westerne winds, with the warm breath o'th'Spring, Returne, and o're our fields their soft gales fling; The flowry-garnish'd Meadowes by, With freshest colours painted lye.

The River, which the gainfull ships so throng, With welcome silence gently glides along, Although the neighbouring Hill doth ring With the shrill notes of birds that sing; Although the Swaine, on the green bank that sits Old Sonnets with his Oaten Pipe repeats, Although the Seaman doth not faile At length to strike his full blowne sayle.

aequat Palladiis, _Paulle_, laboribus Interpone vices. Cras simul aureo Sol arriserit ore Summorum juga montium, Scandemus viridis terga Luciscii, Qua celsa tegitur plurimus ilice, Et se praetereuntum Audit murmura fontium.

Illinc e medio tota videbitur n.o.bis Vilna jugo; tota videbitur Quae Vilnam sinuosis Ambit Vilia flexibus.

To thy _Palladian_ labours interpose Such changes _Paullus_; when the Sun forth showes And with his golden presence smiles On the hye tops of highest Hills, Wee'l mount the back of green _Luciscus_, where Hee's thickest set with tallest Okes, and heare The bubbling noise of streames that flow From Fountaines that close by him goe.