Verses and Translations Part 10

Sunt alii, quos frigus aquae, tenuisque phaselus Captat, et aequali surgentes ordine remi.

His edura cutis, nec ligno rasile tergum; Par saxi sinus: esca boves c.u.m robore Ba.s.si.

Tollunt in numerum fera brachia, vique feruntur Per fluctus: sonuere viae clamore secundo: Et picea de puppe fremens immane bubulcus Invocat exitium cunctis, et verbera rapto Stipite defessis onerat graviora caballis.

Nil humoris egent alii. Labor arva vagari, Flectere ludus equos, et amantem devia {147a} currum.

Nosco purpureas vestes, clangentia nosco Signa tubae, et caudas inter virgulta caninas.

Stat venator equus, tactoque ferocior armo Surgit in arr.e.c.t.u.m, vix auditurus habenam; Et jam prata fuga superat, jam flumina saltu.

Aspicias alios ab iniqua sepe rotari In caput, ut scrobibus quae sint fastigia quaerant; Eque rubis aut amne pigro trahere humida crura, Et foedam faciem, defloccatumque galerum.

Sanctius his animal, cui quadravisse rotundum {148a} Musae suadet amor, Camique ardentis imago, Inspicat calamos contracta fronte malignos, Perque Mathematic.u.m pelagus, loca turbida, anhelat.

Circ.u.m dirus "Hymers," nec pondus inutile, "Lignum,"

"Salmoque," et pueris tu detestate, "Colenso,"

Horribiles visu formae; livente notatae Ungue omnes, omnes insignes aure canina. {148b} Fervet opus; tacitum pertentant gaudia pectus Tutorum; "pulchrumque mori," dixere, "legendo."

Nec vero juvenes facere omnes omnia possunt.

Atque unum memini ipse, deus qui dictus amicis, Et multum referens de rixatore {148c} secundo, Nocte terens ulnas ac scrinia, solus in alto Degebat tripode; arcta viro vilisque supellex; Et sic torva tuens, pedibus per mutua nexis, Sedit, lacte mero mentem mulcente tenellam.

Et fors ad summos tandem venisset honores; Sed rapidi juvenes, queis gratior usus equorum, Subveniunt, siccoque vetant inolescere libro.

Improbus hos Lector pueros, mentumque virili Laevius, et durae gravat inclementia Mortis: {149a} Agmen iners; queis mos aliena vivere quadra, {149b} Et lituo vexare viros, calcare caballos.

Tales mane novo saepe admiramur euntes Torquibus in rigidis et pelle Libystidis ursae; Admiramur opus {149c} tunicae, vestemque {149d} sororem Iridis, et crurum non enarrabile tegmen.

Hos inter comites implebat pocula sorbis Infelix puer, et sese reereabat ad ignem, "Evoe, {150a} Ba.s.sE," fremens: dum velox praeterit aetas; Venit summa dies; et Junior Optimus exit.

Saucius at juvenis nota intra tecta refugit, Horrendum ridens, lucemque miserrimus odit: Informem famulus laqueum pendentiaque ossa Mane videt, refugitque feri meminisse magistri.

Di n.o.bis meliora! Modum re servat in omni Qui sapit: haud ilium semper recubare sub umbra, Haud semper madidis juvat impallescere chartis.

Nos numerus sumus, et libros consumere nati; Sed requies sit rebus; amant alterna Camenae.

Nocte dieque legas, c.u.m tertius advenit annus: Tum libros cape; claude fores, et prandia defer.

Quartus venit: ini, {150b} rebus jam rite paratis, Exultans, et coge gradum conferre magistros.

His animadversis, fugies immane Barathrum.

His, operose puer, si qua fata aspera rumpas, Tu rixator eris. Saltem non crebra revises Ad stabulum, {151a} et tota moerens carpere juventa; Cla.s.se nec amisso nil profectura dolentem Tradet ludibriis te plena leporis HIRUDO. {151b}

TRANSLATIONS FROM HORACE.

TO A SHIP.

OD. i. 14.

Yet on fresh billows seaward wilt thou ride, O ship? What dost thou? Seek a hav'n, and there Rest thee: for lo! thy side Is oarless all and bare,

And the swift south-west wind hath maimed thy mast, And thy yards creak, and, every cable lost, Yield must thy keel at last On pitiless sea-waves tossed

Too rudely. Goodly canvas is not thine, Nor G.o.ds, to hear thee now, when need is sorest:- Though thou--a Pontic pine, Child of a stately forest, -

Boastest high name and empty pedigree, Pale seamen little trust the gaudy sail: Stay, unless doomed to be The plaything of the gale.

Flee--what of late sore burden was to me, Now a sad memory and a bitter pain, - Those shining Cyclads flee That stud the far-off main.

TO VIRGIL.

OD. i. 24.

Unshamed, unchecked, for one so dear We sorrow. Lead the mournful choir, Melpomene, to whom thy sire Gave harp, and song-notes liquid-clear!

Sleeps He the sleep that knows no morn?

Oh Honour, oh twin-born with Right, Pure Faith, and Truth that loves the light, When shall again his like be born?

Many a kind heart for Him makes moan; Thine, Virgil, first. But ah! in vain Thy love bids heaven restore again That which it took not as a loan:

Were sweeter lute than Orpheus given To thee, did trees thy voice obey; The blood revisits not the clay Which He, with lifted wand, hath driven

Into his dark a.s.semblage, who Unlocks not fate to mortal's prayer.

Hard lot! Yet light their griefs who BEAR The ills which they may not undo.

TO THE FOUNTAIN OF BANDUSIA.

OD. iii. 13.

Bandusia, stainless mirror of the sky!

Thine is the flower-crown'd bowl, for thee shall die, When dawns again yon sun, the kid; Whose budding horns, half-seen, half-hid,

Challenge to dalliance or to strife--in vain!

Soon must the hope of the wild herd be slain, And those cold springs of thine With blood incarnadine.

Fierce glows the Dog-star, but his fiery beam Toucheth not thee: still grateful thy cool stream To labour-wearied ox, Or wanderer from the flocks:

And henceforth thou shalt be a royal fountain: My harp shall tell how from yon cavernous mountain, Topt by the brown oak-tree, Thou breakest babblingly.

TO IBYCUS'S WIFE.

OD. ii. 15.

Spouse of penniless Ibycus, Thus late, bring to a close all thy delinquencies, All thy studious infamy:- Nearing swiftly the grave--(that not an early one) - Cease girls' sport to partic.i.p.ate, Blurring stars which were else cloudlessly brilliant.

What suits her who is beautiful Suits not equally thee: rightly devastates Thy fair daughter the homes of men, Wild as Thyad, who wakes stirred by the kettle-drums.

Nothus' beauty constraining her, Like some kid at his play, holds she her revelry: Thy years stately Luceria's Wools more fitly become--not din of harpsichords, Not pink-petalled roseblossoms, Not casks drained by an old lip to the sediment.

SORACTE.

OD. i. 9.

One dazzling ma.s.s of solid snow Soracte stands; the bent woods fret Beneath their load; and, sharpest-set With frost, the streams have ceased to flow.

Pile on great f.a.ggots and break up The ice: let influence more benign Enter with four-years-treasured wine, Fetched in the ponderous Sabine cup:

Leave to the G.o.ds all else. When they Have once bid rest the winds that war Over the pa.s.sionate seas, no more Grey ash and cypress rock and sway.

Ask not what future suns shall bring, Count to-day gain, whate'er it chance To be: nor, young man, scorn the dance, Nor deem sweet Love an idle thing,

Ere Time thy April youth hath changed To sourness. Park and public walk Attract thee now, and whispered talk At twilight meetings pre-arranged;