Romana pubes crevit, et impio
Vastata Poenorum tumultu
Fana deos habuere rectos.
Horace, Odes, IV. iv. 29-48.
29-36 The thought is: ‘It is true that scions of a good stock must be good in men as well as in animals, but yet education (doctrina = training l. 33) brings out the innate force.’
29 fortibus et bonis. For the combined epithets cf. καλὸς κἀγαθός.
36 Indecorant . . . culpae = faults disfigure (indecorant = dedecorant) scions of an honourable stock (bene nata).
37 Neronibus, e.g. M. Claudius Nero (the hero of Metaurus), and the brothers Drusus and Tiberius (afterwards Emperor), stepsons of Augustus.
41 alma adorea = with kindly (refreshing) success.
43 ceu flamma per taedas = like fire through a pine-forest.—W.