Lib. 1. Ode xxxv. AD FORTUNAM.
| O 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 populos 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. 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. |
Translation. TO FORTUNE.
| Goddess whose mandate lovely Antium sways, Prompt at thy will from humblest grade to raise Weak mortals, or proud triumphs turn To the sad funeral urn! Thee the poor rustic sues with anxious prayer: Thee, Arbitress of Ocean all revere, Who with Bithynian keel adventurous brave The rough Carpathian wave. Thee wandering Scythians, thee the Dacian boor Cities and nations, Latium fierce adore: Mothers of barbarous kings grow pale, Tyrants in purple quail Lest with insulting foot thou spurn their proud, Unshaken column: lest th' assembled crowd Laggards to arms, to arms should wake, And their dominion break. Ruthless Necessity before thy band Forever walks: in her resistless hand Wedges and spikes: the hook severe And molten lead still near. Thee Hope attends, and spotless Faith so rare, Robed in pure white: nor then departs whene'er, With vestments changed and hostile lower, Thou leav'st th' abodes of power. But shrink the faithless herd and perjured quean: Friends too skulk off, the casks drained dry, unseen: Too treacherous equally to brook Adversity's hard yoke. Guard Cæsar bound 'gainst Britain's distant land, Limit of earth—preserve the new-formed band Of Youths, by Eastern realms to be Feared, and by the Red Sea! Alas! I blush for public crimes and rage; For brothers too: what have we, hardened age, Eschewed? what vice untried disdained? When have our youth restrained Their hands through fear of Heav'n? what altars spared? Grant to reforge, on anvil new-prepared, From civil strife our blunted swords, 'Gainst Scythian and Arabian hordes! |
Lib. 3. Ode iii.
| Justum, et tenacem propositi virum Non civium ardor prava jubentium, Non vultus instantis tyranni Mente quatit solidâ, neque Auster, Dux inquieti turbidus Adriæ, Nec fulminantis magna Jovis manus: Si fractus illabatur orbis, Impavidum ferient ruinæ. Hâc arte Pollux, et vagus Hercules Innixus, arces attigit igneas: Quos inter Augustus recumbens Purpureo bibit ore nectar. Hâc te merentem, Bacche pater, tuæ Vexêre tigres, indocili jugum Collo trahentes: hâc Quirinus Martis equis Acheronta fugit. |