Chapter 4

EN! iterum laurus, iterum salvete myricæ Pallentes, nullique hederæ quæ ceditis ævo. Has venio baccas, quanquam sapor asper acerbis, Decerptum, quassumque manu folia ipsa proterva, Maturescentem prævortens improbus annum. Causa gravis, pia cansa, subest, et amara deûm lex; Nec jam sponte mea vobis rata tempora turbo. Nam periit Lycidas, periit superante juventa Imberbis Lycidas, quo non præstantior alter. Quis cantare super Lycida neget? Ipse quoque artem Nôrat Apollineam, versumque imponere versu Non nullo vitreum fas innatet ille feretrum Flente, voluteturque arentes corpus ad auras, Indotatum adeo et lacrymæ vocalis egenum. Quare agite, o sacri fontis queis cura, sorores, Cui sub inaccessi sella Jovis exit origo: Incipite, et sonitu graviore impellite chordas. Lingua procul male prompta loqui, suasorque morarum Sit pudor: alloquiis ut mollior una secundis Pieridum faveat, cui mox ego destiner, urnæ: Et gressus prætergrediens convertat, et “Esto” Dicat “amoena quies atra tibi veste latenti:” Uno namque jugo duo nutribamur: eosdem Pavit uterque greges ad fontem et rivulum et umbram. Tempore nos illo, nemorum convexa priusquam, Aurora reserante oculos, cæpere videri, Urgebamus equos ad pascua: novimus horam Aridus audiri solitus qua clangor asili; Rore recentes greges passi pinguescere noctis Sæpius, albuerat donec quod vespere sidus Hesperios axes prono inclinasset Olympo. At pastorales non cessavere camœnæ, Fistula disparibus quas temperat apta cicutis: Saltabant Satyri informes, nec murmure læto Capripedes potuere diu se avertere Fauni; Damætasque modos nostros longævus amabat. Jamque, relicta tibi, quantum mutata videntur Rura—relicta tibi, cui non spes ulla regressûs! Te sylvæ, teque antra, puer, deserta ferarum, Incultis obducta thymis ac vite sequaci, Decessisse gemunt; gemitusque reverberat Echo. Non salices, non glauca ergo coryleta videbo Molles ad numeros lætum motare cacumen:— Quale rosis scabies; quam formidabile vermis Depulso jam lacte gregi, dum tondet agellos; Sive quod, indutis verna jam veste, pruinæ Floribus, albet ubi primum paliurus in agris: Tale fuit nostris, Lycidam periisse, bubulcis. Qua, Nymphæ, latuistis, ubi crudele profundum Delicias Lycidam vestras sub vortice torsit? Nam neque vos scopulis tum ludebatis in illis Quos veteres, Druidæ, Vates, illustria servant Nomina; nec celsæ setoso in culmine Monæ, Nec, quos Deva locos magicis amplectitur undis. Væ mihi! delusos exercent somnia sensus: Venissetis enim; numquid venisse juvaret? Numquid Pieris ipsa parens interfuit Orphei, Pieris ipsa suæ sobolis, qui carmine rexit Corda virum, quem terra olim, quam magna, dolebat, Tempore quo, dirum auditu strepitante caterva, Ora secundo amni missa, ac foedata cruore, Lesbia præcipitans ad litora detulit Hebrus? Eheu quid prodest noctes instare diesque Pastorum curas spretas humilesque tuendo, Nilque relaturam meditari rite Camoenam? Nonne fuit satius lusus agitare sub umbra, (Ut mos est aliis,) Amaryllida sive Neæram Sectanti, ac tortis digitum impediisse capillis? Scilcet ingenuum cor Fama, novissimus error Illa animi majoris, uti calcaribus urget Spernere delicias ac dedi rebus agendis. Quanquam—exoptatam jam spes attingere dotem; Jam nec opinata remur splendescere flamma:— Cæca sed invisa cum forfice venit Erinnys, Quæ resecet tenui hærentem subtemine vitam. “At Famam non illa,” refert, tangitque trementes Phœbus Apollo aures. “Fama haud, vulgaris ad instar Floris, amat terrestre solum, fictosque nitores Queis inhiat populus, nec cum Rumore patescit. Vivere dant illi, dant increbrescere late Puri oculi ac vox summa Jovis, cui sola Potestas. Fecerit ille semel de facto quoque virorum Arbitrium: tantum famæ manet æthera nactis.” Fons Arethusa! sacro placidus qui laberis alveo, Frontem vocali prætextus arundine, Minci! Sensi equidem gravius carmen. Nunc cetera pastor Exsequor. Adstat enim missus pro rege marino, Seque rogâsse refert fluctus, ventosque rapaces, Quæ sors dura nimis tenerum rapuisset agrestem. Compellasse refert alarum quicquid ab omni Spirat, acerba sonans, scopulo, qui cuspidis instar Prominet in pelagus; fama haud pervenerat illuc. Hæc ultro pater Hippotades responsa ferebat: “Nulli sunt nostro palati carcere venti. Straverat æquor aquas, et sub Jove compta sereno Lusum exercebat Panope nymphæque sorores. Quam Furiæ struxere per interlunia, leto Fetam ac fraude ratem,—malos velarat Erinnys,— Credas in mala tanta caput mersisse sacratum.” Proximus huic tardum senior se Camus agebat; Cui setosa chlamys, cui pileus ulva: figuris Idem intertextus dubiis erat, utque cruentos Quos perhibent flores, inscriptus margine luctum. “Nam quis,” ait, “prædulce meum me pignus ademit?” Post hos, qui Galilæa regit per stagna carinas, Post hos venit iturus: habet manus utraque clavim, (Queis aperit clauditque) auro ferrove gravatam. Mitra tegit crines; quassis quibus, acriter infit: “Scilicet optassem pro te dare corpora leto Sat multa, o juvenis: quot serpunt ventribus acti, Vi quot iter faciunt spretis in ovilia muris. Hic labor, hoc opus est, pecus ut tondente magistro Præripiant epulas, trudatur dignior hospes. Capti oculis, non ore! pedum tractare nec ipsi Norunt; quotve bonis sunt upilionibus artes. Sed quid enim refert, quove eat opus, omnia nactis? Fert ubi mens, tenue ac deductum carmen avenam Radit stridentem stipulis. Pastore negato Suspicit ægra pecus: vento gravis ac lue tracta Tabescit; mox foeda capit contagia vulgus. Quid dicam, stabulis ut clandestinus oberrans Expleat ingluviem tristis lupus, indice nullo? Illa tamen bimanus custodit machina portam, Stricta, paratque malis plagam non amplius unam.” En, Alphee, redi! Quibus ima cohorruit unda Voces præteriere: redux quoque Sicelis omnes Musa voca valles; huc pendentes hyacinthos Fac jaciant, teneros huc flores mille colorum. O nemorum depressa, sonant ubi crebra susurri Umbrarum, et salientis aquæ, Zephyrique protervi; Queisque virens gremium penetrare Canicula parcit: Picturata modis jacite huc mihi lumina miris, Mellitos imbres queis per viridantia rura Mos haurire, novo quo tellus vere rubescat. Huc ranunculus, ipse arbos, pallorque ligustri, Quæque relicta perit, vixdum matura feratur Pnimula: quique ebeno distinctus, cætera flavet Flos, et qui specie nomen detrectat eburna. Ardenti violæ rosa proxima fundat odores; Serpyllumque placens, et acerbo flexile vultu Verbascum, ac tristem si quid sibi legit amictum. Quicquid habes pulcri fundas, amarante: coronent Narcissi lacrymis calices, sternantque feretrum Tectus ubi lauro Lycidas jacet: adsit ut oti Saltem aliquid, ficta ludantur imagine mentes. Me miserum! Tua nam litus, pelagusque sonorum Ossa ferunt, queiscunque procul jacteris in oris; Sive procellosas ultra Symplegadas ingens Jam subter mare visis, alit quæ monstra profundum; Sive (negavit enim precibus te Jupiter udis) Cum sene Bellero, veterum qui fabula, dormis, Qua custoditi montis prægrandis imago Namancum atque arces longe prospectat Iberas. Verte retro te, verte deum, mollire precando: Et vos infaustum juvenem delphines agatis. Ponite jam lacrymas, sat enim flevistis, agrestes. Non periit Lycidas, vestri moeroris origo, Marmorei quanquam fluctus hausere cadentem. Sic et in æquoreum se condere sæpe cubile Luciferum videas; nec longum tempus, et effert Demissum caput, igne novo vestitus; et, aurum Ceu rutilans, in fronte poli splendescit Eoi. Sic obiit Lycidas, sic assurrexit in altum; Illo, quem peditem mare sustulit, usus amico. Nunc campos alios, alia errans stagna secundum, Rorantesque lavans integro nectare crines, Audit inauditos nobis cantari Hymenæos, Fortunatorum sedes ubi mitis amorem Lætitiamque affert. Hic illum, quotquot Olympum Prædulces habitant turbæ, venerabilis ordo, Circumstant: aliæque canunt, interque canendum Majestate sua veniunt abeuntque catervæ, Omnes ex oculis lacrymas arcere paratæ. Ergo non Lycidam jam lamentantur agrestes. Divus eris ripæ, puer, hoc ex tempore nobis, Grande, nec immerito, veniens in munus; opemque Poscent usque tuam, dubiis quot in æstubus errant. Hæc incultus aquis puer ilicibusque canebat; Processit dum mane silens talaribus albis. Multa manu teneris discrimina tentat avenis, Dorica non studio modulatus carmina segni: Et jam sol abiens colles extenderat omnes, Jamque sub Hesperium se præcipitaverat alveum. Surrexit tandem, glaucumque retraxit amictum; Cras lucos, reor, ille novos, nova pascua quæret.

IN MEMORIAM.

CVI.

THE time admits not flowers or leaves To deck the banquet. Fiercely flies The blast of North and East, and ice Makes daggers at the sharpen’d eaves,

And bristles all the brakes and thorns To yon hard crescent, as she hangs Above the wood which grides and clangs Its leafless ribs and iron horns

Together, in the drifts that pass, To darken on the rolling brine That breaks the coast. But fetch the wine, Arrange the board and brim the glass;

Bring in great logs and let them lie, To make a solid core of heat; Be cheerful-minded, talk and treat Of all things ev’n as he were by:

We keep the day with festal cheer, With books and music. Surely we Will drink to him whate’er he be, And sing the songs he loved to hear.

IN MEMORIAM.

NON hora myrto, non violis sinit Nitere mensas. Trux Aquilo foras Bacchatur, ac passim pruina Tigna sagittifera coruscant;

Horretque saltus spinifer, algidæ Sub falce lunæ, dum nemori imminet, Quod stridet illiditque costis Cornua, jam vacuis honorum,

Ferrata; nimbis prætereuntibus, Ut incubent tandem implacido sali Qui curvat oras. Tu Falernum Prome, dapes strue, dic coronent

Crateras: ignis cor solidum, graves Repone truncos. Jamque doloribus Loquare securus fugatis Quæ socio loquereris illo;

Hunc dedicamus lætitiæ diem Lyræque musisque. Illius, illius Da, quicquid audit: nec silebunt Qui numeri placuere vivo.

LAURA MATILDA’S DIRGE.

FROM ‘REJECTED ADDRESSES.’

BALMY Zephyrs, lightly flitting, Shade me with your azure wing; On Parnassus’ summit sitting, Aid me, Clio, while I sing.

Softly slept the dome of Drury O’er the empyreal crest, When Alecto’s sister-fury Softly slumb’ring sunk to rest.

Lo! from Lemnos limping lamely, Lags the lowly Lord of Fire, Cytherea yielding tamely To the Cyclops dark and dire.

Clouds of amber, dreams of gladness, Dulcet joys and sports of youth, Soon must yield to haughty sadness; Mercy holds the veil to Truth.

See Erostratas the second Fires again Diana’s fane; By the Fates from Orcus beckon’d, Clouds envelop Drury Lane.

Where is Cupid’s crimson motion? Billowy ecstasy of woe, Bear me straight, meandering ocean, Where the stagnant torrents flow.

Blood in every vein is gushing, Vixen vengeance lulls my heart; See, the Gorgon gang is rushing! Never, never let us part.

NÆNIA.

O QUOT odoriferi voitatis in aëre venti, Cæruleum tegmen vestra sit ala mihi: Tuque sedens Parnassus ubi caput erigit ingens, Dextra veni, Clio: teque docente canam.

Jam suaves somnos Tholus affectare Theatri Cœperat, igniflui trans laqueare poli: Alectûs consanguineam quo tempore Erinnyn, Suave soporatam, coepit adire quies.

Lustra sed ecce labans claudo pede Lemnia linquit Luridus (at lente lugubriterque) Deus: Amisit veteres, amisit inultus, amores; Teter habet Venerem terribilisque Cyclops.

Electri nebulas, potioraque somnia vero; Quotque placent pueris gaudia, quotque joci; Omnia tristiæ fas concessisse superbæ: Admissum Pietas scitque premitque nefas.

Respice! Nonne vides ut Erostratus alter ad ædem Rursus agat flammas, spreta Diana, tuam? Mox, Acheronteis quas Parca eduxit ab antris, Druriacam nubes corripuere domum.

O ubi purpurei motus pueri alitis? o qui Me mihi turbineis surripis, angor, aquis! Duc, labyrintheum, duc me, mare, tramite recto Quo rapidi fontes, pigra caterva, ruunt!

Jamque—soporat enim pectus Vindicta Virago; Omnibus a venis sanguinis unda salit; Gorgoneique greges præceps (adverte!) feruntur— Sim, precor, o! semper sim tibi junctus ego.

“LEAVES HAVE THEIR TIME TO FALL.”

FELICIA HEMANS.

LEAVES have their time to fall, And flowers to wither at the North-wind’s breath, And stars to set: but all, Thou hast all seasons for thine own, O Death!

Day is for mortal care, Eve for glad meetings at the joyous hearth, Night for the dreams of sleep, the voice of prayer, But all for thee, thou mightiest of the earth!

The banquet has its hour, The feverish hour of mirth and song and wine: There comes a day for grief’s overwhelming shower, A time for softer tears: but all are thine.

Youth and the opening rose May look like things too glorious for decay, And smile at thee!—but thou art not of those That wait the ripen’d bloom to seize their prey!

“FRONDES EST UBI DECIDANT.”

FRONDES est ubi decidant, Marcescantque rosæ flatu Aquilonio: Horis astra cadunt suis; Sed, Mors, cuncta tibi tempera vindicas.

Curis nata virûm dies; Vesper colloquiis dulcibus ad focum; Somnis nox magis, et preci: Sed nil, Terrigenum maxima, non tibi.

Festis hora epulis datur, (Fervens hora jocis, carminibus, mero;) Fusis altera lacrymis Aut fletu tacito: quæque tamen tua.

Virgo, seu rosa pullulans, Tantum quippe nitent ut nequeant mori? Rident te? Neque enim soles Prædæ parcere, dum flos adoleverit.

“LET US TURN HITHERWARD OUR BARK.”

R. C. TRENCH.

“LET us turn hitherward our bark,” they cried, “And, ’mid the blisses of this happy isle, Past toil forgetting and to come, abide In joyfulness awhile.

And then, refreshed, our tasks resume again, If other tasks we yet are bound unto, Combing the hoary tresses of the main With sharp swift keel anew.”

O heroes, that had once a nobler aim, O heroes, sprung from many a godlike line, What will ye do, unmindful of your fame, And of your race divine?

But they, by these prevailing voices now Lured, evermore draw nearer to the land, Nor saw the wrecks of many a goodly prow, That strewed that fatal strand;

Or seeing, feared not—warning taking none From the plain doom of all who went before, Whose bones lay bleaching in the wind and sun, And whitened all the shore.

“QUIN HUC, FREMEBANT.”

“QUIN huc,” fremebant, “dirigimus ratem: Hic, dote læti divitis insulæ, Paullisper hæremus, futuri Nec memores operis, nec acti:

“Curas refecti cras iterabimus, Si qua supersunt emeritis novæ Pexisse pernices acuta Canitiem pelagi carina.”

O rebus olim nobilioribus Pares: origo Dî quibus ac Deæ Heroës! oblitine famiæ Hæc struitis, generisque summi?

Atqui propinquant jam magis ac magis, Ducti magistra voce, solum: neque Videre prorarum nefandas Fragmina nobilium per oras;

Vidisse seu non poenitet—ominis Incuriosos tot præëuntium, Quorum ossa sol siccantque venti, Candet adhuc quibus omnis ora.

CARMEN SÆCULARE.

MDCCCLIII.

“Quicquid agunt homines, nostri est farrago libelli.”

ACRIS hyems jam venit: hyems genus omne perosa Foemineum, et senibus glacies non æqua rotundis: Apparent rari stantes in tramite glauco; Radit iter, cogitque nives, sua tela, juventus. Trux matrona ruit, multos dominata per annos, Digna indigna minans, glomeratque volumina crurum; Illa parte senex, amisso forte galero, Per plateas bacchatur; eum chorus omnis agrestum Ridet anhelantem frustra, et jam jamque tenentem Quod petit; illud agunt venti prensumque resorbent. Post, ubi compositus tandem votique potitus Sedit humi; flet crura tuens nive candida lenta, Et vestem laceram, et venturas conjugis iras: Itque domum tendens duplices ad sidera palmas, Corda miser, desiderio perfixa galeri. At juvenis (sed cruda viro viridisque juventus) Quærit bacciferas, tunica pendente, {145a} tabernas: Pervigil ecce Baco furva depromit ab arca Splendidius quiddam solito, plenumque saporem Laudat, et antiqua jurat de stripe Jamaicæ. O fumose puer, nimium ne crede Baconi: Manillas vocat; hoc prætexit nomine caules. Te vero, cui forte dedit maturior ætas Scire potestates herbarum, te quoque quanti Circumstent casus, paucis (adverte) docebo. Præcipue, seu raptat amor te simplicis herbæ, {145b} Seu potius tenui Musam meditaris avena, Procuratorem fugito, nam ferreus idem est. Vita semiboves catulos, redimicula vita Candida: de coelo descendit σῶζε σεαυτόν. Nube vaporis item conspergere præter euntes Jura vetant, notumque furens quid femina possit: Odit enim dulces succos anus, odit odorem; Odit Lethæi diffusa volumina fumi. Mille modis reliqui fugiuntque feruntque laborem. Hic vir ad Eleos, pedibus talaria gestans, Fervidus it latices, nec quidquam acquirit eundo: {146a} Ille petit virides (sed non e gramine) mensas, Pollicitus meliora patri, tormentaque {146b} flexus Per labyrintheos plus quam mortalia tentat, Acre tuens, loculisque pilas immittit et aufert. Sunt alii, quos frigus aquæ, tenuisque phaselus Captat, et æquali surgentes ordine remi. His edura cutis, nec ligno rasile tergum; Par saxi sinus: esca boves cum robore Bassi. Tollunt in numerum fera brachia, vique feruntur Per fluctus: sonuere viæ clamore secundo: Et piceâ 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 tubæ, et caudas inter virgulta caninas. Stat venator equus, tactoque ferocior armo Surgit in arrectum, vix auditurus habenam; Et jam prata fuga superat, jam flumina saltu. Aspicias alios ab iniqua sepe rotari In caput, ut scrobibus quæ sint fastigia quærant; Eque rubis aut amne pigro trahere humida crura, Et fœdam faciem, defloccatumque galerum. Sanctius his animal, cui quadravisse rotundum {148a} Musæ suadet amor, Camique ardentis imago, Inspicat calamos contracta fronte malignos, Perque Mathematicum pelagus, loca turbida, anhelat. Circum dirus “Hymers,” nec pondus inutile, “Lignum,” “Salmoque,” et pueris tu detestate, “Colenso,” Horribiles visu formæ; livente notatæ 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 Lævius, et duræ gravat inclementia Mortis: {149a} Agmen iners; queis mos alienâ vivere quadrâ, {149b} Et lituo vexare viros, calcare caballos. Tales mane novo sæpe admiramur euntes Torquibus in rigidis et pelle Libystidis ursæ; Admiramur opus {149c} tunicæ, vestemque {149d} sororem Iridis, et crurum non enarrabile tegmen. Hos inter comites implebat pocula sorbis Infelix puer, et sese reereabat ad ignem, “Evœ, {150a} BASSE,” fremens: dum velox præterit ætas; 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 nobis 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 Camenæ. Nocte dieque legas, cum 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; Classe 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 gods, 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 assemblage, 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.