Our youth, less numerous by the vices of their fathers, shall hear of the citizens having whetted that sword, with which it had been better that the formidable Persians had fallen they shall hear of engagements. We have seen the yellow Tiber, with his waves forced back with violence from the Tuscan shore, proceed to demolish the monuments of king, and the temples of Vesta while he vaunts himself the avenger of the too disconsolate Ilia, and the uxorious river, leaving his channel, overflows his left bank, notwithstanding the disapprobation of Jupiter.
But, if you rank me among the lyric poets, I shall tower to the stars with my exalted head.Įnough of snow and dreadful hail has the Sire now sent upon the earth, and having hurled with his red right hand against the sacred towers, he has terrified the city he has terrified the nations, lest the grievous age of Pyrrha, complaining of prodigies till then unheard of, should return, when Proteus drove all his herd to visit the lofty mountains and the fishy race were entangled in the elm top, which before was the frequented seat of doves and the timorous deer swam in the overwhelming flood. Ivy, the reward of learned brows, equals me with the gods above: the cool grove, and the light dances of nymphs and satyrs, distinguish me from the crowd if neither Euterpe withholds her pipe, nor Polyhymnia disdains to tune the Lesbian lyre. The huntsman, unmindful of his tender spouse, remains in the cold air, whether a hart is held in view by his faithful hounds, or a Marsian boar has broken the fine-wrought toils. The camp, and the sound of the trumpet mingled with that of the clarion, and wars detested by mothers, rejoice many.
There is another, who despises not cups of old Massic, taking a part from the entire day, one while stretched under the green arbute, another at the placid head of some sacred stream. The merchant, dreading the south-west wind contending with the Icarian waves, commends tranquility and the rural retirement of his village but soon after, incapable of being taught to bear poverty, he refits his shattered vessel. This man, if a crowd of the capricious Quirites strive to raise him to the highest dignities another, if he has stored up in his own granary whatsoever is swept from the Libyan thrashing floors: him who delights to cut with the hoe his patrimonial fields, you could never tempt, for all the wealth of Attalus, a timorous sailor and cross the Myrtoan sea in a Cyprian bark. Maecenas, descended from royal ancestors, O both my protection and my darling honor! There are those whom it delights to have collected Olympic dust in the chariot race and the goal nicely avoided by the glowing wheels, and the noble palm, exalts, lords of the earth, to the gods.
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