CARMEN III. AD CAESAREM AUGUSTUM. Dated variously from A.U.c. 727 to 733. In this Ode, inscribed to Augustus, the poet extols the virtues of integrity, firmness of purpose, perseverance, and courage; and shows that, by the exercise of these virtues, Pollux, Hercules, and Bacchus, had achieved immortality, and obtained admission to the society of the gods. Romulus, as the founder, and Augustus, as the restorer of the city, owed their apotheosis also to the energy and decision of character which they had respectively displayed; and the goddess Juno herself, notwithstanding her inveterate enmity to Æneas and his descendants, is described as proposing to the gods in council that Romulus be admitted to Olympus, and enrolled in the rank of deities, on condition that no attempt should thereafter be made to rebuild the city, and restore the kingdom of Troy. JUSTUM et tenacem propositi virum Mente quatit solidâ, neque Auster, Dux inquieti turbidus Hadriae, Hac arte Pollux et vagus Hercules CARM. 3.-10. innisus and innixus, some Codd. 5 10 Carm. 3.-1. tenacem propositi= eum qui tenet propositum, constantem, of determined character, resolutely bent on his object.' Comp. the same sentiment in Cic. Leg. 9, 26: '(Tota constantia) magni cujusdam animi, atque ejus viri est, quem de susceptâ causâ propositâque sententiâ nulla contumelia, nulla vis, nullum periculum possit depellere.' 2. ardor, poetic. for furor, furibunda cupiditas jubentium, according to the usual term 'jubet populus, censet senatus.' 4. non quatit, sc. justum virum (from v. 1). 5. dux Hadriae, the ruler of the Adriatic (comp. above C. 2, 17, 19: tyrannus Hesperiae Capricornus undae; and C. 1, 3, 15: rabiem Noti, Quo non arbiter Hadriae Major). 6. magna, poetic. = valida, 'mighty.' 7. si illabatur orbis, poetic. = si coelum ruat, 'should the world fall in ruins.' 9. hac arte, poetic. hac virtute, 'by this virtue, excellence.' 10. arces igneas, poetic. coelum stel Quos inter Augustus recumbens Hac te merentem, Bacche pater, tuae Collo trahentes, hac Quirinus Gratum elocuta consiliantibus 'Et mulier peregrina vertit 'In pulverem, ex quo destituit deos 'Mercede pactâ Laomedon, mihi 'Castaeque damnatum Minervae 'Cum populo et duce fraudulento. 'Jam nec Lacaenae splendet adulterae 'Famosus hospes, nec Priami domus Perjura pugnaces Achivos 'Hectoreis opibus refringit, 15 20 25 latum et aethere cinctum, 'the fiery, starry citadel' (of heaven). 11. quos inter, Anastrophe, = inter quos (comp. above C. 1, 2, 34: quam circum). 12. orelabro (not vultu)-bibit (not bibet), as it were, already in his lifetime enjoying divine honours. 13. hac, sc. arte (from v. 9)-pater, usual epithet of the gods (comp. thus of Bacchus below Ep. 2, 1, 5: Liber pater, and Virg. G. 2, 4: pater o Lenaee). 15. collo, poetic. for the plur. collis (as joined together under the same yoke). 17. gratum, accus. neutr. objecti, be longing to consiliantibus, Juno having uttered what was agreeable to the deliberating gods.' 19. judex, i. e. Paris. 21. destituit deos, i. e. 'has defrauded the gods (Apollo and Neptune) of their stipulated reward' (for having assisted him in building the walls of Troy). 23. mihi (= a me) damnatum, sc. Ilion. 24. duce fraudulento, i. e. Laomedonte. 25 and 26. construe: famosus hospes Lacaenae adulterae (genit.) 28. refringit, pcetic. = frangendo reprimit, retundit, breaks, destroys.' 29. ductum productum, 'protract = 'Aurum irrepertum et sic melius situm, 32. Troia, Bentl.-34. discere, some Codd. 35 40 45 50 (comp. C. 3, 17, 9: late tyrannus). 48. tumidus, 'swollen,' i. e. overflowing. 50. fortior (sc. Roma or Romanus) poetic. with the infin. spernere quam cogere (aurum irrepertum), with spirit enough to spurn rather than to gather gold,' &c. 51 and 52. construe: dextrâ rapiente omne sacrum in humanos usus,' with a right hand appropriating all sacred objects (and, among them, gold) for human purposes." Trojae renascens alite lugubri 'Ter si resurgat murus aheneus 6 Capta virum puerosque ploret.' Non hoc jocosae conveniet lyrae: Magna modis tenuare parvis. 53. quacumque, Bentl. conj.-54. tanget, some Codd.—55. debacchantur, Cod. Turicens. 66. ductore, some Codd. 53. obstitit, aoristically, i. e. a primis temporibus obstitit et nunc quoque obstat, finem ponit mundo (dative = orbi terrarum). 54. hunc, sc. terminum. 56. rores, like the Greek Spóσos, poetic. in general of every kind of moisture (comp. below C. 3, 4, 61: Apollo, qui rore puro Castaliae lavit). 58. hac lege, poetic. hac condicione --nimium pii, sc. in patriam Trojam. 61. sq. construe: Fortuna Trojae renascens ( fortuna Trojae renascentis) alite lugubri (= malâ avi) iterabitur tristi clade (= Troja iterum delebitur). 63. sq. construe: me, conjuge et sorore Jovis, ducente victrices catervasvictrices, i. e. quae semel jam vicerunt et iterum vincent-conjuge, &c., expres 55 60 65 70 CARMEN IV. AD CALLIOPEN. This Ode, though nominally addressed to Calliope, is in reality a panegyric of Augustus. Its entire scope and meaning are admirably exhibited in the condensed paraphrase by Orellius: "The Muses, to whom I also am indebted for the greatest benefits, not only afford us pleasure, but improve and refine our characters, and in this way become our pleasing instructresses in moderation and wisdom; of which virtues, in particular, Augustus, the pacifier of the Roman empire, and likewise a sincere lover of the Muses, presents to us a signal example. The Muses, on the other hand, and all minds thoroughly trained by liberal culture, are as far averse as possible from a savage abuse of strength, and from tyranny, and every kind of misdeed or outrage, to which barbarism is wont to impel men." Having displayed consummate dexterity in citing, as a living witness of this truth, the Emperor Augustus himself, who was formerly inclined to cruelty, the poet so praises self-command and clemency, when combined with the earnest study of liberal accomplishments, as to show that, in these qualities, the highest merit and real power of a great ruler consist. DESCENDE Coelo et dic age tibiâ Auditis, an me ludit amabilis Quos et aquae subeunt et aurae. Me fabulosae Vulture in Appulo CARM. 4.-4. citharave, some Codd.-10. nutricis, some Codd. 5 10 Carm. 4.-2. regina, so called as deity. 4. fidibus citharâque, poetic. for fidibus citharae; on fides and cithara as stringed instruments, see Excurs. ii. to C. 1, 1. 5. auditis? sc. Musam or cantum Musae amabilis insania, i. e. gratus furor poeticus, the poetical enthusiasm, inspiration, 'pleasing phrensy'-audire, &c., construe: videor (mihi) audire (eam), et errare per pios lucos. 6. pios per lucos, i. e. sacras Musarum sedes. 8. aquae = rivuli, fontes. 9. sq., the same prodigy was related of Stesichorus, Pindar, Aeschylus and Plato. 10. altricis, poetic. for native.' |