CARMEN XIV. AD REMPUBLICAM In this Ode, Horace is generally understood to address the republic, under the allegory of a weather-beaten ship. He entreats it to remain in the harbour of peace; and, considering its shattered condition, not again to expose itself to the waves of civil commotion. The time when this Ode was composed is supposed by some interpreters to be the year 722, when Antony and Octavianus were preparing for war; by others, to be the year B. C. 29, when Augustus deliberated with Agrippa and Maecenas, whether he should retain his sovereignty, or resign it, and restore the republic. O NAVIS, referent in mare te novi sud Nudum remigio latus Et mâlus celeri saucius Africo w Aequor? Non tibi sunt integra lintea, Silvae filia nobilis, Jactes et genus et nomen inutile; Nil pictis timidus navita puppibus 5 10 CARM. 14.-1. referunt, some Codd.-2. fluctus? some Codd.-4. latus? Bentl. conj. -6 and 8. gemant and possint, some Codd.-14. tumidus, Cod. Carm. 14.-1. navis, allegorically the vessel of the state, which shall again be exposed to the tempests of civil commotions (in consequence of the quarrel between Octavianus and Antonius, in B. C. 32 and 31, or after the battle of Actium, when Octavianus was doubtful whether or not he might remain head of the state, B. C. 29). 3. sq. vides ut, more expressively with the indicative gemunt and possunt, than in C. 1, 9, 1: vides ut stet (comp. Virg. A. 6, 780: viden' ut stant). 7. carinae, the plur. poetic. for the sing. of one ship (comp. Virg. A. 7, 364: Trojanas ad urbes). 10. dî, i. e. tutelary gods. 11. Pontica pinus, known as hard and durable. 12. nobilis, belonging to silvae (not to filia). Fidit. Tu, nisi ventis Debes ludibrium, cave. Nuper sollicitum quae mihi taedium, Vites aequora Cycladas. 15 20 CARMEN XV. NEREI VATICINIUM DE EXCIDIO TROIAE. Paris is represented as sailing through the Ægean towards Troy, carrying with him Helen, the wife of Menelaus, King of Sparta. The sea-god Nereus lulls the winds, and sings in the ear of the thoughtless youth the calamities which he was entailing upon himself and his country. Under the characters of Paris and Helen the poet is understood by many interpreters to shadow forth the history of Antony and Cleopatra, and the analogous disasters in which their guilty infatuation involved both Rome and themselves. PASTOR quum traheret per freta navibus Idaeis Helenen perfidus hospitam, Ingrato celeres obruit otio Ventos, ut caneret fera 6 Nereus fata. Malâ ducis avi domum, CARM. 15.-2. Helenam, some Codd. 15. tu, emphaticallywith the imperative cave, see above C. 1, 9, 16-nisi, &c., construe: tu cave, nisi debes ludibrium ventis, poetic. inst. of: tu cave ne debeas, &c. 16. debes ludibrium ventis, poetic. 'that you may not be doomed to be the sport of the winds' (imitation of the Greek ὁφλισκάνειν γέλωτα). 17. nuper, i. e. after the battle of Philippi-taedium, sc. fuisti. 18. nunc, sc. es non levis = sima, by Meiosis. gravis 19 and 20. construe: vites (= vita) aequora interfusa (= quae fluctuant inter) nitentes Cyclades, avoid the sea rolling between the glittering Cyclades' -nitentes, sc. niveo marmore (comp. Virg. A. 3, 126: nivea Paros). Carm. 15.-1. sq. construe: quum pastor perfidus traheret Helenen hospitam navibus Idaeis per freta, Nereus obruit, &c.-Pastor perfidus, i. c. Paris. 2. note the beautiful combination of the opposite words, perfidus hospitam, and the use of traheret = raperet, (the Greek ἕλκειν). 5. malá avi malo omine-ducis, sc. eam (mulierem) quam, &c. 6. multo milite, poetic. = multis militibus. 6 Conjurata tuas rumpere nuptias 'Heu heu, quantus equis, quantus adest viris 'Genti! Jam galeam Pallas et aegida 10 'Nequiquam Veneris praesidio ferox x 'Hastas et calami spicula Gnosii 'Non Laërtiaden, exitium tuae 'Gentis, non Pylium Nestora respicis? 'Teucer et Sthenelus sciens 'Pugnae, sive opus est imperitare equis, 15 20 25 9. Eheu, some Cod.-17. Cnosii, some Codd.-20. cultus.-22. gentis, some Codd. 7. conjurata, with the infin. rumpere, as sometimes also in classic prose (e. g. Sall. Catil. 52: Conjuravere patriam incendere). 12. rabiem, 'wrath,' poetic. regarded as a weapon (comp. Ov. M. 13, 543: Seque armat et instruit irâ). 13. nequiquam, &c., comp. Hom. II. 3, 54: Οὐκ ἄν του χραίσμη κίθαρις, τά τε δῶρο ̓Αφροδίτης, "Η τε κόμη, τὸ τε eidos, &c. 15. divides carmina feminis, poetic. cantabis modo huic modo illi feminae, (i. e. to Helen, her sisters, and other female relations). 18. celerem, poetic. with the infin. sequi, swift in the pursuit.' 19. Ajacem, sc. Oïei (not Telamonius), comp. Hom. II. 2, 527: 'Oïños Taxis Alas-serus, adj., instead of the adv. sero (comp. 0, 1, 2, 45: serus in coelum redeas). 22. genti, the dative chosen in preference to the genit. gentis (comp. Sil. 5, 460: exilium trepidis Sichaeus erat). 27. furit, poetic. with the infin. reperire, as above C. 1, 1, 8: certat tollere, and id. 34: refugit tendere. 28. melior = fortior, imitation of Hom. Il. 4, 405: Ημεῖς τοι πατέρων μέγ' αμείνονες εὐχόμεθ ̓ εἶναι. 'Quem tu, cervus uti vallis in altera 'Visum parte lupum graminis immemor, "Non hoc pollicitus tuae. 'Iracunda diem proferet Ilio 30 35 CARMEN XVI. PALINODIA. In this Ode, which is entitled Palinodia, Recantation, the poet entreats his mistress (supposed to be Tyndaris, daughter of Canidia) to destroy the bitter verses, which, in a fit of passion, he had written against her; depicts the overpowering effect of anger, and its fatal consequences; and implores her, now that he has read his apology, to restore him to her friendship and favour. O MATRE pulchrâ filia pulchrior, Sive mari libet Hadriano. Non Dindymene, non adytis quatit 5 35. Achaius, some Codd.-36. Pergameas some Codd. CARM. 16.-5. adyti, Hemsterhusius conj. 29 and 30. in altera parte vallis, 'on the opposite side of the valley.' 31. sublimi, the Greek μeтewpw, i. e. with raised, lifted head (in order to facilitate breathing)-mollis=ignavus, 'cowardly.' 32. tuae, sc. Helenae. 33 and 34. iracunda classis Achillei (genit.), poetic. circumlocution for 'the wrath of Achilles'-proferet = differet, 'will defer' (that day of destruction). Carm. 16.-2. construe: quemcumque modum voles (ponere) criminosis iambis (dative), pones-criminosis iambis - contumeliosis epodis, to my injurious iambics,' (epodes which the poet had formerly written against this young lady). 5. sq. sense: neither Dindymene (i. e. Cybele), nor Apollo, &c., agitates the mind, as does the power of gloomy anger-adytis, ablat. loci, belongs to quatit, he shakes in the sanctuary.' 6. incola, sc. adyti, to be taken from the preceding adytis. Compesce mentem: me quoque pectoris Fervor, et in celeres iambos Misit furentem; nunc ego mitibus Opprobriis animumque reddas. 8. si, Bentl. conj.-14. coactam, Bentl. conj. 25 = 7 and 8. geminant acuta aera, poetic. pulsant aerea cymbala, 'strike the shrill cymbals.' &c. (comp. Virg. A. 7, 553: stant belli causae). 20 and 21. imprimeret hostile ara12. tumultu, poetic. of the crashing trum, as sign of total destruction (comp. thunderbolt. 13 and 14. principi limo, i. e. to the clay of which he first formed mancoactus, 'forced' (by destiny). 15. et etiam. 16. stomacho, poetic. for cordi. 18. ultimae (= ab ultimo initio repetitae) causae stetêre (= exstiterunt), 'have become the primary cause why,' Prop. 3, 9, 41: Moenia Grajo Neptunia pressit aratro Victor). |