IV.
[By “Campus,” and by “Areæ,” my Friends]
“Nunc et
Campus
et
Areæ,
Lenesque sub noctem susurri
Compositâ repetantur horâ.
—Lib. i. Od. 9, vv. 18–20.
Now let both the Campus Martius, and the open squares, and soft
whispers be resorted to again, at the hour of assignation.”
I
By “Campus,” and by “Areæ,” my Friends,
The Question is, what Horace here intends?
For such Expression with the current Style
Of this whole Ode is hard to reconcile;
Nay, notwithstanding critical Pretence,
Or I mistake, or it can have no Sense.
II
The Ode, you find, proceeding to relate
A Winter's Frost in its severest State,
Calls out for Fire, and Wine, and Loves, and Dance,
And all that Horace rambles to enhance;
But how can this fair-Weather Phrase belong
To such a wintry, saturnalian Song?
III
A learned Frenchman quotes these very Lines
As really difficult; and thus refines:
“We use these Words,” says Monsieur Sanadon,
“For nightly Meetings, hors de la Maison;
“But 'tis ridiculous, in Frost and Snow
“Of keenest Kind, that Horace should do so.”
IV
Right, Monsieur, right; such incoherent Stuff
Is here, no Doubt, ridiculous enough.
The Campus Martius, and its active Scenes,
Which Commentators say th' Expression means,
Have here no Place; nor can they be akin
To Scenes not laid without Doors, but within.
V
“‘Nunc’ must refer,” proceeds the French Remark,
“To ‘Donec—Puer,’ Age of Taliarque;
“Not to the Frost, for which the Bard, before,
“Design'd the two first Strophes, and no more;
“As Commentators rightly should have taught,
“Or inattentive Readers else are caught.”
VI
Now “inattentive” Critics too, I say,
Are caught, sometimes, in their dogmatic Way.
United here, we must divide, forsooth,
The Time of Winter from the Time of Youth,
When all Expressions of Horatian Growth
Do, in this Ode, 'tis plain, refer to both!
VII
Youthful th' Amusements, and for frosty Week;
From drinking, dancing, down to hide and seek;
But “Campus” comes, and “Areæ,” between,
By a Mistake too big for any Screen;
And how nonsensically join'd with Lispers,
“By Assignation met,” of “nightly Whispers”!
VIII
Strange, how Interpreters retail the Farce,
That “Campus” here should mean “the Field of Mars”!
When in their Task they must have just read o'er
Contrast to this, the very Ode before;
Where ev'ry manly Exercise disclos'd
To Love's Effeminacy stands oppos'd.
IX
In this, no thought of any Field on Earth,
But warm Fire-side and Roman Winter's Mirth;
No thought of any but domestic “Ring,”
Where all Decembrian Customs took their Swing,
And where—but come, that Matter we'll suppress;
There should be something for Cantábs to guess!
X
I'll ask anon, from what has now been said,
If Emendation pops into your Head;
Or if you'll teach me how to comprehend
That all is right, and Nothing here to mend.—
Come, sharpen up your Latin Wits a bit;
What are they good for else, these Odes that Horace writ?
