 | The odes, epodes and Carmen Seculare of Horace (1719) |  |
EPODE X.
When filthy Mævius hoists his Sail,
May all the luckless Pow'rs prevail;
May all the Winds awake from Sleep,
Muster that Day upon the Deep,
And all at once attack his Ship.
May all the luckless Pow'rs prevail;
May all the Winds awake from Sleep,
Muster that Day upon the Deep,
And all at once attack his Ship.
Let all the Eastern Tempests reign,
And the rough South invert the Main;
Crack every Cable, break each Oar,
And the loud North as fiercely roar,
As when the Mountains feel his Pow'r.
And the rough South invert the Main;
Crack every Cable, break each Oar,
And the loud North as fiercely roar,
As when the Mountains feel his Pow'r.
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Let no kind Lights, nor Moon appear,
But black Orion's stormy Star;
Let all the Billows rage and foam,
Bespread with Horror and with Gloom,
As when the Greeks were sailing Home.
But black Orion's stormy Star;
Let all the Billows rage and foam,
Bespread with Horror and with Gloom,
As when the Greeks were sailing Home.
When Pallas, cloy'd with Trojan Blood,
Her own Victorious Greeks pursu'd;
On Ajax who her Shrine prophan'd.
On Ajax and his impious Band,
Rain'd Terror with a vengeful Hand.
Her own Victorious Greeks pursu'd;
On Ajax who her Shrine prophan'd.
On Ajax and his impious Band,
Rain'd Terror with a vengeful Hand.
Let just such Winds and Waves pursue
That Coxcomb Mævius, and his Crew;
Whilst all his Ship-Mates toil and sweat,
Let him look pale, his Heart-strings beat,
And Female Shrieks the Gods intreat.
That Coxcomb Mævius, and his Crew;
Whilst all his Ship-Mates toil and sweat,
Let him look pale, his Heart-strings beat,
And Female Shrieks the Gods intreat.
But neither Cries nor Pray'rs shall move
The Tempests, or relentless Jove:
The Winds shall bear his Bark away,
Along the rough Iönian Bay,
To Rocks and Shelves expos'd a Prey.
The Tempests, or relentless Jove:
The Winds shall bear his Bark away,
Along the rough Iönian Bay,
To Rocks and Shelves expos'd a Prey.
Then, when the Sea-Birds on the Shore
His naked stinking Trunk devour,
Soon as the Winds grow mild and tame,
From me they may an Off'ring claim,
A lustful Goat, or tender Lamb.
His naked stinking Trunk devour,
Soon as the Winds grow mild and tame,
From me they may an Off'ring claim,
A lustful Goat, or tender Lamb.
| The odes, epodes and Carmen Seculare of Horace (1719) | |