 | The odes, epodes and Carmen Seculare of Horace (1719) |  |
ODE XXXV. To Fortune.
Dread Queen! whom num'rous Slaves adore,
Whose strong Almighty Arm can save,
And raise the prostrate Wretch to Wealth and Pow'r,
Or change a stately Triumph to a gloomy Grave:
Whose strong Almighty Arm can save,
And raise the prostrate Wretch to Wealth and Pow'r,
Or change a stately Triumph to a gloomy Grave:
The haughty Rich and humble Poor
Thy Empire own, thy Aid implore;
The Sailor and the Farmer bend to thee,
They who invert the Glebe, and they who plow the Sea.
Thy Empire own, thy Aid implore;
The Sailor and the Farmer bend to thee,
They who invert the Glebe, and they who plow the Sea.
The Cities, Kingdoms, Nations fear,
The barb'rous World, and Potent Rome;
Thee haughty Dames, and Mother Queens revere,
And purpled Tyranny from thee expects its Doom.
The barb'rous World, and Potent Rome;
Thee haughty Dames, and Mother Queens revere,
And purpled Tyranny from thee expects its Doom.
Thou in thy Anger can'st o'erthrow,
And lay the stately Column low:
Or push the mad tumultuous Rabble on,
To shake a well-built State, or overturn a Throne.
And lay the stately Column low:
Or push the mad tumultuous Rabble on,
To shake a well-built State, or overturn a Throne.
Where-e'er thou lead'st thy awful Train,
Necessity still stalks before:
Whose brazen Hands the Hook and Nails retain,
The Plummet and the Wedge, the Emblems of her Pow'r.
Necessity still stalks before:
Whose brazen Hands the Hook and Nails retain,
The Plummet and the Wedge, the Emblems of her Pow'r.
32
Fidelity in white Array,
And eager Hope still guard thy Way;
Though thou take Wing, and change thy fickle Mind,
Fidelity stands firm, and always stays behind.
And eager Hope still guard thy Way;
Though thou take Wing, and change thy fickle Mind,
Fidelity stands firm, and always stays behind.
The faithless Mob and perjur'd Whore
Retire, as soon as thou art flown;
Not one true Friend stays to assist the Poor:
All shun the needy Wretch, when his last Cask is run.
Retire, as soon as thou art flown;
Not one true Friend stays to assist the Poor:
All shun the needy Wretch, when his last Cask is run.
O mighty Queen! propitious smile
On Cæsar, bound for Britain's Isle:
And make those gallant Roman Troops thy Care,
Who to the distant East their Conqu'ring Banners bear.
On Cæsar, bound for Britain's Isle:
And make those gallant Roman Troops thy Care,
Who to the distant East their Conqu'ring Banners bear.
When shall we have our fill of Blood?
Or when enjoy the Sweets of Peace?
A vile degen'rate Age, averse to Good!
When will our publick Crimes, and sad Disorders cease?
Or when enjoy the Sweets of Peace?
A vile degen'rate Age, averse to Good!
When will our publick Crimes, and sad Disorders cease?
What Pow'r or Vengeance have we fear'd?
What God, or Shrine, or Altar spar'd?
Be kind, great Goddess! save our sinking State,
And turn thy Rage and Arms upon the Men we hate.
What God, or Shrine, or Altar spar'd?
Be kind, great Goddess! save our sinking State,
And turn thy Rage and Arms upon the Men we hate.
| The odes, epodes and Carmen Seculare of Horace (1719) | |