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A Poetical Translation of the works of Horace

With the Original Text, and Critical Notes collected from his best Latin and French Commentators. By the Revd Mr. Philip Francis...The third edition
  

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Epode XVI. To the Romans.
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Epode XVI. To the Romans.

In endless, civil War, th'imperial State
By her own Strength precipitates her Fate.
What neighbouring Nations, fiercely leagu'd in Arms,
What Porsena, with insolent Alarms
Threatening her Tyrant Monarch to restore;
What Spartacus, and Capua's rival Power;
What Gaul, tumultuous and devoid of Truth,
And fierce Germania, with her blue-eyed Youth;
What Hannibal, on whose accursed Head
Our Sires their deepest Imprecations shed,
In vain attempted to her awful State,
Shall we, a Blood-devoted Race, compleat?

469

Again shall savage Beasts these Hills possess?
And fell Barbarians, wanton with Success,
Scatter our City's flaming Ruins wide,
Or through her Streets in vengeful Triumph ride,
And her great Founder's hallow'd Ashes spurn,
That sleep uninjur'd in their sacred Urn?
But some, perhaps, to shun the rising Shame
(Which Heaven approve) would try some happier Scheme.
As the Phocæans oft for Freedom bled,
At length, with imprecated Curses, fled,
And left to Boars and Wolves the sacred Fane,
And all their Houshold Gods, ador'd in vain,
So let us fly, as far as Earth extends,
Or where the vagrant Wind our Voyage bends.
Shall this, or shall some better Scheme prevail?
Why do we stop to hoist the willing Sail?
But let us swear, when floating Rocks shall gain,
Rais'd from the Deep, the Surface of the Main;
When lowly Po the Mountain-Summit laves,
And Apennine shall plunge beneath the Waves;
When Nature's Monsters meet in strange Delight,
And the fell Tygress shall with Stags unite;
When the fierce Kite shall wooe the willing Dove,
And win the Wanton with adulterous Love;

471

When Herds on brindled Lions fearless gaze,
And the smooth Goat exults in briny Seas,
Then, and then only, to the tempting Gale,
To spread repentant the returning Sail.
But to cut off our Hopes; those Hopes that charm
Our Fondness home, let Us with curses arm
These high Resolves. Thus let the Brave and Wise,
Whose Souls above th'indocile Vulgar rise;
And let the Croud, who dare not hope Success,
Inglorious, these ill-omen'd Seats possess.
But Ye, whom Virtue warms, indulge no more
These female Plaints, but quit this fated Shore;
For Earth-surrounding Sea our Flight awaits,
Offering its blissful Isles, and happy Seats,
Where annual Ceres crowns th'uncultur'd Field,
And Vines unprun'd their blushing Clusters yield;
Where Olives, faithful to their Season, grow,
And Figs with Nature's deepest Purple glow.
From hollow Oaks where honey'd Streams distill,
And bounds with noisy Foot the pebbled Rill;

473

Where Goats untaught forsake the flowery Vale,
And bring their swelling Udders to the Pail;
Nor evening Bears the Sheep-fold growl around,
Nor mining Vipers heave the tainted Ground;
Nor watry Eurus deluges the Plain,
Nor Heats excessive burn the springing Grain.
Not Argo thither turn'd her armed Head;
Medea there no magic Poison spread;
No Merchants thither plow the pathless Main,
For guilty Commerce, and a Thirst of Gain;
Nor wise Ulysses, and his wandering Bands,
Vicious, though brave, e'er knew these happy Lands.
O'er the glad Flocks no foul Contagion spreads,
Nor Summer Sun his burning Influence sheds.
Pure and unmix'd the World's first Ages roll'd,
But soon as Brass had stain'd the flowing Gold,
To Iron harden'd by succeeding Crimes,
Jove for the Just preserv'd these happy Climes,
To which the Gods this pious Race invite,
And bid me, raptur'd Bard, direct their Flight.