Ode xviii. The fourth ftanza of this tranflation presents an example of elegance which cannot be exceeded : "Non ego te, candide Baffareu, "Invitam quatiam; nec variis obfita frondibus, "No, gentle godhead, friend to peace and love, "And drag thy myfteries to unhallow'd light." Ode xxiii. The fpirit of this ode is well preferved by the tranflator, who here approaches very nearly to the excellence of his original. Ode xxiv. and xxv. Upon these two tranflations, we can pafs our unqualified commendations, for the different and oppofite graces they contain, of tenderness and gaiety. Ode xxix. The last stanza of this ode is rather paraphrased than tranflated: "Cum tu coemptos undique nobiles "Libros Panæti, Socraticam et domum, "Pollicitus meliora, tendis.” "Since thou, once lur'd by wisdom's charms, "Exchange grave looks for burnish'd arms, Ode xxiv. Mr. B. in his notes upon this ode, appears to be uncertain as to its tendency, and the impreffion under which the author wrote it. The most obvious interpretation which can be put upon it, is this: Horace, occupied in the grateful purfuits recommended by his mafter Epicurus, and bloated with the conceit of philofophy, fuffers his religion to be for a while lulled afleep, nor are its flumbers broken but by an extraordinary appearance in nature : Namque Diefpiter "Igni corufco nubila dividens "Egit equos, volucremque currum." This phenomenon awakens in him a fenfe of the existence of fome mafter higher than Epicurus; and, with the weakness and unfteadiness of heathen theology, he flies from Epicurean security, to blind and fuperftitious fear. Mr. B. calls this one probably of Horace's fits of ftoicifm." It may, perhaps, more Gg 4 properly properly be called one of his fits of religion-irregular, indeed, in its attack, and not very lafting in its effects. The diftinction which Horace every where obferves between folemn and lighter fubjects, prevents our thinking for a moment that the fubject of this ode is ludicrous, or ironical, Ŏde xxxv. This beautiful ode contains a paffage, which excited a doubt in the mind of Dr. Bentley as to its meaning; in the tranflation of which our author profeffes to aim at eluding "a difficulty he could not folve." The paffage in question is this (addreffed to fortune): "Te Spes, et albo rara Fides colit "Velata panno, nec comitem abnegat 66 "Vefte domos inimica linquis." The whole difficulty feems to have arifen from fuppofing the fenfe to be" nec fe comitem abnegat tibi;" whereas comitem is put abfolutely, and implies companion to the objects of Fortune's power, as is plain by the contrast in the next ftanza. Baxter fays, Bentley was very blind in not feeing this. Gefner explains it rightly: "nec fe comitem abnegat fortuna ami corum;" but "comitem amicis fuis," would have been clearer. BOOK II. Ode i. In tranflating" atrocem animum Catonis," in a favourable fenfe, Mr. B. is certainly right :-that atrax fometimes is a complimentary epithet, there is proof positive in ode xv. lib. i. Ecce furit te reperire atrox "Tydides melior patre." In ode ii. occurs an erratum, Pharates for Phraates. Ode iii. This ode is more to be admired for the elegance with which the poet invites his friend Dellius to enjoy, while he can, the pleasures of life, than to be valued for any moral precepts it contains. Francis has contrived, with more art, to to introduce the "moriture Delli," at the close of the first ftanza (as in the original), which Mr. B. has placed at the opening of the fecond: "Huc vina," &c. is tranflated by Mr. B. "There bring thy wine." Dr. Francis, with more propriety, fays," Here pour thy wines." Upon reviewing the comparative merits of the two tranflations, throughout the whole of this ode, we cannot but give the preference to that of Francis. Ode vi. The tranflation of this beautiful ode cannot be too warmly commended, particularly this last stanza ; "Thefe "These bleft abodes, these chofen bowers, Ode vii. Note (g) on this ode retails an abfurdity of Dacier's, unworthy of notice. Ode viii. Mr. Bofcawen doubts about the meaning of "tua ne retardet aura maritos." Without interpreting aura, brightness or fplendor, from the aura auri" of Virgil, without changing the paffage with Dr. Forfter into "tua ne retardent ora maritos, or fubftituting cura for aura with Dr. Bentley, we shall, perhaps, do full justice to the poet's meaning, if we render it attraction. Wernsdorf, in his Poetæ Minores Latini (vol. v. p. 41 2), adopts Gefner's interpretation, which we reject, without fcruple, as improper and indelicate; but he gives a general interpretation of the word, which well agrees with our fuggef tion: "Aura generatim dici poetis folet, quicquid fenfu aliquo tenui, vifu, odore, auditu, quafi levi afflatu percipitur." Thus Claudian fays of the magnet, expressly: &c. "The attraction of the magnet marries the iron to it." Mr. B. obferves in note (a), upon. 1. 2. aut mare Cafpium," &c. that "the Cafoian fea was deemed very subject to ftorms; but Horace, perhaps, puts this fea for feas in general," The Cafpian fea is put by Horace not for feas in general, but for ftormy feas in general: "The Cafpian fea (fays he) which is ufually ftormy, is yet fometimes free from ftorms." To have faid of feas in general, that they are sometimes free from ftorms, would have been a dulness of which Horace cannot easily be convicted. Milton has made fimilar mention of the Cafpian fea, in a paffage of unparalleled fublimity, wherein he describes the meeting between Death and Satan ; "Each at his head "Level'd his deadly aim; their fatal hands * To join the dark encounter in mid air." Par. Loft, book. ii. Ode Ode xii. Of the two tranflations of this ode here given, we prefer the latter. Odes xvi. xix. xx. are particularly entitled to our commendation. BOOK III. Mr. B. retains the ftanza beginning with " odi profanum vulgus," as the proper introduction to the firft ode of this book, in which we shall agree with him, till better reasons than those of Père Sanadon are found for removing it to the opening of the Carmen Seculare. We acknowledge, that it appears no improper introduction to the Carmen Seculare; but a critic fhould not prefume to remove it, without the authority of MSS. from a fituation in which it is properly placed, merely because another fituation would not be improper. For though Scaliger obferves that this stanza is at present out of its place, we cannot think that it unaptly calls the attention of Horace's readers to the third book of his odes; a collection of poems, laboured by their author with unusual attention. The phrafe of " carmina non prius audita," &c. is hyperbolical, like "Sublimi feriam fidera vertice." Ode i. b. 4. and in ode ix. b. 4: "Non ante vulgatas per artes "Verba loquor focianda chordis.” Ode iii. The remark immediately following this ode, and tending to illuftrate the fubject of it, is very juft, and very valuable. We fhall give it as a fpecimen of the notes: "This ode, Dr. Johnfon obferves, "could, for many ages, please "only by fplendid images and fwelling language, till Le Fêvre, by "fhewing on what occafion it was written, changed wonder into rational delight." Adventurer, No. 58. "Criticism may, indeed, juftly boaft of Le Fêvre's conjecture, which is founded, at leaft, on ftrong probability, and is the only mode yet devised by which one of the moft fublime compofitions of Horace can be rendered clear and interefting. The hypothefis of Le Fêvre is grounded on a paffage of Suetonius, who fays, that " a fhort time before Julius Cæfar's death, a ftrong report prevailed, that he intended to remove the feat of empire to Alexandria, or Troy, having transferred thither all the wealth of the empire, and exhaufted Italy by levies of men." As the Julian family prided themselves much on their fuppofed defcent from Iulus, the fon of Eneas, it feemed probable that Troy would have been the object of his preference. No ftep could have been more unpopular at Rome, or more likely to accelerate the decline of the empire, as was afterwards proved on the removal of the feat of government to Conftantinople. 66 Auguftus Auguftus having been adopted into the Julian family, and become heir to Julius Cæfar, it is therefore probable, that fimilar apprehenfions might be entertained of him as foon as he was fixed in the fupreme power. Upon these premifes Le Fêvre's ingenious conjecture is founded. Sanadon has added from Strabo fome circumftances to fupport it, namely, that both Julius and Auguftus Cæfar fhewed a ftrong partiality for Troy; the former rebuilt it, the latter fent a colony there, and both endowed it with great privileges: Auguftus even restored to the Trojans a fine ftatue of Ajax, which had been taken from them by Antony. These circumftances, combined with the internal evidence of the ode itself, have satisfied most of the readers and admirers of Horace. To be fatisfied, in such a cafe, is to be pleased; and one cannot be furprized at Dacier's exultation at the happy conjecture of his father-in-law, who, he intimates, deferves as much praife for illuftrating this ode, as Horace has acquired by compofing it. "The explication which Maffon would fubftitute for this of Le Fêvre, is improboble in itfelf, and irrelative to by far the greater part of the ode. Baxter's is ftill more abfurd. "Every reader of English poetry must be acquainted with the fine translation, or rather paraphrase, of this ode by Addison.” Ode v. Mr. B. in note (e) accuses Horace of a feeming anachronifm, from which however he immediately and properly clears him in the fame note. This is raising difficulties for the purpose of fubduing them, but it obviates what might occur to fome minds as an objection. Ode vi. We do not hesitate to affert that Johnson's remark contained in note (e) must be just, in opposition to the tranflator's objection which follows it. Ode ix. is an admirable translation of one of the most admired odes. The French Tranflation fubjoined is commended by the author of the Effay on Tranflation, (Mr. Tytler,) as a perfect model. Odes xii. xiii. are distinguished inftances of faithful and elegant tranflation-we fhall extract the latter. |