Hic magna fretus mole, imparibusque lacertis
Confifus, gracili jactat convitia vulgo,
Et crebro folvit, lepidum caput, ora cachinno.
Quanquam res agitur folenni feria pompa,
Spernit follicitum intractabilis ille tumultum,
Et rifu importunus adest, atque omnia turbat.
Nec raro invadit molles, pictamque protervo
Ore petit nympham, invitoque dat ofcula ligno.
Sed comitum vulgus diverfis membra fatigant
Ludis, et vario lafcivit mobile faltu.
Saepe etiam gemmis rutila, et fpectabilis auro,
Lignea gens prodit, nitidifque fuperbit in oftris.
Nam, quoties feftam celebrat fub imagine lucem,
'Ordine compofito nympharum incedit honestum
Agmen, et exigui proceres, parvique quirites.
Pygmæos credas pofitis mitefcere bellis,
Jamque, infenfa gruum temnentes prælia, tutos
Indulgere jocis, tenerifque vacare choreis.
Tales, cum medio labuntur fidera cœlo,
Parvi fubfiliunt lemures, populufque pufillus
Feftivos, rediens fua per veftigia, gyros
Ducit, et auguftum crebro pede pulfitat orbem.
Mane patent greffus; hic fuccos terra feraces
Concipit, in multam pubentia gramina furgunt
Luxuriem, tenerifque virefcit circulus hèrbis.
At non tranquillas nulla abdunt nubila luces,
Sæpe gravi furgunt bella, horrida bella tumultu.
Arma cient truculenta cohors, placidamque quietem
Dirumpunt pugnæ; ufque adeo infincera voluptas
Omnibus, et miftæ caftigant gaudia curæ.
Jam gladii, tubulique ingefto fulphure foeti
Protenfæque haftæ, fulgentiaque arma, minæque Telorum ingentes fubeunt; dant clauftra fragorem Horrendum, ruptæ ftridente bitumine chartæ Confufos reddunt crepitus, et fibila mifcent. Sternitur omne folum pereuntibus; undique cæfæ Apparent turmæ, civilis crimina belli.
Sed poftquam infanus pugnæ deferbuit æstus, `
Exuerintque truces animos, jam marte fugato,
Diverfas repetunt artes, curafque priores.
Nec raro prifci heroes, quos pagina facra
Suggerit, atque olim peperit felicior ætas,
Hic parva redeunt fpecie. Cano ordine cernas
Antiquos prodire, agmen venerabile, patres.
Rugis fulcantur vultus, prolixaque barbæ
Canities mento pendet: fic tarda fenectus
Tithonum minuit, cum moles tota cicadam
Induit, in gracilem fenfin collecta figuram.
Nunc tamen unde genus ducat, quæ dextra latentes
Suppeditet vires, quem pofcat turba moventem,
Expediam. Truncos opifex et inutile lignum
Cogit in humanas fpecies, et robore natam
Progeniem telo efformat, nexuque tenaci
Crura ligat pedibus, humerifque accommodat armos,
Et membris membra aptat, et artubus infuit artus.
Tunc habiles addit trochleas, quibus arte pufillum
Verfat onus, molique manu famulatus inerti
Sufficit occultos motus, vocemque ministrat.
His ftructa auxiliis jam machina tota peritos
Oftendit fulcos, duri et veftigia ferri :
Hinc falit, atque agili fe fublevat incita motu,
Vocefque emittit tenues, et non fua verba.
SACRE THEORIE TELLURIS AUCTOREM.
'ON ufitatum carminis alitem,
Burnette, pofcis, non humiles modos: Vulgare plectrum, languidæque
Refpuis officium camœnae.
Tu mixta rerum femina confcius,
Molemque cernis diffociabilem,
Terramque concretam, et latentem
Oceanum gremio capaci:
Dum veritatem quærere pertinax
Ignota pandis, follicitus parum
Utcunque ftet commune vulgi
Arbitrium et popularis error.
Auditur ingens continuo fragor,
Illapfa tellus lubrica deferit
Fundamina, et compage fracta
Suppofitas gravis urget undas.
Impulfus erumpit medius liquor,
Terras aquarum effufa licentia
Claudit viciffim; has inter orbæ
Relliquiae fluitant prioris.
Nunc et reclufo carcere lucidam
Balena fpectat folis imaginem,
Stellafque miratur nutantes,
Et tremulæ fimulacra lunæ.
Quæ pompa vocum non imitabilis !
Qualis calefcit fpiritus ingenî!
Ut tollis undas! ut frementem
Diluvii reprimis tumultum !
Quis tam valenti pectore ferreus
Ut non tremiscens et timido pede
Incedat, orbis dum dolofi
Detegis inftabiles ruinas ?
Quin hæc cadentum fragmina montium
Natura vultum fumere fimplicem
Coget refingens, in priorem
Mox iterum reditura formam.
Nimbis rubentem fulphureis Jovem
Cernas; ut udis fævit atrox hyems
Incendiis, commune mundo
Et populis meditata buftum !
Nudus liquentes plorat Athos nives,
Et mox liquefcens ipfe adamantinum
Fundit cacumen, dum per imas
Saxa fluunt refoluta valles.
Jamque alta cœli moenia corruunt,
Et veftra tandem pagina (proh nefas !)
Burnette, veftra augebit ignes,
Heu focio perituro mundo.
Mox æqua tellus, mox fubitus viror
Ubique rident: En teretem globum !
En læta vernantes Favonî
Flamina, perpetuofque flores!
O pectus ingens! O animum gravem,
Mundi capacem! fi bonus auguror,
Te, noftra quo tellus fuperbit,
Accipiet renovata civem.
HORACE, Book III. ODE III.
Auguftus had a defign to rebuild Troy and make it the metropolis of the Roman empire, having clofeted feveral fenators on the project: Horace is fupposed to have written the following ode on this occafion.
◄HE man resolv'd and steady to his trust,
Inflexible to ill, and obftinately juft,
May the rude rabble's infolence despise,
Their fenfelefs clamours and tumultuous cries;
The tyrant's fiercenefs he beguiles,
And the ftern brow, and the harsh voice defies,
And with fuperior greatness smiles.
Not the rough whirlwind, that deforms,
Adria's black gulf, and vexes it with storms,
The ftubborn virtue of his foul can move;
Nor the red arm of angry Jove,
That flings the thunder from the sky,
And gives it rage to roar, and strength to fly.
Should the whole frame of nature round him break,`
In ruin and confufion hurl'd.
He, unconcern'd, would hear the mighty crack,
And ftand fecure amidst a falling world.
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