properantis in casum die
Mutationes indicat:
Noctisque signat linea labentium
Cæcos progressus temporum;
Dum sempiternis terra, quæ cunctos tegit,
Corpus tenebris obruat.
Fabella tristis — gaudia heu! fugacia,
Longos dolores continet:
Cui scena mundus, prologus, actus, lacrymæ,
Spes vana, diversi metus:
Aulæa tandem spiritu exhausto ruunt,
Mors sola dicit "Plaudite!"
En Enfantem recens natum Epitaphium.
LÆDERE quam vitii labes, quam marcida posset
Cura, salutarem Mors tulit ante manum:
Hoc tenerum in cœlos traduxit germen, ut illic
Panderet in tuto flos decus omne solo.
BEFORE the starry threshold of Jove's court
My mansion is, where those immortal shapes
Of bright aërial spirits live insphered
In regions mild of calm and serene air,
Above the smoke and stir of this dim spot,
Which men call earth; and, with low-thoughted care,
Confined and pestered in this pinfold here
Strive to keep up a frail and feverish being;
Unmindful of the crown that Virtue gives,
After this mortal change, to her true servants,
Amongst the enthroned Gods on sainted seats!
FEAR no more the heat o' the sun,
Nor the furious winter's rages;
Thou thy worldly task hast done,
Home art gone, and ta'en thy wages:
Golden lads and girls all must,
As chimney-sweepers, come to dust.
Fear no more the frown o' the great,
Thou art past the tyrant's stroke;
Care no more to clothe, and eat;
To thee the reed is as the oak :
The sceptre, learning, physic, must
All follow this, and come to dust.
ΖΗΝΟΣ παρ ̓ αὐλῆς ἀστερωπὸν εἴσοδον ναίω, φαειναὶ δαιμόνων ἵν ̓ ἀφθίτων οἰκοῦσι μορφαὶ λευκὸν εὐδίας κύκλον, χώρας ἀφεγγοῦς τῆσδε λιγνύος θ ̓ ὕπερ θορύβου τ', ἐλεινοῖς γῆς καλουμένης βροτοῖς· ταπεινὰ δὴ φρονοῦντες οἳ τεθλιμμένοι
τοιῷδ ̓ ἐν ἕρκει, δυσφόρῳ προθυμία
λυπηρὸν ἐκτείνουσιν ἀσθενῆ βίον
στέφανον παρέντες οἷον ̔Αρέτη φθορᾶς
ἀπαλλαγεῖσι γνησίοις ὑπηρέταις
δίδωσιν αὑτῆς, εὐθρόνων θεῶν μέτα ἕδραις ἐφ ̓ ἁγναῖς ἀξίως ἱδρυμένοις.
URAT agros æstus, cœlo furat ira procellæ
Non tibi sol ardet, non tibi sævit hyems;
Factum opus in terris, requies inventa laborum,
Vesper adest, merces reddita, parta domus :
Aureus in cineres æque puer, aurea virgo
Vertitur, ac parvæ sordida turba casæ.
Irati nunquam gladios et flagra tyranni,
Nec procerum fastus verbaque dura tremes; Nil procera levi tibi distat arundine quercus ; Veste nec arcenda est bruma, ciboque fames : Imperium, fasces, doctrina, ars ipsa medendi, Non alia fiunt pulvis et umbra via.
Fear no more the lightning-flash,
Nor the all-dreaded thunder-stone;
Fear not slander, censure rash ;
Thou hast finished joy and moan.
I LOVED thee beautiful and kind,
And plighted an eternal vow:
So altered are thy face and mind,
'T were perjury to love thee now.
Epigram of Simmias the Theban.
WIND, gentle evergreen, to form a shade
Around the tomb where Sophocles is laid:
Sweet ivy, wind thy boughs to intertwine
With blushing roses and the clustering vine:
Thus will thy lasting leaves, with beauties hung,
Prove grateful emblems of the lays he sung,
Whose soul exalted by the God of wit,
Among the Muses and the Graces writ.
Non tibi nunc rutili metuentur fulguris ignes,
Non fragor et summi tela tremenda Jovis ;
Verbera nec falsæ noceant temeraria linguæ ;
Hic tibi lætitiæ tristitiæque modus.
PULCRÆ olim et facili nostrum tibi, Lesbia, amorem
Jurabam longum perpetuumque fore:
Nunc tam mutatæ tibi si servire tulissem,
Non servata esset, sed mea rupta fides.
FUNDITE serpenti virides hic fronde corymbos,
Vos, hedera! doctis præmia nota comis:
Sæpe Sophocleis quondam data serta capillis,
Cingite nunc sacri molliter ossa viri.
Suave rubens passim sociis rosa floribus halet,
Flexilis et densas pampinus addat opes:
Quippe parem facili spirabat ab ore decorem,
Perpetuus Charitum Pieridumque comes.
|