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Cerva plagis, erit ille fortis,
Qui perfidis se credidit hostibus.

When the fair fleece imbibes the dyer's stain,
Its native colour lost it never shall regain,

And valour, failing in the soldier's breast, Scorns to resume what cowardice possess'd. When from toils escaped the hind shall turn Fierce on her hunters, he the prostrate foe may spurn

In second fight, who felt the fetters bind

His arms enslaved; who tamely hath resign'd His sword unstain'd with blood; who might have died, Yet on a faithless foe, with abject soul, relied.

EVILS OF LIFE.

Od. iii. 6. 19.

Hoc fonte derivata clades

In patriam populumque fluxit.
From whence the woes,

That various and unnumber'd rose

From this polluted fountain-head,

O'er Rome and o'er the nations spread.

MANKIND BECOME MORE DEGENERATE.
Od. iii. 6. 45.

Damnosa quid non imminuit dies?
Ætas parentum, pejor avis, tulit
Nos nequiores, mox daturos
Progeniem vitiosiorem.

What feels not Time's consuming rage?
More vicious than their fathers' age
Our sires begot the present race,
Of manners impious, bold and base;
And yet, with crimes to us unknown,

Our sons shall mark the coming age their own.

ENJOY THE PRESENT.

Od. iii. 8. 27.

Dona præsentis cape lætus horæ, ac
Linque severa.

Be not too anxious then with private cares,
But seize the gifts the present moment brings,
Those fleeting gifts, and leave severer things.

A NOBLE VIRGIN.

Od. iii. 11. 35.

Splendide mendax, et in omne virgo
Nobilis ævum.

And nobly meriting a deathless name,
Of many, one untainted maid,
Gloriously false, her perjured sire betray'd.

PASSIONS OF YOUTH.

Od. iii. 14. 27.

Non ego hoc ferrem, calidus juventâ,
Consule Planco.

Such treatment Horace would not bear,

When warm with youth, when Plancus fill'd the consul's chair.

POWER OF GOLD.

Od. iii. 16. 9.

Aurum per medios ire satellites,
Et perrumpere amat saxa, potentius
Ictu fulmineo.

Stronger than thunder's winged force
All-powerful gold can speed its course,
Through watchful guards its passage make,
And loves through solid walls to break.

AVARICE.

Od. iii. 16. 17.

Crescentem sequitur cura pecuniam,
Majorumque fames.

Yet anxious care, and thirst of more,
Attend the still-increasing store.

ADVANTAGES OF MODERATION.
Od. iii. 16. 21.

Quanto quisque sibi plura negaverit,
A dîs plura feret.

The more we to ourselves deny,

The more the gods our wants supply.

Desunt multa.

AVARICE.

Od. iii. 16. 42.

Multa petentibus

Bene est, cui deus obtulit

Parcâ, quod satis est, manu.

For sure the state of man is such,
They greatly want who covet much:
Then happy he whom Heaven has fed
With frugal but sufficient bread.

PLEASURES OF LIFE.
Od. iii. 19. 21.

Parcentes ego dexteras
Odi sparge rosas.

I hate all the slaves who are sparing of labour:
Give us roses abundant.

CATO'S CHARACTER.
Od. iii. 21. 11.

Narratur et prisci Catonis
Sæpe mero caluisse virtus.

For of old

Cato's virtue, we are told,

Often with a bumper glow'd,

And with social raptures flow'd.

PURITY OF LIFE.

Od. iii. 23. 17.

Immunis aram si tetigit manus,
Non sumtuosâ blandior hostiâ
Mollivit aversos Penates

Farre pio et saliente micâ.
A grateful cake, when on the hallow'd shrine
Öffer'd by hands that know no guilty stain,
Shall reconcile th' offended powers divine,
When bleeds the pompous hecatomb in vain.

WOMAN'S DOWRY.

Od. iii. 24. 21.

Dos est magna parentium

Virtus, et metuens alterius viri

G

Certo fœdere castitas,

Et peccare nefas, aut pretium emori. O quisquis volet impias

Cædes et rabiem tollere civicam; Si quæret PATER URBIUM

Subscribi statuis, indomitam audeat Refrenare licentiam,

Clarus postgenitis.

The lovers there for dowry claim
The father's virtue and the mother's fame,
That dare not break the nuptial tie,
Polluted crime! whose portion is to die.
O that some patriot, wise and good,
Would stop this impious thirst of civil blood,
And joy on statues to behold

His name, the Father of the State, enroll'd!
Oh! let him quell our spreading shame,
And live to latest times an honour'd name.

LIVING MERIT.

Od. iii. 24. 31.

Virtutem incolumem odimus, Sublatam ex oculis quærimus, invidi.

Though living Virtue we despise, We follow her, when dead, with envious eyes.

MORAL VIRTUES.

Od. iii. 24. 35.

Quid leges, sine moribus

Vanæ, proficiunt.

And what are laws, unless obey'd

By the same moral virtues they were made.

POVERTY.

Od. iii. 24. 42.

Magnum pauperies opprobrium jubet
Quidvis et facere et pati,

Virtutisque viam deserit arduæ ?

If want, ah, dire disgrace! we fear, From thence with vigour act, with patience bear, While Virtue's paths untrodden lie,

Those paths that lead us upwards to the sky!

THE EDUCATION OF THE YOUNG.
Od. iii. 24. 51.

Eradenda cupidinis

Pravi sunt elementa; et teneræ nimis Mentes asperioribus

Formandæ studiis.

If you indeed your crimes detest,

Tear forth, uprooted from the youthful breast,
The seeds of each depraved desire,
While manly toils a firmer soul inspire.

THE MISER.

Od. iii. 24. 62.

Scilicet improbæ

Crescunt divitiæ, tamen

Curta nescio quid semper abest rei.

But, while in heaps his wicked wealth ascends,
He is not of his wish possest,

There's something wanting still to make him blest.

THE NOISE AND CROWDS OF A CITY.

Od. iii. 29. 12.

Omitte mirari beatæ

Fumum et opes strepitumque Romæ.

From Rome and its tumultuous joys,
Its crowds, and smoke, and opulence, and noise.

FRUGAL SUPPERS.

Od. iii. 29. 14.

Plerumque gratæ divitibus vices;
Mundæque parvo sub lare pauperum
Cœnæ, sine aulæis et ostro,

Sollicitam explicuere frontem.

Where health-preserving plainness dwells,
Nor sleeps upon the Tyrian dye,
To frugal treats, and humble cells,

With grateful change the wealthy fly.
Such scenes have charm'd the pangs of care,
And smooth'd the clouded forehead of despair.

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