te sequor, o Graiae gentis decus, inque tuis nunc ficta pedum pono pressis uestigia signis, non ita certandi cupidus quam propter amorem quod te imitari aueo; quid enim contendat hirundo cycnis, aut quidnam tremulis facere artubus haedi consimile in cursu possint et fortis equi uis? tu, pater, es rerum inuentor, tu patria nobis suppeditas praecepta, tuisque ex, inclute, chartis, floriferis ut apes in saltibus omnia libant, omnia nos itidem depascimur aurea dicta, aurea, perpetua semper dignissima uita. nam simul ac ratio tua coepit uociferari naturam rerum, diuina mente coorta, diffugiunt animi terrores, moenia mundi discedunt, totum uideo per inane geri res. apparet diuum numen sedesque quietae quas neque concutiunt uenti nec nubila nimbis aspergunt neque nix acri concreta pruina cana cadens uiolat semperque innubilus aether integit, et large diffuso lumine rident. omnia suppeditat porro natura neque ulla res animi pacem delibat tempore in ullo. at contra nusquam apparent Acherusia templa, nec tellus obstat quin omnia dispiciantur, sub pedibus quaecumque infra per inane his ibi me rebus quaedam diuina uoluptas percipit atque horror, quod sic natura tua ui tam manifesta patens ex omni parte retecta est. geruntur. iii. 1-30. THOU that in such darkness such a light Didst kindle, to man's ways a beacon fire! Glory of Grecian land! To tread aright Where thou hast trod, this is my heart's desire. To love, not rival, is my utmost flight; To rival thee what mortal can aspire? Can swallows match with swans, or the weak feet Of kids vie in the race with coursers fleet? Father, discoverer, guide, we owe to Thee The golden precepts that shall ne'er grow old; As bees sip honey on the flowery lea, Knowledge we sip of all the world doth hold. And ranging through the void thy followers' eye The gods within their calm abode are seen; Abodes which rains ne'er drench, which tempests drear Ne'er beat, nor chills the freezing winter keen. But over-canopied with ether clear They ever smile with glorious light serene; While Nature's self doth every want supply, Nor pain, nor care those mansions come anigh: But Hell and all its terrors vanish quite. Though nought is left beneath our feet to hide The abyss from view, Hell nowhere meets the sight: Into my bosom flows the mingled tide Of shuddering awe and of divine delight The Fear of Death AM iam non domus accipiet te laeta, neque uxor optima nec dulces occurrent oscula nati praeripere et tacita pectus dulcedine tangent. non poteris factis florentibus esse, tuisque praesidium. misero misere' aiunt omnia ademit una dies infesta tibi tot praemia uitae.' illud in his rebus non addunt nec tibi earum iam desiderium rerum super insidet una.' quod bene si uideant animo dictisque sequantur, dissoluant animi magno se angore metuque. 'tu quidem ut es leto sopitus, sic eris aeui quod superest cunctis priuatu' doloribus aegris. at nos horrifico cinefactum te prope busto insatiabiliter defleuimus, aeternumque nulla dies nobis maerorem e pectore demet.' illud ab hoc igitur quaerendum est, quid sit amari tanto opere, ad somnum si res redit atque quietem, cur quisquam aeterno possit tabescere luctu. iii. 894-911. OW no more shall a glad home and a true wife welcome thee, nor darling children race to snatch thy first kisses and touch thy heart with a sweet and silent content; no more mayest thou be prosperous in thy doings and a defence to thine own: alas and woe!' say they,' one disastrous day has taken all these prizes of thy life away from thee '-but thereat they do not add this,' and now no more does any longing for these things beset thee.' This did their thought but clearly see and their speech follow, they would release themselves from great heartache and fear. Thou, indeed, as thou art sunk in the sleep of death, wilt so be for the rest of the ages, severed from all weary pains; but we, while close by us thou didst turn ashen on the awful pyre, made unappeasable lamentation, and everlastingly shall time never rid our heart of anguish.' Ask we then this of him, what there is that is so very bitter, if sleep and peace be the conclusion of the matter, to make one fade away in never-ending grief? 6 Lesbia's Sparrow VGETE, o Veneres Cupidinesque, tiorum. passer mortuus est meae puellae, passer, Metre, Hendecasyllabic. iii. |