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Noxious days of dog-star flagrant
Nigh thee cannot come: tis thine
Pleasant chill to offer to vagrant
Sheep, and plough-wearied kine.

Mid noble fountains, moreover,

Shalt thou rank, now that I the holm sing
Whose branches the hollow stones cover
Whence thy garrulous waters down spring.

Written on the return of Augustus after closing the Cantabrian War. His return had been delayed by illness at Terracina.

CAESAR, of late declared by you, O people,

Hercules-like to be in quest of laurels

Sold at death's price, comes from the Spanish seaboard Homeward, victorious.

Let the wife, then, to him alone devoted,

Forth come, our just gods' ritual observing,

And the great general's sister; and, adorned with
Suppliant fillets,

Mothers of virgins, and of youths in safety
Newly restored. Ye sons, and ye, O daughters
Recently wed, beware ye well of using

Words of ill omen.

Te flagrantis atrox hora Caniculae Nescit tangere: tu frigus amabile Fessis vomere tauris

Praebes, et pecori vago.

Fies nobilium tu quoque fontium, Me dicente cavis impositam ilicem Saxis unde loquaces

Lymphae desiliunt tuae.

XIV. AD ROMANOS.

HERCULIS ritu modo dictus, o plebs,
Morte venalem petiisse laurum,

Caesar Hispana repetit penates
Victor ab ora.

Unico gaudens mulier marito,
Prodeat, justis operata sacris:
Et soror clari ducis, et decorae
Supplice vitta

Virginum matres, juvenumque nuper Sospitum vos o pueri, et puellae Jam virum expertae, male ominatis Parcite verbis.

This, to myself true festal day, shall banish
Sombre chagrin. No fear will I of tumult
Have, nor of death by violence, while Caesar
Is the world's master.

Go, boy, and seek for perfumes and for garlands,
And for wine-jar, mindful of Marsic contest,
If perchance such there be that has eluded
Spartacan pillage.

Bid, too, melodious Neaera hasten

In a neat knot to bind her auburn tresses:
Though, if grim porter offer to delay you,
Come away quickly.

Whitening hairs the froward temper soften,
Howsoe'er fond of strife and bitter wrangling.
This I had borne not in my fiery youth when
Plancus was consul.

Horace here appears in one of his least creditable moods, though one in which he was rather fond of indulging.

WIFE, you, of needy Ibycus,

To your iniquities and habits infamous

Put now at length a tardy end.

Since into timely grave full soon you must descend,

Hic dies vere mihi festus atras
Eximet curas: ego nec tumultum,
Nec mori per vim metuam, tenente
Caesare terras.

I pete unguentum, puer, et coronas, Et cadum Marsi memorem duelli; Spartacum si qua potuit vagantem Fallere testa.

Dic et argutae properet Neaerae
Murreum nodo cohibere crinem :
Si per invisum mora janitorem
Fiet, abito.

Lenit albescens animos capillus
Litium et rixae cupidos protervae.

Non ego hoc ferrem, calidus juventa,
Consule Planco.

XV. AD CHLORIM.

UXOR pauperis Ibyci,

Tandem nequitiae fige modum tuae

Famosisque laboribus:

Maturo propior desine funeri

Cease sporting among girls, nor shroud

The stars' white brilliancy with intermingled cloud; Not what accords with Pholoë quite,

Suits, Chloris, likewise you: your daughter, more of right, Takes by assault the young men's home

Like Bacchanalian aroused by beaten drum.

The love of Nothus makes of her

To wanton female goat a rival caperer. You, wool to spin, old lady, suits,

Shorn on Luceria's famed pasture ground: not lutes, Not blooms that damask rose-bush prank,

Not jars of liquor down to dregs residual drank.

The poet here dwells upon his favourite theme, contentment and moderation, which he is able to illustrate by the example of Maecenas as well as his own.

A BRAZEN tower, oak doors, and sentinel
Dogs keeping melancholy watch, had well
Sufficed to guard imprisoned Danae
Against assaults of midnight gallantry,
Had, at Acrisius, with anxious craft

Hiding his child, Venus and Jove not laughed,
Aware how safe and clear would be the road
When into bribes had been transformed the god.
Gold loves through midst of myrmidons to pass,
And break through walls of stone, resistless as

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