Ictu fulmineo: concidit auguris
Argivi domus ob lucrum
Demersa exitio; diffidit urbium
Portas vir Macedo, et subruit aemulos
Reges muneribus; munera navium
Saevos illaqueant duces.
Crescentem sequitur cura pecuniam
Majorumque fames. Jure perhorrui
Late conspicuum tollere verticem,
Maecenas, equitum decus.
Quanto quisque sibi plura negaverit,
Ab dis plura feret: nil cupientium
Nudus castra peto et transfuga divitum.
Partes linquere gestio,
Contemptae dominus splendidior reï,
Quam si quidquid arat impiger Apulus
Occultare meis dicerer horreis,
Magnas inter opes inops.
Purae rivus aquae silvaque jugerum
Paucorum, et segetis certa fides meae,
Fulgentem imperio fertilis Africae
Quamquam nec Calabrae mella ferunt apes,
Nec Laestrygonia Bacchus in amphora
Languescit mihi, nec pinguia Gallicis
Crescunt vellera pascuis,
Importuna tamen pauperies abest,
Nec, si plura velim, tu dare deneges.
Contracto melius parva cupidine
Than though 'twere mine Mygdonian domains
To join with Lydia's realm. To him who strains
For much, much lacks. Blest he, on whom enow
The gods with not too lavish hand bestow.
This Ode, and the 26th of the first Book, were addressed to the same person. Like other families, the Lamiae were perhaps glad to trace their origin to a fabulous hero, and believed their founder to be Lamus, king of the Laestrygonians and builder of Formiae.'
NOBLE shoot, Aelius, from old Lamus' tree,
Since hence, 'tis said, the earlier Lamiae
Were named, and since for all the race
The same descent their records trace,
Your origin you from that author draw
Whom as their founder Formian ramparts saw;
A monarch ruling far and wide
O'er tracts where Liris flows beside
Marica's strand. This coming day, unless
The raven err, rain's aged prophetess,
Loosed from the east a storm will strip
Groves of their leaves, and sea-coasts heap
With useless seaweed. Pile, while still you may,
Dry faggots; and to-morrow's natal day
Keep, 'mid your slaves released from work,
With store of wine and eight-week pork.
Quam si Mygdoniis regnum Alyattei Campis continuem. Multa petentibus Desunt multa: bene est cui deus obtulit Parca quod satis est manu.
AELI, vetusto nobilis ab Lamo,
(Quando et priores hinc Lamias ferunt.
Denominatos, et nepotum
Per memores genus omne fastos
Auctore ab illo ducis originem)
Qui Formiarum moenia dicitur
Princeps, et innantem Maricae
Litoribus tenuisse Lirim
Late tyrannus, cras foliis nemus
Multis et alga litus inutili
Demissa tempestas ab Euro
Sternet, aquae nisi fallit augur
Annosa cornix. Dum potes, aridum
Compone lignum: cras Genium mero
Curabis, et porco bimestri,
Cum famulis operum solutis.
It was usual to sacrifice to Faunus, the Latin representative of the Greek Pan, in spring, though his great festival did not take place until the nones of December.
FAUNUS, who lovest nymphs that flee,
My bounds and sunny property
Deign to pace over tenderly,
Leaving unhurt these lambs of mine;
Since on the year's last day is killed
A kid with fragrance thence distilled,
Smokes thine old altar: and are filled
Love's boon-companion cups with wine.
The whole flock sports on grassy mead
When back December's nones are led;
With idling kine the fields are spread,
And villagers in festal round.
The wolf 'mid fearless lambkins plays,
The forest strews for thee its sprays,
The ditcher his delight displays,
Thrice smiting the detested ground.
FAUNE, Nympharum fugientum amator,
Per meos fines et aprica rura
Lenis incedas, abeasque parvis
Aequus alumnis :
Si tener pleno cadit haedus anno,
Larga nec desunt Veneris sodali
Vina craterae, vetus ara multo
Fumat odore.
Ludit herboso pecus omne campo, Cum tibi Nonae redeunt Decembres;
Festus in pratis vacat otioso
Cum bove pagus.
Inter audaces lupus errat agnos:
Spargit agrestes tibi silva frondes:
Gaudet invisam pepulisse fossor
Ter pede terram.
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