HORATI CARMINA LIBER PRIMVS I This ode forms the prologue to the three books of lyrics published by Horace in 23 B.C. After the first two lines addressed to Maecenas, which virtually dedicate the whole collection to him, Horace rehearses the various interests of men, that at the end he may present his own ambition. Some men seek fame in athletic games or in politics (3–8), others have lower aims-riches, ease, war, or hunting (9-28); but as for me, I have the loftiest aim of all, Maecenas to wear the ivy wreath and be the Muse's dear companion (29-34).' The ode was clearly written after the collection was fairly complete; that is, not long before the actual publication. Metre, 53. Maecenas atavis edite regibus, o et praesidium et dulce decus meum: 1. Maecenas: for Maecenas' position at Rome and Horace's relations with him, see Intr. 5. atavis: ancestors, in a general sense, in apposition with regibus. ―edite regibus: Maecenas was descended from an ancient line of princes of the Etruscan city of Arretium. Horace and his contemporaries emphasize the contrast between their patron's noble birth and the equestrian rank he preferred to keep at Rome. Cf. 3, 16,-20 Maecenas, equitum decus I and note; 3, 29, 1 Tyrrhena regum progenies; S. 1, 6, 1 ff.; Prop. 4, 9, 1 Maecenas, eques Etrusco de sanguine regum. This habit is referred to by Martial 12, 4, I f. quod Flacco Varioque fuit summoque Maroni | Maecenas atavis regibus ortus eques. 2. 0 et monosyllabic interjections are ordinarily not elided. Intr. 42. — praesidium . . . decus : not merely a formal compliment, for there is a warmth in the second half of the expression that is com 5 Sunt quos curriculo pulverem Olympicum parable to the feeling expressed in 3 ff. Note how Horace secures variety in the expressions by which he designates the various classes : sunt quos, hunc, illum, etc. He has also arranged his typical examples with care, contrasting one aim in life with the other, and in each case bringing out the point which would be criticised by one not interested in that particular pursuit. sunt quos. . . iuvat: equivalent to aliquos iuvat. Cf. v. 19 est qui. The indicative with this phrase defines the class, rather than gives its characteristics. curriculo: from curriculus, chariot. -Olympicum: i.e. at the great games held every four years at Olympia in Elis. Yet Horace probably uses the adjective simply to make his statement concrete. Cf. note to v. 13. He is speaking here of athletic contests in general. 4. collegisse to have raised in a cloud. Cf. S. 1, 4, 31 pulvis collectus turbine. — meta: the turning post at the end of the spina, which was the barrier that ran through the middle of the circus, and round which the horses raced. See Schreiber-Anderson's Atlas, pl. 31, 1 and 2, for illustrations of the race course. 5. evitata: just grazed. The skill of the charioteer was shown in making as close a turn as possible about the meta without meeting disaster. — palmaque: equivalent to quosque palma. The palm, which was the regular prize for the Olympic victor from the time of Alexander, was adopted by the Romans about 293 B.C. Livy 10, 47, 3 translato e Graecia more. - nobilis: with active meaning, modifying palma, the ennobling. 6. dominos in apposition with deos. The victory exalts the victors to heaven, where dwell the rulers of the world. Cf. 4, 2, 17 f. quos Elea domum reducit | palma caelestis. 7 ff. Political ambition. - hunc : sc. iuvat. — mobilium: fickle; cf. IO certat tergeminis tollere honoribus; Epist. 1, 19, 37 ventosa plebs. - 9f. proprio: with quicquid, referring to the avarice which is frequently connected with great wealth. For the expression, cf. 3, 16, 26 f. si quicquid arat impiger Apulus | occultare meis dicerer horreis. Libycis: Africa, especially the fertile district of Byzacium about Utica and Hadrumetum, was at this time the granary of Rome; later, Egypt became the most important source of supply. II ff. A modest establishment, in contrast to a great estate in Africa.-patrios: in this word there is a suggestion of contentment and calm security, as in Epod. 2, 3 paterna rura. This security is again contrasted with the vicissitudes and perils of the sailor.―sarculo: a hoe used for stirring and loosening the soil. It suggests the small farm that Horace has in mind, too small to make it worth while to use a plow. - Attalicis condicionibus: with the terms a prince could offer; regiis opibus, says Porphyrio. The Attali, kings of Pergamon, were famous for their wealth. In 133 B.C. King Attalus III, at his death, bequeathed his kingdom, with his treasures, to the Romans. This lent to his name the glamour of wealth which we associate with the name of Croesus. 13. demoveas: potential subj., - you could never allure. - trabe: bark. The part is used for the whole. Cf. Verg. A. 3, 191 vela damus vastumque cava trabe currimus aequor; Catull. 4, 3 natantis impetum trabis. — Cypria: Horace regularly employs a particular rather than a general adjective, thereby making his expressions more concrete and his pictures more vivid. -a device learned from the Alexandrine poets. So we have in the following verse Myrtoum, 15 Icariis, 19 Massici, 28 Marsus ; and often. 14. pavidus: especially applicable to the landsman turned sailor. secet mare: a common figure from Homer's day. Cf. Od. 3, 173. αὐτὰρ ὅ γ ̓ ἡμῖν δεῖξε, καὶ ἠνώγει πέλαγος μέσον εἰς Εὔβοιαν | eis τέμνειν. 15 20 25 luctantem Icariis fluctibus Africum 15 ff. Against the struggles of the 16 f. oppidi rura: 'the country districts surrounding the village in which he was born.'- mox: his fear quickly passes, and he returns to his old pursuit of money getting. 18. pauperiem: a life of small estate; not to be confused with egestas or inopia. Cf. 1, 12, 43 f. saeva paupertas et avitus apto | cum lare fundus, also Sen. Epist. 87, 40 non video quid aliud sit paupertas quam parvi possessio.pati: with indocilis. Intr. 108. 19 ff. Between the merchant (15– 18) and the soldier (23-25) is inserted an example of the man who gives himself over to a life of ease and enjoyment, to cups of good old wine and the noonday siesta. - Massici: a choice wine from Mt. Massicus, on the southern border of Latium. — solido... die: uninterrupted, unbroken; i.e. for such strenuous men as the merchant or the soldier, who give their days to trade or arms. Cf. Sen. Epist. 83, 3 hodiernus dies solidus est: nemo ex illo quicquam mihi eripuit. 21 f. stratus: a middle participle, stretching his limbs, etc. Intr. 84. sacrae: for the fountain heads of streams were the homes of the water divinities. Sen. Epist. 41, 3, magnorum fluminum capita veneramur, . . . coluntur aquarum calentium fontes. Cf. 24 ff. matribus: dat. with detestata; abhorred. Cf. Epod. 16, 8 parentibusque abominatus Hannibal.manet: equivalent to pernoctat.- sub Iove: under the sky. Jupiter is often used by the poets for the phenomena of the sky. Cf. Enn. Epich. Frg. 6 M. ístic est is Túpiter quem dico; quem Graeci vocant | áerem, qui véntus est et nubes, imber postea | átque ex imbre |