At bustum ornabit surgentûm gloria florum ; Illic et primis lacrymis Aurora dolebit, Et rosa prima anni suaves profundet odores; Sic dormit placide, sine nomine, sic sine cippo, 65 70 Neu poterit plus esse hominum quodcunque super bum est. Illi ut, quos, quondam cecinit, cadet ipse poeta; 75 Non laudem excipiet surda auris; lingua canenti Fiet muta. Et fata ejus, qui flebile carmen Jam fundit lacrymans, cito erunt deflenda vicissim. Tum demum clausis oculis tua forma recedet, Languentique animo extremus te distrahet angor. So Tunc erit ille exsors vitæ levis atque laborum, Æternum oblitus muse, Dilecta, Tuique. VULTEIUS EQUES.* LONDINIUMQUE polumque minans ubi celsa co lumna Audax Thrasonice frontem extulit, ac mentitur; Fert, donans raro, nisi pauperibus quadrantes. Omnis sed pungit Satanam pietas: et Iöbi Tentatorem animum punxit Vulteiia virtus; 5 10 * Pope's Sir Balaam and Horace's Vulteius Mena are different characters. The Translator put Vulteius for Balaam for no other reason (I believe) but because he thought the former might be more manageable in hexameter verse. The dactyls of the first line, followed by a spondaick, give to the first couplet of the translation a peculiar contrast and vivacity. The Translator humourously supposes the monument of London to threaten, both heaven with invasion, and the city by seeming ready to fall on it. It was actually said to be in some danger of falling at the time when he first saw it. At cautus, longeque usu sapientior, illi, Jusserat aërius Princeps; fluctusque procellæ Jamque creatus eques, ceu quivis viveret alter Vivit homo, modicumque bibit, nec pauca jocatur; Cum "Vivas, olim ut debebas vivere," Conjux Edixit; fumantque duo en! farcimina mensâ. 15 21 25 Indo, dum vinctus somno nudusque jacebat, Subduxit gemmam probus institor, opposuitque Commissum nostro Vulteio pignus; at ille Detinuit lapidem vafer, elusitque dolosum. Nonnihil audebat mens hiscere conscia, sic mox Obturata: "Dabam besses; ast-hem! dabo et asses* "Integros; templum bis adibo, prout semel ibam.— "Quam que alio ingenuum vacat omni crimine pectus !" Opportuna notat Satanas ea tempora, et instat. 31 Fænora volvuntur, congestumque enitet aurum ; Grandine donec adest usuræ duplicis ipsa Vis Satanæ splendens manifestum, atque ima residens *The Roman Bes or Bessis was to the As in the proportion of eight to twelve, Corda tenet; fascesque ample committit habendas. 40 Mutatos mutata sequuntur nomina mores. Miratur Vulteium equitem generosa puella; 'Potat, amat, pugnat, socii transfigitur ense : Filia summati sordescit fulgida conjux, 45 50 Fertque perenne decus tituli, morbumque perennem : Ipse senatoris munus sedemque Britanni 55 Obtinet, et Stephani venatur præmia sancti. Ludentem dominam nudat mox alea: damnum Præstat Vulteio corruptrix Gallia nummis. |