May I nor mine the righteous path pursue,
But int'rest only ever keep in view:
But by reflection better taught, I find
We see the present, to the future blind.
Trust to the will of Jove, and wait the end,
And good shall always your good acts attend.
These doctrines, Perses, treasure in thy heart,
And never from the paths of justice part;
Never by brutal violence be sway'd;
But be the will of Jove in these obey'd.
In these the brute creation men exceed;
They, void of reason, by each other bleed;
While man by justice should be kept in awe,
Justice, of nature well ordain'd the law.
Who right espouses through a righteous love,
Shall meet the bounty of the hands of Jove :
But he that will not be by laws confin'd,
Whom not the sacrament of oaths can bind,
Who, with a willing soul, can justice leave,
A wound immortal shall that man receive;
His house's honour daily shall decline:
Fair flourish shall the just from line to line.
O Perses, foolish Perses, bow thine ear,
To the good counsels of a soul sincere.
To wickedness the road is quickly found,
Short is the way and on an easy ground.
The paths of virtue must be reach'd by toil,
Arduous and long, and on a rugged soil,
Thorny the gate, but when the top you gain,
Fair is the future, and the prospect plain.
Far does the man all other men excel,
Who, from his wisdom, thinks in all things well;
Wisely consid'ring, to himself a friend,
All for the present best, and for the end :
Nor is the man without his share of praise,
Who well the dictates of the wise obeys;
But he that is not wise himself, nor can
Hearken to wisdom, is an useless man.
Αλλα ουπω ταγ' εολπα τερπικεραυνον Δία τελείν.
Ω Περση· δε συ βάλλεο ταυτα μετα σῃσι φρεσί,
Και επακουε δικης νυ, επιληθεο βιης δ ̓ παμπαν·
Κρονίων γαρ διεταξε τον δε νομον ανθρωποισι,
Θηρσι μεν και ιχθυσι και πετεινοις οιωνοίς
Αλληλους εσθειν, επει δίκη ου εστιν επ' αυτοις·
Ανθρωποισι δ' δίκην έδωκε, ή αριστη πολλον
Γινεται· γαρ ει τις κ' εθελῇ αγορευειν τα δικαί
Γινωσκων, Ζευς ευρύοπα δίδοι όλβον τῳ μεν τ ̓.
Ος δε κε έκων μαρτυριῃσιν ομοσας επιορκον
Ψευσεται, εν βλαψας δε δίκην, αάσθη ήκεστον
Του δε τ' γενεη αμαυρότερη λελειπται μετοπισθε.
Ανδρος δ' ενόρκου αμείνων γενεη μετοπισθεν.
Νοεων εσθλα ερεω εγω σοι δ', Περση, μεγα νηπιε·
Εστιν ιλαδόν και έλεσθαι την μεντοι κακοτητα
Ρηϊδίως μεν ολιγη όδος, ναιει μαλα δ' εγγύθι.
Θεοι εθηκαν προπαροιθεν της δ' αρετης ίδρωτα,
Αθανατοι, δε οιμος μακρος και ορθιος επ' αυτην,
Και το πρωτον τρηχυς· επην δ' ίκηαι εις άκρον,
Δηπειτα πελει ρηϊδιη, περ εούσα χαλέπη.
Ουτος παναρισίος μεν, ὃς νοήσει παντα άυτῳ,
Φρασσάμενος τα κ' και ησιν αμείνω επειτα τέλος ες.
Εσθλος δ ̓ κακεινος αυτος πιθηταί είποντι ευ.
Οσδε μηθ' κε νοεῇ άυτῳ· μητ' ακούων αλλῳ
Βαλληται εν θυμῷ, όδ' αυτ' ανήρ αχρήίος.
THE SONG OF MENALCAS AND DAPHNIS:
5. M. Ye vales, ye streams, from source celestial sprung,
If e'er Menalcas sweetly pip'd, or sung;
Feed well my lambs, and if my Daphnis need
Your flow'ry herbage, let his heifers feed.
D. Fountains and herbs rich pasturage, if e'er,
Sung Daphnis meet for nightingales to hear,
Fatten my herds; if to these meadows fair
Menalcas drives, O feed his fleecy care.
M. When here my fair one comes, spring smiles around,
Meads flourish, and the teats with milk abound,
My lambs grow fat; if he no longer stay,
Parch'd are the meads, the shepherd pines away.
D. When Milo walks, the flower-enamour'd bees
Work food nectareous, taller are the trees,
The goats bear twins; if she no longer stay,
The herdsman withers, and the herds decay.
M. O goat, the husband of the white-hair'd flock!
Drink at the shady fount by yonder rock;
'Tis there she lives; and let young Milo know,
Proteus fed sea-calves in the deep below.
D. Not Pelop's lands nor Cræsus' wealth excite
My wish, nor speed to match the winds in flight;
But in yon cave to carol with my friend,
And view the ocean while our flocks we tend.
M. To teats the drought, to birds the snare, the wind
To trees, and toils are fatal to the hind;
To man the virgin's scorn. O father Jove!
Thou too hast languish'd with the pains of love.
ORESTES TO HIS TUTOR.
6. Thou faithfulest of friends, and best supporter of my sinking fortunes, who daily showest me some fresh tokens of thy affection and tenderness for me! As a generous courser, who, though old, loses not his courage in the greatest extremities, but kindles into his ancient fires; so you not only excite me by your counsels, but give me your example. Wherefore give
HEXAMETER AND PENTAMETER.
Μ. Ποταμοι και αγκία, γενος θείον, αι τι Μενάλκας
Ο συρίκτας προσφιλές τη πολύ μέλος ασέ,
Εκ τας αμνίδας ψυχάς βοσκοιτ' ην δε ενθῇ πον
Δάφνις δαμαλάς έχων, έχοι μηδέν ελάσσον.
Δ. Βοταναι και κράναι, φυτον γλυκερόν, αιπερ όμοιον,
Δαφνις τοισιν αηδονισι μουσισδόνη
Πιαίνετε το βουκόλιον τούτο κην τι Μενάλκας
Αγάγοι τηδ', χαίρων νέμοι παντα άφθονα.
Μ. Έαρ παντα, νομοι δε παντα, γαλακτος δε παντα
Πληθοῦσιν ουθατα, και τρεφεται τα νεα
Ενθ ̓ ἁ παις καλα επινίσσεται· αι δ' αν αφέρπη,
Χώ ξηρος ποιμαν, χαί βοταναι τηνόθι.
Δ. Ενθ' εις, ενθ' διδυματοχοι αίγες, ένθα μελισσας
Πληρούσιν σημάνει, και ύψίτεραι δρύες
Ενθ' Μίλων ὁ καλος ποσιν βαίνει· αι δ' αν αφέρπη,
Χώ βοσκων τὰς βως, χαί βοες αυστεραι.
Μ. Ω τραγε, άνερ των λευκών αιγαν, ω ύλας βαθος
Μύριον, ο σιμαι εριφοι δεν εφ' ύδωρ
Τηνος γαρ εν τηνῳ· ω κόλε ιθ' και Μιλῳ λεγε,
Ως Πρωτεύς, και των θεος, ενεμε φακος.
4. Μηγαν Πέλοπος μοι, μη ταλαντα χρυσεια μου
Ειη εχειν, μηδε θέειν προσθε ανεμων·
Αλλ' έχων το αγκας ατομαι υπο τα πέτρα ταδι
Συν νομα μαλ' εσόρων ες ταν Σικελαν άλα.
Μ. Χειμων Φοβερον μεν κακον δενδρεσι, αυχμος δ' ύδασι,
Υσπλαγξ δ' ορνισιν, αγροτέροις δε, λινα.
Ανδρι δε ποθος άπαλης παρθενικας· ω Ζεν, ω πατες,
Ου ηράσθην μονος και το γυναικοφίλας.
6. Ω ανδρών προσπόλων φιλτατ', ὡς σαφη μου,
Φαίνεις σημεία γεγως εσθλος εις ημας.
Ωσπερ γαρ ευγενης ίππος και γερων τη
Ουκ απώλεσεν θυμον εν τοισι δείνοις,
Αλλ' ίστησιν ους ορθον· ὡσαύτως δε συ,
Οτρύνεις τ' ἡμας, καυτος έπη εν πρωτοις.
Τοιγαρ δηλωσω μεν τα δόξαντα· συ δε
Δίδους οξειαν ακρην τοις εμοις λογοις,
earnest attention to my words, and correct me if you find I speak not to the purpose. When I came to consult the Pythian oracle, that I might learn how I could take revenge of the murderer of my father, Phoebus gave me this answer, which you shall hear. That I must steal upon him unprovided of arms or troops, and with my hands take just revenge by killing him. And since we have heard so plain an oracle, you, going when you find a favourable opportunity, may know all that passeth in the palace, that when you have seen all, you may give us a perfect account. For at this age, and after so long a time since they saw you, they will not know you, nor will they have the least suspicion of you, being thus equipped. Tell them that you are a Phocian stranger, sent by a man of Phanoteus, for he is their chief ally; and tell them, confirming it by oath, that you are sent to give an account, that Orestes died a violent death, tumbled from his chariot at the Pythian games. Be that thy tale. But I, after I have adorned my father's tomb, as Apollo commanded me, with libations and hair clipt from my head, will come hither again, bringing in my arms the brazen urn, which you know is hid hard by in a thicket, that we may more easily deceive the assassins, by bringing them the confirmation of the agreeable news, that my body is burnt and reduced to ashes. Why should it grieve me to pass for dead, since it is plain by my actions that I am alive, and am about to gain immortal honour; for I am persuaded that no unfortunate oracle can be attended with so much advantage; for I have often seen wise men falsely reported to be dead, and after, when they have returned home, they were honoured more; so I promise myself happiness, that after I have every where spread the report of my death, I shall appear as a star to my enemies, and shall still shine. But O my father's land, and gods who there preside, receive me kindly in these enterprizes; and thou, O my father's palace, for I come to wash away those stains by which thou art polluted, incited by the gods, send me not
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