| CARMEN III 1 | AH CHILD, NO PERSIAN ... |
| Horace (Q. Horatius Flaccus) | trans. Gerard Manley Hopkins |
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Odi profanum uolgus et arceo. Fauete linguis: carmina non prius audita Musarum sacerdos uirginibus puerisque canto. Regum timendorum in proprios greges, reges in ipsos imperim est Iouis, clari Giganteo triumpho, cuncta supercilio mouentis. Est ut uiro uir latius ordinet arbusta sulcis, hic generosior descendat in campum petitor, moribus hic meliorque fama contendat, illi turba clientium sit maior: aequa lege Necessitas sortitur insignis et imos, omne capax mouet urna nomen. Destrictus ensis cui super impia ceruice pendet, non Siculae dapes dulcem elaboratum saporem, non auium citharaeque cantus Somnum reducent: somnus agrestium lenis uirorum non humilis domos fastidit umbrosamque ripam, non Zephyris agitata tempe. Desiderantem quod satis est neque tumultuosum sollicitat mare, nec saeuus Arcturi cadentis impetus aut orientis Haedi, non uerberatae grandine uineae fundusque mendax, arbore nunc aquas culpante, nunc torrentia agros sidera, nunc hiemes iniquas. Contracta pisces aequora sentiunt iactis in altum molibus: huc frequens caementa demittit redemptor cum famulis dominusque terrae fastidiosus: sed Timor et Minae scandunt eodem quo dominus, neque decedit aerata triremi et post equitem sedet atra Cura. Quod si dolentem nec Phrygius lapis nec purpurarum sidere clarior delenit usus nec Falerna uitis Achaemeniumque costum, cur inuidendis postibus et nouo sublime ritu moliar atrium? Cur ualle permutem Sabina diuitias operosiores? |
Tread back - and back, the lewd and lay! - Grace guard your tongues! - what never ear Heard yet, the Muses' man, today I bid the boys and maidens hear. Kings herd it on their subject droves But Jove's the herd that keeps the kings - Jove of the Giants: simple Jove's Mere eyebrow rocks this round of things. Say man than man may more enclose In rankèd vineyards; one with claim Of blood to our green hustings goes; One with more conscience, cleaner fame; One better backed comes crowding by: - That level power whose word is Must Dances the balls for low or high: Her urn takes all, her deal is just. Sinner who saw the blade that hung Vertical home, could Sicily fair Be managed tasty to that tongue? Or bird with pipe, viol with air Bring sleep round then? - sleep not afraid Of country bidder's calls or low Entries or banks all over shade And Tempe with the west to blow. Who stops his asking mood at par The burly sea may quite forget Nor fear the violent calendar At Haedus-rise, Arcturus-set, For hail upon the vine nor break His heart at farming, what between The dog-star with the fields abake And spitting snows to choke the green. Fish feel their waters drawing to With our abutments: there we see The lades discharged and laded new, And Italy flies from Italy. But fears, fore-motions of the mind, Climb quits: one boards the master there On brazèd barge and hard behind Sits to the beast that seats him - Care. O if there's that which Phrygian stone And crimson wear of starry shot Not sleek away; Falernian-grown And oils of Shushan comfort not, Why .......... ...................* Why should I change a Sabine dale For wealth as wide as weariness? *The translation is incomplete |
Publ. Penguin Books