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Notes Display Latin text | translated by Theodore C. Williams Book VI Chapter 31: The future (cont.) | Next chapter Return to index Previous chapter |
Not o'er domain so wide Alcides passed, Although the brazen-footed doe he slew And stilled the groves of Erymanth, and bade The beast of Lerna at his arrows quail. Nor half so far triumphant Bacchus drove, With vine-entwisted reins, his frolic team Of tigers from the tall-topped Indian hill. Still do we doubt if heroes' deeds can fill A realm so wide? Shall craven fear constrain Thee or thy people from Ausonia's shore? Look, who is he [Note 1] I [Note 2] may discern from far By olive-branch and holy emblems known? His flowing locks and hoary beard, behold! Fit for a Roman king! By hallowed laws He shall found Rome anew -- from mean estate In lowly Cures led to mightier sway. But after him arises one whose reign Shall wake the land from slumber: Tullus then Shall stir slack chiefs to battle, rallying His hosts which had forgot what triumphs be. Him boastful Ancus follows hard upon, o'erflushed with his light people's windy praise. Wilt thou see Tarquins now? And haughty hand Of vengeful Brutus seize the signs of power? He first the consul's name shall take; he first Th' inexorable fasces sternly bear. When his own sons [Note 3] in rash rebellion join, The father and the judge shall sentence give In beauteous freedom's cause -- unhappy he! Howe'er the age to come the story tell, t will bless such love of honor and of Rome. See Decius, sire and son [Note 4], the Drusi, see! Behold Torquatus with his axe! Look where Camillus brings the Gallic standards home! But who are these in glorious armor clad And equal power? In this dark world of cloud Their souls in concord move; -- but woe is me! What duel 'twixt them breaks, when by and by The light of life is theirs, and forth they call Their long-embattled lines to carnage dire! Allied by nuptial truce, the sire [Note 5] descends From Alpine rampart and that castled cliff, Monoecus by the sea; the son [Note 6] arrays His hostile legions in the lands of morn. Forbear, my children! School not your great souls In such vast wars, nor turn your giant strength Against the bowels of your native land! But be thou [Note 7] first, 0 first in mercy! thou Who art of birth Olympian! Fling away Thy glorious sword, mine offspring and mine heir! Yonder is one [Note 8] whose chariot shall ascend The laurelled Capitolian steep; he rides In glory o'er Achaea's hosts laid low, And Corinth overthrown. There, too, is he [Note 9] Who shall uproot proud Argos and the towers Of Agamemnon; vanquishing the heir Even of Aeacus, the warrior seed Of Peleus' son [Note 10]; such vengeance shall be wrought For Troy's slain sires, and violated shrines! Or who could fail great Cato's name to tell? Or, Cossus, thine? or in oblivion leave The sons [Note 11] of Gracchus? or the Scipios, Twin thunderbolts of war, and Libya's bane? Or, more than kingly in his mean abode, Fabricius? or Serranus at the plough? Ye Fabii, how far would ye prolong My weary praise? But see! T is Maximus, Who by wise waiting saves his native land. Let others melt and mould the breathing bronze To forms more fair, -- aye! out of marble bring Features that live; let them plead causes well; Or trace with pointed wand the cycled heaven, And hail the constellations as they rise; But thou, 0 Roman, learn with sovereign sway To rule the nations. Thy great art shall be To keep the world in lasting peace, to spare humbled foe, and crush to earth the proud. Note 1: he = Numa Events: Aeneas visits the Underworld, Labor 3: Heracles and the Ceryneian hind, Labor 4: Heracles and the Erymanthian boar, Labor 2: Heracles and the Lernaean Hydra, Dionysus in India |
801-853 nec uero Alcides tantum telluris obiuit, fixerit aeripedem ceruam licet, aut Erymanthi pacarit nemora et Lernam tremefecerit arcu; nec qui pampineis uictor iuga flectit habenis Liber, agens celso Nysae de uertice tigris. et dubitamus adhuc uirtutem extendere factis, aut metus Ausonia prohibet consistere terra? quis procul ille autem ramis insignis oliuae sacra ferens? nosco crinis incanaque menta regis Romani primam qui legibus urbem fundabit, Curibus paruis et paupere terra missus in imperium magnum. cui deinde subibit otia qui rumpet patriae residesque mouebit Tullus in arma uiros et iam desueta triumphis agmina. quem iuxta sequitur iactantior Ancus nunc quoque iam nimium gaudens popularibus auris. uis et Tarquinios reges animamque superbam ultoris Bruti, fascisque uidere receptos? consulis imperium hic primus saeuasque securis accipiet, natosque pater noua bella mouentis ad poenam pulchra pro libertate uocabit, infelix, utcumque ferent ea facta minores: uincet amor patriae laudumque immensa cupido. quin Decios Drusosque procul saeuumque securi aspice Torquatum et referentem signa Camillum. illae autem paribus quas fulgere cernis in armis, concordes animae nunc et dum nocte prementur, heu quantum inter se bellum, si lumina uitae attigerint, quantas acies stragemque ciebunt, aggeribus socer Alpinis atque arce Monoeci descendens, gener aduersis instructus Eois! ne, pueri, ne tanta animis adsuescite bella neu patriae ualidas in uiscera uertite uiris; tuque prior, tu parce, genus qui ducis Olympo, proice tela manu, sanguis meus!— ille triumphata Capitolia ad alta Corintho uictor aget currum caesis insignis Achiuis. eruet ille Argos Agamemnoniasque Mycenas ipsumque Aeaciden, genus armipotentis Achilli, ultus auos Troiae templa et temerata Mineruae. quis te, magne Cato, tacitum aut te, Cosse, relinquat? quis Gracchi genus aut geminos, duo fulmina belli, Scipiadas, cladem Libyae, paruoque potentem Fabricium uel te sulco, Serrane, serentem? quo fessum rapitis, Fabii? tu Maximus ille es, unus qui nobis cunctando restituis rem. excudent alii spirantia mollius aera (credo equidem), uiuos ducent de marmore uultus, orabunt causas melius, caelique meatus describent radio et surgentia sidera dicent: tu regere imperio populos, Romane, memento (hae tibi erunt artes), pacisque imponere morem, parcere subiectis et debellare superbos.' |