Odes

Horace

Horace. The Odes and Carmen Saeculare of Horace. Conington, John, translator. London: George Bell and Sons, 1882.

  • Sweet too the laugh, whose feign'd alarm
  • The hiding-place of beauty tells,
  • The token, ravish'd from the arm
  • Or finger, that but ill rebels.
  • Grandson of Atlas, wise of tongue,
  • O Mercury, whose wit could tame
  • Man's savage youth by power of song
  • And plastic game!
  • Thee sing I, herald of the sky,
  • Who gav'st the lyre its music sweet,
  • Hiding whate'er might please thine eye
  • In frolic cheat.
  • See, threatening thee, poor guileless child,
  • Apollo claims, in angry tone,
  • His cattle;—all at once he smiled,
  • His quiver gone.
  • Strong in thy guidance, Hector's sire
  • Escaped the Atridae, pass'd between
  • Thessalian tents and warders' fire,
  • Of all unseen,