Odes

Horace

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

  • Receive him, Mars! the gates of flame
  • May open: let him taste forgiven
  • The nectar, and enrol his name
  • Among the peaceful ranks of Heaven.
  • Let the wide waters sever still
  • Ilium and Rome, the exiled race
  • May reign and prosper where they will:
  • So but in Paris' burial-place
  • The cattle sport, the wild beasts hide
  • Their cubs, the Capitol may stand
  • All bright, and Rome in warlike pride
  • O'er Media stretch a conqueror's hand.
  • Aye, let her scatter far and wide
  • Her terror, where tbe land-lock'd waves
  • Europe from Afric's shore divide,
  • Where swelling Nile the corn-field laves—
  • Of strength more potent to disdain
  • Hid gold, best buried in the mine,
  • Than gather it with hand profane,
  • That for man's greed would rob a shrine.