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The Odes/Book II
| Book I | The Odes Book II written by Horace |
Book III |
| Translated by A. S. Kline |
- To Pollio, Writing His History of the Civil Wars
- Money
- One Ending
- Loving A Servant Girl
- Be Patient
- Tibur and Tarentum
- A Friend Home From the Wars
- Faithless Barine
- Stop Weeping
- The Golden Mean
- Don’t Ask
- Terentia’s Singing
- Nearly, Tree
- Eheu Fugaces
- Excess
- Contentment
- We’ll Go Together
- Vain Riches
BkII:XIX To Bacchus
I saw Bacchus on distant cliffs - believe me,
O posterity - he was teaching songs there,
and the Nymphs were learning them, and all
the goat-footed Satyrs with pointed ears.
Evoe! My mind fills with fresh fear, my heart
filled with Bacchus, is troubled, and violently
rejoices. Evoe! Spare me, Liber,
dreaded for your mighty thyrsus, spare me.
It’s right to sing of the wilful Bacchantes,
the fountain of wine, and the rivers of milk,
to sing of the honey that’s welling,
and sliding down from the hollow tree-trunks:
It’s right to sing of your bride turned goddess, your
Ariadne, crowned among stars: the palace
of Pentheus, shattered in ruins,
and the ending of Thracian Lycurgus.
You direct the streams, and the barbarous sea,
and on distant summits, you drunkenly tie
the hair of the Bistonian women,
with harmless knots made of venomous snakes.
When the impious army of Giants tried
to climb through the sky to Jupiter’s kingdom,
you hurled back Rhoetus, with the claws
and teeth of the terrifying lion.
Though you’re said to be more suited to dancing,
laughter, and games, and not equipped to suffer
the fighting, nevertheless you shared
the thick of battle as well as the peace.
Cerberus saw you, unharmed, and adorned
with your golden horn, and, stroking you gently,
with his tail, as you departed, licked
your ankles and feet with his triple tongue.
BkII:XX Poetic Immortality
A poet of dual form, I won’t be carried
through the flowing air on weak or mundane wings,
nor will I linger down here on earth,
for any length of time: beyond envy,
I’ll leave the cities behind. It’s not I, born
of poor parents, it’s not I, who hear your voice,
beloved Maecenas, I who’ll die,
or be encircled by Stygian waters.
Even now the rough skin is settling around
my ankles, and now above them I’ve become
a snow-white swan, and soft feathers are
emerging over my arms and shoulders.
Soon, a melodious bird, and more famous
than Icarus, Daedalus’ son, I’ll visit
Bosphorus’ loud shores, Gaetulian
Syrtes, and the Hyperborean plains.
Colchis will know me, so will the Scythians,
who pretend to show no fear of Italian
troops, and the Geloni: Spain will learn
from me, the expert, and those who drink Rhone.
No dirges at my insubstantial funeral,
no elegies, and no unseemly grieving:
suppress all the clamour, not for me
the superfluous honour of a tomb.
Index of First Lines
You’re handling the Civil Wars, since Metellus. 5
Crispus, silver concealed in the greedy earth. 7
When things are troublesome, always remember,8
Phocian Xanthis, don’t be ashamed of love. 9
She’s not ready to bear a yoke on her bowed. 10
Septimus, you, who are prepared to visit11
O Pompey, often led, with me, by Brutus,12
If any punishment ever visited. 13
The rain doesn’t fall from the clouds forever14
You’ll live more virtuously, my Murena,15
Don’t ask what the warlike Spaniards are plotting,16
You’d not wish the theme of Numantia’s fierce wars. 17
Tree, whoever planted you first it was done. 18
Oh how the years fly, Postumus, Postumus,20
Not long now and our princely buildings will leave. 21
It’s peace the sailor asks of the gods, when he’s. 22
Why do you stifle me with your complaining?. 24
There’s no ivory, there’s no. 26
I saw Bacchus on distant cliffs - believe me,28
A poet of dual form, I won’t be carried. 30
Metres Used in Book II.
The number of syllables most commonly employed in each standard line of the verse is given. This may vary slightly for effect (two beats substituted for three etc.) in a given line.
Alcaic Strophe: 11 (5+6) twice, 9, 10
used in Odes: 1,3,5,7,9,11,13,14,15,17,19, 20
Sapphic and Adonic: 11(5+6) three times, 5
Odes: 2,4,6,8,10,16
First Asclepiadean: 12 (6+6) all lines
Odes: None in Book II
Second Asclepiadean: 8, 12 (6+6), alternating
Odes: None in Book II
Third Asclepiadean: 12 (6+6) three times, 8
Ode: 12
Fourth Asclepiadean: 12 (6+6) twice, 7, 8
Odes: None in Book II
Fifth Asclepiadean: 16 (6+4+6) all lines
Odes: None in Book II
Alcmanic Strophe: 17 (7+10) or less, 11 or less, alternating
Odes: None in Book II
First Archilochian: 17 (7+10) or less, 7 alternating
Odes: None in Book II
Fourth Archilochian Strophe: 18 (7+11) or less, 11 (5+6) alternating
Odes: None in Book II
Second Sapphic Strophe: 7, 15 (5+10) alternating
Odes: None in Book II
Trochaic Strophe: 7,11 alternating
Ode: 18
Ionic a Minore: 16 twice, 8
Odes: None in Book II