The Odes/Book II/5

Book II, 4: Loving A Servant Girl

The Odes Book II, 5: Be Patient written by Horace

Book II, 6: Tibur and Tarentum

Translated by A. S. Kline Latin original text - French Ulysse de Séguier's translation

Be Patient She’s not ready to bear a yoke on her bowed neck yet, she’s not yet equal to the duty of coupling, or bearing the heavy weight of a charging bull in the mating act. The thoughts of your heifer are on green pastures, on easing her burning heat in the river, and sporting with the eager calves in the depths of moist willow plantations. Forget this passion of yours for the unripe grape: autumn, the season of many-colours, will soon be dyeing bluish clusters a darker purple, on the vine, for you. Soon she’ll pursue you, since fierce time rushes on and will add to her the years it takes from you, soon Lalage herself will be eager to search you out as a husband, Lalage, beloved as shy Pholoë was not, nor your Chloris, with shoulders gleaming white, like a clear moon shining over a midnight sea, nor Cnidian Gyges, that lovely boy, whom you could insert in a choir of girls, and the wisest of strangers would fail to tell the difference, with him hidden behind his flowing hair, and ambiguous looks.   ...