Non lenis precibus fata recludere,

Nigro compulerit Mercurius gregi.
Durum. Sed levius fit patientiâ,
Quicquid corrigere eft nefas,

PROSE INTERPRETATION.

the unfubftantial ghost, which Mercury, by no means inclinable to prayer, fo as to reverse the decres of fate, has once with his horrible rod compelled to the gloomy throng. This is hard; but every thing becomes lighter by patience, which it is impoffible to amend.

ODE

Has to the gloomy crowd compell'd, In locking up the doors of fate,

Nor will he be by pray'r withheld, However mufical and great

'Tis hard but manly patience must endure, And make things lighter, that admit no cure.

ODE

Infultat ei, quod jam vetula, merito ab amatoribus fpernatur. PARCIUS junctas quatiunt feneftras

Ictibus crebris juvenes protervi,

Nec tibi fomnos adimunt: amatque
Janua limen;

Quæ prius multum faciles movebat
Cardines audis minus & minus jam,"
Me tuo longas pereunte noctes
Lydia dormis?

. Invicem mochos anus arrogantes
Flebis in folo levis angiportu,
Thracio bacchanté magis fub inter-
lunia vento.

Quum tibi flagrans amor & libido,
Quæ folet matres furiare equorum,
Sæviet circa jecur ulcerofum,
Non fine queftu:

Læta quod pubes hederâ virenti
Gaudeat, pullâ magis atque myrto:
Aridas frondes hyemis fodali

Dedicet Hebro.

PROSE INTERPRETATION.

The frolickfome gallants more fparingly shake your faftened windows with repeated raps, nor do they take away your sleep; and your door, which formerly moved much its pliant hinges, is now enamoured with the threshold. Lefs and lefs now, this ferenade you hear, “My Lydia, do you fleep the live-long "night, while I your lover am perifhing!."In your turn, being now an old woman, you will bewail the petulant rakes, coquet, as you are, in a lonely alley, while the Thracian wind

bellows

He infults her, that now being old, he is defervedly contemned by her gallants.

MORE fparing the

young rakes alarm

The window-fhutters of their toast, You now may fleep fecure of harm;

The door affects the poft,

Which mov'd fo oft its pliant hinge-
-You hear that ferenade no more,

Sleep'ft thou, while dying lovers winge,
"O Lydia, at thy door!"

Jilt, thou the fcoffing fparks fhalt foon
Lament, neglected in a lane,
When, at the changing of the moon,
The north-weft blows amain;

While love and vehement defire,

Such as the mares for ftallions feize, Shall fet your blifter'd breaft afire, Join'd to complaints like thefe,

<

That gladfome youths on ivy green
And conftant myrtle rather glote;
To Hebrus winter's comrade keen,
The wither'd leaves devote.

PPOSE INTERPRETATION.

bellows the more at the fhifting of the moon. When that burning defire and luft, which is apt to render furious the dams of horses, rages about your ulcerous liver, not without complaint, that gladfome youth rejoice rather in the verdant ivy and ftayed myrtle, and dedicate dry leaves to Hebrus, the companion of winter.

VOL. I.

H

ODE

AD MUSAM, DE ELIO LAMIA.

Non decet mufarum cultores curis & maroribus effe obnoxios. Poëta fuum Lamiam mufa Pimplea commendat.

MUSIS amicus, triftitiam & metus

Tradam protervis in mare Creticum

Portare ventis: quis fub Arcto

Rex gelidæ metuatur oræ,

Quid Tiridatem terreat unice

Securus, ô

quæ fontibus integris Gaudes, apricos necte flores,

Necte meo Lamiæ coronam

Pimplea dulcis, nil fine te mei
Poffunt honores hunc fidibus novis.
Hunc Lesbio facrare plectro
Teque tuafque decet forores.

PROSE INTERPRETATION.

As a friend of the muses, I will deliver up forrow and fears for the capricious winds to waft into the Cretan fea; being particularly unconcerned what monarch of a frozen fhore may be dreaded under the Bear, or what may alarm the fears of Tiridates. O fweet Pimplean, that delighteft in pure fountains, weave together the flowers that rejoice in the fun, weave a crown for my Lamia. Without thee, these honours that I propose are of no value: It is the duty both of you and your fifters to make him immortal with new ftrains, him with such as are in the Lesbian taste.

ODE