The Book of Magical Incantations or Spells of Horace. Odes: Book I.

By Antonio Palomo-Lamarca

For the first time a detailed and very accurate as literal translation from the ancient poems of Horace, chief magician of them all.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Jan 19, 2016
• ISBN: 9781329843479

Book preview

The Book of Magical Incantations or Spells of Horace. Odes: Book I.

The Book of Magical Incantations or Spells of Horace.  Odes: Book I.

Index

I.1   Ad Maecenatem.

Maecenas atauis edite regibus,

o et praesidium et dulce decus meum,

sunt quos curriculo puluerem Olympicum

collegisse iuuat metaque feruidis

euitata rotis palmaque nobilis               5

terrarum dominos euehit ad deos;

hunc, si mobilium turba Quiritium

certat tergeminis tollere honoribus;

illum, si proprio condidit horreo

quicquid de Libycis uerritur areis.               10

Gaudentem patrios findere sarculo

agros Attalicis condicionibus

numquam demoueas, ut trabe Cypria

Myrtoum pauidus nauta secet mare.

Luctantem Icariis fluctibus Africum               15

mercator metuens otium et oppidi

laudat rura sui; mox reficit rates

quassas, indocilis pauperiem pati.

Est qui nec ueteris pocula Massici

nec partem solido demere de die               20

spernit, nunc uiridi membra sub arbuto

stratus, nunc ad aquae lene caput sacrae.

Multos castra iuuant et lituo tubae

permixtus sonitus bellaque matribus

detestata. Manet sub Ioue frigido               25

uenator tenerae coniugis inmemor,

seu uisa est catulis cerua fidelibus,

seu rupit teretis Marsus aper plagas.

Me doctarum hederae praemia frontium

dis miscent superis, me gelidum nemus               30

Nympharumque leues cum Satyris chori

secernunt populo, si neque tibias

Euterpe cohibet nec Polyhymnia

Lesboum refugit tendere barbiton.

Quod si me lyricis uatibus inseres,               35

sublimi feriam sidera uertice.

I.1   To Maecenas.

Maecenas[1] from ancient kings descendant,

oh! both defence and sweet ornament of mine;

there are those who in the arena the Olympian dust

to have gathered it pleases, and the goal with fervent

wheels avoided as the victory from the noble

lords of the lands springs forwards the gods.

Or this, the turmoil of shallow Romans

struggle to raise to the threefold honors[2],

Or that-who, in a private barn has stored

whatsoever from the Libyan grounds is swept. 

Rejoicing he, the native fields to be splitted

with a garden-hoe, with Attalic[3] goods

never you could stir-up, whilst in a Cyprian ship

to the Myrtoan[4] sea the trembling mariner would cut-off.

The wrestling African-wind in Icaria[5] with the sea-waves,

the merchant being-afraid the free-time of his town

praises and the fields: soon, he repairs the vessel,

shaken, unwilling-he-to-be-taught to suffer poverty.

There is who neither cups of aged Massic[6]-wine

nor a part of the working day to break

refuses, now the limbs under the green strawberry-tree

laid down, now near the gentle origin of the sacred fountain.

Many in the military-camps take-delight, and with the cornett

intermingled the sound of the tuba, and the wars by the mothers

detested.  It stays under the cold Jove[7]

the hunter unmindful of the gentle spouse,

whether is seen by loyal doggies the deer,

or rended to the rounded hunting-nets the Italian boar. 

To me, the ivy-vines of the poets privileges of the foreheads

to the upper gods, blend: to me, the cold glade

and of the nymphs the capricious chorus of Satyrs[8],

separate from the people, since neither flutes

Euterpe[9] restrains, nor Polyhymnia[10]

avoids the Lesbian barbiton-lyre to tune.

Because if me with the lyric bards you shall mingle,

with a lofty head I shall strike the stars.

---

[1] Caius Cilnius Maecenas, he was a patron of literary works and writers as well as a protegee of Augustus. 

[2] The aedileship, the praetorship and the consulship. 

[3] From Attalic III king of Pergamus. 

[4] Sea around Crete and the Peloponnesus. 

[5] Island of Icaria.

[6] From mount Massicus, Italy.

[7] Jupiter or Zeus.  In this instance it refers to the skies. 

[8] Mythological creature with goat or horse ears and tail.  They had an association with fertility, music and sex. 

[9] Muse of lyric poetry and of the flute. 

[10] Muse of poetry, dance and agriculture.

I.2   Ad Augustum Caesarem.

Iam satis terris niuis atque dirae

grandinis misit Pater et rubente

dextera sacras iaculatus arces

terruit Vrbem,

terruit gentis, graue ne rediret               5

saeculum Pyrrhae noua monstra questae,

omne