VI 1 O FATHER-IN-LAW, whose riches benefit neither thyself nor thy neighbour, and thou, O son-in-law Noctuinus, thou addle-pate, now a girl so rare, assailed in thy drunken stupor, and in thine, will pass to the country,2 and for me (how that verse everywhere applies!): "Son-in-law and father-in-law, ye have ruined all."3 VII SURELY, my dearest Varius, in all honesty I'll say this: "Hang me, if that amour has not ruined me!" But if the rules forbid me so to speak, of course I'll not say that, but-" that lad has ruined me!” VIII 5 O LITTLE villa, that once wast Siro's, and thou, poor tiny farm-yet to such an owner even thou wert wealth-to thee, if aught more sad I hear about our home-land, I entrust myself, and, along with me, those whom I have ever loved, my father first and foremost. Thou shalt now be to him what Mantua and what Cremona had been aforetime. like Noctuinus, is probably fictitious. Professor De Witt's plausible theory is that Noctuinus is Antony, while the other is his uncle and father-in-law, C. Antonius (American Journal of Philology, vol. xxxiii., 1912, p. 319). 2 The family is reduced to poverty through extravagance. 3 In Catullus this verse applies to Caesar and Pompey. 4 An intermixture of Greek words in Latin composition was not approved of by the best teachers. 5 See the "Life of Virgil" in vol. i. pp. vii. and viii. The incidents referred to belong to the year 41 B.C. IX PAUCA mihi, niveo sed non incognita Phoebo, pauca mihi doctae dicite Pegasides. victor adest, magni magnum decus ecce triumphi, victor, qua terrae quaque patent maria, horrida barbaricae portans insignia pugnae, magnus ut Oenides utque superbus Eryx; nec minus idcirco vestros expromere cantus maximus et sanctos dignus inire choros. hoc itaque insuetis iactor magis, optime, curis, quid de te possim scribere quidve tibi. namque (fatebor enim) quae maxima deterrendi debuit, hortandi maxima causa fuit. 5 10 pauca tua in nostras venerunt carmina chartas, carmina cum lingua, tum sale Cecropio, carmina, quae Phrygium, saeclis accepta futuris, 15 carmina, quae Pylium vincere digna senem. molliter hic viridi patulae sub tegmine quercus Moeris pastores et Meliboeus erant, dulcia iactantes alterno carmina versu, qualia Trinacriae doctus amat iuvenis. certatim ornabant omnes heroida divi, certatim divae munere quoque suo. 3 victoria est ZMu. 20 15 Phrygium Heinsius: prciù B2: pilium AR: whole line omitted BHM. 21 divi Dousa: dive 1 An encomium addressed to one of the Messallae, probably M. Valerius Messalla Corvinus (64 B. C.-8 A.D.), patron and friend of Tibullus, who triumphed over Aquitania in 27 B.C. IX 1 SOME few thoughts, few but not unknown to shining Phoebus, impart to me, ye learned Muses! 3 A conqueror comes-lo! the mighty glory of a mighty triumph-conqueror he, where'er lands and where'er seas are outspread, bearing grim tokens of barbaric strife, like unto Oeneus' mighty son," or unto proud Eryx; nor less on that account most mighty in drawing forth your songs and worthy to enter your holy choirs. Therefore, noblest of men, the more am I fretted with unwonted cares, wondering what about thee or what for thee I have power to pen. For that which-yea, I will avow it-ought to have been chief reason for holding me back, has been chief reason for urging me along. 13 Some few of thy songs have found place in my pages 3-songs of Attic speech as well as Attic wit -songs that, welcomed by ages yet to be, are worthy to outlive the aged Phrygian, worthy to outlive the aged man of Pylos. Herein, under a spreading oak's green covert, were the shepherds Moeris and Meliboeus at their ease, throwing off in alternate verse sweet songs such as the learned youth of Sicily loves. Emulously all the gods graced the heroine; emulously the goddesses graced her with their several gifts. 2 Meleager; or possibly Diomedes, son of Tydeus and grandson of Oeneus. 3 The author of this poem has turned some Greek verses of Messalla's into Latin. 5 Nestor, who in the third generation of men. ? Probably Sulpicia, Sulpicius. 4 Priam. Homeric narrative is living in the 6 Theocritus. daughter of the orator Servius felicem ante alias o te scriptore puellam non illa, Hesperidum ni munere capta fuisset, equorum, optabant gravidae quam sibi quaeque manus, saepe animam generi pro qua pater impius hausit, saepe rubro similis sanguine fluxit humus; regia non Semele, non Inachis Acrisione, immiti expertae fulmine et imbre Iovem; non cuius ob raptum pulsi liquere Penatis Tarquinii patrios, filius atque pater, illo quo primum dominatus Roma superbos mutavit placidis tempore consulibus. multa neque immeritis donavit praemia alumnis, praemia Messallis maxima Publicolis. 25 30 35 40 nam quid ego immensi memorem studia ista laboris? horrida quid durae tempora militiae ? castra foro, te castra urbi praeponere, castra tam procul hoc gnato, tam procul hac patria? immoderata pati iam frigora, iamque calores? sternere vel dura posse super silice? 45 29 multum : et multum Sabbadini: volucrum Aldine edition 1534: mulier Ellis. 30 obtabant B: obstabant Vollmer. gravid(a)e : Graiae Aldine edition 1534. quam edition 1473: quid B: quod other MSS. manus] nurum Tollius. 32 similis : Eleis most editions: pinguis Baehrens : sitiens Birt. B: 34 in miti B: in(m)mitti HM. expertae Scaliger: expectat : expectant Z. 43 castra foro castra B: te added by Bücheler: foro solitos Z: foro rostris Birt. 44 hoc... hac] ac . . . ac MH: haec . . . haec Ellis. 45 frigora Aldine edition 1517: sidera n. 46 stertere Aldine edition 1534. 23 O maiden happy beyond others with thee for her herald! None other may claim to excel her in fame not she1 who, had she not been tricked by the Hesperides' gift, had outrun in the race fleet Hippomenes; not the fair daughter of Tyndareus, born of the swan's egg; 2 not Cassiopea, gleaming in the heavens above; not she,3 close-guarded long by the contest of steeds, whom each gift-laden hand craved for its own, for whom her wicked father oft drained the life of him who fain would be his son, and oft the ground, of like hue, flowed with red blood; not queenly Semele, not the Inachian daughter of Acrisius, who knew Jove in the pitiless lightning and in the shower; not she,5 for whose ravishing the Tarquins, son and sire, were driven forth, leaving their fathers' gods, what time Rome first changed proud tyranny for peaceful consuls. 4 39 Many, and not unearned, are the rewards Rome has bestowed upon her sons, chiefest the rewards bestowed upon the Messallae Publicolae. For why should I recount thy tasks of toil immeasurable? Why the stern seasons of rugged warfare? How thou dost set the camp before the forum, the camp before the city-the camp that is so far away from this thy son, so far from this thy home? How thou endurest now extremest cold, and now extremest heat, and canst lay thyself down on even flinty rock? How oft, 1 Atalanta. 2 Helen. 3 Hippodamia, daughter of Oenomaus. 4 Danae, daughter of Acrisius of Argos, called Inachis because Inachus was the founder of Argos. 5 Lucretia. 497 |