We've seen the Tiber's yellow tide

Rush furious from the Tuscan side,
Towards Numa's royal buildings flow,

And Vesta's temple overthrow.

The uxorious stream- with rapid wave —— Avenges thus his Ilia's grave;

And spite of Jove -his current pours,

Fierce eddying to the Latian shores.

Our youth-from parents' crimes how few!. Shall Romans' sharpen'd falchions view,

- Design'd to quell the Parthian's rage.

In discord's civil strife engage.

What god shall now the people's prayers

Call to the ruin'd state's affairs?

What hymn the sacred virgins raise

To Vesta

heedless of our lays?

To whom shall Jove assign the fate
The crimes of Rome to expiate?
Prophetic Phoebus, come, we pray,
Enrob'd in clouds thy bright array!

Or, Venus, with thy rosy smile,

Whom Mirth and Love attend the while;

Or thou-our founder

turn thy face

On thy neglected sons and race,

Tir'd with thy sport-too long, alas!Whom shouts delight, and helms of brass,

And Moorish soldiery, whose eyes

Gloat on the foeman, as he dies:

Or if, fair Maia's son, thy wing,
And alter'd form a youth should bring,

Content on earth with mortal fame,

Cæsar's avenger for thy name,

Oh! late be thy return to heaven!
Long to thy Roman people given!

Nor swifter breeze to other climes
Transport thee- -sooner for our crimes!

Our triumphs still-oh! still inspire, Hail'd as our sovereign and our sire! Nor need we dread the incursive Medes, While Cæsar's arm our warfare leads.

ODE III.

TO THE SHIP IN WHICH VIRGIL SAILED TO

ATHENS.

So

may the queen of Cyprus' isle, So Helen's radiant brothers smile, So Eolus waft thee o'er the seas, With soft Iapyx' favouring breeze, As thou, my ship, shalt safely land Our Virgil on the Attic strand,

And o'er the waves securely bear

Half of my soul-thy precious care!

Stout oak, I ween, and triple fold
Of brass begirt his bosom bold,
Who, first, his fragile vessel gave
To sail upon the ruthless wave;
Where Africus, in riot-rage,
And stormy Aquilo engage ;
Nor fear'd the mournful Hyades,
Nor angry Notus' boisterous breeze,

Than whom no greater power presides,

To lash or lull the Adrian tides.

What form of death could terrify

The man, who view'd, with tearless eye,

Sea-monsters huge- the tempest's shocks

Acroceraunia's ill-famed rocks?

The prudent deity in vain

The earth dissevers from the main,

If still our vessels

impious leap

The bounds of the forbidden deep.

Bold to endure, the human race

Rushes through crime, with reckless pace:
Who boasts Iäpetus his sire

Brought down to earth the stolen fire;
Which impious theft from domes divine

Hosts of new fevers, and decline

Aveng'd on earth; and tardy fate
Sped onwards at a swifter rate.
Dædalus tried the vacant heaven,
On pennons not to mortals given;
Hell yielded to Alcides' might;
No task can mortal man affright!

At heaven itself we strike the blow;

Nor do our impious crimes allow

Great Jove- incens'd at human prideTo lay his fiery bolts aside.