The Odes of Casimire Part 2

Thee, whom thy youth hath giv'n to day.

At night old age will take away.

Thy time to double, is, to lay A fame most bright.

Whom snach'd by death, his friends bemone, He hath liv'd long. Let every one Write Fames sole heire: that's free alone, From th' rape of night.

E Rebus Humanis Excessus.

_Ode 5. Lib. 2._

_A Departure from things humane._

_Ode 5. Lib. 2._

Humana linquo: tollite praepetem Nubesque ventique. Ut mihi devii Montes resedere, & volanti Regna porcul, populosque vastos Subegit aer! jam radiantia Delubra Divum, jam mihi regiae Turres recessere, & relicta in Exiguum tenuantur urbes; Totasq; qua se cunque ferunt vaga Despecto Gentes. O lacrymabilis Jncerta fortuna! o fluentum Principia, interitusque rerum!

Lift me up quickly on your wings, Ye Clouds, and Winds; I leave all earthly things; How Devious Hills give way to mee!

And the vast ayre brings under, as I fly, Kingdomes and populous states! see how The Glyst'ring Temples of the G.o.ds doe bow; The glorious Tow'rs of Princes, and Forsaken townes, shrunke into nothing, stand: And as I downward looke, I spy Whole Nations every where all scattred lye.

Oh the sad change that Fortune brings!

The rise and fall of transitory things!

Hic ducta primis oppida mnibus Minantur in Clum: hic veteres ruunt Murique turresq;: hic supinas Paene cinis sepelivit arces.

Hic mite Clum, sed rapidae ruunt In Bella Gentes: hic placida sedent In pace, sed late quietos Dira lues populatur agros.

Here walled townes that threatned Heav'n, Now old and ruin'd, with the earth lye even: Here stately Pallaces, that thrust Their heads i'th'ayre, lye buried all in dust.

Here the Ayre Temp'rate is and mild, But the fierce people rush to warres, most wild: Here in a joyfull peace they rest, But Direfull Murraines their quiet fields lay wast.

Hic paene tellus tota micantibus Ardet sub armis: stant acies adhuc Pendente fatorum sub ictu, Et dubio furor haesitavit In bella pa.s.su: parte alia recens Jam mista Mavors agmina mutuam Collisit in mortem, & Cadentum Caede virum, c.u.mulisque latos Insternit agros: hic Mareotica Secura merces aequora navigant, Portusq; certatim frequentes Centum operis populisque fervent.

Here the whole Land doth scorching lye Under the glittering Armes o' th'Enemy: Under the hovering stroke o' th' Fates The Armies yet both stand; and fury waites With doubfull steps, upon the warre; Fresh courage here, the mingled troopes prepare.

Each against other fiercely run, And mutually they worke destruction: The slaughtered heapes in reeking gore With bloudy covering spread the fields all o're: Here on safe Seas, as joyfull prize Is strip'd away th'aegyptian Merchandize, Whilst the full Havens thick beset, Doe furiously with fierce contention fret.

Nec una Marti causa, nec unius Sunt Arma moris. Bellat Adultera Ridentis e vultu voluptas, Inq; _Helena_ procus ardet orbis.

Hic verba bellis vindicat: hic canis, Heu vile furtum! Se mala comparant; Rarum sub exemplo superbit, Nec sceleris scelus instar omne est.

_Mars_ hath his divers Causes, and His severall fas.h.i.+on'd weapons to command.

From the Adultresse smiling lookes Pleasure doth fight, and unto Warre provokes, The doting world with _Helen_ burnes.

This sordid man, oh base advantage! turnes Revenge of vvords to blowes; Mischiefe begets it selfe, from mischiefe growes.

Small sins by example higher dare, Nor doth all sin, alvvaies like sin appeare.

Eous illinc belligera latet Sub Cla.s.se pontus: Jam _Thetis_ aenea Mugire flammarum procella, & Attonitae trepidare cautes, Et ipsa circ.u.m littora percuti Majore fluctu. Sist.i.te barbari, Ferroq; neu simplex, & igni & Naufragio geminate fatum.

There th'Easterne Sea lyes coverd o're With vvarlike Fleets: _Thetis_ begins to rore With stormes of flaming Bra.s.se, and here Th'astonish'd Rocks all trembling stand with feare.

The troubled Sea vvith vvinds beset With stronger vvaves 'gainst the full sh.o.r.e doth beat.

Forbeare, cruell men to multiply With fire, Sword-vvrack your single destiny.

Parumne Tellus in miseras patet Immensa mortes? hinc miserabili Qua.s.sata terrarum tumultu Stare pavent t.i.tubantq; regna, Unaq; tandem funditus obruunt Cives ruina. Stat tacitus cinis, Cui serus inscribat viator: _c.u.m populo jacet hic & ipso c.u.m Rege Regnu._ Quid memorem super- Infusa totis aequora portubus Urbes inundare, & repenti Tecta Deum sonuisse fluctu.

Regumq; Turres, & pelago Casas Jamjam latentes? jam video procul Merceisq; differri, & natantem Oceano fluitare gazam.

Is the large Earth too narrovv grovvne, Such slaughters, such dire tragedies to ovvne?

Large Kingdomes there, brought under thrall With Tumult, stagger, and for feare doe fall; Where in one Ruine wee may see The dying people all o'rewhelmed lye.

The silent dust remaines, to let The weary Pilgrim this Inscription set (In after times, at hee goes by) _King, Kingdome, People here entombed lye_.

What should I name the raging Seas, Whole Havens over-flowing, and with these I'th' sudden floud whole Cities drown'd The shaken Temples of the G.o.ds that found?

Kings Pallaces what should I name Now sunke i'th' deepe, small Cottages i'th' same?

Vast wealth I see swept downe with th' tyde Rich treasure in the Ocean floting glyde.

Alterna rerum militat efficax In d.a.m.na mundus. Cladibus instruit Bellisq; rixisq; & ruinis Sanguineam libitina scenam, Suprema doxec stelligerum dies Claudat Theatrum. Quid morer hactenus Viator aurarum & serenas Sole domos aditurus usque Humana mirer? tollite praepetem Festina vatem, tollite nubila Qua solis & Lunae Labores Caeruleo vehit aethra Campo.

The active world t'each others harmes Doth daily fight, and the pale G.o.ddesse armes The bloudy scene with slaughters, warrs, With utter ruins, and with deadly jarrs; Thus there's no _Exit_ of our woes, Till the last day the Theater shall close, Why stay I then, when goe I may-- To'a house enlightned by the Suns bright ray?

Shall I still dote on things humane?

Lift up your longing Priest, yee Clouds, oh deigne Lift m'up where th'aire a splendour yeilds Lights the sun's chariot through the azure fields.

Ludor? sequaces aut subeunt latus Ferunt; venti? Jamque iterum mihi Et regna decrevere, & immensae Ante oculos periere gentes; Suoque semper terra minor Globo Jam jamque cerni difficilis, suum Vanescit in punctum? o refusum Numinis Oceanum! o carentem Mortalitatis portubus insulam!

O clausa nullis marginibus freta!

Haurite anhelantem, & perenni _Sarbivium_ glomerate fluctu.

Am I deceived? or doe I see The following winds on their wings mounting me, And now againe Great kingdomes lye Whole Nations peris.h.i.+ng before mine eye?

The earth which alwayes lesse hath beene Then's Globe, and now, just now can scarce be seene, Into it's point doth vanish, see!

Oh the brim'd Ocean of the Deitie!

Oh Glorious Island richly free From the cold Harbours of mortality!

Yee boundlesse Seas, with endlesse flouds of rest Girt round _Sarbinius_ your panting Priest.

Ad Publium Memmium.

Od. 7. Lib. 2.

Esset humanis aliquod levamen Cladibus, si res caderent eadem Qua mora surgunt; sed humant repentes Alta ruinae.

Nil diu felix stet.i.t; inquieta Urbium currunt hominumq; Fata: Totq; vix horis jacuere, surgunt Regna quot annis.

Casibus longum dedit ille tempus, Qui diem regnis satis eruendis Dixit: elato populos habent mo- menta sub ictu.

Parce crudeles, moriture _Publi_, Impio divos onerare questu, Densa vicinis nimium vagari Funera tectis.

Quae tibi primum dedit hora nasci, Haec mori primum dedit. Ille longum Vixit, aeternum sibi qui merendo Vindicat aevum.

To _Publius Memmius_.

_Ode 7. Lib. 2._

Amidst our losse it were some ease, If things did fall, with the same stay, and leisure They rise; but sudden ruines seize On our most lofty things, and richest treasure.

Nothing long time hath happy been.

The restlesse Fates of peopled-Cities, pa.s.se: In a few hour's destroy'd w'have seen, In many yeares what never raised was.

He gave to Chance long time, that said One day's enough, whole Kingdomes t'overthrow: Each moment holds a people swayd Under a fatall and exalted blow.

Being neere thy death, then, _Publius_, spare To load the G.o.ds, with thy blasphemous plaints; That Funeralls so frequent are, Or death so much thy neighbours house haunts.

The houre, that first to thee gave life, That thou should'st likewise dye, gave first to thee.

He hath liv'd long, who well doth strive Sure alwaies of eternall life to bee.