The Odes of Casimire Part 3

Ad Asterium. Ode 8. lib 2.

At nos inani pascit imagine Fortuna rerum. Ludimur _Asteri_, Umbris amicorum; & doloso Verba simul placuere fuco, Res esse stulti credimus. at simul Sors infidelem corripuit rotam, Gaudent recedenti Sodales Non eadem dare verba Divae.

Plerumq; falsis nominibus placent Humana. Rari pollicitis data Aequamus: & minor loquaci Relligio solet esse voto.

To Asterius. _Od 8. l. 2._

VV'Are mock'd with 'baytes that fortune flings And fed with th'empty husks of things: Shadowes, not friends we entertaine; W'are pleas'd with the deceitfull traine Of words, and thinke them deeds. But when Th'unconstant wheele shall turne agen To th' parting G.o.ddesse, wee shall see Those friends the selfe-same words deny.

Things Humane under false names please.

Our gifts match not our promises; Religion, lesse to be doth use, Then the large language of our vowes.

Ex sacro Salomonis Epithal.

Ode 19. l. 2.

Similis est dilectus meus capreae, hinnuloque cervorum.

Out of _Solomon's_ sacred Mariage Song.

_Ode 19. Lib. 2._

Vitas sollicitae me similis caprae, Quam vel nimbisoni sibilus Africi, Vel motum subitis murmur Etesiis Vano corripit impetu.

Nam seu prima metum bruma trementibus Incussit foliis, sive Diespiter Elisit resonis tela Cerauniis, Incerta trepidat fuga.

At qui non ego te quaerere desinam, Clamatura retr, _Christe_, Revertere: & Rursus, c.u.m rapido fugeris impetu, Clamatura, Revertere.

Thou shunnest me, like to a fearfull Roe, Which, as the stormy North-winds blow, Or the rough noise o' th' suddaine Easterne blast, Is s.n.a.t.c.h'd away with forcelesse hast.

For th'early frost the trembling leaves doth fright, Or else the Father of the light Hath hewne from th'ecchoing rocks his thundring darts, Hee hastens with such doubtfull starts.

But till I find thee, I'le not cease, nor rest, But cry aloud, Returne, o Christ: And when with swifter speed thou fly'st away, Returne againe, o Christ, I'le say.

O seu te Libani terga virentia, Seu formosa rubrae culta Bethuliae, Seu pinguis Solymae, sive procul cavae Cingunt rura Capharniae; Tandem sollicitae pone modum fugae.

Nam non effugies, Te mihi sedulis Aether excubiis prodet, & aureis Prodet Cynthia cornibus.

Te neglecta gemunt littora, te procul Suspirat tacitis aura Pavoniis, Te noctis vigiles, te mihi vividis Signant sidera nutibus.

The tops of _Leba.n.u.s_, so green and gay, The faire tilths of _Bethulia_, Encompa.s.se thee, old _Salem_'s fruitfull Land, Or else _Capharnia_ low doth stand.

At length give o're thy sad and carefull flight: Thou shalt not scape me, th'evening bright With its so watchfull Centry, thee'l betray, And th'Moone with golden hornes doth stray.

By th'grones of the neglected sh.o.r.es I'le find Thee; and by th'sighs o'th' Westerne wind; Thee the night's watch, the starrs that walke about With lively signes will point thee out.

Dirae in Herodem.

Ode 24. l. 2.

_Dirae_ in _Herodem_.

_Ode 24. Lib. 2._

Devota sacrae progenies domus!

Fatale monstrum! prodigialium Monstrum parentum! seu Libyssa Marmaricis leae pavit antris, Seu te maligno sidere degener Pardus marita tigride prodidit, Furoris haeredem paterni; Sive gregis populator Afri Nudum sub alto dest.i.tuit jugo; Seu belluosis fluctibus exspuit Irata tempestas nocentem Alitibusq; ferisq; praedam;

Thou Cursed off-spring of that sacred place!

Thou fatall monster of prodigious race!

A Libyan Lyonesse in some Affrick den Gave nourishment to thee, thou shame of men.

Or mungrill Libard with a shee-Tiger, hurl'd Thee, with a mischiefe, into th'hatefull world, Heyre to the fury of thy Syre, and damm; Or some wild Wolfe left thee a naked shame: Under a huge hard rock: some angry storme, From waves, with things so full of divers forme, For birds and beasts, spew'd th'up a banefull prey;

Tuo severas pectore marmora Duxere venas, marmora rupibus Decisa, quas Gaetula caelebs Deucalio super arva iecit: Te sede primum livida regia Megaera fixit: Tisiphone dedit Sceptrum cruentandum feraq; Imposuit Diadema fronti; & Regale nuper c.u.m premeres ebur Adsedit altis fulta curulibus, Et per Palaestinos Tyrannis Explicuit sua signa campos.

The Marble quarry, 'mid'st the raging Sea, It's rigid veynes, from thy rough bosome drew; Marble, from those rocks hewne, _Deucalion_ threw Over _Gaetulian_ fields: _Megara_ first Fix'd th'in thy regall seat, on thee accurst Then _Tisiphon_ the Scepter did bestow, And set the Diadem on thy savage brow: And as thy princely Ivory, of late Thou proudly lean'dst upon, close by thee sate With stately columnes prop'd, fell tyrannie, Her Ensignes, who through _Palestine_ let fly:

Tremensq; & atrum sanguine a manu Telum coruscans sec.u.m Odia, & Minas, Caedemque & insanos tumultus, Funeraq; & populorum iniquas Strages, & indignum excidium retr Lactantis aevi traxit, & inclyta Regnorum, inexhaustasque longis Cladibus evacuavit urbies.

Illam & parentum dira gementium Lamenta, Questusque, & Gemitus retr, Luctusque vicatim secuti, & Irriguis Lacrymae catervis.

And her black sword with bloudy trembling hand Did brandish round, when straight at her command Hatreds, and strifes appear'd, murder and rage The horrid ruine of the new-borne age, Shee drew along; Tumultuous madness, all The slaughter'd peoples unjust funerall: Each famous kingdome, inexhausted towne In a large streame of bloud by her, o're-throwne.

Next followed Her, the plaints, and direfull grones Of sighing parents, rob'd of their little ones, Whole tydes of teares, sobs, and lamentings great And mourning in each corner of the street.

Qud si caducis decidit amnibus Praesagus imber, quid pluvias sequi Cunctantur ultrices procellae, Et volucrum strepitu quadrigarum Incussus aether pigra tonitrua & Immugientum fulmina nubium Compescit, indulgentque metae Aeriis vaga tela pennis?

But if this show'r, from this sad cause begun, In too too narrow rivulets doth run; Why doe revenging stormes so much delay To back the rayne? what doth their fury stay?

Why doth the shaken sky with rustling noise Of the Sun's chariot, bridle in the voice Of the slow thunder? why the lightning stop From breaking through the clouds with hideous clap?

Those ayrie feather'd arrowes in the darke That stray, why do they spare their cursed marke?

At nil trisulcis Acroceraunia Dejecta flammis, nil Rhodopes jugum, Qua.s.saeve peccavere Cautes Aemathiae, risi forte dirum Inominatis marmora partubus Fudere monstrum: rumpite, rumpite Monteisque, facundasque Regum Fulmina praecipitate rupeis.

_Acroceraunia_ with his three-fork'd flame.

And that huge Hill the Thracian Queen gave name, _aemathia's_ craggy trembling rocks may pa.s.se Guiltlesse; they have not sin'd at all, ala.s.se!

Unlesse their Marble, with a prodigious birth, This direfull Monster teem'd, t'infest the earth: Breake then the mountaines, break yee lightnings, Throw headlong downe ye fruitfull rocks of Kings.

Exspiret auras; occidat, occidat Funestus, execrabilis, efferus Sector; crematuramque taxum Ipse super c.u.mulumque regni Summum cadaver fumet, & aera Caelumque diro liberet halitu Fatale monstrum, dissidentum Ludibrium Furiarum, & Orci.

May hee exspire! oh may the murth'rer fall!

Most execrable, cruell, tragicall!

Upon his kingdom's pile, and flaming yew Let his high carka.s.se blaze; the ayre anew May th' monster purge from his infectious breath, The mocke of wrangling furyes, and of death.

Perrumpe tractus impenetrabileis Ignava tellus, desuper ardua Volvente saxorum ruina: Quam pelagus super, & refusis Bis terque Nereus Syrtibus insonet.

Audimur. Ingens sidera verberat, Spumamque, limumque, & rapaceis Ocea.n.u.s glomeravit undas:

Oh breake your entrayles, sluggish earth, and downe Let the high ruins of the rocks be throwne; 'Gainst which the waves o'th'raging Sea may rore And _Nereus_ with his Quicksands Boyling o're: Wee're heard. The climbing surges strike the stars And the big Ocean all her strength prepares; Her foame, and slimy mud sh'hath heap'd together Devouring waves toss'd with the worst of weather:

Jam nutat aether, jam barathrum prope, Vastisque campi dissidiis hiant: Jam fractus illabetur orbis Sacrilego capiti. i, profunda Inexpiato pollue Tartara Tyranni leto: solus & igneum Insume Cocytum, & frementem Sulphureis Acheronta ripis.

The firmament doth shake, & h.e.l.l so neere Through the earths large c.h.i.n.ks, which gapeth doth appear: The shatt'red world now falls on's impious head, Goe, Tyrant with thy death unpardoned, Even h.e.l.l it selfe pollute, possesse, alone, _Cocytus_, and sulphureous _Acheron_.