The Odes of Casimire Part 5

_Ad Aurelium Fusc.u.m._

Omnia humana Caduca, incertaque esse.

_Ode 12. Lib. 3._

Si primum vacuis demere corticem Rebus. _Fusce_, velis, cetera diffluunt Vernae more nivis, quae mod nubium Leni tabuit halitu.

Formosis reseces fortia; displicent.

Externis trahimur; si male Dardanis Respondens Helenae pectus amoribus Famosus videat Paris; Nusquam per medii praelia Nerei Ventorumque minas splendida deferat Graii furta thori sed bene mutuo Rerum consuluit jugo Naturae Dominus, qud niveis nigra, Laetis occuluit tristia. Qui bona Rerum de vario deliget agmine, Consulto sapiet Deo.

To _Aurelius Fuscus_.

_That all humane things are fraile and uncertaine._

Ode 12. Lib. 3.

If the first barke, _Fuscus_, thou would'st but pare From empty things, the rest will flow, And vanish quite like vernal snow; Which melts away, with the mild breath o'th' ayre.

Valour from beauty sever'd, slowly moves.

Meere outsides please: had _Paris_ seene Faire _Helens_ heart, how foule 't had beene, How ill requiting to the _Trojan_ Loves, Ne're, through the midst of _Nereus_ broyles, had hee Or the winds anger, borne away O'th' Grecian bed that beauteous prey.

But Nature's Lord, the mutuall yoke, we see, Of things hath ord'red well, that black with white, Sad things with joyfull cov'red lye.

And from this various mixture, hee The best would choose, from Heav'n must learne the right.

_Ad Caesarem Pausilipium._

Regnum sapientis.

_Ode 3. Lib. 4._

To Caesar Pausilipius.

_The kingdome of a wise man._

_Ode 3. Lib. 4._

Late minaces horruimus Lethi Regnare Thracas. Latius imperat, Qui solus, exemptusque vulgo Certa sui tenet arma voti.

Imbelle pectus parce fidelibus Munire parmis; neu latus aspero Lorica cinctu, neu decorum Arcus amet pharetraque collum.

The large-commanding Thracians wee Have fear'd. More large command hath hee, Who all alone himselfe retyres, And keepes sure guard o're his desires.

Thy unwarlike breast, with s.h.i.+eld of proofe Forbeare to fortifie; throw off From thy unpractic'd sides the s.h.i.+rt Of Mayle, so hard about thee girt.

Let not the Quiver and the bow Such homage to thy soft neck doe.

An Cimber, an te lectus ab ultimis Pictus Britannis ambiat, an Geta, Nil allabores; ipse miles, Ipse tibi pugil, ipse Ductor.

Exile regnum, _Pausilipi_, sumus: Sed se obsequentem qui sibi subdidit, Hic grande fecit, si suasmet Ipse roget peragatque leges.

Whether't bee _Dane_, or _Pict_, ta'ne out From farthest _Brittaine_, hems th'about Or _Goth_, ne're labour much to know Thine owne Commander, Champion too.

Wee are--'tis true a kingdome small; But, _Pausilipius_, hee that shall His flatt'ring selfe, t' himselfe subdue, A businesse great doth undergoe; If his owne lawes hee can perswade, And doth performe them being made,

Armata Regem non faciet cohors, Non tincta vulgi purpura sanguine, Aut n.o.bili stellatus auro Frontis apex, teretique gemma.

Rex est, profanos qui domuit metus: Qui c.u.m stat unus, castra sibi facit; Casumq; fortunamque pulchro Provocat a.s.siduus duello.

An host, makes no Kings t.i.tle good, Nor Robes deepe dy'd in peoples blood.

A high brow set with starrs of gold, Or Jems more glorious to behold.

Hee who hath tam'd all coward feares, And his owne Guard himselfe prepares, Who practic'd, in faire combate, first Dares Chance and Fortune do their worst;

Non ille vultum fingit ad improbi Decreta vulgi, non popularia Theatra, non illum trophaea, Non volucri movet aura plausu.

Beatus, a quo non humilem gravis Fortuna vocem, non tumidam levis Expressit umquam curiosis Dum tacitus premit ora fatis.

That man's a King. Hee doth not faine His lookes to th' votes o'th' vulgar straine, The popular stage, and publike showes Ne're moves him, nor the ayre that blowes With swift applause; Hee's blest whose sprite Fall Fortune sad, or fall she light, Hath ne're exprest, to th'standers by, A low complaint, or haughty cry; But, lest the curious Fates displease-- Hee should, holds modestly his peace.

Ad prima si quis vulnera non gemit, Solo peregit bella silentio: Celare qui novit sinistros, Ille potest bene ferre casus.

Ille, & caducis se licet undi; Suspendat auris pontus, & in caput Unius & flammas, & undam, & Vertat agens maria omnia Auster, Rerum ruinas, mentis ab ardua Sublimis aula, non sine gaudio Spectabit, & late ruenti Subjiciens sua collo caelo

At's first wounds, who nor grones, nor quakes, A Conquest with his silence makes: Hee that mischance knowes how to hide, The worst of ills, can best abide.

Hee, though the Sea should every where Hang up its waves i'th' flitting ayre; And the rough winds on him, should presse Flames mix'd with billowes, nay whole Seas, From the high Court of's lofty mind I'th' midst o'th' ruine, sport can find; Sets to his neck to th' falling skye,

Mundum decoro vulnere fulciet; Interq; caeli fragmina, lugubre Telluris insistet sepulchrum, ac Incolumis morientis aevi Heres, ab alto prospiciet, magis Haec magnae quam sint quae pedibus premit, Quam quae relinquet; jam tum Olympi Non dubius moriturus hospes.

And props the world most valiantly: To the now gasping Age safe heyre, Leans on the Earth's sad sepulchre, Whence, 'midst the fragments of the skye, Hee sees most clearly from on hye, How much more great those things appeare, Hee treads on, then indeed they are, Being then prepar'd, and ready drest To dye _Olympus_ certaine guest.

Qu c.u.m volentem fata reduxerint, Nil interest, an morbus, an hosticus Impellat ensis, qu supremum Urget itur. Semel advehemur Quam navigamus semper in insulam Seu lata magnis stravimus aequora Regis carinis; seu Quirites, Exigua vehimur phaselo.

Illo beatum margine me meus Exponat a.s.ser. Cur ego sistere Aeterno reformidens quietus Littore, si peritura linquam?

Where, when by th' Fates hee's gladly brought, Whether disease, it matter's not, Or enemies sword, doth thrust him on, When his last journey he must run.

To th' Port wee are but once brought in To which w'have alwayes sayling bin: Whether, as mighty Princes, wee In gallant s.h.i.+ps have spread the Sea; Or, as the common sort of men, In smaller Barks, have carryed been.

May my poore bottome to that brinke Mee happy bring; why should I shrinke-- Safe on th'Aeternall sh.o.r.e to stand, If with such trash I can shake hand?

_Ad Q. Delliam._

Non tam populari exemplo, quam potius rationis ductu vitam esse inst.i.tuendam.

_Ode 10. Lib. 4._

To Q. Dellius.

_That our life ought not to bee inst.i.tuted so much by popular example, as by the guiding of reason._

_Ode 10. Lib. 4._

Delli, si populo duce Vita degenerem carpimus...o...b..tam, Erramus, procul arduis Virtus se nimium seposuit jugis.

Illuc qu via tritior, Hoc est certa minus. Longus inutili Error nect.i.tur ordine: Et mores populum, non ratio trahit.