The Metamorphoses of Publius Ovidus Naso in English blank verse Part 32

A foreign power he in our temples stands, But Caesar, in his native town a G.o.d Is wors.h.i.+pp'd. In the forum, and the field Fam'd equal: yet not his well-finish'd wars, His triumphs, nor the deeds in peace perform'd So justly chang'd him to an heavenly shape, A blazing star, as did the son he left.

For no atchievement Caesar e'er perform'd Can with the boast to be Augustus' sire Compare. Far greater this than to subdue The sea-girt Britons:--his victorious fleets To seven-mouth'd Nile to lead;--to bring the realms Cinyphian Juba rul'd, 'neath Rome's control, Rebel Numidia; and, puff'd high in pride With Mithridates' glory, Pontus' land; Rich triumphs to have gain'd, and triumphs more To merit, as a man so great produce; To whose presiding care, O bounteous G.o.ds!

Mankind ye gave, and them completely blest.

And lest he seem from mortal seed to spring His sire must mount to heaven, in form a G.o.d.

This the bright mother of aeneas saw, And for the priest beheld a mournful fate Prepar'd, and moving saw the arms conspir'd.

She trembled, and to every G.o.d she met Address'd her: "Lo! what deep and potent plots "Against me they prepare. See, with what art "His life is sought, who sole to me is left "Of my Iulus. Why must I alone "Be harra.s.s'd still with never-ceasing cares?

"Whom now Tydides' Calydonian spear "Wounds; now the walls of ill-protected Troy "Lie prostrate. Who my darling son behold "Driv'n to long wanderings; on the ocean toss'd; "Entering the silent mansions of the dead; "Waging fierce war with Turnus; or, if truth "I speak, with Juno rather. Yet why now "Record I former sufferings in my sons?

"Terror prevents all memory of the past; "See, where at me their impious swords they point!

"O, I conjure you! stay them; and prevent "The horrid deed; lest, spilt the high-priest's blood, "The fires of Vesta be for ever dark."

With words like these did troubled Venus move Each power of heaven, in vain; yet all were touch'd, And, though the stern decrees of rigid fate To break unable, tokens plain they gave, That some immense calamity was nigh.

They tell, that clas.h.i.+ng arms 'mid the black clouds, And dreadful horns and trumpets in the heavens Sounded, to warn us of the impious deed.

Full of solicitude the earth beheld The pale wan image of sad Phbus' face.

Torches were often seen 'mid heaven to glare; And from the clouds oft gory drops were shed.

Blue Lucifer a dusky hue o'ercast; And Luna's car was sprinkled o'er with blood.

Th' infernal owl in numerous places shriek'd, A direful omen! In a thousand fanes The ivory statues wept; the sacred groves Re-echo'd all with songs and threatening sounds.

No victim seem'd appeasing; tumults vast Approaching shew'd the entrails; and appear'd The liver always with a wounded head.

Around the domes, and temples of the G.o.ds Loud howl'd the midnight dogs; the silent shades Flitted along; and tremblings shook the town.

Yet could not these forebodings of the heavens Crush the conspiracy, or ward his fate; And in the temple were the weapons drawn: For, but the senate-house, no spot could please The vile a.s.sa.s.sins for the b.l.o.o.d.y deed.

Then Cytherea smote her lovely breast In anguish; and beneath an heavenly cloud Sought to conceal him: such a cloud as once From furious Menelaus Paris sav'd; And s.n.a.t.c.h'd aeneas from Tydides' sword.

Then thus her sire: "O daughter! hast thou power "Th' immutable decrees of fate to change?

"To thee 'tis granted to inspect the dome "Of the three sisters; there thou wilt behold "Th' eternal tablets of events engrav'd "On steel and bra.s.s, a work of mighty toil.

"Safe, they nor fear the clas.h.i.+ng of the sky, "Nor rage of thunder, nor of ruin aught.

"There wilt thou written find thy offspring's fate "On ever-during adamant. Myself "Have read it, and record it in my mind; "And lest thou should'st be to the future blind, "I will relate it. He for whom thou toil'st, "O Cytherea! has his time fulfill'd; "The sum of years which to the earth he ow'd.

"That he a deity in heaven may rise, "And be in temples wors.h.i.+pp'd is thy care, "And his successor's; who his name will take, "And on his shoulders bear the wide world's rule; "On him impos'd. He, of his murder'd sire "Valiant avenger, shall in all his wars "Our favoring influence feel. Mutina's walls, "By him besieg'd, in conquest shall confess "His power, and sue for peace. Pharsalia, him "Shall feel; and, drench'd in Macedonian blood "Again, Philippi. On Sicilia's seas "His mighty name shall conquer. Egypt's queen, "Falsely relying on the nuptial bond "With Rome's triumvir, falls: all vain her threats, "That Tiber should subservient bend to Nile.

"Why should I speak to thee of barbarous hordes, "Nations which dwell at either seas' extreme?

"Whatever habitable earth contains "Will to his empire bend. Ocean will own "His sway. Peace on th'extended earth bestow'd, "To civil studies will his breast be turn'd; "And laws most equitable will he frame.

"By his example curb licentious souls; "And, stretching forward to a future age "His anxious care, which their sons' sons may feel, "His offspring, nurtur'd in a pious womb, "At once his name and station will a.s.sume.

"Nor shall he touch th' ethereal seats, nor join "His kindred stars till full like him in years.

"Meantime his soul, s.n.a.t.c.h'd from the mangled corse, "Form to a brilliant star, a G.o.d divine: "That Julius from his lofty seat may still "Our forum, and our Capitol behold."

Scarcely the sire had ceas'd, when Venus, bright, But unperceiv'd by all, stood in the midst Of Rome's a.s.sembled senate; from the breast Of her lov'd Caesar took the recent soul, Nor let it waste in air. Up to the stars She bore it. Rapid as she swept along, She saw it s.h.i.+ne with light, she saw it burn; Then from her bosom spring above the moon: Lofty it flies, it s.h.i.+nes a glittering star, Dragging a flaming tail's stupendous length.

Viewing the glorious actions of his son, Candid he grants them mightier than his own, And thus surpast rejoices. Let him frown, If to his parent's deeds we his prefer; Yet fame quite free will such commands despise, Give him unwish'd-for precedence; and here, And here alone he'll disobedience find.

So Atreus yielded to the mighty fame Of Agamemnon; Theseus so surpa.s.s'd aegeus; and Achilles Peleus so.

Nay more, examples nearer to themselves If I should use, Saturn submits to Jove.

Jove rules th' ethereal sky, the triform world; And all the earth beneath Augustus lies: Each is the sire and ruler of his realm.

O, I implore, ye G.o.ds! who did attend aeneas,--who made fire and sword retreat!

Ye native deities of Latium's soil!

Quirinus, founder of the walls of Rome!

Mars, of Quirinus never-conquer'd, sire!

Vesta, held sacred midst the Caesars' G.o.ds!

Domestic Phbus, with chaste Vesta plac'd!

And Jove, who guards the high Tarpeian walls!

With all whom pious poets may invoke; Slow may that day arrive, and older far Than what our age may see, when to the clouds His glorious head shall mount, quitting this globe He rules so well, and our beseeching prayers Bending with condescending ear to grant.

Now is my work complete, which not Jove's ire, Nor flame, nor steel, nor gnawing tooth of age, Shall e'er destroy. Come when it will, that day Which nothing, save my mortal frame, can touch.

Which ends the being of a dubious life, My better part unperis.h.i.+ng shall mount Above the loftiest stars. Eternal still Shall be my name. Where'er Rome's power extends O'er conquer'd earth, my verses shall be read; And, if the presages by poets given Be true, to endless years my fame shall live.

FINIS.