P. STATII

THEBAIDOS

LIBER PRIMU S.

F

Raternas acies, alternaque regna profanis

Decertata odiis, fontesque evolvere Thebas, Pierius menti calor incidit. Unde jubetis Ire, Deae ? gentisne canam primordia dirae ? Sidonios raptus, et inexorabile pactum Legis Agenoreae ? scrutantemque aequora Cad

mum? Longa retro series, trepidum fi Martis operti Agricolam infandis condentem praelia sulcis 10 Expediam, penitusque fequar quo carmine muris Jusserit Amphion Tyrios accedere montes ;

F ,

Demand our song ; a sacred Fury fires
My ravish'd breast, and all the Mufe inspires.
O Goddess, fay, shall I deduce

my
rhimes

5
From the dire nation in its early times,
Europa's rape, Agenor's stern decree,
And Cadmus searching round the spacious sea ?
How with the serpent's teeth he sow'd the soil,
And reap'd an Iron harvest of his toil ?
Or how from joining stones the city sprungs
While to his harp divine Amphion lung ?

I

graves irae

20

Unde irae cognata in moenia Baccho,
Quod faevae Junonis opus ; cui sumpserit arcum
Infelix Athamas, cur non expaverit ingens
Ionium, socio casura Palaemone mater.
Atque adeo jam nunc gemitus, et prospera Cadmi
Praeteriisse finam : limes mihi carminis esto
Oedipodae confusa domus : quando Itala nondum
Signa, nec Arctoos ausim sperare triumphos,
Bisque jugo Rhenum, bis adactum legibus Istrum,
Et conjurato dejectos vertice Dacos :
Aut defensa prius vix pubescentibus annis
Bella Jovis. Tuque o Latiae decus addite famae,
Quem nova maturi fubeuntem exorsa parentis
Aeternum fibi Roma cupit: licet arctior omnes
Limes agat ftellas, et te plaga lucida coeli
Pleiadum, Boreaeque, et hiulci fulminis expers 35

Or shall I Juno's hate to Thebes resound,
Whose fatal rage th’unhappy Monarch found?
The fire against the son his arrows drew, 15
O'er the wide fields the furious mother fiew,
And while her arms a second hope contain,
Sprung from the rocks and plung'd into the main.

But wave whate'er to Cadmus may belong,
And fix, O Muse! the barrier of thy song 20
At Oedipus---from his disasters trace
The long confusions of his guilty race :
Nor yet attempt to stretch thy bolder wing,
And mighty Cæsar's conqu’ring eagles fing;
How twice he tam'd proud Ister's rapid flood, 25
While Dacian mountains stream'd with barb'rous

blood;
Twice taught the Rhine beneath his laws to roll,
And stretch'd his empire to the frozen Pole,
Or long before, with early valour strove,
In youthful arms t' assert the cause of Jove. 30
And Thou, great Heir of all thy father's fame,
Encrease of glory to the Latiani name,
Oh! bless thy Rome with an eternal reign,
Nor let defiring worlds entreat in vain. 34
What tho’the stars contract their heav'nly space,
And croud their shining ranks to yield thee place ;

1

Sollicitet; licet ignipedum frenatur equorum
Ipse tuis alte radiantem crinibus arcum
Imprimat, aut magni cedat tibi Jupiter aequa.
Parte poli ; maneas hominum contentus habenis,
Undarum terraeque potens, et fidera dones.

Tempus erit, cum Pierio tua fortior oestro Facta canam: nunc tendo chelyn. fatis arma referre Aonia, et geminis fceptrum exitiale tyrannis, Nec furiis poft fata modum, flammasque rebelles Seditione rogi, tumulisque carentia regum Funera, et egestas alternis mortibus urbes ;

55 Caerula cum rubuit Lernaeo fanguine Dirce, Et Thetis arentes assuetum stringere ripas, Horruit ingenti venientem Ismenon acervo.