Horace, Odes II.10: hold the middle way.

It is a pity that Horace gets so little attention at schools, at least here in the Netherlands. Of course Catullus is more emotional and his Lesbia cycle can easily be put into pop music, but I like the contemplative mood Horace expresses in some of his poems, in which he describes the pleasures of a simple life. I know that it isn’t that appealing for youngsters – having a daughter of 14 - but some reflection can do no harm. Well, let’s make no illusions: Horace is not easy and pupils are glad when they have managed to retrieve some meaning from each stanza, not thinking about the poem as a whole. Now I come to think it, I wasn’t that contemplative either.

In this poem Horace is warning Licinius Murena against too ruthless ambitions. Licinius was the brother of Terentia, the wife of Maecenas, Horace’s financial supporter. Apparently Licinius did not take heed to this poem: conspiring against Augustus, he was caught and put to death in 22 BC.

This poem is quite simple and effective.

Metre: Sapphic stanza

Using "-" for a long syllable, "u" for a short and "x" for an "anceps" (or free syllable):

– u – x – | u u – u – x

– u – x – | u u – u – x

– u – x – | u u – u – x

– u u – x

Horace, Odes, II.10

Rectius uiues, Licini, neque altum

semper urgendo neque, dum procellas

cautus horrescis, nimium premendo

     litus iniquom.

rectius: better, but it as this stanza has a nautical metaphor, it also implies a strait course (rectum as noun is a stoic concept of a morally right act.)

altum urgendo; by urging the high-sea (i.e. by showing to much ambition.)

procella: storm

premendo litus iniquom: by pressing the unequal (=  with different depths and full of rocks) shore.

iniquom is the old spelling for iniquum

Auream quisquis mediocritatem               5

diligit, tutus caret obsoleti

sordibus tecti, caret inuidenda

     sobrius aula.

Auream  mediocritatem: the golden mean/ moderation

tutus and sobrius (save and sober) qualify the way how to live,

careo carui (+ abl.): to be free from, avoid

obsoleti sordibus tecti: the squalor of a decayed house

invidendus: enviable

aula: an aula implies a large house or estate and as the Roman upper-class was fond of feasting and banqueting, this does not go well with being sober!

Saepius uentis agitatur ingens

pinus et celsae grauiore casu                     10

decidunt turres feriuntque summos

     fulgura montis.

decido decidi: to fall down (from de-cado; decido can also come from de-caedo, `to cut off’  which got in old French the meaning `to decide’ i.e. resolving difficulties `at a stroke’.)

ferio: to stike, beat

montis = montes

Sperat infestis, metuit secundis

alteram sortem bene praeparatum

pectus. Informis hiemes reducit               15

     Iuppiter, idem

summouet. Non, si male nunc, et olim

sic erit: quondam cithara tacentem

suscitat Musam neque semper arcum

     tendit Apollo.                                            20

infestis: for unsafe circumstances (dative, so too secundis)

alteram sortem bene praeparatum pectus: a heart well prepared for another fate (a Stoic idea)

informis: that has no form, horrid (informis = informes)

reducit -  summovit: brings forth - takes away

idem: adversative: but yet he too

quondam: sometimes

suscito: to lift up, encourage   (subject: Apollo)

arcum tendit: stretches his bow (as the god who brings pestilence. For a vivid description read Iliad book 1!)

Rebus angustis animosus atque

fortis appare; sapienter idem

contrahes uento nimium secundo

     turgida uela.

Rebus angustis: the nautical metaphor is taken up again: `in dire straits’

animosus: spirited

appare: appear, show yourself

uento nimium secundo: a too prosperous wind is dangerous for a ship!

contrahes turgida vela: make smaller the swollen sails

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horace

The only translation I could find is 150 years old:

RECTIUS VIVES.

     Licinius, trust a seaman's lore:

       Steer not too boldly to the deep,

     Nor, fearing storms, by treacherous shore

         Too closely creep.

     Who makes the golden mean his guide,

       Shuns miser's cabin, foul and dark,

     Shuns gilded roofs, where pomp and pride

           Are envy's mark.

     With fiercer blasts the pine's dim height

       Is rock'd; proud towers with heavier fall

     Crash to the ground; and thunders smite

           The mountains tall.

     In sadness hope, in gladness fear

       'Gainst coming change will fortify

     Your breast. The storms that Jupiter

           Sweeps o'er the sky

     He chases. Why should rain to-day

       Bring rain to-morrow? Python's foe

     Is pleased sometimes his lyre to play,

           Nor bends his bow.

     Be brave in trouble; meet distress

       With dauntless front; but when the gale

     Too prosperous blows, be wise no less,

           And shorten sail.

THE ODES AND CARMEN SAECULARE OF HORACE

TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH VERSE

BY JOHN CONINGTON, M.A.

CORPUS PROFESSOR OF LATIN IN THE

UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD. (third edition, 1882)