Q. Horatius Flaccus

Horace (65-8 BCE)

Nolis longa ferae bella Numantiae,

nec durum Hannibalem nec Siculum mare

poeno purpureum sanguine mollibus

aptari citharae modis,

You wouldn’t ask the long wars of fierce Numantia,

nor savage Hannibal, nor the Sicilian sea

dyed dark red with Carthaginian blood

to be set to the lyre’s soft strains;

nec saevos Lapithas et nimium mero

Hylaeum domitosque Herculea manu

Telluris iuvenes, unde periculum

fulgens contremuit domus

nor the ferocious Lapiths, and Hylaeus drunk

with wine; nor the sons of earth subdued

by Herculean hand, whose dire menace caused

ancient Saturn’s shining house

Saturni veteris; tuque pedestribus

dices historiis proelia Caesaris,

Maecenas, melius ductaque per vias

regum colla minacium.

to tremble in fear; and you yourself, Maecenas,

would with prose histories speak more fittingly

of Caesar’s battles and of hostile kings

now led by the neck through the streets.

Me dulcis dominae Musa Licymniae

cantus, me voluit dicere lucidum

fulgentis oculos et bene mutuis

fidum pectus amoribus;

The Muse commands this: that I tell

of your wife, Licymnia; of her sweet song,

clear radiant eyes and steadfast heart

so faithful to mutual loves.

quam nec ferre pedem dedecuit choris

nec certare ioco nec dare bracchia

ludentem nitidis virginibus sacro

Dianae celebris die.

Nothing dishonours her: not dance in the chorus,

nor contention in wit, nor throwing her arms –

on the sacred feastday of illustrious Diana –

round shining girls, in play;

Num tu quae tenuit dives Achaemenes

aut pinguis Phrygiae Mygdonias opes

permutare velis crine Licymniae,

plenas aut Arabum domos

and surely you wouldn’t wish to exchange

all the wealth Achaemenes held,

or fertile Phrygia’s Mygdonian riches,

or the full houses of the Arabs

cum flagrantia detorquet ad oscula

cervicem aut facili saevitia negat

quae poscente magis gaudeat eripi,

interdum rapere occupet?

for one lock of Licymnia’s hair? For whether

she turns her neck towards your burning kisses

or with easy cruelty refuses to greet them,

she prefers them stolen, rather than asked for,