The Odes of Casimire Part 10

Thence from the midst o'th'hill all _Vilna_ shall Our prospect be; our eye shall lower fall-- On _Vilia_'s cooler streames, that wind, And with embraces _Vilna_ bind.

Illinc picta procul quae radiantibus Fulgent fana tholis, & geminam super Despectabimus arcem, Magni regna Palaemonis.

Ut longo faciles Pacis in otio Se tollunt populi! nam tria tertio Surrexere sub anno Priscis templa Quiritibus; Et qua conspicuis se Gediminia Jactant saxa jugis, & Capitolium, Et quae tecta superbis Intrant nubila turribus.

From thence, farre off, the Temples wee'l behold, And radiant Scutcheons all adorn'd with gold; Then wee'l looke o're that double towre, Th'extent of great _Palaemon_'s pow're.

How in a settled peace, and kingdomes rest The easie people raise themselves, so blest!

Three Temples in three yeares w'have seen To th'Citizens have reared been; Where _Gediminian_ Rocks themselves extoll With their plaine tops, and then the Capitol, Those buildings, whose proud turrets stretch Themselves to th'Cloudes, and stars doe reach:

Auget magna, Quies: exiguus labor In majus modico provenit otio.

Hinc & terga virentum Late prospice collium.

Quae nunc mobilibus nutat Etesiis, Segni cana stet.i.t sub nive populus: Qui nunc defluit, alta Haesit sub glacie latex: Qui nunc purpureis floret ager rosis, Immoto sterilis delituit gelu: Verno quae strepit ales, Hiberno tacuit die.

Erg rumpe moras, & solidum gravi Curae deme diem, quem tibi candidus Spondet vesper, & albis Cras Horae revehent equis.

Great things to greater growth doe thus increase, And with least paines, improve themselves by peace.

Here, tops of Hills, themselves behold, In all their flowry pride unfold.

The Poplar now that shakes, when th'East winds blow Stood cloth'd in gray, under the ling'ring snow: The Springs that now so nimbly rise, Were all of late lock'd up, in Ice: The fields that now with blus.h.i.+ng Roses spread, Lay barren, and in hardest frost all hid: The birds which chirping sit i'th'Spring; When Winter comes, forget to sing.

Breake off delayes then, and from grievous care A constant day, set by; which th'ev'ning faire Doth promise, and the next dayes Sun With his white Steeds will freely run.

[Decoration]

_Ad Paulum Iordanum Vrsinum Bracciani Ducem._ Bracciani agri amnitatem commendat, ad quam per ferias Septembres secesserat Roma.

_Ode 1. Lib. Epod._

[Decoration]

To _Paulus Iorda.n.u.s Vrsinus_, Duke of _Bracciano_.

Hee commends the pleasantnesse of the Countrey, where in the feasts of _September_, he retyred from _Rome_.

_Ode 1. Lib. Epod._

Huc o quietis apta Musis otia, Levesque Ludorum chori; Huc feriantum Phbe Musarum pater, Huc hospitales Gratiae; Huc delicatis ite permisti Jocis Non inverecundi Sales: Hic otiosi mite Bracciani solum Vago coronemus pede.

Appeare ye spritefull Quire with choicest sports, All pastime fit for _Phbus_ Courts; And Thou great Master of the Revels, joyne The Graces, to thy Daughters nine; Witt pure and quaint, with rich conceits and free From all obscaene scurrilitie: Here free from care, nimbly let's dance a round Upon _Bracciano_'s softer ground.

Clemens supino clivus a.s.surgit jugo, Caelumq; paulatim subit, Et solida subter terga scopulorum arduo Securus insessu premit: Arcisq; jactat inter alta turrium Insigne propugnacula, Timenda quondam Caesarum turmis duc.u.m, Timenda magno Borgiae, c.u.m per minantum militum aratos globos Metuenda jaceret fulmima, Ageretque profugum Caesarem, & qua.s.sum metu; Adusque promissum _Nihil_.

A gentle Cliffe from a steep Hill doth rise That even to Heaven, mounts by degrees, And safe, with uncouth pa.s.sage, leanes upon The solid backs, of Rocks and stone: Whence 'mid'st the Bulwark'd Forts, we may descry A displayd Banner from on hye, Which to th'Imperiall force a terrour was, A terrour to great _Borgias_, When through the brasen troops of's threatning foes, His fearfull thunder-bolts he throwes, Pursuing routed _Caesar_, whom he brought To that he promis'd him, to _nought_.

Hic ille magnus fraenat Etruscas opes _Ursinus_ Heroum decus, Haeres avitae laudis, & princeps caput Magnaeq; laus Oenotriae.

Circ.u.m coruscis scena quercetis viret, Caelumque verrit frondibus, Suoque colles vest.i.t, & patentibus Sese theatris explicat.

Admota muris pone Nympharum domus Aprica praebet littora: Ripamque Baccho jungit, & vallum prope.

Lentis flagellat fluctibus.

Great _Ursin_ here puts reynes toth'_Tuscan_ pow're The grace of _Heroes_ and the flow're; Heire to his father's worth, chiefe guide and stay And praise of great _Oenotria_.

A Bow're growes green, set round with trembling Okes Which fanns the Heavens with gentle strokes.

It clothes the Hills, and spreads it selfe all over To th'open Theaters a cover.

Close joyn'd to th'walls, the Nymphs coole Arbour stands, Which to the Sunny sh.o.r.e commands; By these a banke of Vines, which th'neighbour Trench With milder waves doth daily drench.

Majore nusquam stagna Neptuno sonant, Aut aestuantis Larii, Aut qui severo tangit Alba.n.u.s lacu Inenatabilem Styga: Aut quae procellis gaudet, & magno fremit Superba ponto Julia: Nec major usquam spumat, & rupes truci Benacus a.s.sultat salo.

Intonsa curvo monte circ.u.mstant juga, Mitesque despectant aquas.

Nowhere the Lakes with fuller Sea doth roare, Either of _Larius_ that boyles o're, Or rough _Alba.n.u.s_ whose troubled waves doe mix With the unnavigable Styx: Not stormy _Julia_, when her swelling pride Most rageth in her highest tyde: _Benacus_ doth not raise more froth, when he a.s.saults the rocks with fiercest Sea.

With rugged tops the bending mountaines round Upon the slow calme streames looke downe.

Nivosus illinc terga Roma.n.u.s movet, Caeloque diducit minas: Illinc caducis ilicem qua.s.sat comis Sublime Cymini caput: Crudumque Boream frangit impotentibus Depraeliaturum Notis, Terrisque late regnat, & caeli minis Opponit hibernum latus.

_Roma.n.u.s_ here his snowy back up-reares.

And drawes downe envy from the starres: The lofty head of _Cyminus_ here shakes The Oke with trembling leaves which quakes, And holds off _Boreas_, when his rawer blasts 'Gainst the weake Southerne winds he casts, Commands the Country farre, and out he sets His Winter sides against Heavens threats.

Amica sternit interim lac.u.m quies, Fluctusque fluctu nit.i.tur, Et ipsa sec.u.m pigra luctatur Thetis, Aquaeque colludunt aquis: Quas vel carina, vel citata turgido Findit phaselus linteo: Pinnaque late vitreum cogens pecus Velente lino truditur, Setaque piscem ducit, & raris procul Lac.u.m coronat retibus.

Meane while a pleasant calme doth smooth the Lake, The waves 'gainst one another breake, Mild _Thetis_ selfe, with her own selfe finds sport, And waters doe the waters court: Through which a s.h.i.+p doth cut, with pleasant gales, Or nimble Barke with swelling sayles: The large-fin'd Chrystall cattell as they goe Are forced whether they will or no With ready dragnet; then with lines of haire They round the Lake, or Nets more rare.

Hinc alta lucet divitis Pollae domus, Hinc pinguis Anguilaria: Trebonianas hinc amica vineas Vadosa plangunt aequora: Hinc delicati fundus Aureli nitet, Lymphae salutaris pater: Undaque morbos arcet, & vivacibus Lucem fluentis eluit.

Rich _Polla's_ stately house there s.h.i.+nes, and here Full stored Fish-ponds doe appeare: The friendly Foords which toward the Sea doe lye Water _Trebonian_ Vineyards by; Here neat _Aurelius_ farme looks gay, chiefe Lord And Master of that healthfull Foord, Whose water cures diseases, whose quick springs Doe purge out all infectious things.

At qua superb.u.m fontibus nomen dedit Suumque Flora marginem, Vivis perennes decidunt saxis aquae, Camposque decursu lavant, Patremque longe Tybrin, & regem sonant, Romaeque servitum fluunt.

Sincera circ.u.m regna naturae nitent; Et artis immunes loci: Adhucque virgo sulcus, & montes adhuc Molleis inexperti ma.n.u.s, Meramque Bacchus Tethyn, & Bacchum Thetis, Et pinguis invitat Ceres.

Where _Flora_ makes the banks, and gives the name To Fountaines, proud of so much fame; From lively stones perpetuall waters flow, And wash the fields wheresoe're they goe, Their father _Tyber_, and their King they found And flow to _Rome_, with homage bound.

Nature doth purely there advance each part, Not any place is help'd by Art: As yet the virgin furrow, th'Hills yet stand Untouch'd, by any tender hand.

Chast _Tethys_, _Bacchus_ courts, _Thetis_ doth woo _Bacchus_ againe, and _Ceres_ too.

Hinc ille laetus surgit, & tenacibus Inserpit ulmis Evius, Udoque cornu turget, & fluentibus Crinem racemis impedit.

Non Lesbos illi, non odorati magis Vineta rident Ma.s.sici, Aut quae Falernis educata solibus Sublucet uvae purpura.

Hence _Evius_ cheerfull rises, and doth twine With th'Elme, that closely clings toth' Vine, With's plenteous horne he swells, his locks hang by-- With flowing Cl.u.s.ters tangled lye.

Not _Lesbos_ him, nor the sweet smelling grace, Of rich _Campania_'s fruitfull race Delights; the purple Grape not so faire showes, In the _Falernian_ sun that growes.

Sed nec Falisci glaream malit soli, Nec pinguis uber Rhaetiae; Nec flava tantum culta felicis Cypri, Graiamve dilexit Rhodon: Quantum suis superbit, & sese suis Miratur in ca.n.a.libus.

Circ.u.m beatis imperat campis Ceres.

Lateque rura possidet: Et arva flavo messium fluctu tument, Motuque culmorum natant.

Hee'l not preferre _Faliscus_ sandy ground, Nor _Rhaetia_, that doth so abound; The yellow Tilths of happy _Cyprus_, hee Ne're lov'd so much, nor _Rhodos_ by: As in his owne -- in his owne channells hee Hugging himselfe, doth proudly lye.

Sole Empresse _Ceres_ of the fertile lands Whose large possessions shee commands: The fields with yellow waves doe ebbe and flow, The ripe eares swim, when winds doe blow.

Innube rarus inquinat caelum vapor, Aut tensa nimbis vellera: Aut e Boreis bella ventorum plagis, Raucusque silvarum fragor Auditur usquam: non protervis insonant Exercitati Syrtibus, Euris & Austris contumaces Africi, Et perduellibus Notis.

Tantum serenus Vesper, & tenerrima Etesiarum flamina.

No vapour, here, Heavens cleared face doth staine, No clowdy fleece stretch'd out with raine: The Northerne blasts are still, and all at peace, And the hoa.r.s.e noise o'th' woods doth cease: The stubborne _Africke_ winds that use to stray About th'unruly sandy Sea, Are all hush'd up, and no Alarum sound To th'other winds, entrenched round; Onely the Evening faire, a gentle gale Of winds that each year never faile:

Albique soles, & serena lucidis Aspirat aura montibus: Puramque caelo provehunt Horae facem, Et Phbus Horarum pater Peculiari luce colles irrigat, p.r.o.naque perfundit die.

Ramis tepentes ingruunt Favonii Jocantis aurae sibilo, Et temperatis provocant suspiriis, Leniq; somnum murmure.