Ω Κύρι', οἶσθά μ ̓ ἐξερευνήσας τορῶς,
εὐνῆς τ ̓ ἐπαντέλλοντα κἀπιδέμνιον
πίτνονθ ̓ ὁμοίως ἐννοεῖ μ'· ἃ δ ̓ ἂν φρονῶ,
καὶ πρὶν φρονεῖν με προὐξεπίστασαι πάλαι.
σὺ δ ̓ ἀμφὶ μὲν πόδ', ἀμφὶ δ ̓ εὐναστήριον
ἀεὶ πάρει μοι, πάντας ἐξιχνοσκοπῶν
τρόπους· ἐπεί τοι κοὐ διὰ γλώσσης ἔχω
οὐδέν τι φωνεῖν, μὴ οὐ σάφ ̓ εἰδότος σέθεν.
σύ τοι δέμας μου τά τ' ὀπίσω ξυνήρμοσας
καὶ τἀπίπροσθεν, ἐπιβαλὼν σὴν δεξιάν.
τοιαῦτ ̓ ἐμοὶ σοφώτερ ̓ ἢ ξυνιέναι,
γνώμην ὑπερβάλλοντα. ποῖ μὲν γὰρ λάθω
σὸν πνεῦμα, ποῖ δὲ σὴν παρουσίαν ἰών;
πτηνὸν γὰρ ἄρας σῶμ ̓ ἐς αἰθέρος βάθη
ὁρῶ σ ̓ ἐκεῖ παρόντα, καὶ κατὰ χθονὸς
μολὴν ὁρῶ σ ̓ ἐνόντα κὰν Ἅιδου δόμοις.
Ut poli qvondam nebulae serenos
Obruunt risus, ita damna vitae
Saepe ridentes oculos obortis
Nubibus umbrant.
Utqve siccati fugiunt vapores
Aureum Phoebo referente vultum,
Sic obumbrantes fugat alma curas
Gratia caeli.
When mirth is full and free,
Some sudden gloom will be:
When haughty power mounts high,
The watcher's axe is nigh.
All growth has bound; when greatest found,
It hastes to die.
When the rich town, that long
Has lain its huts among,
Rears its new structures vast,
And vaunts,-it shall not last. Bright tints that shine are but the sign Of summer past.
When, too, thine eye surveys
With fond adoring gaze
And yearning heart thy friend,
Love to its grave doth tend.
All gifts below, save faith, but grow
Towards an end.
Omnia magna cadunt.
Inter soluti gaudia pectoris
Persaepe nubes ingruit horrida ;
Utcumqve sublimi potestas
Arce sedens dominatur orbem,
Ultor securim praeparat. Omnia
Quae procreantur limite parvulo
Clauduntur, atqve in maius aucta
Funere deproperant caduco.
En qua per agros sparsa mapalia
Dudum latebant, urbs nova colligit
Caementa, et insigni domorum
Mole nimis locuples superbit,
Mansura paullum: mox cadit obruta
Turpi ruina. Scilicet aureo
Qvam vestit auctumnus colore
Interitum monet arbor anni.
Quando et sodalem pectore sedulo
Fixusqve amanti lumine suspicis,
Iam nunc sepulcrales inire
Fluxus Amor properat tenebras.
Qvaecumqve nobis sunt data munera
Iniurioso limite temporis
Urgentur; indefessa longo
Sola fides stabilitur aevo.
Christian Warfare.
Soldier, go-but not to claim
Mouldering spoils of earth-born treasure, Not to build a vaunting name,
Not to dwell in tents of pleasure;
Dream not that the way is smooth,
Hope not that the thorns are roses;
Turn no wishful eye of youth
Where the sunny beam reposes:
Thou hast sterner work to do,
Hosts to cut thy passage through;
Close behind thee gulfs are burning:
Forward! there is no returning.
Soldier, rest-but not for thee
Spreads the world her downy pillow;
On the rock thy couch must be,
While around thee chafes the billow;
Thine must be a watchful sleep,
Wearier than another's waking;
Such a charge as thou dost keep
Brooks no moment of forsaking.
Sleep, as on the battle-field,
Girded, grasping sword and shield:
Those thou canst not name or number
Steal upon thy broken slumber.
Soldier, rise-the war is done :
Lo, the hosts of hell are flying; "Twas thy Lord the battle won; Jesus vanquished them by dying.
Incipe, miles, iter: sed ne terrestria quaeras
Munera, post paucos interitura dies:
Neu cupias vano nomen memorabile fastu,
Neve voluptatis mollia castra petas:
Neve putes iri facili super acthera cursu,
Neu teneram spinis posse carere rosam :
Neu captes oculo tractus iuveniliter illos
Ridet ubi aestivis solibus almus ager:
Te manet armatum labor acrior, acrior hostis;
Est acies telis magna domanda tuis.
Aestuat a tergo flamma fervente barathrum;
Protenus i recto calle: redire nefas.-
Carpe tuam, miles, requiem; sed non tibi luxus
Explicat ignavo stragula grata toro:
Sed tibi sufficiet scopulosa cubilia rupes,
Qvam ferus inlisis obsidet Eurus aqvis.
Te decet adtentum longas producere noctes,
Et somno excubiis asperiore frui.
Qvae tu difficili servas tutamine castra
Tempore non ullo deseruisse licet.
Somnos carpe, velut pugnam introiturus, in armis,
Inpiger, et clipeo cinctus et ense latus.
Illi, qveis numerus non est, qveis nomina desunt, Invadunt tacito somnia fracta gradu.
Surge adeo, miles, confecto munere belli :
En agitat rapidam turba nefanda fugam. Dux tuus infernas fraudes devicit: Iesus Morte sua victo victor ab hoste redit.
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