FREE IMITATION OF A LATIN ODE,

BY WALTER DE MAPES,

ARCHDEACON OF OXFORD IN THE ELEVENTH CENTURY.

I.

I'LL in a tavern end my days

'Midst boon companions merry,

Place at my lips a lusty flask

Replete with sparkling sherry,

That angels hov'ring round may cry,

When I lie dead as door-nail :

"Rise, genial Deacon, rise and drink

"Of the well of Life Eternal."

CANTILENA.

I.

MIHI est propositum in tabernâ mori,

Vinum sit appositum morientis ori,

Ut dicant, cùm venerint Angelorum chori:
"Deus sit propitius huic Potatori!”

II.

"Tis wine the fading lamp of life Renews with flame celestial,

And elevates th' enraptur'd sense

Above this globe terrestrial:

Be mine the grape's pure juice, unmix'd

With any base ingredient!

Water to heretics I leave,

Sound churchmen have no need on't.

CANTILENA.

11.

Poculis accenditur animi lucerna ;
Cor imbutum Nectare volat ad superna;
Mihi sapit dulcius vinum in tabernâ

Quàm quod aquâ miscuit præsulis Pincerna.

III.

Crosiers for lordly priests provide,
Let warriors wield the truncheon;
I ask no implements beside

A tankard and a luncheon:

Verses and odes without good cheer
I never could indite 'em,

Sure he who meager days devis'd

Suum cuique proprium dat Natura munus,
Ego nunquam potui scribere jejunus;
Me jejunum vincere posset puer unus,
Sitim et jejunium odi tanquam funus.

IV.

When I exhaust the bowl profound
And gen'rous liquor swallow,
Bright as the beverage I imbibe
The gen'rous numbers follow;
Your sneaking water-drinkers all
I utterly condemn 'em,

He that would write like Homer,
Must drink like Agamemnon.

CANTILENA.

IV.

Tales versus facio quale vinum bibo, Non possum scribere nisi sumpto cibo; Nihil valet penitùs quod jejunus scribo, Nasonem post calices facilè præibo.

V.

Mysteries and prophetic truths,
I never could unfold 'em

Without a flagon of good wine
And a lusty slice of cold ham;
But when my flagon I have drain'd,
And eat what's in the dish up,
Tho' I am but an Archdeacon, I

Can preach like an Archbishop.

CANTILENA.

V.

Mihi nunquàm spiritus prophetiæ datur Nisi cùm fuerit venter benè satur:

Cùm in arce cerebri Bacchus dominatur In me Phoebus irruit ac miranda fatur.