Odes

Horace

Horace. The Odes and Carmen Saeculare of Horace. Conington, John, translator. London: George Bell and Sons, 1882.

Mightiest of chieftains whomsoe'er

The sun beholds from heaven on high?

They know thee now, thy strength in war,

Those unsubdued Vindelici.

Thine was the sword that Drusus drew,

When on the Breunian hordes he fell,

And storm'd the fierce Genaunian crew

E'en in their Alpine citadel,

And paid them back their debt twice told

'Twas then the elder Nero came

To conflict, and in ruin roll'd

Stout Raetian kernes of giant frame.

O, 'twas a gallant sight to see

The shocks that beat upon the brave

Who chose to perish and be free!

As south winds scourge the rebel wave

When through rent clouds the Pleiads weep,

So keen his force to smite, and smite

The foe, or make his charger leap

Through the red furnace of the fight.