Project Gutenberg's Readings from Latin Verse, by Curtis C. Bushnell

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Title: Readings from Latin Verse With Notes

Author: Curtis C. Bushnell

Release Date: September 21, 2010 [EBook #33786]

Language: English

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK READINGS FROM LATIN VERSE ***

Produced by Michael Gray, alumnus, Santa Clara University Classics Department

READINGS FROM LATIN VERSE

WITH NOTES

BY

CURTIS C. BUSHNELL, PH.D.

PROFESSOR OF CLASSICS IN SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY

Boston ALLYN AND BACON 1908

COPYRIGHT, 1908, BY CURTIS C. BUSHNELL.

FRANCISCO • SMALLEY DECANO COMES • ET • AMICVS HVNC • LIBELLVM D • D

INTRODUCTORY NOTE.

THIS little book has been prepared to meet the needs of my own classes. The selections have been made primarily with reference to their literary merit, but also with the intention of introducing the student to a number of authors not usually read in the earlier portion of the college course.

The notes are greatly indebted to the works named under the heading,
'Reference.'

I am under obligations to Professor E. C. Morris of Syracuse University
for the correction of the manuscript of the notes, and to Mr. N. L.
Willey, Syracuse University, 1908, for assistance in proof-reading.
                                        C. C. B.
SYRACUSE, N.Y.

READINGS FROM LATIN VERSE.

CLASSICAL LATIN POETRY.

I. ENNIUS.

FROM THE ANNALS.

1. The Lament for Romulus.

Pectora fida tenet desiderium: simul inter sese sic memorant, 'o Romule, Romule die, qualem te patriae custodem di genuerunt! O pater, o genitor, o sanguen dis oriundum, tu produxisti nos intra luminis oras.' 5

2. Pyrrhus dismissing the Prisoners without Ransom.

Nec mi aurum posco nec mi pretium dederitis: nec cauponantes bellum sed belligerantes ferro, non auro, vitam cernamus utrique. Vosne velit an me regnare era quidve ferat Fors virtute experiamur. Et hoc simul accipe dictum: 5 quorum virtuti belli fortuna pepercit eorundem libertati me parcere certumst. Dono ducite doque volentibus cum magnis dis.

3. M.' Curius.

Quem nemo ferro potuit superare nec auro.

4. Q. Fabius Maximus.

Unus homo nobis cunctando restituit rem; noenum rumores ponebat ante salutem; ergo plusque magisque viri nunc gloria claret.

5. The Strength of Rome.

Moribus antiquis res stat Romana virisque.

FROM THE TRAGEDIES.

6. A Bereaved Father's Fortitude.

Égo cum genui, túm morituros scívi et ei re sústuli. Praéterea ad Troiám cum misi ob défendendam Graéciam, scíbam me in mortíferum bellum, nón in epulas míttere.

7. 'Gods Careless of Mankind.'

Égo deum genus ésse semper díxi et dicam caélitum, séd eos non curáre opinor, quíd agat humanúm genus; nám si curent, béne bonis sit, mále malis; quod núnc abest.

FROM THE EPIGRAMS.

8. Ennius' Epitaph.

Nemo me dacrumis decoret nec funera fletu faxit. Cur? Volito vivus per ora virum.

II. LUCRETIUS.

1. 'Things unattempted yet in Prose or Rhyme.'

Nunc age quod superest cognosce et clarius audi. Nec me animi fallit quam sint obscura; sed acri percussit thyrso laudis spes magna meum cor et simul incussit suavem mi pectus amorem musarum, quo nunc instinctus mente vigenti 5 avia Pieridum peragro loca nullius ante trita solo. Iuvat integros accedere fontes atque haurire, iuvatque novos decerpere flores insignemque meo capiti petere inde coronam unde prius nulli velarint tempora musae; 10 primum quod magnis doceo de rebus et artis religionum animum nodis exsolvere pergo, deinde quod obscura de re tam lucida pango carmina, musaeo contingens cuncta lepore. De Rerum Natura I. 931-934.

2. The Praise of Epicurus.

E tenebris tantis tam clarum extollere lumen qui primus potuisti inlustrans commoda vitae, te sequor, o Graiae gentis decus, inque tuis nunc ficta pedum pono pressis vestigia signis, non ita certandi cupidus quam propter amorem 5 quod te imitari aveo; quid enim contendat hirundo cycnis, aut quidnam tremulis facere artubus haedi consimile in cursu possint et fortis equi vis? Tu, pater, es rerum inventor, tu patria nobis suppeditas praecepta, tuisque ex, inclute, chartis, 10 floriferis ut apes in saltibus omnia libant, omnia nos itidem depascimur aurea dicta, aurea, perpetua semper dignissima vita. Nam simul ac ratio tua coepit vociferari naturam rerum, divina mente coorta, 15 diffugiunt animi terrores, moenia mundi discedunt, totum video per inane geri res. Apparet divum numen sedesque quietae quas neque concutiunt venti nec nubila nimbis aspergunt neque nix acri concreta pruina 20 cana cadens violat semperque innubilus aether integit, et large diffuso lumine rident. Omnia suppeditat porro natura neque ulla res animi pacem delibat tempore in ullo. At contra nusquam apparent Acherusia templa 25 nec tellus obstat quin omnia dispiciantur, sub pedibus quaecumque infra per inane geruntur. His ibi me rebus quaedam divina voluptas percipit adque horror, quod sic natura tua vi tam manifesta patens ex omni parte retecta est. 30 Id. III. 1-30.

3. The Changing Seasons.

It ver et Venus, et veris praenuntius ante pennatus graditur zephyrus, vestigia propter Flora quibus mater praespargens ante viai cuncta coloribus egregiis et odoribus opplet. Inde loci sequitur calor aridus et comes una 5 pulverulenta Ceres et etesia flabra aquilonum. Inde autumnus adit, graditur simul Euhius Euan. Inde aliae tempestates ventique secuntur, altitonans Volturnus et auster fulmine pollens. Tandem bruma nives adfert pigrumque rigorem, 10 prodit hiemps, sequitur crepitans hanc dentibus algor. Id. V. 736-746.

4. The Origin of