Bill Parsons's Blog (12)

Horace

Epode 10





The ship, loosed from its moorings, sets off under a bad omen, carrying that stinker Maevius. South Wind—may you remember to beat both sides of the ship with terrible waves; Black East Wind—scatter rigging and broken oars across the swirling sea; North Wind—rise up as powerfully as when you shatter great oaks on high mountains. May no friendly star appear in the black night where sad Orion sets. May he be carried on no quieter or more even sea than the… Continue

Blessed Maecenas, when will I, happy, by the grace of Jove, drink vintage Caecuban at the victory banquet with you, in your great house with victorious Caesar, the lyre playing a Dorian march with barbarian flutes mixed in? Just as we recently celebrated, when the retreating Neptunian leader, threatening chains on the city which he dragged from his friends-- perfidious slaves-- flew through the straits, his ships in flames.



A Roman—God! (future generations will deny it)—made over to… Continue

Time to start in with my Horace translations again. Epode 8 is definately not for those easily offended.











Epode 8

Horace

Tr. William Parsons





You ask me, you pig, over and over again, what wilts my manhood, while you are the one with the one black tooth, with old age plowing your brow with wrinkles, and your filthy asshole, with shit still on it, gaping between boney ass cheeks like some cow's! But what really gets me is your… Continue

Julius Caesar has been making a comeback in the last decade. Michael Parenti’s The Assassination of Julius Caesar and Adrian Goldsworthy’s Caesar; Life of a Colossus are just two of the recent treatments of this larger than life figure, almost legendary in his own day, mythic in ours. Philip Freeman’s stated purpose was to parse out the myths from the facts and his Julius Caesar is a brilliant and compelling narrative which will help the general reader realize just how… Continue

Why, why have all of you hastened towards infamy? And why have unsheathed swords been fitted into your hands? Has not enough Latin blood poured upon the field and sea, not so the Roman might burn the proud citadels of envious Carthage, or send unconquered Britain down the Sacred Way in chains, but in answer to the prayers of the Parthians, that this city might kill itself with its own right hand?



Wolves and lions do not exhibit this behavior, except upon other animals, wild though… Continue

Who are you to attack innocent strangers, you dog-- a coward against wolves? Why not turn these empty threats towards me, if you dare, one who will fight back? For like a Mollossian or tawny Laconian hound, a friendly force for the shepherd, I will drive through heavy snow, with ears picked up, whatever beast proceeds. You, once you have filled the woods with a timid howl, can sniff out the sop thrown down to you.



Beware! Beware! For I raise my ready horns harshly toward evil, as the… Continue

Here's my translation of Horace's Epode 5



“Oh, by whichever of the gods in heaven that rule the earth and human affairs-- what is the meaning of this cacophony of yours and why do you have a grim face only for me? By your children, if, when called upon, Lucina appeared at true birth, by this empty purple symbol, by Jove, who disapproving of all of this-- why are you staring at me like a stepmother or as a wild beast hounded by the spear?”



Once he had said this with… Continue

Just like the fate that binds together wolves and sheep, such is the difference between you and me-- you, with your sides burned by Spanish ropes and your shins by hard shackles. Although you can swagger about with your arrogant wealth, Fortune has not changed who you really are.



Don’t you see as you strut along the Via Sacra in your outrageous toga that passersby turn their eyes away in absolute disgust? “Cut by the lashes of the triumvir capitals until the herald was disgusted, now… Continue

If ever someone with an impious hand, has broken the aged neck of a parent, make them eat garlic-- it’s worse than hemlock! Oh, the tough guts of harvesters! What sort of poison rages in my stomach? Has the gore of a viper been boiled with these vegetables without my notice? Or has that witch Canidia handled this evil stew?



When Medea gazed upon Jason, shining brighter than all the rest of the Argonaughts, she anointed him with this stuff when he was about to bind the bulls unused to… Continue

Here goes Epode II





“Happy is he who avoids the rat race, like the ancient race of mortals, cultivates his ancestral lands with cows, who is free from debt, who’s neither a soldier, roused by the cruel trumpet, nor dreading the wrathful sea, nor living at the Forum and the haughty thresholds of more powerful men.



“So, when the shoots of his vines mature, he weds them to tall poplars, or in a remote vale, he watches the wanderings of the bellowing flocks, and removing… Continue

I am currently working on a translation of Horace's Epodes. I thought it would be nice to post some here for comment. Keep in mind that these are a work in progress and any comments woudl be appreciated.



Epode 1



Friend, you are going in a Liburtine galley among the ship’s tall ramparts, prepared, Maecenas, to undergo all of Caesar’s dangers yourself.



What about us, whose life will be sweet if you survive and loathsome if you don’t?

Should I pursue leisure,… Continue

In response to Andrew’s challenge, here is something I have been working on.

This term, for the first time, Franklin Pierce University is running “Ancient and Medieval Worlds” in the 100% online environment. As…

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