Jan. 23, 1646.

AD JOANNEM

ROUSIU M,

OXONIENSIS ACADEMIA BIBLIOTHECARIUM.

De libro Poematum amiffo, quem ille fibi denuo mitti poftulabat, ut cum aliis noftris in Bibliotheca publica reponeret, Ode.

G

Strophe 1.

EMELLE cultu fimplici gaudens liber,
Fronde licet geminâ,

Munditiéque nitens non operosâ,

Quam manus attulit

Juvenilis olim,

Sedula tamen haud nimii poetæ ;

Dum vagus Aufonias nunc per umbras,
Nunc Britannica per vireta lufit

Infons populi, barbitóque devius

Indulfit patrio, mox itidem pectine Daunio
Longinquum intonuit melos

Vicinis, & humum vix tetigit pede;

Antiftrophe.

Quis te, parve liber, quis te fratribus

Subduxit reliquis dolo?

Cum tu miffus ab urbe,

Docto jugiter obfecrante amico,

Illuftre tendebas iter

Thamefis ad incunabula

Cœrulei patris,

U 4

Fontes ubi limpidi

Aqnidum, thyafufque facer

Orbi notus per immenfos

Temporum lapfus redeunte cœlo,

Celeberque futurus in ævum;

Strophe 2.

Modò quis deus, aut editus deo
Priftinam gentis miseratus indolem
(Si fatis noxas luimus priores,
Mollique luxu degener otium)
Tollat nefandos civium tumultus,
Almaque revocet ftudia fan&tus,
Et relegatas fine fede Mufas

Jam penè totis finibus Angligenum;

Immundafque volucres

Unguibus imminentes

Figat Apollineâ pharetrâ,

Phinéamque abigat peftem procul amne Pegaféo.

Antiftrophe.

Quin tu, libelle, nuntii licet malâ

Fide, vel ofcitantiâ

Semel erraveris agmine fratrum,

Seu quis te teneat specus.

Seu qua te latebra, forfan unde vili
Callo teréris inftitoris infulfi,
Lætare felix, en iterum tibi
Spes nova fulget poffe profundam
Fugere Lethen, vehique fuperam
In Jovis aulam remige pennâ;

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45

Strophe 3.

Voluit reponi, quibus & ipfe præfidet

Æternorum operum custos fidelis,
Quæftorque gazæ nobilioris,

Quàm cui præfuit Iön

Clarus Erechtheides

Opulenta dei per templa parentis

Fulvofque tripodas, donaque Delphica,

Ion Actæâ genitus Creusâ.

Ergo tu vifere lucos

Antiftrophe.

Mufarum ibis amœnos,

Diamque Phoebi rurfus ibis in domum,

Oxoniâ quam valle colit

Delo pofthabitâ,

Bifidòque Parnaffi jugo :

Ibis honeftus,

Poftquam egregiam tu quoque fortem

Nactus abis, dextri prece follicitatus amici.
Illic legéris inter alta nomina

Authorum, Graiæ fimul & Latine

Antiqua gentis lumina, & verum decus.

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Epodos.

Epodos.

Vos tandem haud vacui mei labores,

Quicquid hoc fterile fudit ingenium,

Jam ferò placidam fperare jubeo

Perfunctam invidiâ requiem, fedesque beatas
Quas bonus Hermes

Et tutela dabit folers Roüfi,

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Quo neque lingua procax vulgi penetrabit, atque longê

Turba legentum pravą faceffet

At ultimi nepotes,

Et cordatior ætas

Judicia rebus æquiora forfitan

Adhibebit integro finu.

Tum livore fepulto,

Si quid meremur fana pofteritas fciet
Roüfio favente.

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Ode tribus conftat Strophis, totidémque Antistrophis, unâ demum Epodo claufis, quas, tametfi omnes nec verfuum numero, nec certis ubique colis exactè refpondeant, ita tamen fecuimus, commodè legendi potiùs, quàm ad antiquos concinendi modos rationem fpectantes. Alioquin hoc génus rectiùs fortaffe dici monoftrophicum debuerat. Metra partim funt xarà σχέσιν, partim ἀπολελυμένα. Phaleucia quæ funt Spondæum tertio loco bis admittunt, quod idem in fecundo loco Catullus ad libitum fecit.

Ad

Ad CHRISTINAM Suecorum Reginam nomine Cromwelli *.

BEllipotens Virgo, feptem Regina Trionum,

Christina, Arctoï lucida ftella poli,

Cernis quas merui dura sub casside rugas,
Utque fenex armis impiger ora tero;:
Invia fatorum dum per veftigia nitor,
Exequor et populi fortia juffa manu.
Aft tibi fubmittit frontem reverentior umbra;
Nec funt hi vultus Regibus ufque truces.

TRANSLATION, from TOLAND's Life of MILTON.

B

RIGHT martial maid, queen of the frozen zone, The northern pole fupports thy fhining throne; Behold what furrows age and steel can plow, The helmet's weight opprefs'd this wrinkled brow. Through fate's untrodden paths I move, my hands Still act my free-born people's bold commands: Yet this stern shade to you submits his frowns, Nor are thefe looks always fevere to crowns.

These verses were fent to Christina Queen of Sweden with Cromwell's picture, and are by some ascribed to Andrew Marvel, as by others to Milton: but I fhould rather think they were Milton's, being more within his province as Latin Secretary.

A FRAG.