The Complete Poems (Penguin Classics)

  In eandem

  Purgatorem animae derisit Iacobus ignem,

  Et sine quo superum non adeunda domus.

  Frenduit hoc trina monstrum Latiale corona

  Movit et horrificum cornua dena minax.

  5 Et nec inultus ait temnes mea sacra Britanne,

  Supplicium spreta relligione dabis.

  Et si stelligeras unquam penetraveris arces,

  Non nisi per flammas triste patebit iter.

  O quam funesto cecinisti proxima vero,

  10 Verbaque ponderibus vix caritura suis!

  Nam prope Tartareo sublime rotatus ab igni

  Ibat ad aethereas umbra perusta plagas.

  On the same

  James scoffed at the purgatorial fire,1 without which the soul cannot reach its home above. At this the triple-crowned monster of Latium3 gnashed its teeth and shook its ten horns4 with horrifying menace. ‘Briton,’ it said, ‘your scorn for that which is sacred to me will not go unpunished. You will pay the penalty for despising religion, and you will never win your way through to the starry citadels unless a painful road opens to you through the flames.’ O how near your prophecy came to deadly truth, how little your words fell short of being fulfilled! For he was almost whirled up to the heavenly regions by Tartarean fire, a burnt-up shade.

  In eandem

  Quern modo Roma suis devoverat impia diris,

  Et Styge damnarat Taenarioque sinu,

  Hunc vice mutata iam tollere gestit ad astra,

  Et cupit ad superos evehere usque deos.

  On the same

  Impious Rome once cursed this man with dire imprecations,1 condemned him to the Styx and the Taenarian abyss.2 Now, reversing her aims, she longs to elevate him to the stars and desires to convey him up even to the gods above.

  In Inventorem Bombardae

  Iapetionidem laudavit caeca vetustas,

  Qui tulit aetheream solis ab axe facem;

  At mihi maior erit, qui lurida creditur arma,

  Et trifidum fulmen surripuisse Iovi.

  On the Inventor of Gunpowder

  Blind antiquity praised the son of Iapetus1 who brought down heavenly fire from the sun’s chariot; but to my mind, a greater man is he who is thought to have stolen from Jove his ghastly arms and three-forked thunderbolt.

  Ad Leonoram Romae Canentem

  Angelus unicuique suus (sic credite gentes)

  Obtigit aethereis ales ab ordinibus.

  Quid mirum, Leonora tibi si gloria maior?

  Nam tua praesentem vox sonat ipsa Deum.

  5 Aut Deus, aut vacui certe mens tertia coeli

  Per tua secreto guttura serpit agens;

  Serpit agens, facilisque docet mortalia corda

  Sensim immortali assuescere posse sono.

  Quod si cuncta quidem Deus est, per cunctaque fusus,

  10 In te una loquitur, caetera mutus habet.

  To Leonora singing at Rome

  A winged angel from the heavenly hierarchies – believe me, you nations – hovers over each particular individual. What wonder, Leonora, if you have a greater glory? For your very voice pours forth the presence of God. Either God or at least the third mind,5 quitting heaven, moves imperceptibly through your throat with secret power; with power he moves, and graciously teaches mortal hearts how they can insensibly become accustomed to immortal sound. If God is all things, and poured through all things, in you alone he speaks, in silence holds all else.

  Ad eandem

  Altera Torquatum cepit Leonora poetam,

  Cuius ab insano cessit amore furens.

  Ah miser ille tuo quanto felicius aevo

  Perditus, et propter te Leonora foret!

  5 Et te Pieria sensisset voce canentem

  Aurea maternae fila movere lyrae,

  Quamvis Dircaeo torsisset lumina Pentheo

  Saevior, aut totus desipuisset iners,

  Tu tamen errantes caeca vertigine sensus

  10 Voce eadem poteras composuisse tua;

  Et poteras aegro spirans sub corde quietem

  Flexanimo cantu restituisse sibi.

  To the same

  Another Leonora captivated the poet Torquato,1 who went mad with raging love for her. Ah, poor man, how much more blissfully might he have been brought to ruin in your time and for your sake, Leonora! He would have heard you singing with Pierian5 voice as you touched the strings of your mother’s6 lyre. Even if he had rolled his eyes more fiercely than Dircaean Pentheus,7 or was so completely mad that he was incapable of doing anything, your voice could have composed his wits wandering in their blind giddiness. Breathing peace into his troubled heart with your heart-moving song, you might have restored him to himself.

  Ad eandem

  Credula quid liquidam Sirena Neapoli iactas,

  Claraque Parthenopes fana Acheloiados,

  Littoreamque tua defunctam naiada ripa

  Corpora Chalcidico sacra dedisse rogo?

  5 Illa quidem vivitque, et amoena Tibridis unda

  Mutavit rauci murmura Pausilipi.

  Illic Romulidum studiis ornata secundis,

  Atque homines cantu detinet atque deos.

  To the same

  Why, credulous Naples, do you boast of your clear-voiced Siren, and of the famous shrine of Achelous’ daughter, Parthenope?2 Why do you boast that when she, a naiad of the shore, perished on your coast, you burned her sacred body on a Chalcidian4 pyre? In truth, she lives, and has exchanged the roar of hoarse Posillipo6 for the Tiber’s delightful waves. There she is honoured by the eager applause of the sons of Romulus, and she holds gods and men spellbound with her song.

  SILVARUM LIBER

  In Obitum Procancellarii Medici

  Anno aetatis 16 [17]

  Parere fati discite legibus,

  Manusque Parcae iam date supplices,

  Qui pendulum telluris orbem

  Iapeti colitis nepotes.

  5 Vos si relicto mors vaga Taenaro

  Semel vocarit flebilis, heu morae

  Tentantur incassum dolique;

  Per tenebras Stygis ire certum est.

  Si destinatam pellere dextera

  10 Mortem valeret, non ferus Hercules

  Nessi venenatus cruore

  Aemathia iacuisset Oeta.

  Nec fraude turpi Palladis invidae

  Vidisset occisum Ilion Hectora, aut

  15 Quem larva Pelidis peremit

  Ense Locro, love lacrimante.

  Si triste fatum verba Hecateia

  Fugare possint, Telegoni parens

  Vixisset infamis, potentique

  20 Aegiali soror usa virga.

  Numenque trinum fallere si queant

  Artes medentum, ignotaque gramina,

  Non gnarus herbarum Machaon

  Eurypyli cecidisset hasta.

  25 Laesisset et nec te Philyreie

  Sagitta echidnae perlita sanguine,

  Nec tela te fulmenque avitum

  Caese puer genitricis alvo.

  Tuque O alumno maior Apolline,

  30 Gentis togatae cui regimen datum,

  Frondosa quem nunc Cirrha luget,

  Et mediis Helicon in undis,

  Iam praefuisses Palladio gregi

  Laetus, superstes, nee sine gloria,

  35 Nec puppe lustrasses Charontis

  Horribiles barathri recessus.

  At fila rupit Persephone tua

  Irata, cum te viderit artibus

  Succoque pollenti tot atris

  40 Faucibus eripuisse mortis.

  Colende praeses, membra precor tua

  Molli quiescant cespite, et ex tuo

  Crescant rosae, calthaeque busto,

  Purpureoque hyacinthus ore.

  45 Sit mite de te iudicium Aeaci,

  Subrideatque Aetnaea Proserpina,

  Interque felices perennis

  Elysio spatiere campo.

  On the death of the Vice-Chancellor, a Physician

  At the Age of 16 [17]

  Learn to obey the laws of Fate, and now r
aise suppliant hands to the goddess of destiny,2 you descendants of lapetus4 who inhabit the pendulous globe of the earth.3 If Death, the mournful wanderer from Taenarus,5 once calls you, alas, it is useless to try delays and tricks; your journey through Stygian darkness is inescapable. If man’s right hand had the strength to drive back destined death, fierce Hercules would not have been laid low by Nessus’ poisoned blood on Emathian Oeta;12 nor would Troy have seen Hector slain by malicious Pallas’ base deceit,14 nor Sarpedon slain with a Locrian sword by the man disguised as Achilles, while Jove wept.16 If Hecate’s spells could banish miserable fate, Telegonus’ mother18 would have lived on in her infamy, and Aegialeus’ sister20 would have survived to use her powerful wand. If medical arts and mysterious drugs could cheat the three goddesses, then Machaon, who knew all medicinal herbs, would not have fallen to Eurypylus’ spear;24 nor would the arrow smeared with Hydra’s blood have afflicted you, son of Philyra;25 nor would you, boy28 cut from your mother’s womb, have been struck by your grandfather’s bolts and thunder.

  And you, who are greater than your pupil Apollo, you who were given rule over the gowned tribe, you whom leafy Cirrha31 now mourns, and Helicon amidst its streams, you would now be presiding over Pallas’ flock,33 joyful, still living, and not without glory; you would not have crossed over the horrid deeps of the abyss in Charon’s35 boat. But Persephone37 broke the thread of your life, angry when she saw that by your arts and powerful potions you had snatched so many from the dark jaws of death. Reverend Chancellor, may your limbs rest peacefully in the soft turf, and from your grave may roses and marigolds and the purple-lipped hyacinth grow. May Aeacus45 judge you mildly, may Sicilian46 Proserpine smile, and may you walk for ever among the blessed in the Elysian fields.

  In Quintum Novembris

  Anno aetatis 17

  Iam pius extrema veniens Iacobus ab arcto

  Teucrigenas populos, lateque patentia regna

  Albionum tenuit, iamque inviolabile foedus

  Sceptra Caledoniis coniunxerat Anglica Scotis:

  5 Pacificusque novo felix divesque sedebat

  In solio, occultique doli securus et hostis:

  Cum ferus ignifluo regnans Acheronte tyrannus,

  Eumenidum pater, aethereo vagus exul Olympo,

  Forte per immensum terrarum erraverat orbem,

  10 Dinumerans sceleris socios, vernasque fideles,

  Participes regni post funera moesta futuros;

  Hic tempestates medio ciet aere diras,

  lllic unanimes odium struit inter amicos,

  Armat et invictas in mutua viscera gentes;

  15 Regnaque olivifera vertit florentia pace,

  Et quoscunque videt purae virtutis amantes,

  Hos cupit adiicere imperio, fraudumque magister

  Tentat inaccessum sceleri corrumpere pectus,

  Insidiasque locat tacitas, cassesque latentes

  20 Tendit, ut incautos rapiat, ceu Caspia tigris

  Insequitur trepidam deserta per avia praedam

  Nocte sub illuni, et somno nictantibus astris.

  Talibus infestat populos Summanus et urbes

  Cinctus caeruleae fumanti turbine flammae.

  25 Iamque fluentisonis albentia rupibus arva

  Apparent, et terra Deo dilecta marino,

  Cui nomen dederat quondam Neptunia proles

  Amphitryoniaden qui non dubitavit atrocem

  Aequore tranato furiali poscere bello,

  30 Ante expugnatae crudelia saecula Troiae.

  At simul hanc opibusque et festa pace beatam

  Aspicit, et pingues donis Cerealibus agros,

  Quodque magis doluit, venerantem numina veri

  Sancta Dei populum, tandem suspiria rupit

  35 Tartareos ignes et luridum olentia sulphur.

  Qualia Trinacria trux ab love clausus in Aetna

  Efflat tabifico monstrosus ab ore Typhoeus.

  Ignescunt oculi, stridetque adamantinus ordo

  Dentis, ut armorum fragor, ictaque cuspide cuspis.

  40 Atque pererrato solum hoc lacrimabile mundo

  Inveni, dixit, gens haec mihi sola rebellis,

  Contemtrixque iugi, nostraque potentior arte.

  Illa tamen, mea si quicquam tentamina possunt,

  Non feret hoc impune diu, non ibit inulta.

  45 Hactenus, et piceis liquido natat aere pennis;

  Qua volat, adversi praecursant agmine venti,

  Densantur nubes, et crebra tonitrua fulgent.

  Iamque pruinosas velox superaverat Alpes,

  Et tenet Ausoniae fines, a parte sinistra

  50 Nimbifer Appenninus erat, priscique Sabini,

  Dextra veneficiis infamis Hetruria, nec non

  Te furtiva Tibris Thetidi videt oscula dantem;

  Hinc Mavortigenae consistit in arce Quirini.

  Reddiderant dubiam iam sera crepuscula lucem,

  55 Cum circumgreditur totam Tricoronifer urbem,

  Panificosque deos portat, scapulisque virorum

  Evehitur, praeeunt summisso poplite reges,

  Et mendicantum series longissima fratrum;

  Cereaque in manibus gestant funalia caeci,

  60 Cimmeriis nati in tenebris, vitamque trahentes.

  Templa dein multis subeunt lucentia taedis

  (Vesper erat sacer iste Petro) fremitusque canentum

  Saepe tholos implet vacuos, et inane locorum.

  Qualiter exululat Bromius, Bromiique caterva,

  65 Orgia cantantes in Echionio Aracyntho,

  Dum tremit attonitus vitreis Asopus in undis,

  Et procul ipse cava responsat rupe Cithaeron.

  His igitur tandem solenni more peractis,

  Nox senis amplexus Erebi taciturna reliquit,

  70 Praecipitesque impellit equos stimulante flagello,

  Captum oculis Typhlonta, Melanchaetemque ferocem,

  Atque Acherontaeo prognatam patre Siopen

  Torpidam, et hirsutis horrentem Phrica capillis.

  Interea regum domitor, Phlegetontius haeres

  75 Ingreditur thalamos (neque enim secretus adulter

  Producit steriles molli sine pellice noctes);

  At vix compositos somnus claudebat ocellos,

  Cum niger umbrarum dominus, rectorque silentum,

  Praedatorque hominum falsa sub imagine tectus

  80 Astitit. Assumptis micuerunt tempora canis,

  Barba sinus promissa tegit, cineracea longo

  Syrmate verrit humum vestis, pendetque cucullus

  Vertice de raso, et ne quicquam desit ad artes,

  Cannabeo lumbos constrinxit fune salaces,

  85 Tarda fenestratis figens vestigia calceis.

  Talis, uti fama est, vasta Franciscus eremo

  Tetra vagabatur solus per lustra ferarum,

  Silvestrique tulit genti pia verba salutis

  Impius, atque lupos domuit, Libycosque leones.

  90 Subdolus at tali Serpens velatus amictu

  Solvit in has fallax ora execrantia voces;

  Dormis nate? Etiamne tuos sopor opprimit artus?

  Immemor O fidei, pecorumque oblite tuorum,

  Dum cathedram venerande tuam, diademaque triplex

  95 Ridet Hyperboreo gens barbara nata sub axe,

  Dumque pharetrati spernunt tua iura Britanni;

  Surge, age, surge piger, Latius quem Caesar adorat,

  Cui reserata patet convexi ianua caeli,

  Turgentes animos, et fastus frange procaces,

  100 Sacrilegique sciant, tua quid maledictio possit,

  Et quid Apostolicae possit custodia clavis;

  Et memor Hesperiae disiectam ulciscere classem,

  Mersaque Iberorum lato vexilla profundo,

  Sanctorumque cruci tot corpora fixa probrosae,

  105 Thermodoontea nuper regnante puella.

  At tu si tenero mavis torpescere lecto

  Crescentesque negas hosti contundere vires,

  Tyrrhenum implebit numeroso milite Pontum,

  Signaque Aven
tino ponet fulgentia colle:

  110 Relliquias veterum franget, flammisque cremabit,

  Sacraque calcabit pedibus tua colla profanis,

  Cuius gaudebant soleis dare basia reges.

  Nec tamen hunc bellis et aperto Marte lacesses,

  Irritus ille labor; tu callidus utere fraude,

  115 Quaelibet haereticis disponere retia fas est;

  Iamque ad consilium extremis rex magnus ab oris

  Patricios vocat, et procerum de stirpe creatos,

  Grandaevosque patres trabea, canisque verendos;

  Hos tu membratim poteris conspergere in auras,

  120 Atque dare in cineres, nitrati pulveris igne

  Aedibus iniecto, qua convenere, sub imis.

  Protinus ipse igitur quoscumque habet Anglia fidos

  Propositi, factique mone, quisquamne tuorum

  Audebit summi non iussa facessere Papae?

  125 Perculsosque metu subito, casumque stupentes

  Invadat vel Gallus atrox, vel saevus Iberus.

  Saecula sic illic tandem Mariana redibunt,

  Tuque in belligeros iterum dominaberis Anglos.

  Et nequid timeas, divos divasque secundas

  130 Accipe, quotque tuis celebrantur numina fastis.

  Dixit et adscitos ponens malefidus amictus

  Fugit ad infandam, regnum illaetabile, Lethen.

  Iam rosea Eoas pandens Tithonia portas

  Vestit inauratas redeunti lumine terras;

  135 Maestaque adhuc nigri deplorans funera nati

  Irrigat ambrosiis montana cacumina guttis;

  Cum somnos pepulit stellatae ianitor aulae

  Nocturnos visus, et somnia grata revolvens.

  Est locus aeterna septus caligine noctis

  140 Vasta ruinosi quondam fundamina tecti,

  Nunc torvi spelunca Phoni, Prodotaeque bilinguis

  Effera quos uno peperit Discordia partu.

  Hic inter caementa iacent praeruptaque saxa,

  Ossa inhumata virum, et traiecta cadavera ferro;

  145 Hic Dolus intortis semper sedet ater ocellis,

  Iurgiaque, et stimulis armata Calumnia fauces,

  Et Furor, atque viae moriendi mille videntur,