IDEM LATINE. O mihi si vestros accendat cordibus ignes, Innumeræ exornent veneres mea carmina: nostris Ecce, procellosæ vitant quæ litora terræ, Silva mihi rident, auriferumque nemus. Si loca mutaris, quamvis curabitur arbos, Increpuitque hiemes et perit icta gelu. Hic crescit succus surgitque calore benigno, Suavior hinc gustus, gratior exit odor. Aspera quin rupes teneris fit florida myrtis : Funditur ex herbis sub pede dulcis odor. Me deus ad sedes Baiarum ducat amœnas, Meque suo ridens Umbria vere tegat, Quâ zephyri æternùm versantur, et annuus orbis Omne decus lætæ prodigus addit humo. W. P. SMITH. ALEXANDER'S FEAST. Now strike the golden lyre again : A louder yet, and yet a louder strain ! Break his bands of sleep asunder And rouse him with a rattling peal of thunder. Hark, hark! the horrid sound Has raised up his head: As awaked from the dead And amazed he stares around. Revenge, revenge, Timotheus cries, See the Furies arise! See the snakes that they rear How they hiss in their hair, And the sparkles that flash from their eyes! DRYDEN. IDEM LATINE. Impelle rursus barbiton aureum ; Quo vincla rumpantur soporis, Ut tonitru ciet omne cælum Fragore findens. Audin' ut horridus Clangor resultat? Rex caput erigens, Ceu mortis excussus tenebris, Attonitos oculos revolvit. Pænas reposcit Timotheus: cohors Instat sororum: sibilat in comis Arrecta serpentum corona; Igne micant oculi corusco. W. M. FURNEAUX. 20 20 FROM MACHIAVELLI'S "HISTORY OF FLORENCE." THESE calumnies coming to his ears disturbed the temper of this proud but upright man more than quite became his dignity. He was so exasperated against the citizens and magistracy that, without waiting for or asking permission, he returned to Florence, and presenting himself before the council of Ten, he said that he well knew how difficult and dangerous a thing it was to serve an unruly people and a divided city. For the one listens to every report, the other pursues improper measures: they neglect to reward good conduct, and heap censure upon whatever appears doubtful; so that victory wins no applause, error is accused by all, and if vanquished universal condemnation is incurred: from one's own party through envy, and from enemies through hatred, persecution results. He confessed that the baseness of the present calumnies had conquered his patience and changed the temper of his mind; but he would say he had never for fear of a false accusation avoided doing what appeared to him beneficial to the city. However he trusted the magistrates would in future be more ready to defend their fellow citizens, so that the latter might continue anxious to effect the prosperity of their country; that as it was not customary at Florence to award triumphs for success they ought at least to be protected from calumny; and that being citizens themselves and at any moment liable to false accusations they might easily conceive how painful it is to an upright man to be oppressed with slander. IDEM LATINE. FALSA autem de se audita crimina virum illum superbum eundemque probum paullò magis quam pro dignitate commovebant. Tantâ in cives magistratusque irâ exardebat ut neque impetratâ adhuc facultate reditus neque petitâ Florentiam redierit, et decemviris sese obtulerit. Satis se perspectum cognitumque illud habere quam lubrica res et difficilis esset plebi seditiosæ, et secum ipsis discordibus civibus inservire. Hos enim omnes rumores avide captare, illos ineptis uti consiliis; quippe qui bene de se meritos præmiis non augeant, ambigua cuncta vehementer reprehendant; ut si quis vicerit non laudetur; incusetur si peccaverit; si victus sit universorum vituperatione notetur; unde effici ut a suis propter invidiam, propter odium ab inimicis exagitetur. Crimina sanè jam sibi objecta fœdiora esse quam quæ æquo nec perturbato animo ferret; at nunquam, deos se testari, criminationis causâ vitandæ quicquam se prætermisisse quod e republicâ esse videretur. Sperare se tamen jam in posterum magistratus civium patrocinium promptius aliquanto suscepturos esse, ut hi quidem patriæ suæ studerent, ut antea, prodesse. Florentinis quoniam non placeret res bene gestas triumphis exornare, falsas certe delationes aliquo modo defendendas esse. Ipsos adeò quum cives essent et criminibus nunquam non obnoxii, facilè intellecturos esse quam molestum esset integro cuique et honesto viro infamiâ laborare. S. H. BUTCHER. |