Horace Ode 1.9: Vidēs ut altā stet nive candidum Sōracte; Latin & English
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- Опубликовано: 21 окт 2024
- #horace
#latinpoetry
#latinpronunciation
Horace’s beautiful Ode 1.9, addressed to Thaliarchus, encourages his friend to recognize and accept the power of nature and the brevity of life, but to focus on things he can control and enjoy his life while he’s still young.
Vidēs: you see, do you see?
ut: how, in what way
Sōracte: a mountain ridge in Etruria 45 km N. of Rome
altā: deep, high with nive, but it indirectly refers to the mountain as well.
nive: with/in (deep) snow, white; literally snow, but figuratively describing the mountain as a very old man.
candidum: bright white, shining, bright; neut w/ Soracte, but also indirectly describes the snow.
stet: stands; subj. in an indirect question.
nec: and not, nor
iam: now, already, any more
silvae: the woods, the forests
labōrantēs: laboring, struggling
onus: the load, burden, weight (of the snow)
sustineant: support, tolerate, sustain, endure, withstand; subjunctive.
gelū: with frost, ice, cold, from the cold
-que: and, added to second word
acūtō: sharp, acute, cutting
flūmina: the rivers
cōnstiterint: have stood still, have stopped
Dissolve: dissolve, abolish, destroy, annul
frīgus: the cold
ligna: firewood, pieces of wood
super: on top of, above, upon, on
focō: the hearth, fireplace, brazier
largē: liberally, generously, abundantly
repōnēns: laying, placing, replacing
atque: and, and in addition, and…as well
benignius: more kindly, more friendly, more benevolently, more pleasantly
dēprōme: draw out, bring out
quādrīmum: four-year-old, of four years
merum: pure wine, wine unmixed with water
Sabīnā: Sabine, belonging to the ancient Etruscan people who lived near Rome
diōtā: from the “two-eared” vessel/amphora/cup, two-handled vessel, wine jar; in or with a two-handled amphora or cup
ō Thaliarche: O Thaliarchus, a name coined by Horace, a Greek friend or servant of his; in Greek it means “leader of the festivity or celebration, master of the revels”, a very fitting name for the theme of the poem.
Permitte: let go, give, give up
dīvīs: to the gods
cētera: the rest, the other things
quī: who
simul: as soon as, once
strāvēre = straverunt: (a common alt ending), have calmed, stilled, cast down, struck down, overthrown
ventōs: the winds
dēproeliantīs = dēproeliantēs: warring violently, struggling violently
aequore: on the sea
fervidō: seething, boiling, raging, violent
nec…nec: neither…nor
cupressī: the cypresses; sacred to Pluto and used at funeral, possibly an allusion to death here.
ornī: mountain ash trees
veterēs: old, aged, ancient
agitantur: are agitated, disturbed, troubled, moved
The gods have subdued the violent winds, marking the end of winter.
Quid: what
sit futūrum: will be, is going to be
crās: tomorrrow
fuge: flee from, run away from, avoid, refuse
quaerere: asking, inquiring, questioning
et: and
quem: what, which
diērum: of days, “partitive” genitive; quem dierum, “which of days” = what day, how many days.
fors: chance, luck, fortune; the goddess of chance
cumque: whenever, whensoever, with quem: whatever
dabit: will give
lucrō: for profit, for gain
adpōne: assign, apply, add to, consider it as; sing imperative; “adpone lucro”, an accounting expression, consider it as profit, as a gain.
nec: nor
dulcīs = dulcēs: sweet, delightful
amōrēs: loves, love affairs, a sweetheart
sperne: push away, reject, scorn
puer: young man, lad, youth; “puer” can be a boy or a young unmarried man.
neque: nor, and not, neither
tū: you, singular, with “sperne” understood.
chorēās: dances, circle dances
dōnec: while, as long as
virentī (tibi) being green, while you are flourishing, vigorous
cānitiēs: whiteness, a grayish-white color, gray hair, old age; note how the whiteness here recalls “candidum” of Soracte. Is white-haired Soracte a symbol of far-off old age and death?
abest: is away, is absent (from you)
mōrōsa: informed with good morals, of good character, morose
Dissolve, deprome, permitte, fuge, adpone, sperne! Note how the SIX imperative verbs give unity to the poem.
Nunc: now, since winter is gone
et….et: both…and
Campus: a plain, open flat level ground
āreae: open spaces, vacant places
lēnēs: soft, gentle
susurrī: whispers, murmuring
-que: and
sub noctem: at nightfall
compositā: arranged, organized, having been arranged.
hōrā: the hour
repetantur: should be sought again, should be returned to
nunc: now
et: also, and
grātus: pleasing, welcome, dear
rīsus: laughter
prōditor: the betrayer, traitor
puellae: of the girl, young woman
latentis: hiding, lying hidden
ab: from
angulō: a corner, an unfrequented place
intumō = intimo: very/most secret or intimate
pignus: a pledge, a token; a bracelet or ring as a token of her love.
-que: and
dēreptum: pulled away, pulled off
lacertīs: from (her/their) arms, upper arms
aut: or
digitō: from (her/his) finger
male: faintly, hardly, ineptly, ineffectively.
pertinācī: resisting, holding tenaciously
Loved the poem and how Horace used his recurring theme Carpe Diem in this context :)
Well done David!!!
Thanks’ I’m so glad you liked it!
D! ... 03:05:01AM .... just listened to your translation of H's 1.9-BOOOOM! ....amazing work! You really nailed the 'dissolve frigus' of the text... making the ancient world come alive (again). Thanks for making it so accessible. You're a bridge between worlds, man
Maximas gratias tibi! I’m delighted that you enjoyed it. I’m having fun getting to know Horace…SO different from Catullus!
Thank you for introducing me to this wonderful poem. This is a keeper. I love your nuanced reading, and the material you’ve created here really gives me access to some important life advice. I really love this poem. And your images help me access it.
I’m so glad you like it. Me too…it’s a new Horace poem for me, but it’s so subtle and beautiful.
Good I love it
Grazie!! :)
Laudo! Stropha Alcaica mihi valde placet.
Gratias plurimas tibi ago, Magistra! Illa mihi quoque valde placet :)