es, _Publi_, geminare magna
Saecula fama,
Quem sui raptum gemuere cives.
Hic diu vixit. Sibi quisq; famam
Scribat Haeredem: rapiunt avarae
Cetera Lunae.

To _Publius Memmius_.

_Ode 2. Lib. 2._

_That the shortnesse of mans life is to bee lengthened
by good deeds._

The Valleys, now, all clad in gray
By Winter, when Sol darts his ray
On neighbouring hills, hee'l naked lay,
As heretofore.
But when the winter of thy yeares
With snow, within thy locks appeares,
When hoary frost shall dye thine haires,
It parts no more.
Summer, and Autumn's quickly gone,
Th'approaching Spring will passe as soon:
Gray hayres, and chilling cold alone
With thee will stay.
To thy ill colour, Nard distill'd,
Nor the renew'd perfumes o'th' field
Of flowres, can any vertue yeild,
Or tak't away.
Thee, whom thy youth hath giv'n to day.
At night old age will take away.
Thy time to double, is, to lay
A fame most bright.
Whom snach'd by death, his friends bemone,
He hath liv'd long. Let every one
Write Fames sole heire: that's free alone,
From th' rape of night.

E Rebus Humanis Excessus.

_Ode 5. Lib. 2._

_A Departure from things humane._

_Ode 5. Lib. 2._

Humana linquo: tollite praepetem
Nubesque ventique. Ut mihi devii
Montes resedere, & volanti
Regna porcul, populosque vastos
Subegit aer! jam radiantia
Delubra Divum, jam mihi regiae
Turres recessere, & relicta in
Exiguum tenuantur urbes;
Totasq; qua se cunque ferunt vaga
Despecto Gentes. O lacrymabilis
Jncerta fortuna! o fluentum
Principia, interitusque rerum!

Lift me up quickly on your wings,
Ye Clouds, and Winds; I leave all earthly things;
How Devious Hills give way to mee!
And the vast ayre brings under, as I fly,
Kingdomes and populous states! see how
The Glyst'ring Temples of the Gods doe bow;
The glorious Tow'rs of Princes, and
Forsaken townes, shrunke into nothing, stand:
And as I downward looke, I spy
Whole Nations every where all scattred lye.
Oh the sad change that Fortune brings!
The rise and fall of transitory things!

Hic ducta primis oppida moenibus
Minantur in Coelum: hic vete