Odes, 1.31

A Prayer to the poetry-God

by Horace

The setting is the new temple dedicated to Apollo in Rome on 9October 28 BCE. Horace passes up the opportunity to make his poem one of praise to Augustus, who according to ancient sources vowed the temple during the civil wars, in favour of a very personal reflection on the things that matter to him, and a prayer for them to Apollo as the patron God of the arts. He prays for a long life, provided that it can be a healthy one, with his faculties unimpaired and, most importantly, retaining the ability to write his poetry.

The metre is Alcaics.

See the illustrated blog post here.

To listen, press play:

To scroll the original and English translation of the poem at the same time - tap inside one box to select it and then scroll.

Quid dedicatum poscit Apollinem
vates? quid orat de patera novum
fundens liquorem? non opimae
Sardiniae segetes feracis,

non aestuosae grata Calabriae
armenta, non aurum aut ebur Indicum,
non rura, quae Liris quieta
mordet aqua taciturnus amnis.

premant Calenam falce quibus dedit
fortuna vitem, dives ut aureis
mercator exsiccet culillis
vina Syra reparata merce,

dis carus ipsis, quippe ter et quater
anno revisens aequor Atlanticum
inpune. me pascunt olivae,
me cichorea levesque malvae.

frui paratis et valido mihi,
Latoe, dones et precor integra
cum mente nec turpem senectam
degere nec cithara carentem.

What does the poet ask of Apollo on the dedication of his temple? What does he pray for as he pours the new wine from the libation cup? Not the fruitful cornfields of fertile Sardinia, not the fine herds of sultry Calabria, not gold or Indian ivory, not the fields that the quiet river Liris nibbles at with its gentle waters. Let those to whom fortune has given vines prune them with the Calabrian hook, and let the rich trader drain from golden goblets his wine paid for by his Syrian merchandise; why, he must be dear to the Gods themselves, revisiting the Atlantic Ocean three and even four times a year with impunity! Me? My nourishment is olives, endive and digestible salads of mallow. Apollo, Latona’s son, may you grant me to enjoy what I have to hand in bodily health and, I pray, in soundness of mind, and to pass an old age which is honourable – and does not lack for the lyre.

`

More Poems by Horace

  1. Roman values for the new age
  2. Horace, the wolf and the upright life
  3. Luxury versus the simple life
  4. Don’t worry, be happy
  5. The final ode
  6. Awe for the Gods
  7. Give me comfort, not riches
  8. Here’s to Murena!
  9. Postumus, the years slip by
  10. Horace welcomes his army comrade
  11. The consolations of wine
  12. The country is best
  13. Fortuna
  14. Licymnia
  15. Pindar and Augustus
  16. Diffugere nives
  17. Horace the peacemaker
  18. Wealth should be used, not hoarded
  19. A prayer to Mercury
  20. Carpe diem, Sestius
  21. A change of mind
  22. Poscimur
  23. Soracte
  24. The tug-of-war for Nearchus
  25. An invitation to Maecenas
  26. What Roman youth should be
  27. Jealousy
  28. Courage and decadence: the Regulus ode
  29. Tibur or Tarentum: a poet’s dilemma?
  30. A plea for burial
  31. Horace the swan
  32. The pleasures and dangers of wine
  33. Lydia’s tragedy
  34. Unrequited love
  35. Numida’s back
  36. An oath to Maecenas
  37. Pollio’s histories of civil war
  38. Horace rests from his labours
  39. Horace’s prayer to a wine-jar
  40. Horace’s wine
  41. Augustus, master of the world
  42. Some advice for Dellius
  43. Iccius goes soldiering
  44. Mourning for a good man
  45. Horace’s Chloe
  46. Lovely mother, lovelier daughter
  47. The fleeting years slip by
  48. A garland from the Muses
  49. Relief from care
  50. Nereus prophesies the Trojan War
  51. Don’t trust Barine
  52. Rome: disaster and salvation
  53. Glycera
  54. A Farewell to arms
  55. Horace’s first Ode
  56. Horace’s Cleopatra ode
  57. The Golden Mean
  58. Curse you, tree!
  59. Housman and Horace
  60. Stormy seas
  61. Horace’s reverence to Bacchus
  62. Last love
  63. Horace’s limitations
  64. Horace returns to lyric poetry
  65. O Fons Bandusiae
  66. Celebrating Neptune’s feast day
  67. A prayer to Venus
  68. Valgius and Mystes
  69. Horace’s monument
  70. Lalage is too young
  71. Gathering rosebuds: carpe diem
  72. Love a slave-girl? Oh, Xanthias!
  73. Pyrrha
  74. Diana and Apollo: a hymn
    75. View Latin Poems