The Odes and Carmen Saeculare/Book 1/Part 32

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3313081The Odes and Carmen Saeculare of Horace — Book 1, Ode XXXII: PoscimurJohn ConingtonQuintus Horatius Flaccus

XXXII.

Poscimur.

THEY call;—if aught in shady dell
We twain have warbled, to remain
Long months or years, now breathe, my shell,
A Roman strain,
Thou, strung by Lesbos' minstrel hand,
The bard, who 'mid the clash of steel,
Or haply mooring to the strand
His batter'd keel,
Of Bacchus and the Muses sung,
And Cupid, still at Venus' side,
And Lycus, beautiful and young,
Dark-hair'd, dark-eyed.
O sweetest lyre, to Phœbus dear,
Delight of Jove's high festival,
Blest balm in trouble, hail and hear
Whene'er I call!