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lays of ancient rome(古罗马方位)-第10部分
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A Lay Sung at the Feast of Castor and Pollux on the
Ides of Quintilis in the year of the City CCCCLI
I
Ho; trumpets; sound a war…note! Ho; lictors; clear the way! The
Knights will ride; in all their pride; Along the streets to…day。 To…day
the doors and windows Are hung with garlands all; From Castor in
the Forum; To Mars without the wall。 Each Knight is robed in
purple; With olive each is crowned; A gallant war…horse under each
Paws haughtily the ground。 While flows the Yellow River; While
stands the Sacred Hill; The proud Ides of Quintilis Shall have such
honor still。 Gay are the Martian Kalends; December's Nones are
gay; But the proud Ides; when the squadron rides; Shall be Rome's
whitest day。
II
Unto the Great Twin Brethren We keep this solemn feast。 Swift;
swift; the Great Twin Brethren Came spurring from the east。 They
came o'er wild Parthenius Tossing in waves of pine; O'er Cirrha's
dome; o'er Adria's foam; O'er purple Apennine; From where with
flutes and dances Their ancient mansion rings; In lordly Laced鎚on;
The City of two kings; To where; by Lake Regillus; Under the
Porcian height; All in the lands of Tusculum; Was fought the
glorious fight。
III
Now on the place of slaughter Are cots and sheepfolds seen;
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And rows of vines; and fields of wheat; And apple…orchards green;
The swine crush the big acorns That fall from Corne's oaks。 Upon
the turf by the Fair Fount The reaper's pottage smokes。 The fisher
baits his angle; The hunter twangs his bow; Little they think on
those strong limbs That moulder deep below。 Little they think how
sternly That day the trumpets pealed; How in the slippery swamp of
blood Warrior and war…horse reeled; How wolves came with fierce
gallops; And crows on eager wings; To tear the flesh of captains;
And peck the eyes of kings; How thick the dead lay scattered Under
the Porcian height; How through the gates of Tusculum Raved the
wild stream of flight; And how the Lake Regillus Bubbled with
crimson foam; What time the Thirty Cities Came forth to war with
Rome。
IV
But Roman; when thou standest Upon that holy ground; Look
thou with heed on the dark rock That girds the dark lake round。 So
shalt thou see a hoof…mark Stamped deep into the flint: It was not
hoof of mortal steed That made so strange a dint: There to the Great
Twin Brethren Vow thou thy vows; and pray That they; in tempest
and in flight; Will keep thy head alway。
V
Since last the Great Twin Brethren Of mortal eyes were seen;
Have years gone by an hundred And fourscore and thirteen。 That
summer a Virginius Was Consul first in place; The second was stout
Aulus; Of the Posthumian race。 The Herald of the Latines
From Gabii came in state: The Herald of the Latines Passed through
Rome's Eastern Gate: The Herald of the Latines Did in our Forum
stand; And there he did his office; A sceptre in his hand。
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VI
‘‘Hear; Senators and people Of the good town of Rome; The
Thirty Cities charge you To bring the Tarquins home: And if ye still
be stubborn To work the Tarquins wrong; The Thirty Cities warn
you; Look your walls be strong。''
VII
Then spake the Consul Aulus; He spake a bitter jest: ‘‘Once the
jays sent a message Unto the eagle's nest: Now yield thou up thine
eyrie Unto the carrion…kite; Or come forth valiantly; and face
The jays in deadly fight。 Forth looked in wrath the eagle; And
carrion…kite and jay; Soon as they saw his beak and claw; Fled
screaming far away。''
VIII
The Herald of the Latines Hath hied him back in state: The
Fathers of the City Are met in high debate。 Then spake the elder
Consul; And ancient man and wise: ‘‘Now harken; Conscript
Fathers; To that which I advise。 In seasons of great peril 'Tis
good that one bear sway; Then choose we a Dictator; Whom all
men shall obey。 Camerium knows how deeply The sword of Aulus
bites; And all our city calls him The man of seventy fights。 Then let
him be Dictator For six months and no more; And have a Master of
the Knights; And axes twenty…four。''
IX
So Aulus was Dictator; The man of seventy fights; He made 芺
utius Elva His Master of the Knights。 On the third morn thereafter;
At downing of the day; Did Aulus and 芺 utius Set forth with their
array。 Sempronius Atratinus Was left in charge at home With boys;
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and with gray…headed men; To keep the walls of Rome。 Hard by the
Lake Regillus Our camp was pitched at night: Eastward a mile the
Latines lay; Under the Porcian height。 Far over hill and valley
Their mighty host was spread; And with their thousand watch…fires
The midnight sky was red。
X
Up rose the golden morning Over the Porcian height; The proud
Ides of Quintilis Marked evermore in white。 Not without secret
trouble Our bravest saw the foe; For girt by threescore thousand
spears; The thirty standards rose。 From every warlike city
That boasts the Latian name; Fordoomed to dogs and vultures; That
gallant army came; From Setia's purple vineyards; From Norba's
ancient wall; From the white streets of Tusculum; The proudust
town of all; From where the Witch's Fortress O'er hangs the dark…
blue seas; From the still glassy lake that sleeps Beneath Aricia's
trees Those trees in whose dim shadow The ghastly priest doth
reign; The priest who slew the slayer; And shall himself be slain;
From the drear banks of Ufens; Where flights of marsh…fowl play;
And buffaloes lie wallowing Through the hot summer's day; From
the gigantic watch…towers; No work of earthly men; Whence Cora's
sentinels o'erlook The never…ending fen; From the Laurentian
jungle; The wild hog's reedy home; From the green steeps whence
Anio leaps In floods of snow…white foam。
XI
Aricia; Cora; Norba; Velitr*; with the might Of Setia and of
Tusculum; Were marshalled on the right: The leader was Mamilius;
Prince of the Latian name; Upon his head a helmet Of red gold
shone like flame: High on a gallant charger Of dark…gray hue he
rode; Over his gilded armor A vest of purple flowed; Woven in the
land of sunrise By Syria's dark…browed daughters; And by the sails
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of Carthage brought Far o'er the southern waters。
XII
Lavinium and Laurentum Had on the left their post; With all the
banners of the marsh; And banners of the coast。 Their leader was
false Sextus; That wrought the deed of shame: With restless pace
and haggard face To his last field he came。 Men said he saw strange
visions Which none beside might see; And that strange sounds were
in his ears Which none might hear but he。 A woman fair and stately;
But pale as are the dead; Oft through the watches of the night Sat
spinning by his bed。 And as she plied the distaff; In a sweet voice
and low; She sang of great old houses; And fights fought long ago。
So spun she; and so sang she; Until
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