Odes 1.6 (Creech): Scriberis Vario

THee great in Arms shall Varius sing,
In Conduct wise and bold in fight;
What Conquests under your Command,
The Legions wan by Sea and Land,
The same shall boldly write
With quils that dropt from lofty Homer's wing:

My tender Verse must Wars refuse;
Spears, Trophys, and the armed field,
The fierce Pelides haughty rage
That still prest forward to engage,
And knew not how to yield,
Are things too weighty for my feeble Muse:

Strict Modesty confines my Tongue,
And shame forbids me to disgrace
A subject high, so near divine
As mighty Caesar's praise and thine,
And your great names debase
By the officious meanness of a Song:

For who in worthy strains can write
Mars dreadful in his Iron Coat?
Or show the black Merione
In Trojan dust severely gay?
Or how Tydides fought
By Pallas aid, and matcht the Gods in fight?

I sing soft Boys and Virgin's Wars,
How soon they smile, how angry soon
With close par'd nails, and tender tooth
They all invade the ruffling Youth;
Thus urge my frolick on
And bid farewell, a long farewel to Cares.