Ad Poetas
Quod si me lyricis vatibus inseres,
Sublimi feriam sidera vertice.
Ye are a wise and goodly company;
A very worthy noble brotherhood;
Nectar your drink, ambrosia your food;
Ye cannot fail of immortality!
When ye would sleep, sweet will your slumbering be;
For Musa ‘neath you spreads a couch of down,
Or airy gossamer with rose-leaves strewn,
Fit hovering place for dreams of phantasy;
And when ye wake, if ye would music have,
For you Apollo wakes his echoing strings;
Or would ye ride, Pegasus spreads his wings,
And off ye fly through air, o’er earth and wave!
O happy band! I’ll “give you honor due,”
If ye will deign admit me of your crew!
Quod si me lyricis vatibus inseres,
Sublimi feriam sidera vertice.
Ye are a wise and goodly company;
A very worthy noble brotherhood;
Nectar your drink, ambrosia your food;
Ye cannot fail of immortality!
When ye would sleep, sweet will your slumbering be;
For Musa ‘neath you spreads a couch of down,
Or airy gossamer with rose-leaves strewn,
Fit hovering place for dreams of phantasy;
And when ye wake, if ye would music have,
For you Apollo wakes his echoing strings;
Or would ye ride, Pegasus spreads his wings,
And off ye fly through air, o’er earth and wave!
O happy band! I’ll “give you honor due,”
If ye will deign admit me of your crew!