Horace, Odes 2.10

Carm. 2.10.1Rēctius vīvēs, Licinī, neque altum
semper urgendō neque, dum procellās
cautus horrēscis, nimium premendō
lītus inīquum.

You will live more rightly, Licinius, by neither always pressing out to the deep nor, while you shudder cautiously at the storms, hugging the dangerous shore too closely.

Note. Metre: Sapphic stanza. Rēctius vīvēs, 'you will live more rightly'. The sailing image: altum semper urgendō, 'by always pressing on to the open sea'; premendō lītus inīquum, 'by hugging the dangerous shore'. dum procellās cautus horrēscis, 'while you cautiously shudder at storms'.

Carm. 2.10.5Auream quisquis mediocritātem
dīligit, tūtus caret obsolētī
sordibus tēctī, caret invidendā
sōbrius aulā.

Whoever loves the golden mean is safe and free of the squalor of a run-down house, and, being sober, free of a hall that would arouse envy.

Note. aurea mediocritās, 'the golden mean', the most famous phrase of the poem. caret takes the ablative: sordibus obsolētī tēctī, 'the squalor of a shabby house', and invidendā aulā, 'a hall to be envied'.

Carm. 2.10.9Saepius ventīs agitātur ingēns
10pīnus et celsae graviōre cāsū
dēcidunt turrēs feriuntque summōs
fulgura montīs
spērat īnfestīs, metuit secundīs
alteram sortem bene praeparātum
15pectus.

The huge pine is shaken more often by the winds, and high towers fall with a heavier crash, and lightning strikes the tops of mountains; a well-prepared heart hopes for the other lot in adversity and fears it in prosperity.

Note. Saepius, 'more often'. celsae graviōre cāsū dēcidunt turrēs, 'high towers fall with a heavier crash'. summōs ... montīs (= -ēs), 'the tops of mountains'. sperat infestīs, metuit secundīs (rēbus): 'in adversity it hopes, in prosperity it fears' the other lot (alteram sortem); the subject is bene praeparātum pectus, 'a well-prepared heart'.

Carm. 2.10.15Īnfōrmīs hiemēs redūcit
Iuppiter, īdem
submovet.

Jupiter brings back the ugly winters; the same god removes them.

Note. Īnfōrmīs (= -ēs) hiemēs, 'ugly winters'. īdem summovet, 'the same god removes them'.

Carm. 2.10.17Nōn, sī male nunc, et ōlim
sīc erit: quondam citharā tacentem
suscitat Mūsam neque semper arcum
20tendit Apollo.

If things are bad now, they will not be so later too: sometimes Apollo rouses the silent Muse with his lyre, and he does not always bend his bow.

Note. Nōn, sī male nunc, et ōlim sīc erit: 'if things are bad now, they will not also be so later'. quondam, 'sometimes'. Apollo is god both of the lyre and of the bow (the plague): he does not always shoot.

Carm. 2.10.21Rēbus angustīs animōsus atque
fortis adpārē: sapienter īdem
contrahēs ventō nimium secundō
turgida vēla.

In hard straits show yourself spirited and brave; and likewise you will wisely reef your sails when they swell with too favourable a wind.

Note. Rēbus angustīs, 'in narrow circumstances'. appārē, imperative, 'show yourself'. īdem contrahēs, 'you likewise will shorten (reef)' your sails, turgida vēla, swollen by too favourable a wind (ventō nimium secundō).