Horace, Odes 3.13

Carm. 3.13.1Ō fōns Bandusiae splendidior vitrō,
dulcī digne merō nōn sine flōribus,
crās dōnāberis haedō,
cui frōns turgida cornibus
5prīmīs et venerem et proelia dēstinat;

O spring of Bandusia, more brilliant than glass, worthy of sweet wine, not without flowers, tomorrow you will be presented with a kid, whose brow, swelling with its first horns, marks it out for love and battles;

Note. Metre: Fourth Asclepiadean. Bandusia was a spring near Horace's farm (or his birthplace). splendidior vitrō, 'more brilliant than glass'; dulcī digne merō nōn sine flōribus, 'worthy of sweet wine, not without flowers' (the offerings at the festival of springs, the Fontinalia, 13 October). dōnāberis haedō, 'you will be presented with a kid'. frōns turgida cornibus prīmīs, 'his brow swelling with his first horns'; et venerem et proelia dēstinat, 'marks him out for love and fights'.

Carm. 3.13.6frūstrā: nam gelidōs īnficiet tibi
rubrō sanguine rīvōs
lascīvī subolēs gregis.

in vain: for this offspring of the playful flock will stain your cold streams with red blood.

Note. frūstrā, 'in vain': the kid will never grow up. īnficiet tibi ... rīvōs, 'will stain your streams'; lascīvī subolēs gregis, 'this offspring of the playful flock'. The red blood in the cold clear water is the poem's central image.

Carm. 3.13.9Tē flagrantis atrōx hōra Canīculae
10nescit tangere, tū frīgus amābile
fessīs vōmere taurīs
praebēs et pecorī vagō.

The fierce hour of the blazing Dog Star cannot touch you; you offer lovely coolness to bulls tired of the plough and to the wandering flock.

Note. flagrantis atrōx hōra Canīculae, 'the cruel hour of the blazing Dog Star' (the hottest part of summer). nescit tangere, 'cannot touch'. frīgus amābile, 'lovely coolness'; fessīs vōmere taurīs, 'to bulls tired of the plough'; pecorī vagō, 'to the wandering flock'.

Carm. 3.13.13Fīēs nōbilium tū quoque fontium
mē dīcente cavīs inpositam īlicem
15saxīs, unde loquācēs
lymphae dēsiliunt tuae.

You too will become one of the famous springs, as I sing of the holm oak set on the hollow rocks, from which your chattering waters leap down.

Note. Fīēs nōbilium tū quoque fontium, 'you too will become (one) of the famous springs', like the Greek springs of the Muses. mē dīcente, ablative absolute, 'as I sing of'; cavīs impositam īlicem saxīs, 'the holm oak set on the hollow rocks'. loquācēs lymphae, 'chattering waters'.