1

āccēpīt mūndūs lēgēm: dĕdĭt ārmă pĕr ōmnēs

ādmŏnŭītquĕ sŭī: vĭtŭlūs sīc nāmquĕ mĭnātūr,

quī nōndūm gĕrĭt īn tĕnĕrā iām cōrnŭă frōntĕ;

sīc dāmmaē fŭgĭūnt, pūgnānt vīrtūtĕ lĕōnēs

ēt mōrsū cănĭs ēt caūdaē sīc scōrpĭŭs īctū,5

cōncūssīsquĕ lĕvīs pēnnīs sīc ēvŏlăt ālēs.

ōmnĭbŭs īgnōtaē mōrtīs tĭmŏr, ōmnĭbŭs hōstēm

praēsĭdĭūmquĕ dătūm sēntīre ēt nōscĕrĕ tēlī

vīmquĕ mŏdūmquĕ sŭī. sīc ēt scărŭs ārtĕ sŭb ūndīs

sī n........................................10

dēcĭdĭt ādsūmptāmquĕ dŏlō tāndēm păvĕt ēscām,

nōn aūdēt rădĭīs ōbnīxa ōccūrrĕrĕ frōntĕ,

āvērsūs crēbrō vīmēn sēd vērbĕrĕ caūdaē

lāxāns sūbsĕquĭtūr tūtūmque ēvādĭt ĭn aēquōr.

quīn ĕtĭām, sī fōrte ălĭquīs, dūm praēnătăt, ārtō15

mītīs lūctāntēm scărŭs hūnc īn vīmĭnĕ vīdīt,

āvērsī caūdām mōrsū tĕnĕt ātque ĭtă vēllīt

lībĕra ŭt ē nāssā quaē tēxīt praēdă rĕsūltēt.

sēpĭă tārdă fŭgaē tĕnŭī cūm fōrtĕ sŭb ūndā

dēprēnsa ēst -iām iāmquĕ mănūs tĭmĕt hīllă răpācīs-,20

īnfĭcĭēns aēquōr nīgrūm vŏmĭt īllă crŭōrēm

āvērtītquĕ vĭās ŏcŭlōs frūstrātă sĕquēntēs.

claūsūs rētĕ lŭpūs, quămŭīs īmmītĭs ĕt ācēr

dīmōtīs caūdā sūbmīssūs sīdĭt hărēnīs

..................................... ĭn aūrās25

ēmĭcăt ātquĕ dŏlōs sāltū dēlūdĭt ĭnūltūs.

ēt mūraēnă fĕrōx tĕrĕtīs sĭbĭ cōnscĭă tērgī

ād lāxātă măgīs cōnīxă fŏrāmĭnă rētīs

tāndēm pēr mūltōs ēvādīt lūbrĭcă flēxūs

ēxēmplōquĕ nŏcēt: cūnctīs ĭtĕr īnvĕnĭt ūnă.30

āt cōntrā scŏpŭlīs crīnālī cōrpŏrĕ sēgnīs

pōlўpŭs haērĕt ĕt hāc ēlūdīt rētĭă fraūdĕ

ēt sūb lēgĕ lŏcī sūmīt mūtātquĕ cŏlōrēm

sēmpĕr ĕī sĭmĭlīs quēm cōntĭgĭt: ātque ŭbĭ praēdām

pēndēntēm saētīs ăvĭdūs răpĭt, hīc quŏquĕ fāllīt,35

ēlātō călămō cūm dēmum ēmērsŭs ĭn aūrās

brāchĭă dīssōlvīt pŏpŭlātūmque ēxspŭĭt hāmūm.

āt mūgīl caūdā pēndēntem ēvērbĕrăt ēscām

ēxcūssāmquĕ lĕgīt; lŭpŭs ācrī cōncĭtŭs īrā

dīscūrsū fērtūr vărĭō flūctūsquĕ fĕrēntēs40

prōsĕquĭtūr quāssātquĕ căpūt, dūm vūlnĕrĕ saēvūs

lāxātō cădăt hāmŭs ĕt ōră pătēntĭă līnquāt.

nēc prŏprĭās vīrēs nēscīt mūraēnă nŏcēndī

aūxĭlĭōquĕ sŭī, mōrsū nēc cōmmĭnŭs ācrī

dēfĭcĭt aūt ănĭmōs pōnīt cāptīvă mĭnācīs,45

ānthĭăs hīs tērgō quaē nōn vĭdĕt ūtĭtŭr ārmīs,

vīm spīnaē nōvītquĕ sŭaē vērsōquĕ sŭpīnūs

cōrpŏrĕ līnă sĕcāt fīxūmque īntērcĭpĭt hāmūm.

Cētĕră quaē dēnsās hăbĭtānt ănĭmālĭă sīlvās

aūt vānī quătĭūnt sēmpēr lŷmphātă tĭmōrēs50

aūt trăhĭt īn praēcēps nōn sānă fĕrōcĭă gēntīs:

īpsă sĕquī nātūră mŏnēt vēl cōmmĭnŭs īrĕ.

īmpĭgĕr ēccĕ lĕō vēnāntūm stērnĕrĕ pērgīt

āgmĭna ĕt ādvērsīs īnfērt sŭă pēctŏră tēlīs,

quōquĕ vĕnīt fīdēns măgĭs ēt sūblātĭŏr ārdēt55

cōncūssītquĕ tŏrōs ēt vīrĭbŭs āddĭdĭt īrām,

prōcĭdĭt ātquĕ sŭō prŏpĕrāt sĭbĭ rōbŏrĕ lētūm.

foēdūs Lūcānīs prŏvŏlūĭtŭr ūrsŭs ăb āntrīs,

quīd nĭsĭ pōndŭs ĭnērs stŏlĭdaēquĕ fĕrōcĭă mēntīs?

āctŭs ăpēr saētīs īrām dēnūntĭăt hīrtīs:60

sē rŭĭt ōppŏsĭtī nītēns īn vūlnĕră fērrī,

prēssŭs ĕt ēmīssō mŏrĭtūr pēr vīscĕră tēlō.

āltĕră pārs fīdēns pĕdĭbūs dāt tērgă sĕquēntī,

ūt păvĭdī lĕpŏrēs, ūt fūlvō tērgŏrĕ dāmmaē

ēt cāptō fŭgĭēns cērvūs sĭnĕ fīnĕ tĭmōrĕ.65

hīc gĕnĕrōsŭs hŏnōs ēt glōrĭă māiŏr ĕquōrūm,

nām căpĭūnt ănĭmīs pālmām gaūdēntquĕ trĭūmphō:

seū sēptēm spătĭīs cīrcō mĕrŭērĕ cŏrōnām,

nōnnĕ vĭdēs, vīctōr quāntō sūblīmĭŭs āltūm

āttōllāt căpŭt ēt vūlgī sē vēndĭtĕt aūraē;70

cēlsăvĕ cūm caēsō dĕcŏrāntūr tērgă lĕōnĕ,

quām tŭmĭdūs quāntōquĕ vĕnīt spēctābĭlĭs āctū

cōmpēscītquĕ sŏlūm gĕnĕrōsō cōncĭtă pūlsū

ūngŭlă sūb spŏlĭīs grăvĭtēr rĕdĕūntĭs ŏpīmīs?

quīd laūs prīmă cănūm? quĭbŭs ēst aūdācĭă praēcēps75

vēnāndīquĕ săgāx vīrtūs vīrēsquĕ sĕquēndī,

quaē nūnc ēlātīs rīmāntūr nārĭbŭs aūrās,

ēt nūnc dēmīssō quaērūnt vēstīgĭă rōstrō

ēt prōdūnt clāmōrĕ fĕrām dŏmĭnūmquĕ vŏcāndō

īncrĕpĭtānt; quēm sī cōllātīs ēffŭgĭt ārmīs,80

īnsĕquĭtūr tŭmŭlōsquĕ cănīs cāmpōsquĕ pĕr ōmnēs.

Nōstĕr ĭn ārtĕ lăbōr pŏsĭtūs, spēs ōmnĭs ĭn īllā.

nēc tămĕn īn mĕdĭās pĕlăgī tē pērgĕrĕ sēdēs

ādmŏnĕām vāstīquĕ mărīs tēmptārĕ prŏfūndūm:

īntĕr ŭtrūmquĕ lŏcī mĕlĭūs mŏdĕrābĕrĕ fīnēm.85

aspera num saxis loca sint -nam talia lentos

dēpōscūnt călămōs, āt pūrūm rētĭă lītūs

nūm mōns hōrrēntēs dēmīttāt cēlsĭŏr ūmbrās

in mare -nam uarie quidam fugiuntque petuntque-

nūm vădă sūbnātīs īmō vĭrĭdēntŭr ăb hērbīs90

ōbiēctētquĕ mŏrās ēt mōllī sērvĭăt ālgaē.

dīscrīpsīt sēdēs vărĭē nātūră prŏfūndī

nēc cūnctōs ūnā vŏlŭīt cōnsīstĕrĕ pīscēs.

Nām gaūdēnt pĕlăgō quālēs scōmbrīquĕ bŏvēsquĕ,

hīppūrī cĕlĕrēs ēt nīgrō tērgŏrĕ mīlvī95

ēt prĕtĭōsŭs ĕlōps nōstrīs īncōgnĭtŭs ūndīs

ac durus xiphias ictu non mitior ensis

ēt păvĭdī māgnō fŭgĭēntēs āgmĭnĕ thŷnnī,

parua echeneis -at est, mirum, mora puppibus ingens-

tūquĕ, cŏmēs rătĭūm trāctīquĕ pĕr aēquŏră sūlcī100

quī sēmpēr spūmās sĕquĕrīs, pōmpīlĕ, nĭtēntēs,

cērcŷrōsquĕ fĕrōx scŏpŭlōrūm fīnĕ mŏrātūs,

cānthărŭs īngrātūs sūcō; tūm cōncŏlŏr īllī

ōrphōs caērŭlĕāquĕ rŭbēns ĕrўthīnŭs ĭn ūndā,

īnsīgnīs sārgūsquĕ nŏtīs, īnsīgnīs iūlīs105

ēt sŭpĕr aūrātā spărŭlūs cērvīcĕ rĕfūlgēns

ēt rŭtĭlūs phăgĕr ēt fūlvī sўnŏdōntĕs ĕt ēx sē

cōncĭpĭēns chānnē gĕmĭnō sĭbĭ fūnctă părēntĕ,

tūm vĭrĭdīs squāmīs, pārvō sāxātĭlĭs ōrĕ

ēt rārūs făbĕr ēt pīctaē mōrmŷrĕs ĕt aūrī110

chrŷsōphrŷs ĭmĭtātă dĕcūs, tūm cōrpŏrĭs ūmbraē

līvēntīs răpĭdīquĕ lŭpī pērcaēquĕ trăgīquĕ,

quīn laūde īnsīgnīs caūdaē mĕlănūrŭs ĕt ārdēns

aūrātīs mūraēnă nŏtīs mĕrŭlaēquĕ vĭrēntēs

īmmītīsquĕ sŭaē gōngēr pēr vūlnĕră gēntīs115

ēt cāptūs dūrō nŏcĭtūrūs scōrpĭŏs īctū

āc nūmquam aēstīvō cōnspēctūs sīdĕrĕ glaūcūs.

Āt cōntra hērbōsā pīscēs laētāntŭr hărēnā

ūt scărŭs, ēpāstās sōlūs quī rūmĭnăt ēscās,

fēcūndūmquĕ gĕnūs maēnaē lămўrōsquĕ smărīsquĕ120

ātque īmmūndă chrŏmīs, mĕrĭtō vīlīssĭmă sālpă

ātque ăvĭūm phŷcīs nīdōs ĭmĭtātă sŭb ūndīs

ēt squāmās tĕnŭī sūffūsūs sānguĭnĕ mūllūs,

fūlgēntēs sŏlĕaē cāndōre ēt cōncŏlŏr īllīs

pāssĕr ĕt Hādrĭăcō mīrāndūs lītŏrĕ rhōmbūs;125

tūm lĕpŏrēs lātī, tūm mōllēs tērgŏrĕ rānaē

ēxtrēmī părĕuc ..............................

..

..

lūbrĭcŭs ēt spīnā nŏcŭūs nōn gōbĭŭs ūllī

ēt nīgrūm nĭvĕō pōrtāns īn cōrpŏrĕ vīrūs

..

lōllīgō dūrīquĕ sŭēs sĭnŭōsăquĕ cārīs130

ēt tām dēfōrmī nōn dīgnūs nōmĭne ăsēllūs

tūquĕ pĕrēgrīnīs ăcĭpēnsēr nōbĭlĭs ūndīs

accepit mundus legem: dedit arma per omnes

admonvitque sui: vitulus sic namque minatur,

qui nondum gerit in tenera iam cornua fronte;

sic dammae fugiunt, pugnant virtute leones

5et morsu canis et caudae sic scorpius ictu,

concussisque levis pennis sic evolat ales.

omnibus ignotae mortis timor, omnibus hostem

praesidiumque datum sentire et noscere teli

vimque modumque sui. sic et scarus arte sub undis

10si n........................................

decidit adsumptamque dolo tandem pavet escam,

non audet radiis obnixa occurrere fronte,

aversus crebro vimen sed verbere caudae

laxans subsequitur tutumque evadit in aequor.

15quin etiam, si forte aliquis, dum praenatat, arto

mitis luctantem scarus hunc in vimine vidit,

aversi caudam morsu tenet atque ita vellit

libera ut e nassa quae texit praeda resultet.

sepia tarda fugae tenui cum forte sub unda

20deprensa est -iam iamque manus timet hilla rapacis-,

inficiens aequor nigrum vomit illa cruorem

avertitque vias oculos frustrata sequentes.

clausus rete lupus, quamuis immitis et acer

dimotis cauda submissus sidit harenis

25..................................... in auras

emicat atque dolos saltu deludit inultus.

et muraena ferox teretis sibi conscia tergi

ad laxata magis conixa foramina retis

tandem per multos evadit lubrica flexus

30exemploque nocet: cunctis iter invenit una.

at contra scopulis crinali corpore segnis

polypus haeret et hac eludit retia fraude

et sub lege loci sumit mutatque colorem

semper ei similis quem contigit: atque ubi praedam

35pendentem saetis avidus rapit, hic quoque fallit,

elato calamo cum demum emersus in auras

brachia dissolvit populatumque exspuit hamum.

at mugil cauda pendentem everberat escam

excussamque legit; lupus acri concitus ira

40discursu fertur vario fluctusque ferentes

prosequitur quassatque caput, dum vulnere saevus

laxato cadat hamus et ora patentia linquat.

nec proprias vires nescit muraena nocendi

auxilioque sui, morsu nec comminus acri

45deficit aut animos ponit captiva minacis,

anthias his tergo quae non videt utitur armis,

vim spinae novitque suae versoque supinus

corpore lina secat fixumque intercipit hamum.

Cetera quae densas habitant animalia silvas

50aut vani quatiunt semper lymphata timores

aut trahit in praeceps non sana ferocia gentis:

ipsa sequi natura monet vel comminus ire.

impiger ecce leo venantum sternere pergit

agmina et adversis infert sua pectora telis,

55quoque venit fidens magis et sublatior ardet

concussitque toros et viribus addidit iram,

procidit atque suo properat sibi robore letum.

foedus Lucanis provolvitur ursus ab antris,

quid nisi pondus iners stolidaeque ferocia mentis?

60actus aper saetis iram denuntiat hirtis:

se ruit oppositi nitens in vulnera ferri,

pressus et emisso moritur per viscera telo.

altera pars fidens pedibus dat terga sequenti,

ut pavidi lepores, ut fulvo tergore dammae

65et capto fugiens cervus sine fine timore.

hic generosus honos et gloria maior equorum,

nam capiunt animis palmam gaudentque triumpho:

seu septem spatiis circo meruere coronam,

nonne vides, victor quanto sublimius altum

70attollat caput et vulgi se venditet aurae;

celsave cum caeso decorantur terga leone,

quam tumidus quantoque venit spectabilis actu

compescitque solum generoso concita pulsu

ungula sub spoliis graviter redeuntis opimis?

75quid laus prima canum? quibus est audacia praeceps

venandique sagax virtus viresque sequendi,

quae nunc elatis rimantur naribus auras,

et nunc demisso quaerunt vestigia rostro

et produnt clamore feram dominumque vocando

80increpitant; quem si collatis effugit armis,

insequitur tumulosque canis camposque per omnes.

Noster in arte labor positus, spes omnis in illa.

nec tamen in medias pelagi te pergere sedes

admoneam vastique maris temptare profundum:

85inter utrumque loci melius moderabere finem.

aspera num saxis loca sint -nam talia lentos

deposcunt calamos, at purum retia litus-

num mons horrentes demittat celsior umbras

in mare -nam varie quidam fugiuntque petuntque-

90num vada subnatis imo viridentur ab herbis

obiectetque moras et molli serviat algae.

discripsit sedes varie natura profundi

nec cunctos una volvit consistere pisces.

Nam gaudent pelago quales scombrique bovesque,

95hippuri celeres et nigro tergore milvi

et pretiosus elops nostris incognitus undis

ac durus xiphias ictu non mitior ensis

et pavidi magno fugientes agmine thynni,

parva echeneis -at est, mirum, mora puppibus ingens-

100tuque, comes ratium tractique per aequora sulci

qui semper spumas sequeris, pompile, nitentes,

cercyrosque ferox scopulorum fine moratus,

cantharus ingratus suco; tum concolor illi

orphos caeruleaque rubens erythinus in unda,

105insignis sargusque notis, insignis iulis

et super aurata sparulus cervice refulgens

et rutilus phager et fulvi synodontes et ex se

concipiens channe gemino sibi functa parente,

tum viridis squamis, parvo saxatilis ore

110et rarus faber et pictae mormyres et auri

chrysophrys imitata decus, tum corporis umbrae

liventis rapidique lupi percaeque tragique,

quin laude insignis caudae melanurus et ardens

auratis muraena notis merulaeque virentes

115immitisque suae gonger per vulnera gentis

et captus duro nociturus scorpios ictu

ac numquam aestivo conspectus sidere glaucus.

At contra herbosa pisces laetantur harena

ut scarus, epastas solus qui ruminat escas,

120fecundumque genus maenae lamyrosque smarisque

atque immunda chromis, merito vilissima salpa

atque avium phycis nidos imitata sub undis

et squamas tenui suffusus sanguine mullus,

fulgentes soleae candore et concolor illis

125passer et Hadriaco mirandus litore rhombus;

tum lepores lati, tum molles tergore ranae

extremi pareuc ..............................

..

..

lubricus et spina nocuus non gobius ulli

et nigrum niveo portans in corpore virus

..

130lolligo durique sues sinvosaque caris

et tam deformi non dignus nomine asellus

tuque peregrinis acipenser nobilis undis