Classic Poem

From Varius' pen heroic lays
Of full Maeonian flight shall praise
Thy valour and thy battles won,
And all the doughty deeds of war
'Neath thy command, afloat, ashore,
On deck or in the saddle done.

Of great exploits like these as well,
Agrippa, 'twere to bid me tell,
As the fell anger to relate
Of Peleus' son, the wandering
O'er sea of Ithaca's wily king,
Of Pelops' house the savage hate.

A task so high I dare not choose
With powers unequal, by the Muse
That sways the peaceful lyre debarred
From rash attempt, lest to my shame
By eulogy ill-turned and tame
Great Caesar's praise and thine be marred.

Whose were the hand that could avail
Mars clad in adamantine mail,
Or with Troy dust begrimed to show
Meriones, or by the aid
Of Pallas Diomedes made
A match in arms for heavenly foe?

My songs are but of revels gay
And maidens eager in affray
With youths their well-pared nails to wield,
Light themes as lightly touched whene'er
A bosom fancy-free I bear
Or when to love's warm fire I yield.