The lines must have rung in the poet's ears like a sad refrain. The
Digentia lost its charm; he could not see its crystal waters for the
shadows of Charon's rueful stream. The prattle of his loved Bandusian
spring could not wean his thoughts from the vision of his other self
wandering unaccompanied along that "last sad road." We may fancy that
Horace was thenceforth little seen in his accustomed haunts. He who had
so often soothed the sorrows of other bereaved hearts, answered with a
wistful smile to the friendly consolations of the many that loved him.
His work was done. It was time to go away. Not all the skill of Orpheus
could recall him whom he had lost. The welcome end came sharply and
suddenly; and one day, when, the bleak November wind was whirling down
the oak-leaves on his well-loved brook, the servants of his Sabine
farm heard that they should no more see the good, cheery master, whose
pleasant smile and kindly word had so often made their labours light.
There was many a sad heart, too, we may be sure, in Rome, when the
wit who never wounded, the poet who ever charmed, the friend who never
failed, was laid in a corner of the Esquiline, close to the tomb of his
"dear knight Maecenas." He died on the 27th November B.C. 8, the kindly,
lonely man, leaving to Augustus what little he possessed. One would fain
trust his own words were inscribed upon his tomb, as in the supreme hour
the faith they expressed was of a surety strong within his heart,--
NON OMNIS MORIAR.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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