Minor Latin poets; with introductions and English translations

''GRATTIUSis good at heart and is reverent to the God, has hisaltar-gift gently caressed by the Fire-god, who himself,when the flame has reached the sacrifices offeredin his honom-, retreats from the holy ritual and againconceals himself in his cave. For such a one 'tisright to attain relief and Vulcan's kindliness. Letthere be no delay : if the malady has gnawedright into the fibres, bathe with the remediesspecified " and soothe the suffering bodies : so willyou expel the tyrannous disease. The God lendssupport, and natm-e herself nourishes her ownskilful remedy.* What plague is sharper than**robur "'^ or what path nearer to death ? But stillfor it there comes here assistance more active thanthe powerful anger of the ailment.Yet if a lost opportunity baffles first aid., then youmust attack the furious pestilence where prospects arelikeliest : sudden disturbance calls for sudden relief.The nostrils must be cut slightly with the steel, as wellas the two muscles of the shoulders, and blood is to bedrawn off from both ears : from the blood comes thecorruption, from the blood the violence of the insatiateplague. Forthwith you will comfort the weariedbody with palliatives, and you must sprinkle on thewounds the sediment of oil-dregs and Massic wineoutpoured from its ancient cask—Bacchus expelslight cares from the heart : Bacchus also is healingfor the fury of disease.Why mention coughs, why the afflictions of a" e.g. the oil from the bituminous lake of 4.34.lu the form of tire and bitumen.^ The disease has the symptoms of tetanus according tovetermarv writers: V'egetius, Mulomedicina 2, 88; Chiron,315; Pelagonius, ed. Ihm, 294.197