Minor Latin poets; with introductions and English translations

MINOR LATIN POETSpercensere labor densis decora alta tropaeisut si quis stellas pernumerare velitconfunduntque vagos delubra micantia visus :ipsos crediderim sic habitare deos.quid loquar aerio pendentes fornice rivos,qua vix imbriferas tolleret Iris aquas ?hos potius dicas crevisse in sidera raontes ;tale giganteum Graecia laudet opus. ]intercepta tuis conduntur flumina muris ;consumunt totos celsa lavacra lacus.nee minus et propriis celebrantur roscida venistotaque nativo moenia fonte sonant,frigidus aestivas hinc temperat halitus auras, ]innocuamque levat purior unda sitim.nempe tibi subitus calidarum gurges aquarumrupit Tarpeias hoste premente vias.si foret aeternus, casum fortasse putaremauxilio fluxit, qui rediturus erat. ]quid loquar inclusas inter laquearia silvas,vernula qua vario carmine ludit avis ?vere tuo numquam mulceri desinit annusdeliciasque tuas victa tuetur hiemps.^® credideris hie Burman. ^"^ externus R.1^^ inter VRB : subter Baehrens.^^2 quae VR : qua Ca-stalio. ludat VRB : ludit Panv. :laudat Baehrens." The aqueducts of Rome, massive enough to be called"Cyclopean" {giganteum opus, 100), like the masonry atTiryns or of the Lion Gateway at Mycenae. In the time ofFrontinus, who was curator aquarum a.d. 97-106, there werenine aqueducts; later, this number was increased.* The hyperbole means that hardly any rainbow in the skycould reach the same height as the span of the arches of theaqueducts. Burman suggested that quo might be clearerthan qua.772