Who hath taught you so subtle a measure, in what hall have you heard it; What foot beat out your time-bar, what water has mellowed your whistles? Out-weariers of Apollo will, as we know, continue their Martian generalities. We have kept our erasers in order, A new-fangled chariot follows the flower-hung horses; A young Muse with young loves clustered about her ascends with me into the aether, ... And there is no high-road to the Muses. Annalists will continue to record Roman reputations, Celebrities from the Trans-Caucasus will belaud Roman celebrities And expound the distentions of Empire, But for something to read in normal circumstances? For a few pages brought down from the forked hill unsullied? I ask a wreath which will not crush my head. And there is no hurry about it; I shall have, doubtless, a boom after my funeral, Seeing that long standing increases all things regardless of quality. And who would have known the towers pulled down by a deal-wood horse; Or of Achilles withstaying waters by Simois Or of Hector spattering wheel-rims, Or of Polydmantus, by Scamander, or Helenus and Deiphoibos?