Horace, Ode 1.3

Sic te diva potens Cypri,

sic fratres Helenae, lucida sidera,

ventorumque regat pater

obstrictis aliis praeter Iapyga,

navis, quae tibi creditum

debes Vergilium; finibus Atticis

reddas incolumem, precor,

et serves animae dimidium meae.

Illi robur et aes triplex

circa pectus erat, qui fragilem truci

commisit pelago ratem

primus, nec timuit praecipitem Africum

decertantem Aquilonibus

nec tristis Hyadas nec rabiem Noti,

quo non arbiter Hadriae

maior, tollere seu ponere vult freta.

Quem mortis timuit gradum

qui siccis oculis monstra natantia,

qui vidit mare turbidum et

infamis scopulos, Acroceraunia?

Nequiquam deus abscidit

prudens Oceano dissociabili

terras, si tamen impiae

non tangenda rates transiliunt vada.

Audax omnia perpeti

gens humana ruit per vetitum nefas.

Audax Iapeti genus

ignem fraude mala gentibus intulit.

Post ignem aetheria domo

subductum macies et nova befrium

terris incubuit cohors,

semotique prius tarda necessitas

leti corripuit gradum.

Expertus vacuum Daedalus aera

pinnis non homini datis;

perrupit Acheronta Herculeus labor.

Nil mortalibus ardui est;

caelum ipsum petimus stultitia, neque

per nostrum patimur scelus

iracunda Iovem ponere fulmina.

Thus the powerful goddess of Cyprus,

thus the brothers of Helen, bright stars,

and the father of winds guide you,

with others confined except for Iapyx,

ships, which you are keeping Vergil as

a loan to you; may you return him

unharmed to Attic territories, I pray,

and may you guard half of my soul.

Oak and triple copper

was placed around my heart, which first joined

the fragile raft to the wild

sea, neither fears tempestuous Africus

fighting with the north winds

nor the gloomy Hyades nor the rage of Notus,

than whom there is no greater overseer

of the Adriatic, whether he wishes to raise or calm the seas.

What step of death does he fear,

he who saw with dry eyes monsters swimming,

he who saw the wild sea and

infamous rocks, Acroceraunia?

In vain, a prudent god separated

the lands from the incompatible Ocean,

if nevertheless the impious ships

dash across the untouchable depths.

The human race, bold

to suffer all things, rushes to forbidden sins.

The bold son of Iapetus

brought fire to the people by wicked deceit.

After the fire carried off from

it's heavenly home, decay and a new friend of

fever settled on the lands,

and slow fate first quickened the approach

of slow death.

Daedalus tried the empty air with

wings non given to humans;

the labor of Hercules broke through Acheron.

There is nothing steep for mortals;

we attack heaven itself with stupidity, and

we do not suffer for our crime

to put aside angry lightening for Jove.