Comments on Translation

Salve, AC1119,


I am glad you are enjoying Horace, despite his difficulties!  My comments on your translation are below, in blue.  


My translation (not the best): "and dark Care [Cura] sits after (behind?)  the member of the equestrian order. One of the great lines of all time... seems to have at least 2 simultaneous ideas.  1, the death motif we are so familiar with-- even if you try to gallop away (eques as horseman), Black Care will be right behind you in the saddle, and 2, no matter how rich you are, you can't escape trouble (fate, death).  You bring out the latter in choosing "member of the equestrian order"
 But if [quodsi] neither the clearer modifies usus, not lapis Phrygian stone [lapis; a type of marble] nor the use [usus] of shellfish [purpurarum; used to make crimson/purple dye, from Tyre] soothes clearer  in the sky [sidere] this means "constellation, star",
but if neither Phrygian marble nor the use of purple (dye), brighter than a star,
(clarior is a displaced epithet (hypallage)-- the color should be brighter than the star, not the use of the dye)
nor the Falernian [Falerna] wine and the Persian [Achaemenium] aromatic plant [costum], why might I labor [moliar, deliberate subjunctive of molior] for the atrium with envy-causing [invidendis] door-posts [postibus] and the new sublime style [ritu; from ritus]? nor Falernian wine and Persian incense soothes one who grieves (dolentem = participle, a grieving one), why should I construct a lofty atrium (take sublime as n. acc. adj. modifying atrium) in the latest style, with envy-causing doorposts?  
 Why might ("Should" works better here for the delib. subjunctive) I exchange [permutem, from permutare] the Sabine valley for the toilsome [operosiores; epic word] riches [divitias]?