Vox gravis, & nullo populi reprimenda tumultu, Quanquam ipfa immani clangore tonitrua vincant.
Volvere fic poterat fecum: glomerata faventum Turba virum, noftros quæ tollit in aftra triumphos; Si forte inftabiles quatiens Victoria pennas Me fugiat, fragilefque hofti decernat honores; Illi Turba eadem fimiles dabit improba plaufus, Illius ad portas denfo fefe agmine fundet, Et noftras franget statuas inimica, recentis Ut domini facies renovato fpiret in ære.
O cæcus furor, & dominandi infana libido!
Ipfe Ego, qui populorum hodie fuper ora fuperbus
Evehor, hoftilis pompæ pars Ipfe feretro
Cras fortaffe trahar, lacerum & deforme cadaver.
An quifquam interea mirantum ex agmine tanto,
(Pro pudor!) ingenti jam plaufu ante ora frementum,
Defuncti laudes caneret? quifquamne lavaret
Vulnera, vel lacrymâ faltem fequeretur inani?
Aut fi ludibrium fortunæ, inhoneftaque paffus
Vincula, victoris poft currus fordidus irem;
Mene adeo indecorem, de tot modo millibus Unus
Nofceret, aut vultu miferum fpectaret amico?
Tho' Shouts as Thunder loud afflict the Air;
Stun the Birds now releas'd, and shake the Iv'ry Chair?
Yon' Crowd (He might reflect) yon' joyful Crowd,
Pleas'd with my Honors, in my Praises loud,
(Should fleeting Vict'ry to the Vanquish'd go;
Should She deprefs my Arms, and raise the Foe)
Would for that Foe with equal Ardor wait
At the high Palace, or the crowded Gate;
With reftless Rage would pull my Statues down;
And caft the Brafs a-new to His Renown.
O impotent Defire of Worldly Sway!
That I, who make the Triumph of To-day,
May of To-morrow's Pomp one Part appear,
Ghaftly with Wounds, and lifeless on the Bier!
Then (Vileness of Mankind!) then of all These,
Whom my dilated Eye with Labour fees,
Would one, alas! repeat Me Good, or Great?
Wash my pale Body, or bewail my Fate?
Or, march'd I chain'd behind the Hoftile Carr,
The Victor's Paftime, and the Sport of War;
Would One, would One his pitying Sorrow lend,
Or be fo poor, to own He was my Friend?
E
Scilicet egregios præftat Sapientia fructus ! Cernere dat triftem magis acri lumine scenam, Dat fieri ante alios miferum, interiufque dolorum Afpera percipere, atque imis haurire medullis.
Scrutemur faftos, veterum quibus alta Parentum Facta manent recolenda; omni quæramus ab ævo, Siqua unquam effulfit penitùs fine nube doloris Gloria; fi Fafces comitata eft pura Voluptas.
Ille Parens hominum primus, mundique recentis Indigena, en variis ut cingitur undique cœli Muneribus! cui juncta comes pulcherrima Conjux, Quem dominum confeffa fuum, quæcunque capaci Orbis alit gremio; vafti five ætheris oras,
Seu tractus terrarum habitent, pontumve profundum.
Sed quales fructus magna hæc promiffa tulerunt?
Heu, vitæ introitu, vix delibata relinquit
Gaudia! jam primum Paradifi lætus in horto
Viderat ire diem, cum fede expulfus amænâ
Per fentes trifte urget iter, perque afpera fpinis
Dumeta; hinc victum haud facilem fudore diurno
Quærere damnatus, longorumque orbe laborum
Tædia folis iniqua pati, dum debita fomni
Avails it then, O Reason, to be wife?
To fee this cruel Scene with quicker Eyes?
To know with more Distinction to complain,
And have superior Sense in feeling Pain?
Let us revolve that Roll with ftrictest Eye,
Where fafe from Time diftinguish'd Actions lye;
And judge if Greatness be exempt from Pain,
Or Pleasure ever may with Pow'r remain.
ADAM, great Type, for whom the World was made, The fairest Bleffing to his Arms convey'd,
A charming Wife; and Air, and Sea and Land,
And all that move therein, to his Command
Render'd obedient: fay, my Penfive Muse,
What did these golden Promises produce?
Scarce tafting Life, He was of Joy bereav'd:
One Day, I think, in PARADISE He liv'd;
Deftin'd the next His Journey to pursue,
Where wounding Thorns, and curfed Thiftles grew.
E'er yet He earns his Bread, a-down his Brow,
Inclin'd to Earth, his lab'ring Sweat must flow:
His Limbs muft ake, with daily Toils opprefs'd;
Dona refecturi vires optata ferat Nox.,
Ut focium reputans fcelus & memor ufque peracti
Criminis, infauftam uxorem lugubre tuetur,
Et nimiam heu fuadam, nimiofque incufat amores!
Sæpe horret raucæ perculfus imagine vocis,
Quam reboante recens iterabat in æthere fulmen :
Sæpe repente tremit, veluti cum fulgura prima
Arderent cœlo, & Cherubis cum dextra minacis
Vibraret rutilos irati Numinis ignes!
Nec mora, quin terrâ exanimis jacet altera proles,
Primitiæ lethi, & fraternæ victima dextræ:
Frater fanguineâ famofus cæde, notâque
Cælitus impreffus, patriam fugit impius Erro.
Cur tamen obruerent miferum mala tanta Parentem,
Quærere nequaquam Superofve Hominefve deceret.
Turpior affiduè vitiis gravioribus Ætas Singula fucceffit; patrium fcelus æmula pubes Vicit adhuc: tandem ingentes exarfit in iras OMNIPOTENS, atque his ora indignantia solvit : En formaffe hominem Me pænitet! Eripe terris Sol lucem! Cœli nigrefcite! Vofque capaci
Ite finu effufæ, collectis viribus, Undæ!
|