SOLOMON
De MUNDI
VANITATE.
VOLUPTAS:
LIBER SECUNDUS.
Nunc, difce moras & tædia longa dierum
Fallere, follicitæque oblivia ducere Vitæ:
I facilem jam quære viam, & melioribus ufus
Aufpiciis, blandæ felicia dona Salutis
Grata fume manu; Curarum à tramite nigro,
A vario errorum flexu, quem volvere fuadet
Mens ftudiofa Boni, veftigia flecte nitentes
Ad Campos, fuavefque locos, quibus itur ad almam
Lætitiam, teneros lufus, lentamque quietem;
Utile fecurus fugias, ut dulce fequaris:
Artis opes varias adhibe, fumptufque fuperbos;
Et domita Ratione effundat froena Voluptas.
mox, fiqua darent folatia Regum
Divitiæ, effrænifque immenfa Superbia Luxus
Aggredior. Studia Artificum molefque futuræ
Excipiunt feffum Guris; jam tecta parabam
Regia, jamque Hortos; Pifces, Volucrefque Ferafque,
RY then, O Man, the Moments to deceive,
That from the Womb attend Thee to the Grave:
For weary'd Nature find fome apter Scheme: Health be thy Hope; and Pleasure be thy Theme: From the perplexing and unequal Ways, Where Study brings Thee; from the endless Maze, Which Doubt perfuades to run, forewarn'd recede, To the gay Field, and flow'ry Path, that lead To jocund Mirth, soft Joy, and careless Ease: Forfake what may inftruct, for what may please: Effay amufing Art, and proud Expence; And make thy Reason subject to thy Sense.
I commun'd thus: the Pow'r of Wealth I try'd,
And all the various Luxe of coftly Pride.
Artifts and Plans reliev'd my folemn Hours:
I founded Palaces, and planted Bow'rs.
Birds, Fishes, Beafts of each Exotic Kind
Quicquid alit Tellus, fpatiofa in Clauftra recepi.
Quin noftro peregrina folo viget Arbor, & umbram
Miratur Judæa novam; quà Sylva virebat,
Squamigeri ludunt pifces; æquantur opaci
Montes, ut major fe exporrigat area campo.
Flumina ducuntur curfus oblita priores,
Docta novos; grato feu præcipitata tumultu
Defuper Unda cadit, five eluctatur in altum
Sculptile per marmor, vivoque erumpit ab auro.
Vifceribus latè fpoliatis, ultima mittit
Africa marmoreas rupes; jamque ardua Turris
Attingit cœlos, ftant vafta mole Columnæ
Suppofitæ fpiffo nemori, & pendentibus hortis.
Inftant Artifices operi; Pariefque nitescit
Illufus Calamo, Turrique inducitur Aurum:
Difcolor hic variis nitet intertexta lapillis
Area; fubftrata hìc folio calcatur Jafpis.
Ipfa etiam Cedrus, centum quæ viderat Annos
Vertice fublimi, nemoris Regina, peritam
Artificis confeffa manum, laquearia fingit;
Et raptos Lebanus fylvarum mæret honores.
Mille Fabri coeunt, & eburnam ad fydera turrim
I to the Limits of my Court confin'd.
To Trees transferr'd I gave a fecond Birth;
And bid a foreign Shade grace JUDAH'S Earth.
Fish-ponds were made, where former Forrefts grew;
And Hills were levell'd to extend the View.
Rivers diverted from their Native Course,
And bound with Chains of Artificial Force,
From large Cascades in pleafing Tumult roll'd;
Or rose thro' figur'd Stone, or breathing Gold.
From furtheft AFRICA's tormented Womb
The Marble brought, erects the spacious Dome,
Or forms the Pillars long-extended Rows,
On which the planted Grove, and penfile Garden grows.
The Workmen here obey the Master's Call,
To gild the Turret, and to paint the Wall;
To mark the Pavement there with various Stone;
And on the Jasper Steps to rear the Throne:
The spreading Cedar, that an Age had ftood,
Supreme of Trees, and Mistress of the Wood,
Cut down and carv'd, my fhining Roof adorns;
And LEBANON his ruin'd Honor mourns..
A thousand Artists fhew their cunning Pow'r,
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