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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