The Works of Horace In English Verse By several hands. Collected and Published By Mr. Duncombe. With Notes Historical and Critical |
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The Same Ode Imitated.
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The Works of Horace In English Verse | ||
326
The Same Ode Imitated.
[Danaë, inclosed in Towers of Brass]
By Mr. Samuel Say.
Danaë
, inclosed in Towers of Brass,
Strong Iron Gates and opening Dogs
Wakeful, had well secur'd by Day,
Had well secur'd by Night;
If Jove and Venus had not mock'd
The jealous Sire—So Fables tell—
Vain Iron! Vain Brass! transform'd to Gold,
He won the greedy Maid.
When Gold appears, the Guards retire,
The Floods divide, the Rocks are rent;
Not Thunder flings the fiery Bolt
With such resistless Power.
Subjects their Kings, and Priests their Gods,
327
And Wrong confounds: For Gold he pleads;
For Gold betrays the Cause.
Touch'd by thy stronger Force, tow'rds Thee
The Compass veers, almighty Gold!
Before thee Wisdom, Valour, Sense,
And Virtue is no more.
Care follows close, where Gold precedes:
Sweet Innocence, Contentment, Peace,
No more shall bless the Day; no more
Soft Slumbers bless the Night.
This Horace saw, wise Bard! and durst
Refuse the glittering Bribe; to share
With Cæsar all the World; to share
The World, and share the Toil.
‘Tempt me no more, Mæcenas, tempt
‘No more thy Flaccus to aspire
‘To Wealth and Power; he fears the Helm
‘Because he fears the Storm.
‘What we deny ourselves, just Heaven
‘Restores with Interest. Naked, see!
‘Naked thy humble Friend deserts
‘The Party of the Great.
‘Glad Fugitive—he longs to reach
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‘Whose little is enough—Enough—
‘That sweeter Word for All!’
O decent Pride! O truly Lord
Of his Possessions, who still bears
A Soul above them! richer far
Than all Apulia's Stores,
Heap'd in the crowded Barn, could make
The Mind, that covets without End,
And, drinking, thirsts for more! O Wretch,
In utmost Plenty, poor!
A silver Stream, a silent Grove,
A Summer's Eve, a small Estate,
Still faithful to its Lord: A Life
Retir'd from Noise or Care,
Steals thro' the World, with Joys unknown
To the profaner Mind; with Joys
Unknown to crowded Courts; to Peers,
And scepter'd Kings, unknown!
Tho' no proud Palace loads the Ground,
Or towers into the Sky; no Car,
With gilded Trappings gay, behind
Bestuck with pamper'd Slaves,
Moves slow in State; nor costly Wines
329
Nor high Ragouts deceive the Taste,
And progagate Disease!
Yet fair Content my Cottage chears;
Lettuce and Pease my Garden yields:
Plain Food, soft Ale, and homebrew'd Wines,
Still crown my healthful Board.
Thro' fragrant Fields, or spreading Lawns,
Where the Sheep graze, and Oxen low,
Or stalks the Stag, with Head erect,
I sometimes musing rove:
Pleas'd with his Load, sometimes my Pad
Smooth ambles to the neighbouring Gate,
Which opens friendly to receive
The not unwelcome Guest.
Happy! who knows himself, and knows
To judge of Happiness; to whom
Wise Heaven, with kind but frugal Hand,
Has each just Want supplied.
1720.
The Works of Horace In English Verse | ||