Poems on Several Occasions With some Select Essays in Prose. In Two Volumes. By John Hughes; Adorn'd with Sculptures |
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From BOILEAU, In his First Epistle to Lewis XIV
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 | Poems on Several Occasions |  |
137
From BOILEAU, In his First Epistle to Lewis XIV .
What mean these Elephants, Arms, warlike Store,And all these Ships, prepar'd to leave the Shore?
Thus Cyneas, faithful, old, experienc'd, wise,
Address'd King Pyrrhus;—thus the King replies;
'Tis Glory calls us hence; to Rome we go.
For what?—To conquer.—Rome's a Noble Foe,
A Prize for Alexander fit, or You;
But Rome reduc'd, what next, Sir, will you do?
The Rest of Italy my Chains shall wear.
And is that all?—No, Sicily lies near;
See how she stretches out her beauteous Arms,
And tempts the Victor with unguarded Charms!
In Syracusa's Port this Fleet shall ride.
'Tis well—and there you will at last abide?—
No; that subdu'd, again we'll hoist our Sails
And put to Sea; and, blow but prosp'rous Gales,
Carthage must soon be ours, an easy Prey,
The Passage open: What obstructs our Way?—
Then, Sir, your vast Design I understand,
To conquer all the Earth, cross Seas and Land,
139
Beneath your Sword make proud Arabia bend;
Then seek remoter Worlds, where Ganges pours
His swelling Stream; beyond Hydaspes' Shores,
Thro' Indian Realms to carry dire Alarms,
And make the hardy Scythian dread your Arms.
But say—this wondrous Race of Glory run,
When we return, say what shall then be done?
Then pleas'd, my Friend, we'll spend the joyful Day
In full Delight, and laugh our Cares away.
And why not now? Alas! Sir, need we roam
For this so far, or quit our Native Home?
No—let us now each valu'd Hour employ,
Nor for the future lose the present Joy.
| Poems on Several Occasions | |