The loves of hero and leander translations from various Greek authors (1728) |
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| XIV. |
| XVI. |
| XX. |
| XXII. |
| XXIII. | ODE XXIII. Upon Gold.
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| XXXIII. |
| XXXIV. |
| XXXV. |
| XXXVI. |
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| LXII. |
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 | The loves of hero and leander |  |
57
ODE XXIII. Upon Gold.
Hoard up gold?—Had gold the pow'rTo with-hold the fatal hour:
Cou'd it that sad hour with-hold,
Gold I'd hoard, vast sums of gold,
That when death on me should call,
Death the certain doom of all!
I might (day succeeding day)
Purchase still a new delay.
But since death has not the pow'r
To with-hold the fatal hour,
Why shou'd I in fears and pains
Spend what yet of life remains?
Life! whose length alone appears,
Truly worth my pains and fears.
No!—to please my mirthful soul,
Give me the full-flowing bowl;
Give me with some faithful friend
What of life remains, to spend.
Or on beds of softness laid
With some kind-complying maid;
Joys, more heav'nly yet, to prove,
True to thy rites, fair queen of love.
| The loves of hero and leander | |