The Works, In Verse and Prose, of Leonard Welsted ... Now First Collected. With Historical Notes, And Biographical Memoirs of the Author, by John Nichols |
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The reign of Augustus, in which Ovid
flourished.
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 | The Works, In Verse and Prose, of Leonard Welsted |  |
The reign of Augustus, in which Ovid flourished.
Thus rais'd, his glorious offspring Julius view'd,
Beneficently great, and scattering good,
Deeds, that his own surpass'd, with joy beheld,
And his large heart dilates to be excell'd.
What though this Prince refuses to receive
The preference which his juster subjects give;
Fame uncontrol'd, that no restraint obeys,
The homage shunn'd by modest virtue, pays,
And proves disloyal only in his praise.
Though great his Sire, him greater we proclaim:
So Atreus yields to Agamemnon's fame;
Achilles so superior honours won,
And Peleus must submit to Peleus' Son;
Examples yet more noble to disclose,
So Saturn was eclips'd, when Jove to empire rose:
Jove rules the heavens; the earth Augustus sways,
Each claims a Monarch's and a Father's praise.
Beneficently great, and scattering good,
Deeds, that his own surpass'd, with joy beheld,
And his large heart dilates to be excell'd.
What though this Prince refuses to receive
The preference which his juster subjects give;
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The homage shunn'd by modest virtue, pays,
And proves disloyal only in his praise.
Though great his Sire, him greater we proclaim:
So Atreus yields to Agamemnon's fame;
Achilles so superior honours won,
And Peleus must submit to Peleus' Son;
Examples yet more noble to disclose,
So Saturn was eclips'd, when Jove to empire rose:
Jove rules the heavens; the earth Augustus sways,
Each claims a Monarch's and a Father's praise.
Celestials, who for Rome your cares employ;
Ye Gods, who guarded the remains of Troy;
Ye native Gods, here born, and fix'd by Fate;
Quirinus, founder of the Roman state;
O parent Mars, from whom Quirinus sprung;
Chaste Vesta, Cæsar's household Gods among,
Most sacred held; domestic Phœbus, thou,
To whom with Vesta chaste alike we bow;
Great guardian of the high Tarpeian rock;
And all ye powers, whom Poets may invoke;
O grant, that day may claim our sorrows late,
When lov'd Augustus shall submit to Fate,
Visit those seats where Gods and Heroes dwell,
And leave in tears the world he rul'd so well!
Ye Gods, who guarded the remains of Troy;
Ye native Gods, here born, and fix'd by Fate;
Quirinus, founder of the Roman state;
O parent Mars, from whom Quirinus sprung;
Chaste Vesta, Cæsar's household Gods among,
Most sacred held; domestic Phœbus, thou,
To whom with Vesta chaste alike we bow;
Great guardian of the high Tarpeian rock;
And all ye powers, whom Poets may invoke;
O grant, that day may claim our sorrows late,
When lov'd Augustus shall submit to Fate,
Visit those seats where Gods and Heroes dwell,
And leave in tears the world he rul'd so well!
| The Works, In Verse and Prose, of Leonard Welsted | |