Truth in Fiction Or, Morality in Masquerade. A Collection of Two hundred twenty five Select Fables of Aesop, and other Authors. Done into English Verse. By Edmund Arwaker |
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 | Truth in Fiction |  |
318
FABLE XXVII. The Trumpeter:
Or, Abettors share the Guilt.
A Swoln-cheek'd Trumpeter, whose fatal Breath
Had oft' excited others to their Death,
While he aloft, and free from Danger, stood,
And thought himself not guilty of their Blood;
In Fight, by the prevailing Enemy,
Was made a Pris'ner, and Condemn'd to Die.
The trembling Captive pleaded Innocence,
And strongly urg'd, He had not giv'n Offence;
Since he in Blood and Wounds took no Delight,
And his Employment was, to Sound, not Fight;
Nor cou'd they sure to him impute their Harms,
Whose hurtless Trumpet was his only Arms.
Had oft' excited others to their Death,
While he aloft, and free from Danger, stood,
And thought himself not guilty of their Blood;
In Fight, by the prevailing Enemy,
Was made a Pris'ner, and Condemn'd to Die.
The trembling Captive pleaded Innocence,
And strongly urg'd, He had not giv'n Offence;
Since he in Blood and Wounds took no Delight,
And his Employment was, to Sound, not Fight;
Nor cou'd they sure to him impute their Harms,
Whose hurtless Trumpet was his only Arms.
To whom the Foe; This Subterfuge you use,
Do's aggravate the Guilt you wou'd excuse:
Since you, who own you are not us'd to Fight,
Do others to the bloody Field excite.
Do's aggravate the Guilt you wou'd excuse:
Since you, who own you are not us'd to Fight,
Do others to the bloody Field excite.
The MORAL.
‘They who advise the Ills which others act,‘An equal Guilt, a diff'rent Way contract:
‘As when ill Counsellors misguide a Prince,
‘They bear the just Reproach of his Offence;
319
‘As he, who, rul'd by them, mistook his Way:
‘While they persuade him to infringe the Law,
‘They on themselves its heavy'st Censures draw.
| Truth in Fiction | |