Medulla Poetarum Romanorum Or, the Most Beautiful and Instructive Passages of the Roman Poets. Being a Collection, (Disposed under proper Heads,) Of such Descriptions, Allusions, Comparisons, Characters, and Sentiments, as may best serve to shew the Religion, Learning, Politicks, Arts, Customs, Opinions, Manners, and Circumstances of the Antients. With Translations of the same in English Verse. By Mr. Henry Baker |
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Friendship.
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 | Medulla Poetarum Romanorum |  |
Friendship.
See Fidelity. Race.
Friendship's fair Name, while Int'rest serves, may stand:Like Draughtsmen guided by the Gamester's Hand.
While Fortune serves, thy smiling Friends will stay:
But if she turns, they too will haste away.
The World's a Comedy: one acts a Lord,
This a grave Father, and his Son a third:
But soon as e'er the Curtain is let down,
All quit these borrow'd Shapes, and take their own.—
Nature, within the Soul of Man has form'd,
Nothing more noble, or more rare than Friendship.
Thro' all it's Ages, the whole World pretends
To boast but one poor single Pair of Friends:
Do but Pylades and Orestes name,
And You have all the Instances of Fame.
Once Death was strove for; 'twas a gen'rous Strife:
Not who should keep, but who should lose a Life
Was their Dispute, contending to deny
Each other the great Privilege to die.
The Surety fear'd his guilty Friend's return;
The guilty Friend did his own Absence mourn:
393
One hop'd to free, One fear'd to be so freed.—
To guard the Gate brave Nisus stood in Arms,
And by his Side Euryalus: than whom
Was none more beauteous, clad in Trojan Arms:
The first soft Down of Youth had just begun
To bloom upon his Cheeks: One was their Love:
One common Hazard in the War they shar'd,
And now were both by Choice upon the Guard.
And by his Side Euryalus: than whom
Was none more beauteous, clad in Trojan Arms:
The first soft Down of Youth had just begun
To bloom upon his Cheeks: One was their Love:
One common Hazard in the War they shar'd,
And now were both by Choice upon the Guard.
Then Nisus: do the Gods, my Friend, infuse
This Ardor of the Soul? or make we Gods
Of our own strong Desires? My Mind, long since
Eager of Action prompts me to engage
Or in the Fight, or in some great Attempt:
Nor this dull Rest endures.—
This Ardor of the Soul? or make we Gods
Of our own strong Desires? My Mind, long since
Eager of Action prompts me to engage
Or in the Fight, or in some great Attempt:
Nor this dull Rest endures.—
Struck with Surprize, and fir'd with Thirst of Fame,
Thus sudden to his ardent Friend reply'd
Euryalus. And wouldst Thou then refuse
To add me, Nisus, to the brave Design?
And shall I suffer Thee to go expos'd
To such a perilous Attempt alone?
Here too, here dwells a Soul, that with Contempt
Regards this vital Air: and thinks with Life
That Fame well bought to which thy Soul aspires.
Thus sudden to his ardent Friend reply'd
Euryalus. And wouldst Thou then refuse
To add me, Nisus, to the brave Design?
And shall I suffer Thee to go expos'd
To such a perilous Attempt alone?
Here too, here dwells a Soul, that with Contempt
Regards this vital Air: and thinks with Life
That Fame well bought to which thy Soul aspires.
Nisus to this: No such injurious Thought
Of Thee, no such Suspicion, in my Breast
Was ever harbour'd: No: as this is Truth,
So may great Jove, or whate'er God regards
These Things with equal Eyes, restore me crown'd
With Conquest to thy Arms.—But if some Chance
(As many in such hazardous Attempts
Thou seest) if any Chance or Power divine
Snatch me from Earth: Thee I would leave behind:—
Thy Age can shew a better Claim to Life.
Let there survive, who may with solemn Rites
Inurn my Body, rescu'd from the Foe
In Battle, or redeem by Ransom paid:
Or (That if Fate forbid) an empty Tomb
May build, and grace my Manes with a Grave.
Nor to thy wretched Mother let me cause
So great a Grief: thy Mother, who, alone
Of all the Trojan Dames, for Thee, dear Youth,
Follows our Camp.—
Then He: Thy empty Reasons urg'd in vain
Thou dost alledge: nor is my Purpose chang'd:
Haste we, he said: Then wakes the Sentries: They
Succeed, and mount the Guard: the friendly Pair,
Quitting their Station, seek the General's Tent.—
Of Thee, no such Suspicion, in my Breast
Was ever harbour'd: No: as this is Truth,
So may great Jove, or whate'er God regards
These Things with equal Eyes, restore me crown'd
With Conquest to thy Arms.—But if some Chance
(As many in such hazardous Attempts
Thou seest) if any Chance or Power divine
Snatch me from Earth: Thee I would leave behind:—
Thy Age can shew a better Claim to Life.
Let there survive, who may with solemn Rites
Inurn my Body, rescu'd from the Foe
In Battle, or redeem by Ransom paid:
Or (That if Fate forbid) an empty Tomb
May build, and grace my Manes with a Grave.
395
So great a Grief: thy Mother, who, alone
Of all the Trojan Dames, for Thee, dear Youth,
Follows our Camp.—
Then He: Thy empty Reasons urg'd in vain
Thou dost alledge: nor is my Purpose chang'd:
Haste we, he said: Then wakes the Sentries: They
Succeed, and mount the Guard: the friendly Pair,
Quitting their Station, seek the General's Tent.—
Volscens impatient foams, and burns with Rage:
And, with his Sword unsheath'd, advanc'd direct
Against Euryalus.—Then Nisus, wild
With Terror and Amaze, cries out aloud,
Nor longer in the Covert of the Grove
Could hide himself, nor such a Sight endure.
Me, Me: I did it: on me turn your Steel,
Ye Rutuli: 'Twas all my Fraud: He nought
Nor could, nor durst: This Heav'n and conscious Stars
I call to witness: All his Crime, poor Youth,
Was loving his unhappy Friend too well.
Thus far he spoke: but driv'n with forceful Swing
The Sword had pierc'd Euryalus, and bor'd
His snowy Breast: He staggering rolls in Death:
The trickling Blood runs down his beauteous Limbs,
And on his Shoulder lies his Neck reclin'd.
So languishes, and dies a purple Flower,
Cut by the pointed Share: So Poppies droop,
O'er-charg'd with Rain and hang their sickly Heads.
And, with his Sword unsheath'd, advanc'd direct
Against Euryalus.—Then Nisus, wild
With Terror and Amaze, cries out aloud,
Nor longer in the Covert of the Grove
Could hide himself, nor such a Sight endure.
Me, Me: I did it: on me turn your Steel,
Ye Rutuli: 'Twas all my Fraud: He nought
Nor could, nor durst: This Heav'n and conscious Stars
I call to witness: All his Crime, poor Youth,
Was loving his unhappy Friend too well.
Thus far he spoke: but driv'n with forceful Swing
The Sword had pierc'd Euryalus, and bor'd
His snowy Breast: He staggering rolls in Death:
The trickling Blood runs down his beauteous Limbs,
And on his Shoulder lies his Neck reclin'd.
So languishes, and dies a purple Flower,
Cut by the pointed Share: So Poppies droop,
O'er-charg'd with Rain and hang their sickly Heads.
Then Nisus, rushing, darts into the Midst:
Volscens alone he seeks, at Volscens drives:
The pressing Foes throng round, and bear him back
With tilted Spears: He not the less springs on,
And whirls his flashing Sword: till in the Mouth,
Full opposite, of Volscens clam'ring loud
He plung'd it deep, and dying stabb'd his Foe:
Then on his breathless Friend his Body flung,
And there at last in pleasing Death repos'd.—
Volscens alone he seeks, at Volscens drives:
The pressing Foes throng round, and bear him back
With tilted Spears: He not the less springs on,
And whirls his flashing Sword: till in the Mouth,
Full opposite, of Volscens clam'ring loud
He plung'd it deep, and dying stabb'd his Foe:
Then on his breathless Friend his Body flung,
And there at last in pleasing Death repos'd.—
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From Thee, heroic Youth; be wholly mine:
Take full Possession: all my Soul is thine:
One Faith, one Fame, one Fate shall both attend,
My Life's Companion, and my Bosom Friend:
My Peace shall be committed to thy Care,
And to thy Conduct, my Concerns in War.—
True Lovers, in their fav'rite charming She,
Can find no Faults, or love those Faults they see.
Oh! that this Error in our Friendship reign'd,
And had the Credit of a Virtue gain'd!
As some fond Parent, with a partial Eye,
His Darling's Faults beholds, and passes by:
So should we treat the Failings of a Friend,
And find Excuses, when we can't commend.
Can find no Faults, or love those Faults they see.
Oh! that this Error in our Friendship reign'd,
And had the Credit of a Virtue gain'd!
As some fond Parent, with a partial Eye,
His Darling's Faults beholds, and passes by:
So should we treat the Failings of a Friend,
And find Excuses, when we can't commend.
If the poor Boy is born with squinting Eyes,
See, what a pretty Cast! the Father cries:
The dwarfish ill-shap'd Thing, that's ever sick,
It's Father fondly calls, his little Chick:
Or if its bandy Legs by Chance he shows,
Smiling he cries, the Boy turns in his Toes.
See, what a pretty Cast! the Father cries:
The dwarfish ill-shap'd Thing, that's ever sick,
It's Father fondly calls, his little Chick:
Or if its bandy Legs by Chance he shows,
Smiling he cries, the Boy turns in his Toes.
Thus among Friends: One's close,—that Prudence call:
Another's vain, and brags,—that's Frankness all:
One's proud and haughty,—he'll be no Man's Slave:
Another struts and blusters,—He is brave.
In my Opinion, this would Friends procure,
And knit the Bands of sacred Friendship sure.—
'Tis common to deceive thro' Friendship's Name;
Another's vain, and brags,—that's Frankness all:
One's proud and haughty,—he'll be no Man's Slave:
Another struts and blusters,—He is brave.
In my Opinion, this would Friends procure,
And knit the Bands of sacred Friendship sure.—
But common tho' it be, 'tis still to blame.—
With num'rous Friends was I encompass'd round,
While favourable Gales my Vessel crown'd:
But when the Ocean was tempestuous grown,
My shatter'd Bark and I were left alone.—
| Medulla Poetarum Romanorum | |