A Poetical Translation Of The Fables of Phaedrus With The Appendix of Gudius, And an accurate Edition of the Original on the opposite Page. To which is added, A Parsing Index For the Use of Learners. By Christopher Smart |
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| I. | FABLE I. Demetrius and Menander. |
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 | A Poetical Translation Of The Fables of Phaedrus |  |
185
FABLE I. Demetrius and Menander.
If Esop's name at any time
I bring into this measur'd rhime,
To whom I've paid whate'er I owe,
Let all men by these presents know,
I with th'old fabulist make free,
To strengthen my authority.
As certain sculptors of the age,
The more attention to engage,
And raise their price, the curious please,
By forging of Praxiteles;
And in like manner they purloin
A Myro to their silver coin.
'Tis thus our fables we can smoke,
As pictures for their age bespoke.
For biting envy, in disgust
To new improvements, favours rust;
But now a tale comes in of course,
Which these assertions will inforce.
I bring into this measur'd rhime,
To whom I've paid whate'er I owe,
Let all men by these presents know,
I with th'old fabulist make free,
To strengthen my authority.
As certain sculptors of the age,
The more attention to engage,
And raise their price, the curious please,
By forging of Praxiteles;
And in like manner they purloin
A Myro to their silver coin.
'Tis thus our fables we can smoke,
As pictures for their age bespoke.
For biting envy, in disgust
To new improvements, favours rust;
But now a tale comes in of course,
Which these assertions will inforce.
Demetrius, who was justly call'd
The tyrant, got himself install'd,
And held o'er Athens impious sway.
The crowd, as ever is the way,
Came eager rushing far and wide,
And, fortunate event! they cry'd.
The nobles came, the throne address'd:
The hand by which they were oppress'd
They meekly kiss'd, with inward stings
Of anguish for the face of things.
The idlers also, with the tribe
Of those who to themselves prescribe
Their ease and pleasure, in the end
Came sneaking, lest they should offend.
Amongst this troop Menander hies
So famous for his comedies.
(Him, though he was not known by sight,
The tyrant read with great delight,
Struck with the genius of the bard)
In flowing robes bedaub'd with nard,
And saunt'ring tread he came along,
Whom, at the bottom of the throng,
When Phalereus beheld, he said,
How dar'd that fribble shew his head
In this our presence?—he was told,
“It is Menander you behold.”
Then chang'd at once from fierce to bland,
He call'd, and took him by the hand.
The tyrant, got himself install'd,
And held o'er Athens impious sway.
The crowd, as ever is the way,
Came eager rushing far and wide,
And, fortunate event! they cry'd.
187
The hand by which they were oppress'd
They meekly kiss'd, with inward stings
Of anguish for the face of things.
The idlers also, with the tribe
Of those who to themselves prescribe
Their ease and pleasure, in the end
Came sneaking, lest they should offend.
Amongst this troop Menander hies
So famous for his comedies.
(Him, though he was not known by sight,
The tyrant read with great delight,
Struck with the genius of the bard)
In flowing robes bedaub'd with nard,
And saunt'ring tread he came along,
Whom, at the bottom of the throng,
When Phalereus beheld, he said,
How dar'd that fribble shew his head
In this our presence?—he was told,
“It is Menander you behold.”
Then chang'd at once from fierce to bland,
He call'd, and took him by the hand.
| A Poetical Translation Of The Fables of Phaedrus | |