A PARAPHRASTICALL TRANSLATION OVT OF THE POETE LVCANE.
LVCANVS LIB. QVINTO.
Caesaris
an cursus vestræ sentire putatis
Damnum posse fugæ? Veluti si cuncta minentur
Flumina, quos miscent pelago, subducere fontes:
Non magis ablatis vnquam decreverit æquor,
Quam nunc crescit aquis. An vos momenta putatis
Vlla dedisse mihi?
If all the floods amongst them wold conclude
To stay their course from running in the see:
And by that means wold thinke for to delude
The Ocean, who sould impaired be,
As they supposde, beleuing if that he
Did lack their floods, he should decresse him sell:
Yet if we like the veritie to wye,
It pairs him nothing: as I shall you tell.
For out of him they are augmented all,
And most part creat, as ye shall persaue:
For when the Sunne doth souk the vapours small
Forth of the seas, whilks them containe and haue,
A parte in winde, in wete and raine the laue
He render dois: which doth augment their strands.
Of Neptuns woll a coate syne they him weaue,
By hurling to him fast out ower the lands.
When all is done, do to him what they can
None can persaue that they do swell him mair.
I put the case then that they neuer ran:
Yet not theles that could him nowise pair:
VVhat needs he then to count it, or to cair,
Except their folies wold the more be shawin?
Sen though they stay, it harmes him not a hair,
What gain they, thogh they had their course withdrawen?
So euen siclike: Though subiects do coniure
For to rebell against their Prince and King:
By leauing him although they hope to smure
That grace, wherewith God maks him for to ring,
Though by his gifts he shaw him selfe bening,
To help their need, and make them thereby gaine:
Yet lacke of them no harme to him doth bring,
VVhen they to rewe their folie shalbe faine.
L'enuoy.
Then Floods runne on your wounted course of olde,
Which God by Nature dewly hes prouyded:
For though ye stay, as I before haue tolde,
And cast in doubt which God hath els decyded:
To be conioynde, by you to be deuyded:
To kythe your spite, & do the Depe no skaith:
Farre better were in others ilk confyded,
Ye Floods, thou Depe, whilks were your dewties baith.
FINIS.
