A Iustification of a Strange Action of Nero in burying with a solemne Fvnerall, One of the cast Hayres of his Mistresse Poppaea. Also a iust reproofe of a Romane Smell-Feast, being the fifth Satyre of Ivvenall. Translated by George Chapman |
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 | A Iustification of a Strange Action of Nero |  |
10
TO THE RIGHT VIRTVOVS AND WORTHILY honoured Gentleman Richard Hvbert, Esquire.
11
D. JVNII IVVENALIS Lib. I. Sat. 5.
To Trebius.
Labouring to bring him in dislike of his continued course of frequenting the Table of Virro, a great Lord of Rome.
If
of thy purpose yet, thou tak'st no shame,
But keep'st thy minde (immutably) the same,
That thou esteem'st it as a good in chiefe
At others Trenchers to relieue thy life:
If those things thou can'st find a backe to beare,
That not Sarmentus, nor vile Galba were
So base to put in patience of a guest,
No, not for Cæsars far-exceeding feast:
Feare will affect me to bleeue thy troth
In any witnesse, though produc'd by oath.
For nothing in my knowledge fals, that is
More frugall then the belly: but say this
That not enough food all thy meanes can find,
To keepe thy gut from emptinesse and wind
Is no Creeke void? no Bridge? no peece of shed
Halfe, or not halfe? Would thy not being fed
At Virro's Table be so foule a shame?
Does hunger blow in thee so false a flame?
As not to tast it nobler in as poore
And vile a place as hath beene nam'd before?
To quake for cold, and gnaw the mustiest grounds
Of Barly-griest (bak'd purposely for hounds)
First, take it for a Rule, that if my Lord
Shall once be pleas'd to grace thee with his bord,
The whole reuenewes that thy hopes inherit
Rising from seruices of ancient merit,
Jn this requitall amply paid will prooue.
O 'tis the fruit of a transcendent loue,
To giue one victuals; That, thy Table-King
Layes in thy dish, though nere so thinne a thing,
Yet that reproch, still in thine eares shall ring.
If therefore after two moneths due neglect
He deignes his poore dependant to respect,
And lest the third bench faile to fill the ranck,
He shall take thee vp to supply the blanck.
Let's sit together Trebius (saies my Lord)
See all thy wishes sum'd-vp in a word.
What canst thou aske at Ioues hand after this?
This grace to Trebius, enough ample is;
To make him start from sleepe before the Larke,
Poasting abroad vntrus'd, and in the darke
Perplex'd with feare, lest all the seruile-rout
Of his saluters, haue the round run-out
Before he come; whiles yet the fixed Starre
Shewes his ambiguous head; and heauens cold Car
The slow Bootes wheeles about the Beare.
And yet for all this, what may be the cheare?
To such vile wine, thy throat is made the sinck
As greasie woll, would not endure to drink,
And we must shortly looke to see our guest
Transform'd into a Berecynthian-Priest.
Words make the Prologue to prepare the fray,
And in the next Scene, Pots are taught to play
The parts of weapons: Thy red Napkin now
Descends to tell thee of thy broken-Brow:
And such euents doe euermore ensue
When you poore Guests, and Virro's seruing crue
Grow to the heat of such vnciuill Warrs,
The vile Wine made the Bellowes to your Iarrs.
For Virro's-selfe, the wine he drinks was borne
When Consuls (Phæbus-like) appear'd vnshorn,
A Grape that long since in the wars was prest
By our confederate-Marsians, and the rest
Of which, no drop his longing-frend can git
Though blowne in fume vp with a Cardiack fit.
Next day he likes to taste another field,
The Albane hills, or els the Setine yeeld
Whose race and rich succession if you aske,
Age hath decayd, and sicknesse of the caske,
Such Thrasea & Heluidius quaft, stil crownd
When Brutus birth, and Cassius they renownd.
Virro himselfe in solemn Bowles is seru'd
Of Amber, and disparent Beryl keru'd;
But to thy trust, no such Cup they commit,
Or if they doe, a Spie is fix'd to it
To tell the stones; whose firme eye neuer fayles
To watch the close walks of thy vulturous nails,
Giue leaue (saies Virro) and then takes the Cup,
The famous Iasper in it lifting-vp
Inglorious prayses: for 'tis now the guize
Of him and others to transferre such prize
Off from his fingers to his Bowl's; that were
Wont to grace swords: & our yong Troian Peere
That made Iarbus iealous (since in loue
Prefer'd past him by Dido) vs'd t'improue
By setting them in fore-front of his sheath;
But thy Bowle stands an infinite beneath
And beares the Beneuentane-Coblers name,
Whose Gallon drunke-off, must thy bloud enflame
And is so craz'd, That they would let it passe
To them that Matches giue, for broken Glasse;
Now, if by fumes of wine, or fiery-meat
His Lordships stomacke ouer-boyle with heat,
Ther's a cold liquor broght that's made t'outvie
The chill impressions of the North-East-skie.
J formerly affirm'd, that you and he
Were seru'd with wines of a distinct degree,
But now remember it belongs to you
To keepe your distance in your water too.
And (in his Pages place) thy Cups are brought
By a swarth foot man, from Getulia bought,
Or some steru'd Negro, whose affrightfull sight
Thou wouldst abhorre to meet in dead of night
Passing the monuments of Latia,
In his eye waites the flowre of Asia,
A Iewell purchas'd at a higher rate
Then Martiall Ancus, or King Tullus State.
(Not to stand long) Then all the idle things
That grac'd the Courts of all our Roman Kings
Jf then thy Bowle his Nectars store shall neede
Addresse thee to his Indian Ganymed.
Thinke not his page, worth such a world, can skill
Or does not scorne, for thred bare Coates to fill,
And (to say truth) his forme and prime beside,
May well allow him some few Graines of pride.
But when does he, to what thou want'st descend?
Or thy entreaties, not contemne t'attend?
Supply of water craving, hot or cold:
No, he (I tell you) in high scorne doth hold
To stirre at euery stale dependants call;
Or that thou call'st for anything at all,
Or sit'st where his forc'd-Stand, his pride depraues;
Houses of State abound with stately slaues.
And see, another's proud disdaines resist
His hand to set thee bread: And yet what is't
But hoary cantles of vnbowlted grist?
That would a iaw-tooth rowze; and not admit
(Though nere so base) thy baser throat a bit:
But for his bread, the pride of appetite,
Tenderly soft, incomparably white;
The first flowre of fine meale, subdu'd in paste,
That's a peculiar for my Lords owne taste;
See then thou keep'st thy fingers from offence,
And giue the Pantler his due reuerence:
Or say thou should'st be (malepertly) bold,
Seest thou not slaues enough, to force thy hold
From thy attempted prize, with taunts like these,
Hands off, forward companion, will you please
With your familiar Crible to be fed,
And vnderstand the colour of your bread?
But keep'st thy minde (immutably) the same,
That thou esteem'st it as a good in chiefe
At others Trenchers to relieue thy life:
12
That not Sarmentus, nor vile Galba were
So base to put in patience of a guest,
No, not for Cæsars far-exceeding feast:
Feare will affect me to bleeue thy troth
In any witnesse, though produc'd by oath.
For nothing in my knowledge fals, that is
More frugall then the belly: but say this
That not enough food all thy meanes can find,
To keepe thy gut from emptinesse and wind
Is no Creeke void? no Bridge? no peece of shed
Halfe, or not halfe? Would thy not being fed
At Virro's Table be so foule a shame?
Does hunger blow in thee so false a flame?
As not to tast it nobler in as poore
And vile a place as hath beene nam'd before?
To quake for cold, and gnaw the mustiest grounds
Of Barly-griest (bak'd purposely for hounds)
First, take it for a Rule, that if my Lord
Shall once be pleas'd to grace thee with his bord,
The whole reuenewes that thy hopes inherit
Rising from seruices of ancient merit,
Jn this requitall amply paid will prooue.
O 'tis the fruit of a transcendent loue,
To giue one victuals; That, thy Table-King
13
Yet that reproch, still in thine eares shall ring.
If therefore after two moneths due neglect
He deignes his poore dependant to respect,
And lest the third bench faile to fill the ranck,
He shall take thee vp to supply the blanck.
Let's sit together Trebius (saies my Lord)
See all thy wishes sum'd-vp in a word.
What canst thou aske at Ioues hand after this?
This grace to Trebius, enough ample is;
To make him start from sleepe before the Larke,
Poasting abroad vntrus'd, and in the darke
Perplex'd with feare, lest all the seruile-rout
Of his saluters, haue the round run-out
Before he come; whiles yet the fixed Starre
Shewes his ambiguous head; and heauens cold Car
The slow Bootes wheeles about the Beare.
And yet for all this, what may be the cheare?
To such vile wine, thy throat is made the sinck
As greasie woll, would not endure to drink,
And we must shortly looke to see our guest
Transform'd into a Berecynthian-Priest.
Words make the Prologue to prepare the fray,
And in the next Scene, Pots are taught to play
The parts of weapons: Thy red Napkin now
14
And such euents doe euermore ensue
When you poore Guests, and Virro's seruing crue
Grow to the heat of such vnciuill Warrs,
The vile Wine made the Bellowes to your Iarrs.
For Virro's-selfe, the wine he drinks was borne
When Consuls (Phæbus-like) appear'd vnshorn,
A Grape that long since in the wars was prest
By our confederate-Marsians, and the rest
Of which, no drop his longing-frend can git
Though blowne in fume vp with a Cardiack fit.
Next day he likes to taste another field,
The Albane hills, or els the Setine yeeld
Whose race and rich succession if you aske,
Age hath decayd, and sicknesse of the caske,
Such Thrasea & Heluidius quaft, stil crownd
When Brutus birth, and Cassius they renownd.
Virro himselfe in solemn Bowles is seru'd
Of Amber, and disparent Beryl keru'd;
But to thy trust, no such Cup they commit,
Or if they doe, a Spie is fix'd to it
To tell the stones; whose firme eye neuer fayles
To watch the close walks of thy vulturous nails,
Giue leaue (saies Virro) and then takes the Cup,
The famous Iasper in it lifting-vp
15
Of him and others to transferre such prize
Off from his fingers to his Bowl's; that were
Wont to grace swords: & our yong Troian Peere
That made Iarbus iealous (since in loue
Prefer'd past him by Dido) vs'd t'improue
By setting them in fore-front of his sheath;
But thy Bowle stands an infinite beneath
And beares the Beneuentane-Coblers name,
Whose Gallon drunke-off, must thy bloud enflame
And is so craz'd, That they would let it passe
To them that Matches giue, for broken Glasse;
Now, if by fumes of wine, or fiery-meat
His Lordships stomacke ouer-boyle with heat,
Ther's a cold liquor broght that's made t'outvie
The chill impressions of the North-East-skie.
J formerly affirm'd, that you and he
Were seru'd with wines of a distinct degree,
But now remember it belongs to you
To keepe your distance in your water too.
And (in his Pages place) thy Cups are brought
By a swarth foot man, from Getulia bought,
Or some steru'd Negro, whose affrightfull sight
Thou wouldst abhorre to meet in dead of night
Passing the monuments of Latia,
16
A Iewell purchas'd at a higher rate
Then Martiall Ancus, or King Tullus State.
(Not to stand long) Then all the idle things
That grac'd the Courts of all our Roman Kings
Jf then thy Bowle his Nectars store shall neede
Addresse thee to his Indian Ganymed.
Thinke not his page, worth such a world, can skill
Or does not scorne, for thred bare Coates to fill,
And (to say truth) his forme and prime beside,
May well allow him some few Graines of pride.
But when does he, to what thou want'st descend?
Or thy entreaties, not contemne t'attend?
Supply of water craving, hot or cold:
No, he (I tell you) in high scorne doth hold
To stirre at euery stale dependants call;
Or that thou call'st for anything at all,
Or sit'st where his forc'd-Stand, his pride depraues;
Houses of State abound with stately slaues.
And see, another's proud disdaines resist
His hand to set thee bread: And yet what is't
But hoary cantles of vnbowlted grist?
That would a iaw-tooth rowze; and not admit
(Though nere so base) thy baser throat a bit:
But for his bread, the pride of appetite,
17
The first flowre of fine meale, subdu'd in paste,
That's a peculiar for my Lords owne taste;
See then thou keep'st thy fingers from offence,
And giue the Pantler his due reuerence:
Or say thou should'st be (malepertly) bold,
Seest thou not slaues enough, to force thy hold
From thy attempted prize, with taunts like these,
Hands off, forward companion, will you please
With your familiar Crible to be fed,
And vnderstand the colour of your bread?
Then grumbles thy disgrace: and is it this
For which so oft I haue forborne the blisse
Of my faire wife, to poast with earliest speed
Vp to Mount Esculine, where agues breede?
When my repaire did vernall Iove prouoke,
To driue his wether through my winter cloake
And in his bitter'st hailes, his murmurs broake?
But let vs to our Cates, our course addresse
Obserue that Lobster seru'd to Virro's messe,
How with the length of his extended limbes
He does surcharge the Charger: how the brims
With lust-full Sperage are all ouer-stor'd?
with what a taile, he ouer-tops the bord?
Jn seruice first borne-vp betwixt the hands
Of that vast Yeoman; But, for thee, there stands
A puny-Cray-fish, pent in halfe a shell,
The dish not feast enough for one in Hell.
The fish he tastes, swimmes in an oyle that grew
In Campany, and drank Venafrian Dew.
But, for the Worts (poore snake) presented thee,
Whose pale aspect, shewes their infirmity;
They drinke an oyle, much of the Curriers stamp,
Exquisite stuffe, that sauours of the lamp.
For know, that for your Bord, is billeted
An Oyle that from the Lybian Cane is shed
The burthen of a sharpe Numidian Prow;
An Oyle, for whose strength Romans disauow
To Bathe with Boccharis: an Oyle whose smell
'Gainst Serpents, doth an Amulet excell.
For which so oft I haue forborne the blisse
Of my faire wife, to poast with earliest speed
Vp to Mount Esculine, where agues breede?
When my repaire did vernall Iove prouoke,
To driue his wether through my winter cloake
And in his bitter'st hailes, his murmurs broake?
But let vs to our Cates, our course addresse
Obserue that Lobster seru'd to Virro's messe,
How with the length of his extended limbes
He does surcharge the Charger: how the brims
With lust-full Sperage are all ouer-stor'd?
with what a taile, he ouer-tops the bord?
Jn seruice first borne-vp betwixt the hands
18
A puny-Cray-fish, pent in halfe a shell,
The dish not feast enough for one in Hell.
The fish he tastes, swimmes in an oyle that grew
In Campany, and drank Venafrian Dew.
But, for the Worts (poore snake) presented thee,
Whose pale aspect, shewes their infirmity;
They drinke an oyle, much of the Curriers stamp,
Exquisite stuffe, that sauours of the lamp.
For know, that for your Bord, is billeted
An Oyle that from the Lybian Cane is shed
The burthen of a sharpe Numidian Prow;
An Oyle, for whose strength Romans disauow
To Bathe with Boccharis: an Oyle whose smell
'Gainst Serpents, doth an Amulet excell.
Next, for my Lord, a Mullet see seru'd-in,
Sent from the Corsicke shore; or of a fin
Bred in Sicilia's Taurominian-Rockes,
All our Seas being exhausted: all our Flockes
Spent and destroy'd, while our luxurious diet
Makes hauocke, and our Kitchins neuer quiet
Still with vnwearied nets, that no truce keepe
Ransacke the entrayles of th' adioyning deepe;
Nor respite our Etrurian Frie to grow,
And now our markets, their chief purueiance owe
To some remote, and ditionary coast;
Thence come the Dainties, that our Kitchins boast.
Such as to buie, the vulture Lenas deignes:
Such as to sell, Aurelia enterteines.
In messe with that, behold for Virro lies
A Lamprey of an exemplary Size,
That for dimension beares the price from all
Which Gulphes Sicilian sent his Festiuall,
For while the South conteynes himselfe; while he
Lies close, and dries his feathers in his Lee,
Our greedy Pursenets for their gaine despise
The danger that in mid Charibdis lies.
Sent from the Corsicke shore; or of a fin
Bred in Sicilia's Taurominian-Rockes,
All our Seas being exhausted: all our Flockes
Spent and destroy'd, while our luxurious diet
Makes hauocke, and our Kitchins neuer quiet
Still with vnwearied nets, that no truce keepe
Ransacke the entrayles of th' adioyning deepe;
Nor respite our Etrurian Frie to grow,
And now our markets, their chief purueiance owe
19
Thence come the Dainties, that our Kitchins boast.
Such as to buie, the vulture Lenas deignes:
Such as to sell, Aurelia enterteines.
In messe with that, behold for Virro lies
A Lamprey of an exemplary Size,
That for dimension beares the price from all
Which Gulphes Sicilian sent his Festiuall,
For while the South conteynes himselfe; while he
Lies close, and dries his feathers in his Lee,
Our greedy Pursenets for their gaine despise
The danger that in mid Charibdis lies.
Now, for his Lamprey, thou art glad to take
An Eele, neere cozen to a hideous Snake,
Or els a freckled-Tiberine, bit with frost,
And he, the poorest slaue of all the coast;
Fed with the torrent of the common Sewer,
And swims the towne-ditch, (where 'tis most impure.
Here would I on himself a word haue spent,
So he inclind an eare beneuolent:
Nor doe we such beneuolences craue,
As Seneca his meane acquaintance gaue;
Such as good Piso; such as Cotta made
To deale for Largesse; a familiar Trade;
For times haue beene, that in the worlds account,
The title of munificent did mount
Aboue triumphant, or imperiall Baies:
But our desire, in this due limit staies,
That you will make, when you entreat a guest,
Ciuill respect the Steward of your Feast:
Doe this and be (as many Lords are more)
Rich to your-selfe, and to your followers, poore.
An Eele, neere cozen to a hideous Snake,
Or els a freckled-Tiberine, bit with frost,
And he, the poorest slaue of all the coast;
Fed with the torrent of the common Sewer,
And swims the towne-ditch, (where 'tis most impure.
Here would I on himself a word haue spent,
So he inclind an eare beneuolent:
Nor doe we such beneuolences craue,
As Seneca his meane acquaintance gaue;
Such as good Piso; such as Cotta made
To deale for Largesse; a familiar Trade;
For times haue beene, that in the worlds account,
20
Aboue triumphant, or imperiall Baies:
But our desire, in this due limit staies,
That you will make, when you entreat a guest,
Ciuill respect the Steward of your Feast:
Doe this and be (as many Lords are more)
Rich to your-selfe, and to your followers, poore.
Before him see a huge Goose-liuer set,
A Capon cramb'd, euen with that Goose; for great
A whole wild Boare, hid in his smoaking heat
That gold-lock't Meleagers dart deseru'd,
And after all this, Virro's-selfe is seru'd
With pure-dress'd Mushroms: be the spring then freed,
And wished thunders, make his meales exceed.
And then the Gully-gut (Aledius) cryes
O Lybia, keepe with thee thy Wheates and Ries,
And ease thy Oxen, sending these supplies.
And that no indignation want to thee;
(As bound t'obserue) the Caruer thou must see
Dancing about his businesse: and he
That teaches him the Lawes, to the true life
Of caruing comely; with his flying knife
Touching at euery ioynt he carues, before
He dares th' attempt; till not a gesture more
In all his dictates can deserue offence,
Nor must your note faile, how huge difference
There is 'twixt the vnlacing of your hare,
And Hens dissection: 'gainst which, if you dare
But whisper, like a three-nam'd Noble man,
Like Cacus, struck by hands-Herculean,
Thou shalt bee, by the heeles, drag'd forth the place:
But when doth Virro then vouchsafe the grace
To drinke to thee? Or touch the Cup that thou
hast, with thy lippes prophan'd? Or which of you
So desperate is? so lost? to bid the King
Drinke to me Sir? No: there is many a thing,
That thred-bare coates dare not for feare bring forth,
But if some god, or god-like man; or worth
Better then Fate, would Wealth bestow on thee,
Fit to maintaime a Knight of Romes degree,
How huge a peece of man should'st thou ascend
Rais'd out of nothing? how much Virro's friend?
Giue Trebius; Set to Trebius; Brother (now)
Please you these puddings taste? O moneys, you
He giues this honour: you, these Brother are,
Yet notwithstanding, if thou please to share
His Lordship with him; or become his King
You must to Court no young Aeneas bring
Nor daughter (though his daintier) to be
Play-pheeres with Virro's daintiest progenie,
But Childlesse be: a pleasing and deare friend
A barren wife makes: but suppose she lend
Thy lappe much issue (euen at one birth three)
So thou be Rich, Virro will ioine with thee,
Jn ioy of that thy prating progenie;
And euer when the Infant Parasite
Comes to the Table, asking his delight,
Virro commands it, all his appetite
To all his cheap-priz'd friends, they serue the bord
With dangerous Toad-stooles: Mushroms for my Lord,
But such as Claudius pleas'd to tast, before
His wif's guift came, that made him tast no more.
A Capon cramb'd, euen with that Goose; for great
A whole wild Boare, hid in his smoaking heat
That gold-lock't Meleagers dart deseru'd,
And after all this, Virro's-selfe is seru'd
With pure-dress'd Mushroms: be the spring then freed,
And wished thunders, make his meales exceed.
And then the Gully-gut (Aledius) cryes
O Lybia, keepe with thee thy Wheates and Ries,
And ease thy Oxen, sending these supplies.
And that no indignation want to thee;
(As bound t'obserue) the Caruer thou must see
Dancing about his businesse: and he
That teaches him the Lawes, to the true life
Of caruing comely; with his flying knife
Touching at euery ioynt he carues, before
He dares th' attempt; till not a gesture more
In all his dictates can deserue offence,
21
There is 'twixt the vnlacing of your hare,
And Hens dissection: 'gainst which, if you dare
But whisper, like a three-nam'd Noble man,
Like Cacus, struck by hands-Herculean,
Thou shalt bee, by the heeles, drag'd forth the place:
But when doth Virro then vouchsafe the grace
To drinke to thee? Or touch the Cup that thou
hast, with thy lippes prophan'd? Or which of you
So desperate is? so lost? to bid the King
Drinke to me Sir? No: there is many a thing,
That thred-bare coates dare not for feare bring forth,
But if some god, or god-like man; or worth
Better then Fate, would Wealth bestow on thee,
Fit to maintaime a Knight of Romes degree,
How huge a peece of man should'st thou ascend
Rais'd out of nothing? how much Virro's friend?
Giue Trebius; Set to Trebius; Brother (now)
Please you these puddings taste? O moneys, you
He giues this honour: you, these Brother are,
Yet notwithstanding, if thou please to share
His Lordship with him; or become his King
You must to Court no young Aeneas bring
Nor daughter (though his daintier) to be
Play-pheeres with Virro's daintiest progenie,
23
A barren wife makes: but suppose she lend
Thy lappe much issue (euen at one birth three)
So thou be Rich, Virro will ioine with thee,
Jn ioy of that thy prating progenie;
And euer when the Infant Parasite
Comes to the Table, asking his delight,
Virro commands it, all his appetite
To all his cheap-priz'd friends, they serue the bord
With dangerous Toad-stooles: Mushroms for my Lord,
But such as Claudius pleas'd to tast, before
His wif's guift came, that made him tast no more.
Virro commands for him, and all the rest
Of the Virronian rancke, fruit of such Feast
As thou shalt onely in their odour eat;
Such as Phæacia's endlssse autumnes sweat;
Or thou wouldst thinke got from the golden trees
That grew in guard of the Atlantides,
Where thou eat'st spaky fruit, of that sowre sort
That fresh-traind-souldiers feed on in their fort,
Bestow'd on them in practise of their Art
At a stuft goat-skin, to bestow a dart,
Fearing for their default, the scourges smart.
Perhaps, for sauing cost, thou maist conceiue
That Virro feeds thee so: No: 'tis to greeue
Thy greedy liquorous appetite, because
There is no Comedy of more applause,
Nor any excellentest Zany can,
More then a weeping-gut, delight a man:
All is then done: (if we must teach thine eares)
To make thee purge thy choler by thy teares,
And liue still gnashing of thy great-eye-teeth,
Thou think'st, he thinks thee free; & not beneath
Guests for his loue and Grace: but he knowes well
Thee onely taken with his kitchins-smell:
Nor thinks amisse: For who, so naked liues,
That twice, on his entreates, attendance giues?
Vaine hope of supping well, deceiues you all:
But see (say you) that halfe-eat hare will fall
Jn his guift, to our shares: Or of that bore
Some little fragments, that his Hanches wore:
Or sure that Cap'net; when, for all prepar'd;
(Your musty bread par'd cleane) and no bit shar'd
Of all those meats of marke, and long'd-for dishes
Your vaine hopes vanish, and y'are mute as fishes.
He's wise that serues thee so: for if thou can
Beare all, thou shouldst: and he's no vniust-man
That layes all on thee, euen to stoope thy head
To the fooles Razor; and be buffeted:
Which if thou dost, nor let'st thy Forage feare
Besides to suffer Virro's whipping cheare,
With all the sharpe Sauce, that he can extend,
Thou'rt worthy such a feast, and such a friend.
Of the Virronian rancke, fruit of such Feast
As thou shalt onely in their odour eat;
Such as Phæacia's endlssse autumnes sweat;
Or thou wouldst thinke got from the golden trees
That grew in guard of the Atlantides,
Where thou eat'st spaky fruit, of that sowre sort
That fresh-traind-souldiers feed on in their fort,
Bestow'd on them in practise of their Art
At a stuft goat-skin, to bestow a dart,
Fearing for their default, the scourges smart.
Perhaps, for sauing cost, thou maist conceiue
That Virro feeds thee so: No: 'tis to greeue
22
There is no Comedy of more applause,
Nor any excellentest Zany can,
More then a weeping-gut, delight a man:
All is then done: (if we must teach thine eares)
To make thee purge thy choler by thy teares,
And liue still gnashing of thy great-eye-teeth,
Thou think'st, he thinks thee free; & not beneath
Guests for his loue and Grace: but he knowes well
Thee onely taken with his kitchins-smell:
Nor thinks amisse: For who, so naked liues,
That twice, on his entreates, attendance giues?
Vaine hope of supping well, deceiues you all:
But see (say you) that halfe-eat hare will fall
Jn his guift, to our shares: Or of that bore
Some little fragments, that his Hanches wore:
Or sure that Cap'net; when, for all prepar'd;
(Your musty bread par'd cleane) and no bit shar'd
Of all those meats of marke, and long'd-for dishes
Your vaine hopes vanish, and y'are mute as fishes.
He's wise that serues thee so: for if thou can
Beare all, thou shouldst: and he's no vniust-man
That layes all on thee, euen to stoope thy head
To the fooles Razor; and be buffeted:
24
Besides to suffer Virro's whipping cheare,
With all the sharpe Sauce, that he can extend,
Thou'rt worthy such a feast, and such a friend.
FINIS.
| A Iustification of a Strange Action of Nero | |