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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Fortune.
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 | Medulla Poetarum Romanorum |  |
Fortune.
Blind Fortune o'er the World's Affairs presides,
And all by Accident, not Council, guides:
At random, here or there, her Gifts bestows,
And often on the Worst her choicest Favours throws.—
And all by Accident, not Council, guides:
At random, here or there, her Gifts bestows,
And often on the Worst her choicest Favours throws.—
All human Things are under Fortune's Pow'r:
There's no Dependance on the present Hour.
Be not secure, tho' high thy Pleasures flow,
One Moment more may change them all to Woe.—
There's no Dependance on the present Hour.
Be not secure, tho' high thy Pleasures flow,
One Moment more may change them all to Woe.—
For, as she pleases, Fortune gives and takes:
Beggars of Kings, or Kings of Beggars makes.—
Uncertain whither, Fortune rambles on,
Beggars of Kings, or Kings of Beggars makes.—
Stays in no Place, but hurries to be gone.
Now pleas'd, now angry, without Cause is She,
And only constant to Inconstancy.—
Fortune revere, and her capricious Pow'r,
Who often ruins those she rais'd before.—
'Tis Fortune flings the Dice, and as she flings,
Of Kings makes Pedants, and of Pedants Kings.—
—How goes the Mob?—
They follow Fortune, and the common Cry,
Is still against the Rogue condemn'd to die.—
Rare is that Virtue Fortune cannot sway,
Which remains fixt, tho' she be fled away.—
379
Appear by Turns, as Fortune shifts the Scene:
Some rais'd aloft, come tumbling down a-main;
Then fall so hard, they bound and rise again.—
Some Fortune raises to an high Degree,
To make their Fall the greater.—Most secure
An humble Station is, most likely to endure.—
From Place to Place swift Fortune wings away,
And always changing, no where makes a Stay:
Monarchs, sometimes, she tumbles Headlong down.
And sometimes places Beggars on the Throne.—
Fortune with malicious Joy,
Her Pow'r does wantonly employ:
From some she takes, to others flings
Honours those uncertain Things:
Now on me the Gipsy smiles,
Now some other she beguiles.
Her Pow'r does wantonly employ:
From some she takes, to others flings
Honours those uncertain Things:
Now on me the Gipsy smiles,
Now some other she beguiles.
I like her Presence, but if she won't stay,
Whate'er she gave e'en let her take away:
Wrapt up in my own Virtue, I'm secure,
And Honesty espouse; altho' in Rags and poor.
Whate'er she gave e'en let her take away:
Wrapt up in my own Virtue, I'm secure,
And Honesty espouse; altho' in Rags and poor.
Fortune, made up of Toys and Impudence,
That common Jade that has not common Sense:
But fond of Business, insolently dares
Pretend to rule, and spoils the World's Affairs.
She, shuffling up and down, her Favours throws
On the next met, not minding what she does,
Nor why, nor whom she helps or injures, knows.
Sometimes she smiles, then like a Fury raves,
And seldom truly loves, but Fools or Knaves.
That common Jade that has not common Sense:
But fond of Business, insolently dares
Pretend to rule, and spoils the World's Affairs.
She, shuffling up and down, her Favours throws
On the next met, not minding what she does,
Nor why, nor whom she helps or injures, knows.
Sometimes she smiles, then like a Fury raves,
And seldom truly loves, but Fools or Knaves.
Let her love whom she please, I scorn to wooe her:
While she stays with me I'll be civil to her:
But if she offers once to move her Wings,
I'll fling her back all her vain gew-gaw Things,
And arm'd with Virtue, will more glorious stand,
Then if the Bitch still bow'd at my Command:
I'll marry Honesty, tho' e'er so poor,
Rather than follow such a dull blind Whore.
While she stays with me I'll be civil to her:
But if she offers once to move her Wings,
I'll fling her back all her vain gew-gaw Things,
And arm'd with Virtue, will more glorious stand,
Then if the Bitch still bow'd at my Command:
I'll marry Honesty, tho' e'er so poor,
Rather than follow such a dull blind Whore.
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I liv'd the darling Theme of ev'ry Tongue,
The golden Idol of th' adoring Throng:
Guarded with Friends, while Fortune's balmy Gales
Wanton'd auspicious in my swelling Sails.—
The golden Idol of th' adoring Throng:
Guarded with Friends, while Fortune's balmy Gales
Wanton'd auspicious in my swelling Sails.—
In one continued Stream no Fortune flows,
Bad chequers Good, and Joys are mixt with Woes:
Inconstancy in every Part appears,
Which Wisdom never trusts, and Folly Fears.
Thus Years from Years, and (as they roll the Round)
Thus Months from Months, and Days from Days are found
To differ: no returning Hours restore
That sort of Fortune which they brought before.—
Bad chequers Good, and Joys are mixt with Woes:
Inconstancy in every Part appears,
Which Wisdom never trusts, and Folly Fears.
Thus Years from Years, and (as they roll the Round)
Thus Months from Months, and Days from Days are found
To differ: no returning Hours restore
That sort of Fortune which they brought before.—
—Since Fortune all o'erpow'rs,
Her let Us follow, and where-e'er she calls,
Direct our Course.—
Her let Us follow, and where-e'er she calls,
Direct our Course.—
This Goddess Fortune can baffle an hundred of your learned Men with all their Wisdom: and thus I prove it:— every body is suppos'd to excel, according as Fortune favours him; that's the Standard by which we calculate his Understanding. Now, if his Undertakings succeed well, we cry him up for a shrewd clever Fellow: but if they turn out unluckily, we say, the Man's a Fool.
| Medulla Poetarum Romanorum | |