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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Hunting.
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 | Medulla Poetarum Romanorum |  |
Hunting.
Scarce had Aurora left her orient Bed,
And rear'd above the Waves her radiant Head,
When pouring thro' the Gates, the Train appear,
Massylian Hunters with the steely Spear,
Sagacious Hounds, and Toils, and all the Sylvan War.
And rear'd above the Waves her radiant Head,
When pouring thro' the Gates, the Train appear,
Massylian Hunters with the steely Spear,
Sagacious Hounds, and Toils, and all the Sylvan War.
513
Soon as the Troop amid the Mountains came,
And storm'd the Coverts of the savage Game:
The Goats flew bounding o'er the craggy Brow,
From Rock to Rock, and sought the Fields below,
Here the fleet Stags chac'd down the tow'ring Steep,
In Clouds of Dust thro' the long Vallies sweep.—
And storm'd the Coverts of the savage Game:
The Goats flew bounding o'er the craggy Brow,
From Rock to Rock, and sought the Fields below,
Here the fleet Stags chac'd down the tow'ring Steep,
In Clouds of Dust thro' the long Vallies sweep.—
There stood a Forest on a Mountain's Brow,
Which over-look'd the shaded Plains below.
The Heroes there arriv'd, some spread around
The Toils: some sought the Footsteps on the Ground:
Some from the Chains the faithful Dogs unbound.
Of Action eager, and intent in Thought,
The Chiefs an honourable Danger sought.
Which over-look'd the shaded Plains below.
The Heroes there arriv'd, some spread around
The Toils: some sought the Footsteps on the Ground:
Some from the Chains the faithful Dogs unbound.
Of Action eager, and intent in Thought,
The Chiefs an honourable Danger sought.
From hence the Boar was rous'd, and sprung amain,
Like Light'ning sudden, on the Warrior Train:
The Trees before him fall, he shakes the Ground,
The Forest echoes to the crackling Sound.
His Eye-Balls glare with Fire suffus'd with Blood:
His Neck shoots up a thick-set thorny Wood:
His bristled Back a Trench impal'd appears,
And stands erected, like a Field of Spears:
Froth fills his Chaps, he sends a grunting Sound,
And part he churns, and part be-foams the Ground:
Loud shout the Youth, and Clamours ring around.
All stood with their protended Spears prepar'd:
With broad Steel Heads the brandish'd Weapons glar'd.
Like Light'ning sudden, on the Warrior Train:
The Trees before him fall, he shakes the Ground,
The Forest echoes to the crackling Sound.
His Eye-Balls glare with Fire suffus'd with Blood:
His Neck shoots up a thick-set thorny Wood:
His bristled Back a Trench impal'd appears,
And stands erected, like a Field of Spears:
Froth fills his Chaps, he sends a grunting Sound,
And part he churns, and part be-foams the Ground:
Loud shout the Youth, and Clamours ring around.
All stood with their protended Spears prepar'd:
With broad Steel Heads the brandish'd Weapons glar'd.
The Beast impetuous, with his Tusks aside
Deals glancing Wounds; the fearful Dogs divide:
All spend their Mouths aloof, but none abide.
Echion threw the first, but miss'd his Mark,
And stuck his Boar-Spear on a Maple's Bark.
Then Jason:—and his Jav'lin seem'd to take,
But fail'd thro' over-force, and whiz'd above his Back.
Mopsus was next, and e'er he threw address'd
To Phœbus, thus: O Patron, help thy Priest!
If I adore, and ever have ador'd
Thy Pow'r Divine, thy present Aid afford,
That I may reach the Beast. The God allow'd
His Pray'r, and smiling, gave him what he cou'd:
He reach'd the Savage, but no Blood he drew:
Dian disarm'd the Jav'lin as it flew.
Deals glancing Wounds; the fearful Dogs divide:
All spend their Mouths aloof, but none abide.
Echion threw the first, but miss'd his Mark,
And stuck his Boar-Spear on a Maple's Bark.
Then Jason:—and his Jav'lin seem'd to take,
But fail'd thro' over-force, and whiz'd above his Back.
Mopsus was next, and e'er he threw address'd
To Phœbus, thus: O Patron, help thy Priest!
If I adore, and ever have ador'd
Thy Pow'r Divine, thy present Aid afford,
That I may reach the Beast. The God allow'd
His Pray'r, and smiling, gave him what he cou'd:
515
Dian disarm'd the Jav'lin as it flew.
This chaf'd the Boar: his Nostrils Flames expire,
And his red Eye-Balls roll with living Fire.
Whirl'd from a Sling, or from an Engine thrown
Amid the Foes, so flies a mighty Stone
As flew the Beast. The left Wing put to Flight,
The Chiefs o'er-born, he rushes on the Right.
Empalamos and Pelagon he laid
In Dust, and would have kill'd, but for their Fellows Aid.
Onesimus far'd worse: prepar'd to fly,
The fatal Fang drove deep within his Thigh,
And cut the Nerves: the Nerves no more sustain
The Bulk: the Bulk unprop'd, falls headlong on the Plain.
And his red Eye-Balls roll with living Fire.
Whirl'd from a Sling, or from an Engine thrown
Amid the Foes, so flies a mighty Stone
As flew the Beast. The left Wing put to Flight,
The Chiefs o'er-born, he rushes on the Right.
Empalamos and Pelagon he laid
In Dust, and would have kill'd, but for their Fellows Aid.
Onesimus far'd worse: prepar'd to fly,
The fatal Fang drove deep within his Thigh,
And cut the Nerves: the Nerves no more sustain
The Bulk: the Bulk unprop'd, falls headlong on the Plain.
Nestor had fail'd the Fall of Troy to see,
But leaning on his Lance, he vaulted on a Tree:
Then gathering up his Feet, look'd down with Fear,
And thought his monstrous Foe was still too near.
Against a Stump his Tusks the Monster grinds,
And in the sharpen'd Edge new Vigour finds:
Then, trusting to his Arms, young Othrys found,
And in his Hip struck deep a crooked Wound.
But leaning on his Lance, he vaulted on a Tree:
Then gathering up his Feet, look'd down with Fear,
And thought his monstrous Foe was still too near.
Against a Stump his Tusks the Monster grinds,
And in the sharpen'd Edge new Vigour finds:
Then, trusting to his Arms, young Othrys found,
And in his Hip struck deep a crooked Wound.
Now Leda's Twins, the future Stars, appear:
White were their Habits, white their Horses were:
Conspicuous both, and both in Act to throw,
Their trembling Lances brandish'd at the Foe:
Nor had they miss'd: but he to Thickets fled,
Conceal'd from aiming Spears, nor pervious to the Steed.
White were their Habits, white their Horses were:
Conspicuous both, and both in Act to throw,
Their trembling Lances brandish'd at the Foe:
Nor had they miss'd: but he to Thickets fled,
Conceal'd from aiming Spears, nor pervious to the Steed.
Now lovely Atalanta strain'd her Bow;
The well-sped Arrow left the twanging Yew,
And to the distant Mark unerring flew.
Beneath his Ear the fastned Arrow stood,
And from the Wound appear'd the trickling Blood.
The well-sped Arrow left the twanging Yew,
And to the distant Mark unerring flew.
Beneath his Ear the fastned Arrow stood,
And from the Wound appear'd the trickling Blood.
With both his Hands the proud Ancæus takes,
And flourishes his double-biting Ax:
Then, forward to his Fate, he fetch'd a Stride
Before the rest, and to his Fellows cry'd,
Give place, and mark the Diff'rence, if You can,
Between a Woman Warrior, and a Man:
The Boar is doom'd: nor tho' Diana lend
Her Aid, Diana can her Beast defend.
Thus boasted He; then stretch'd, on Tiptoe stood,
Secure to make his empty Promise good.
But the more wary Beast prevents the Blow,
And upward rips the Groin of his audacious Foe.
Ancæus falls: His Bowels from the Wound
Rush out, and clotted Blood distains the Ground.
And flourishes his double-biting Ax:
Then, forward to his Fate, he fetch'd a Stride
Before the rest, and to his Fellows cry'd,
517
Between a Woman Warrior, and a Man:
The Boar is doom'd: nor tho' Diana lend
Her Aid, Diana can her Beast defend.
Thus boasted He; then stretch'd, on Tiptoe stood,
Secure to make his empty Promise good.
But the more wary Beast prevents the Blow,
And upward rips the Groin of his audacious Foe.
Ancæus falls: His Bowels from the Wound
Rush out, and clotted Blood distains the Ground.
Two Spears from Meleager's Hand were sent,
With equal Force, but various in th' Event:
The first was fixt in Earth, the second stood
On the Boars bristled Back, and deeply drank his Blood.
Now while the tortur'd Savage turns around,
And flings about his Foam, impatient of the Wound,
The Wound's great Author close at Hand provokes
His Rage, and plies him with redoubled Strokes:
Wheels, as he Wheels: and with his pointed Dart
Explores the nearest Passage to his Heart.
Quick, and more quick he spins in giddy Gires,
Then falls, and in much Foam his Soul expires.
This Act, with Shouts Heav'n-high the friendly Band
Applaud, and strain in their's the Victor's Hand.
Then All approach the Slain with vast Surprize:
Admire on what a Breadth of Earth he lies:
And scarce secure, reach out their Spears afar,
And blood their Points, to prove their Partnership of War.—
With equal Force, but various in th' Event:
The first was fixt in Earth, the second stood
On the Boars bristled Back, and deeply drank his Blood.
Now while the tortur'd Savage turns around,
And flings about his Foam, impatient of the Wound,
The Wound's great Author close at Hand provokes
His Rage, and plies him with redoubled Strokes:
Wheels, as he Wheels: and with his pointed Dart
Explores the nearest Passage to his Heart.
Quick, and more quick he spins in giddy Gires,
Then falls, and in much Foam his Soul expires.
This Act, with Shouts Heav'n-high the friendly Band
Applaud, and strain in their's the Victor's Hand.
Then All approach the Slain with vast Surprize:
Admire on what a Breadth of Earth he lies:
And scarce secure, reach out their Spears afar,
And blood their Points, to prove their Partnership of War.—
| Medulla Poetarum Romanorum | |