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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Love.
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 | Medulla Poetarum Romanorum |  |
Love.
See Lover. Venus.
Great Love! thy Empire o'er the World extends!To thy soft Charms the whole Creation bends!
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The leafy Forest, and the grassy Plain,
Thy kindling Warmth the various Nations find,
And rush with Joy to generate their Kind.—
Such is the Nature of that pleasing Smart,
Whose burning Drops distil upon the Heart:
The Fever of the Soul, shot from the Fair,
And the cold Ague of succeeding Care.
If absent, her Idea still appears:
And her sweet Name is chiming in your Ears.—
Nature for Meat and Drink provides a Space,
And when receiv'd they fill their certain Place:
Hence Thirst and Hunger may be satisfy'd;
But this Repletion is to Love deny'd.—
However charming Beauty may excite
The longing Lover's endless Appetite,
His fond deluded Grasp can only find
Aerial Shapes, that fleet before the Wind.—
As he, who in a Dream with Drought is curst,
And finds no real Drink to quench his Thirst,
Runs to imagin'd Lakes his Heat to steep,
And vainly swills and labours in his Sleep:
So Love with Phantoms cheats our longing Eyes,
Which hourly seeing never satisfies.—
—Cruel Love!
To what Extreams does not thy Tyrant Pow'r
Urge mortal Breasts?—
Of ev'ry Kind on Earth, of Men, and Beasts,
Of Cattle, Fish, and parti-colour'd Fowl,
All rush into this Frenzy, and this Fire:
Love is the same to All.—
Of Cattle, Fish, and parti-colour'd Fowl,
All rush into this Frenzy, and this Fire:
Love is the same to All.—
What does that
Youth, whom unrelenting Love
Consumes, and with his Vitals blends his Fire?—
Darkling, in dead of Night, he swims the Sea
Turbid with sudden Storms: while o'er his Head
Thunders the Gate of Heav'n, and from the Rocks
With dreadful Roar the broken Waves rebound:
Nor can his wretched Parents Tears, nor She,
Th' unhappy Maid, whose Death must follow his,
Disswade him.—
Consumes, and with his Vitals blends his Fire?—
Darkling, in dead of Night, he swims the Sea
Turbid with sudden Storms: while o'er his Head
Thunders the Gate of Heav'n, and from the Rocks
With dreadful Roar the broken Waves rebound:
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Th' unhappy Maid, whose Death must follow his,
Disswade him.—
Seems equally contemptible in both:
In both are Watchings, Marches, cruel Cares:
The Soldier thus, and thus the Lover fares.
With Rain he's drench'd, with the rough Tempest shakes,
And on the naked Ground his Lodging takes.—
What Hares on Athos, Bees on Hybla feed,
Or Berries on the Tree of Pallas breed,
What num'rous Shells the sandy Shores afford,
With Woes as num'rous anxious Love is stor'd.—
Or Berries on the Tree of Pallas breed,
What num'rous Shells the sandy Shores afford,
With Woes as num'rous anxious Love is stor'd.—
| Medulla Poetarum Romanorum | |