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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Nations Different. |
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 | Medulla Poetarum Romanorum |  |
Nations Different.
In diff'rent Nations diff'rent Men we view,
That vary in their Shape, or in their Hue:
The Matter's common, and in all the same,
But private Stamps distinctly mark the Frame.
Large yellow Offspring are the German's Pride,
While neighb'ring France with Red is deeply dy'd.
Slim are the People that inhabit Spain,
The Muscles there a firmer Texture gain.
Th' Italians shew a sweet but manly Grace,
And temper'd Mars appears in ev'ry Face;
But active Greece produceth finer Parts,
Their Looks betray their Exercise and Arts.
Short curl'd up Hair the Sons of Syria grace:
And Blackness stains the Ethiopian's Face:
Less India blackens, less deforms the Mass,
There blended Colours make a tawny Face,
Whilst Egypt's slimy Plains affect the Sight
With brighter Colours, and approach to White.
Parch'd Lybia burns her Sons: the vilest Shapes
She shews, and scarce divides her Men from Apes:
While Mauritania doth disgust the Eye,
(Her Name bespeaks it,) with the blackest Dye.
That vary in their Shape, or in their Hue:
The Matter's common, and in all the same,
But private Stamps distinctly mark the Frame.
Large yellow Offspring are the German's Pride,
While neighb'ring France with Red is deeply dy'd.
Slim are the People that inhabit Spain,
The Muscles there a firmer Texture gain.
Th' Italians shew a sweet but manly Grace,
And temper'd Mars appears in ev'ry Face;
But active Greece produceth finer Parts,
Their Looks betray their Exercise and Arts.
Short curl'd up Hair the Sons of Syria grace:
And Blackness stains the Ethiopian's Face:
Less India blackens, less deforms the Mass,
There blended Colours make a tawny Face,
Whilst Egypt's slimy Plains affect the Sight
With brighter Colours, and approach to White.
Parch'd Lybia burns her Sons: the vilest Shapes
She shews, and scarce divides her Men from Apes:
While Mauritania doth disgust the Eye,
(Her Name bespeaks it,) with the blackest Dye.
Tho' Organs form'd alike each Speech employs,
What diff'rent Languages confound the Voice!
What diff'rent Virtues reign, what diff'rent Crimes?
Men's Manners are as various as the Climes.—
What diff'rent Languages confound the Voice!
What diff'rent Virtues reign, what diff'rent Crimes?
Men's Manners are as various as the Climes.—
In cold laborious Climes the wintry North
Brings her undaunted hardy Warriors forth:
In Body and in Mind untaught to yield,
Stubborn of Soul, and steady in the Field.
But Asia's softer Climate, form'd to please,
Dissolves her Sons in Indolence and Ease.
Here silken Robes invest enervate Limbs,
And in long Trains the flowing Purple streams.
Brings her undaunted hardy Warriors forth:
In Body and in Mind untaught to yield,
Stubborn of Soul, and steady in the Field.
But Asia's softer Climate, form'd to please,
Dissolves her Sons in Indolence and Ease.
133
And in long Trains the flowing Purple streams.
Where no rude Hills Sarmatia's Wilds restrain,
Nor rushing Tigris cuts the level Plain,
Swifter than Winds along the Champian born,
The Parthians fly with Ease, or fight, or turn,
And distant still the vain Pursuer scorn.
Not with like Ease they force their warlike Way,
Where rough unequal Grounds their Speed delay.
When-e'er the thicker Shades of Night arise,
Unaim'd their Shaft, and unavailing, flies:
Nor are they form'd with Constancy, to meet
Those Toils that make the panting Soldier sweat:
To climb the Heights, to stem the rapid Flood,
To make the dusty Noon-day Battle good,
Horrid in Wounds, and crusted o'er with Blood.
Nor Wars Machines they know, nor have the Skill
To shake the Rampire, or the Trench to fill:
Each Fence that can their winged Shafts endure,
Stands, like a Fort impregnable, secure.
Light are their Skirmishes, their War is Flight,
And still to wheel their wav'ring Troops delight.
To taint their coward Darts is all their Care,
And then to trust them to the flitting Air:
When e'er their Bows have spent the feather'd Store,
The mighty Business of their War is o'er.
No manly Strokes they try, nor Hand to Hand
With cleaving Sword in manly Combat stand.
With Swords the Valiant still their Foes invade;
These call in Drugs and Poisons to their Aid.—
Nor rushing Tigris cuts the level Plain,
Swifter than Winds along the Champian born,
The Parthians fly with Ease, or fight, or turn,
And distant still the vain Pursuer scorn.
Not with like Ease they force their warlike Way,
Where rough unequal Grounds their Speed delay.
When-e'er the thicker Shades of Night arise,
Unaim'd their Shaft, and unavailing, flies:
Nor are they form'd with Constancy, to meet
Those Toils that make the panting Soldier sweat:
To climb the Heights, to stem the rapid Flood,
To make the dusty Noon-day Battle good,
Horrid in Wounds, and crusted o'er with Blood.
Nor Wars Machines they know, nor have the Skill
To shake the Rampire, or the Trench to fill:
Each Fence that can their winged Shafts endure,
Stands, like a Fort impregnable, secure.
Light are their Skirmishes, their War is Flight,
And still to wheel their wav'ring Troops delight.
To taint their coward Darts is all their Care,
And then to trust them to the flitting Air:
When e'er their Bows have spent the feather'd Store,
The mighty Business of their War is o'er.
No manly Strokes they try, nor Hand to Hand
With cleaving Sword in manly Combat stand.
With Swords the Valiant still their Foes invade;
These call in Drugs and Poisons to their Aid.—
| Medulla Poetarum Romanorum | |