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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Poverty.
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 | Medulla Poetarum Romanorum |  |
Poverty.
Disgraceful Poverty does Man expose
To suffer Life's severest Woes,
And act the worst of Crimes:—far, far astray
It leads from rigid Virtue's Way.—
To suffer Life's severest Woes,
And act the worst of Crimes:—far, far astray
It leads from rigid Virtue's Way.—
Observe what Cash a Person has in Store,
Just so much Credit has he, and no more:
Should'st Thou upon a thousand Bibles swear,
And call each Saint throughout the Kalendar
To vouch thy Oath, it won't be taken here.
The Poor slight Heav'n and Thunder-bolts, we think,
And Heav'n itself does at such Trifles wink.—
Just so much Credit has he, and no more:
Should'st Thou upon a thousand Bibles swear,
And call each Saint throughout the Kalendar
To vouch thy Oath, it won't be taken here.
The Poor slight Heav'n and Thunder-bolts, we think,
And Heav'n itself does at such Trifles wink.—
Codrus had but one Bed, so short to boot,
That his short Wife's short Legs hung dangling out:
His Cupboard's Head six earthen Pitchers grac'd;
Beneath 'em was his trusty Tankard plac'd:
And to support this noble Plate, there lay
A bending Chiron cast from honest Clay.
His few Greek Books a rotten Chest contain'd,
Whose Covers much of Mouldiness complain'd:
Where Mice and Rats devour'd poetic Bread,
And with heroic Verse luxuriantly were fed.
'Tis true, poor Codrus Nothing had to boast,
And yet poor Codrus all that Nothing lost:
Begg'd naked thro' the Streets of wealthy Rome,
And found not one, to feed, or take him home.—
That his short Wife's short Legs hung dangling out:
His Cupboard's Head six earthen Pitchers grac'd;
Beneath 'em was his trusty Tankard plac'd:
And to support this noble Plate, there lay
A bending Chiron cast from honest Clay.
His few Greek Books a rotten Chest contain'd,
Whose Covers much of Mouldiness complain'd:
Where Mice and Rats devour'd poetic Bread,
And with heroic Verse luxuriantly were fed.
'Tis true, poor Codrus Nothing had to boast,
And yet poor Codrus all that Nothing lost:
Begg'd naked thro' the Streets of wealthy Rome,
And found not one, to feed, or take him home.—
269
Courts to the Poor are shut: Wealth Honour gains,
And Wealth gets Friends: but each the Poor disdains.—
And Wealth gets Friends: but each the Poor disdains.—
Therefore, Father, since our Circumstances are but indifferent, it's our best Way to live modestly and sparingly: for should an ill Reputation be added to our Poverty, it would make our Poverty still more grievous, and endanger our Honesty.—
| Medulla Poetarum Romanorum | |