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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Ship-Race.
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 | Medulla Poetarum Romanorum |  |
Ship-Race.
Four Ships selected out from all the Fleet,
Equal, begin the Strife with pond'rous Oars.
His swiftly sailing Pristis Mnestheus plies
With sturdy Rowers.—In the huge Chimera,
A City's Work, rides Gygas: Her impel
The youthful Trojans with a triple Tire:
Three Banks of Oars above each other rise.
Sergestus in the mighty Centaur sails:
And Scylla of cerulean Colour bears
Cloanthus—.
Equal, begin the Strife with pond'rous Oars.
His swiftly sailing Pristis Mnestheus plies
With sturdy Rowers.—In the huge Chimera,
A City's Work, rides Gygas: Her impel
The youthful Trojans with a triple Tire:
Three Banks of Oars above each other rise.
Sergestus in the mighty Centaur sails:
And Scylla of cerulean Colour bears
Cloanthus—.
There stood a Rock at Distance in the Main:
Here Prince Æneas from a leafy Oak,
To guide the Sailors plants a verdant Goal:
From whence they should return, and round direct
In long Circumference their winding Course.
Here Prince Æneas from a leafy Oak,
To guide the Sailors plants a verdant Goal:
From whence they should return, and round direct
In long Circumference their winding Course.
347
Then All by Lot their Places take: and first,
The Chiefs in Gold and Crimson stand, from far
Effulgent on the Decks: The other Youth
With poplar Wreaths are shaded: smear'd with Oil
Their naked Shoulders shine: upon their Seats
With strong brac'd Arms intent they grasp their Oars,
Intent expect the Signal: Throbbing Fear
Beats in their Breasts, and anxious Love of Praise.
Soon as the Trumpet loudly sounds, at once
All from their Barriers spring: The Shouts confus'd
Of Sailors rend the Vault of Heav'n: The Sea
Turn'd upward froths beneath their dashing Arms:
At once they plow the Brine: and all the Deep
Yawns wide, convuls'd with Oars, and trident Beaks.
Then with the Party-Favour of the Crowd,
With Shouts and mix'd Applauses all the Grove
Resounds: The Shores included roll the Noise:
And from the echoing Hills the Voice returns.
The Chiefs in Gold and Crimson stand, from far
Effulgent on the Decks: The other Youth
With poplar Wreaths are shaded: smear'd with Oil
Their naked Shoulders shine: upon their Seats
With strong brac'd Arms intent they grasp their Oars,
Intent expect the Signal: Throbbing Fear
Beats in their Breasts, and anxious Love of Praise.
Soon as the Trumpet loudly sounds, at once
All from their Barriers spring: The Shouts confus'd
Of Sailors rend the Vault of Heav'n: The Sea
Turn'd upward froths beneath their dashing Arms:
At once they plow the Brine: and all the Deep
Yawns wide, convuls'd with Oars, and trident Beaks.
Then with the Party-Favour of the Crowd,
With Shouts and mix'd Applauses all the Grove
Resounds: The Shores included roll the Noise:
And from the echoing Hills the Voice returns.
Amidst the Throng and Hurry on the Waves,
Before the rest, first Gyas scuds away:
Him next Cloanthus follows, with his Oars
More happy: but his Vessel by it's Weight
Detains him tardy: After These, with Sails
Equal, the Pristis, and the Centaur strive
To run the foremost: Now the Pristis gains,
Now the huge Centaur wins on Her: Now Both
Together with united Fronts are born:
And the long Gallies plow the briny Deep.
Before the rest, first Gyas scuds away:
Him next Cloanthus follows, with his Oars
More happy: but his Vessel by it's Weight
Detains him tardy: After These, with Sails
Equal, the Pristis, and the Centaur strive
To run the foremost: Now the Pristis gains,
Now the huge Centaur wins on Her: Now Both
Together with united Fronts are born:
And the long Gallies plow the briny Deep.
They now approach'd the Rock, and reach'd the Goal,
When Gyas first, and Victor, in mid-Sea
Calls to Menætes Pilot of his Ship:
Whither so far decline You to the Right?
Hither direct your Steerage, love the Shore,
And let our Rowers raze the left-hand Rocks:
Leave Others to the Deep.—He said: but old
Menætes, fearing hidden Shelves, detorts
His Rudder to the Ocean:—Why so far
Diverse, Menætes? Nearer to the Shore,
Gyas again calls out aloud, and sees
Cloanthus close and pressing on his Stern.
He, betwixt Gyas, and the sounding Rocks,
Interior, skims the left-hand Way, and swift
Outstrips his Rival, and beyond the Goal
Smooth shoots along, and gains the safer Seas.
The Youth with Rage and Disappointment fir'd,
(Tears running down his Cheeks) his Dignity
Forgetting, and the Safety of his Friends,
Push'd slow Menætes from the high-built Deck
Precipitate into the Sea: Himself
As Pilot takes his Place, exhorting loud
His Crew, and turns the Rudder to the Shore.
When Gyas first, and Victor, in mid-Sea
Calls to Menætes Pilot of his Ship:
Whither so far decline You to the Right?
Hither direct your Steerage, love the Shore,
And let our Rowers raze the left-hand Rocks:
Leave Others to the Deep.—He said: but old
Menætes, fearing hidden Shelves, detorts
His Rudder to the Ocean:—Why so far
Diverse, Menætes? Nearer to the Shore,
349
Cloanthus close and pressing on his Stern.
He, betwixt Gyas, and the sounding Rocks,
Interior, skims the left-hand Way, and swift
Outstrips his Rival, and beyond the Goal
Smooth shoots along, and gains the safer Seas.
The Youth with Rage and Disappointment fir'd,
(Tears running down his Cheeks) his Dignity
Forgetting, and the Safety of his Friends,
Push'd slow Menætes from the high-built Deck
Precipitate into the Sea: Himself
As Pilot takes his Place, exhorting loud
His Crew, and turns the Rudder to the Shore.
This unexpected Change with eager Hope
Fires Mnestheus, and Sergestus, lagging last,
To vanquish Gyas thus retarded.—First
Sergestus takes his Place, and to the Rock
Approaches: yet not all his Vessel first,
Part first, the Rival Pristis presses part
Close with her Beak. Then Mnestheus, thro' the Crew
Walking along the middle of his Deck,
Excites his Mates.—And now, with utmost Force
They tug their Oars: With vast repeated Strokes
The beaky Vessel trembles, and the Sea
Flies back: The panting Labour shakes their Limbs,
And clammy Mouths: Sweat flows in Rivers round.
Fortune to These the wish'd-for Honour gave:
For while Sergestus, furious in the Strife,
And heedless, urg'd his Foredeck to the Shelves,
Interior, and within a narrow Space
Of Sea confin'd: amidst the jutting Rocks
He stuck, unfortunate: The Rocks rebound:
Among their craggy Points the stubborn Oars
Stand cracking, bent: The Foredeck shatter'd hangs:
The Crew of Sailors rise, and clamour loud,
Detain'd, embarass'd: Iron Spikes and Poles
Of sharpen'd Oak they ply: and on the Gulf,
Industrious, gather up the broken Oars.
Fires Mnestheus, and Sergestus, lagging last,
To vanquish Gyas thus retarded.—First
Sergestus takes his Place, and to the Rock
Approaches: yet not all his Vessel first,
Part first, the Rival Pristis presses part
Close with her Beak. Then Mnestheus, thro' the Crew
Walking along the middle of his Deck,
Excites his Mates.—And now, with utmost Force
They tug their Oars: With vast repeated Strokes
The beaky Vessel trembles, and the Sea
Flies back: The panting Labour shakes their Limbs,
And clammy Mouths: Sweat flows in Rivers round.
Fortune to These the wish'd-for Honour gave:
For while Sergestus, furious in the Strife,
And heedless, urg'd his Foredeck to the Shelves,
Interior, and within a narrow Space
Of Sea confin'd: amidst the jutting Rocks
He stuck, unfortunate: The Rocks rebound:
Among their craggy Points the stubborn Oars
Stand cracking, bent: The Foredeck shatter'd hangs:
The Crew of Sailors rise, and clamour loud,
Detain'd, embarass'd: Iron Spikes and Poles
Of sharpen'd Oak they ply: and on the Gulf,
Industrious, gather up the broken Oars.
351
But Mnestheus joyful, and with that Success
Itself more vig'rous, with his rowing Crowd,
And all the Winds invited to his Sails,
Gains the prone Deep, and swiftly shoots away
Upon the open Ocean.—First He leaves
Sergestus struggling with the lofty Rock,
Pent up among the narrow Shelves, in vain
Calling for Help, and learning how to run
With broken Oars. Then Gyas, and the huge
Chimæra's Bulk he follows: She, because
She lost her Pilot, yields. Cloanthus now
Alone remains, just entring in the Port:
Him he pursues, and with his utmost Strength
Close urges. Now the Noise redoubles: All
With Shouts encourage him: The Sky resounds
With deaf'ning Clamour. These disdain to lose
Th' Advantage they have gain'd, and burn to stake
Their Lives for Glory: Those Success inspires:
They can, because 'tis thought they can: And Both
Perhaps had born the Prize with equal Keels,
Had not Cloanthus, stretching to the Sea
His Hands, Thus vow'd, and Thus invok'd the Gods.
Ye Gods! who rule the Ocean which I sail!
Victor before your Altars, on This Shore,
To You a Snow-white Bull I will present,
Oblig'd by Vow; and on the briny Deep
Scatter the Entrails, pouring purest Wine.
He said: And him beneath the lowest Waves
The whole Assembly of the Nereids heard,
And Phorcus, and the Virgin Panopea;
And old Portunus with his ample Palm
Himself push'd on the Vessel: She more swift
Than Wind, or feather'd Arrow, flies to Land,
Within the Harbour's deep Recess secure.—
Itself more vig'rous, with his rowing Crowd,
And all the Winds invited to his Sails,
Gains the prone Deep, and swiftly shoots away
Upon the open Ocean.—First He leaves
Sergestus struggling with the lofty Rock,
Pent up among the narrow Shelves, in vain
Calling for Help, and learning how to run
With broken Oars. Then Gyas, and the huge
Chimæra's Bulk he follows: She, because
She lost her Pilot, yields. Cloanthus now
Alone remains, just entring in the Port:
Him he pursues, and with his utmost Strength
Close urges. Now the Noise redoubles: All
With Shouts encourage him: The Sky resounds
With deaf'ning Clamour. These disdain to lose
Th' Advantage they have gain'd, and burn to stake
Their Lives for Glory: Those Success inspires:
They can, because 'tis thought they can: And Both
Perhaps had born the Prize with equal Keels,
Had not Cloanthus, stretching to the Sea
His Hands, Thus vow'd, and Thus invok'd the Gods.
Ye Gods! who rule the Ocean which I sail!
Victor before your Altars, on This Shore,
To You a Snow-white Bull I will present,
Oblig'd by Vow; and on the briny Deep
Scatter the Entrails, pouring purest Wine.
He said: And him beneath the lowest Waves
The whole Assembly of the Nereids heard,
And Phorcus, and the Virgin Panopea;
And old Portunus with his ample Palm
Himself push'd on the Vessel: She more swift
Than Wind, or feather'd Arrow, flies to Land,
Within the Harbour's deep Recess secure.—
| Medulla Poetarum Romanorum | |