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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Storm at Land.
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 | Medulla Poetarum Romanorum |  |
397
Storm at Land.
See Tempest.
Oft have I seen, when now the Farmer brought
The Reaper to his yellow Fields, and bound
His Sheaves with brittle Straw, the warring Winds
All rise at once, and from the Roots uprend
His full-ear'd Corn, and whirl it high in Air.
With such a Gust an Hurricane would drive
Light flying Stubble.—Oft too Floods immense
Of Waters gush from Heav'n: and gather'd Clouds
Brew the black Storm aloft, with dusky Show'rs:
The rushing Sky descends, and with vast Rain
Drowns the rich Crop, and Labours of the Plough.
The hollow Dykes are fill'd: with roaring Noise
The foaming Rivers swell: and in the Friths
Toss'd by the Winds the wintry Ocean boils.
Great Jove himself, amidst the Night of Clouds,
Hurls with his red Right-hand the forky Fire:
Earth trembles: Savage Beasts to Covert fly:
And Mortals Hearts, o'er all the World, with Dread
Sink shudd'ring, and appall'd.—
The Reaper to his yellow Fields, and bound
His Sheaves with brittle Straw, the warring Winds
All rise at once, and from the Roots uprend
His full-ear'd Corn, and whirl it high in Air.
With such a Gust an Hurricane would drive
Light flying Stubble.—Oft too Floods immense
Of Waters gush from Heav'n: and gather'd Clouds
Brew the black Storm aloft, with dusky Show'rs:
The rushing Sky descends, and with vast Rain
Drowns the rich Crop, and Labours of the Plough.
The hollow Dykes are fill'd: with roaring Noise
The foaming Rivers swell: and in the Friths
Toss'd by the Winds the wintry Ocean boils.
Great Jove himself, amidst the Night of Clouds,
Hurls with his red Right-hand the forky Fire:
Earth trembles: Savage Beasts to Covert fly:
And Mortals Hearts, o'er all the World, with Dread
Sink shudd'ring, and appall'd.—
—With redoubled Force
The Winds condense the Tempest: Woods roar loud
With struggling Blasts: and Rivers lash their Shores.—
Like Boreas in his Race, when rushing forth,
The Winds condense the Tempest: Woods roar loud
With struggling Blasts: and Rivers lash their Shores.—
He sweeps the Skies, and clears the cloudy North:
The waving Harvest bends beneath his Blast,
The Forest shakes, the Groves their Honours cast:
He flies aloft, and with impetuous Roar,
Pursues the foaming Surges to the Shore.—
So, when the Winds in airy Conflict rise,
Here South and West charge dreadful in the Skies,
There louder Eurus, to the Battle born,
Mounts the swift Coursers of the purple Morn:
Beneath the Whirlwind roar the bending Woods:
With his huge Trident Neptune strikes the Floods,
399
Bares the broad Bosom of the dark Profound.—
—Black with rushing Rain
A Tempest rag'd enormous, and the Hills
And Fields with Thunder shook: o'er all the Sky
A Shower with Water dark, and thickned Winds,
Turbid descends.—
| Medulla Poetarum Romanorum | |