Obrázky na stránke
PDF
ePub

"Seize then the hour; thy way with roses strew;
"Thy days make happy, for they must be few.
"Enjoy the world ere yet oblivion be,

"And dust and ashes all that rest of thee."
Thus in their turns your masters you obey,
Pursue now one, and now another way.
Between two baits have liberty to choose,
That you may take, and that you may refuse.
But think not long your freedom to retain ;
The dog broke loose still drags the galling chain.
Who has not heard the lover in the play,

In frenzy raving, to his servant say?—

"Shall I then, Davus, long my parent's care,

"Waste all the wealth of which they made me heir;

"For Chryses, live the shame of all my race, "By them consider'd as their worst disgrace? "Shall I on her with midnight music wait, "And hold late revels at a harlot's gate?" "Spoke like yourself;" cries Davus, "haste, and kill "A lambkin to the gods averting ill.

"But should she weep?""And dost thou tremble, boy, "Lest her correcting slipper she employ?" He who commands himself, is only free. If any wear not chains, this-this-is he.

His freedom comes not through the prætor's hand,
Nor owes its being to a lictor's wand.

Are those men free, who wear the chalky gown,
Canvass the mob, and struggle for renown,
That future gossips, basking in the sun,

May tell what feats at Flora's feasts were done?

G

Aprici meminisse senes; quid pulchrius? at cum
Herodis venere dies, unctaque fenestra

Dispositæ pinguem nebulam vomuere lucernæ
Portantes violas, rubrumque amplexa catinum
Cauda natat thynni, tumet alba fidelia vino:
Labra moves tacitus, recutitaque sabbata palles.
Tunc nigri lemures, ovoque pericula rupto :
Hinc grandes Galli, et cum sistro lusca sacerdos,
Incussere deos inflantes corpora, si non
Prædictum ter mane caput gustaveris allî.
Dixeris hæc inter varicosos centuriones,
Continuo crassum ridet Vulfenius ingens,
Et centum Græcos curto centusse licetur.

But now the troubled times of tumult past,
The reign of superstition comes at last.
The fatted calf, the milk white heifer slay,
And feasts prepare for Herod's natal day.
Let colour'd lamps from every window beam,
Fat clouds of incense rise in oily steam,

Bright censers burn with flowery garlands crown'd,
And blooming violets breathe odours round.
Let hungry Jews at your rich banquets sup,
And wines luxuriant sparkle in their cup.
In whispers mutter the mysterious prayer,
And tremble at the rites yourselves prepare.
Now fancied evils fill you with affright,
Omens by day, and visions in the night:
Cybebe's shrines you visit with her priests,
Behold their orgies, and partake their feasts.
While the blind priestess incantations makes,
And o'er your heads the sounding sistrum shakes;
With direful omens all your souls alarms,
And guards you round with amulets and charms.
Now should you teach this doctrine to the crowd,
Some military fool would laugh aloud,

At a clipp'd farthing all the sages prize,

Whom Athens valued, and whom Greece thought wise.

[ocr errors]

THE

SATIRES OF PERSIUS.

SATIRE VI.

« PredošláPokračovať »