And, where the old decrees to error tend,
New institutes are issued such to mend.
Twas thus th' Athenians, Solon's rules, revered
So walls, round pow'rful Lacedæmon reared,
Were less relied on by the Spartans brave,
Than ordinances stern Lycurgus gave.
What thing important or decision wrong
Is ever left by you unheeded long?
Who dubious causes better can decide,
And drag to light the truth which parties hide?
While kindness and severity, combined
With tranquil ease, pervade your lofty mind,
No terrours swiftly round you spread affright,
Nor novelties astonishment excite.
Your knowledge and capacity are clear:
In ev'ry word superior charms appear;
Your answers raise ambassadors' surprise:
And, wrapped in manners grave, youth hidden lies.
In ev'ry feature is your father seen :
Majestick ease conjoined with modest mien.
Now on you is a parent's helmet placed;
The lance your ancestors had often graced,
At once so dextrously by you is thrown,
The Romans fondly glow such pow'rs to own.
What noble elegance in ev'ry air,
Whene'er the shield, or armour gilt, you wear;
The head piece, covered with the lofty crest,
Of ruddy tufts, that play above the rest!
So Mars, on Rhodopé, in boyish hours,
With Thracian lance, amused his growing pow'rs:
Then plunged his body in the flowing wave,
The perspiration from his limbs to lave.
Spicula, quam felix arcus, certique petitor
Vulneris, & jussum mentiri nescius ictum !
Scis quo more Cydon, qua dirigat arte sagittas
Armenius, refugo quæ sit fiducia Partho.
Sic Amphioniæ pulcer sudore palæstræ
Alcides pharetras, Dircæaque tela solebat
Prætentare feris, olim domitura Gigantas,
Et pacem latura polo: semperque cruentus
Ibat, & Alcménæ prædam referebat ovanti.
Cæruleus tali prostratus Apolline Python
Implicuit fractis moritura volumina silvis.
Cum vectaris equo, simulacraque Martia ludis,
Quis molles sinuare fugas, quis tendere contum
Acrior, aut subitos melior flexisse recursus ?
Non te Massagetæ, non gens exercita campo
Thessala, non ipsi poterunt æquare bimembres.
Vix comites alæ, vix te suspensa sequuntur
Agmina, ferventesque tument post terga dracones.
Utque tuis primum sonipes calcaribus arsit,
Ignescunt patulæ nares. Non sentit arenas
Ungula, discussæque jubæ sparguntur in armos.
With what superior strength you javelins throw !
What force receives the arrow from your bow!
Which, faithful to your hand, the object gains,
And, with unerring flight, your wish attains.
You fully comprehend the Cydon art,
The skill Armenian to direct the dart,
And what high confidence the Parthians place,
In safety from celerity of pace.
THUS, 'mid the spot, within Amphion's town, Allotted to contentions of renown,
Alcides, while the drops his face o'erspread,
Against wild beasts those darts and weapons sped,
With which at length the GIANTS he o'erthrew,
And on himself celestial favour drew:
With hands still bloody from the streams of gore,
The spoil he, to Alcmena smiling, bore.
So by Apollo's pow'rs the Python died,
And in its folds wrapped trees from ev'ry side.
WHEN riding, in your play resembling fight,
Who better can the horse direct aright-
Extend the lance t' inflict the fatal blow;
Or back in speed, with sudden turning, go?
Massagetæ, nor Thracians of the plain,
Nor Centaurs, o'er you, could a triumph gain."
Nor those companions who as wings are seen,...
Nor squadrons ready held with anxious mien,
Your rapid onset scarcely can pursue,
While at their backs the banners swell to view.
When once the spur has made your courser bound,
His nostrils flame-he hardly feels the ground;
The mane dishevelled o'er his shoulders flies;
The splendid furniture disordered lies;-
Turbantur phaleræ. Spumosis morsibus aurum
Fumat. Anhelantes exundant sanguine gemmæ.
Ipse labor pulvisque decet, confusaque motu
Cæsaries. Vestis radiato murice Solem
Combibit. Ingesto crispatur purpura vento.
Si dominus legeretur equis, tua posceret ultro
Verbera Nereidum stabulis nutritus Arion,
Serviretque tuis contempto Castore frænis
Cyllarus, & flavum Xanthus sprevisset Achillem.
Ipse tibi famulas præberet Pegasus alas,
Portaretque libens, melioraque pondera passus
Bellerophonteas indignaretur habenas.
Quin etiam velox Auroræ nuntius Ethon,
Qui fugat hinnitu stellas, roseoque domatur
Lucifero, quoties equitem te cernit ab astris,
Invidet, inque tuis mavult spumare lupatis.
Nunc quoque quos habitus, quantæ miracula pompæ Vidimus, Ausonio cum jam succinctus amictu
Per Ligurum populos solito conspectior ires,
Atque inter niveas alte veherere cohortes,
Obnixisque simul pubes electa lacertis
Sidereum gestaret onus! sic numina Memphis
In vulgus proferre solet. Penetralibus exit
Effigies; brevis illa quidem: sed plurimus infra
The golden bit with foam is overspread ;
And o'er the gems is froth, by blood made red.
The dust and heat, with hair in disarray,
Fresh graces round you seemingly convey;
The SUN's bright beams add splendour to your dress,
And purple floats in air as ZEPHYRS press.
COULD horses be allowed to have a choice,
And, for a master, freely give their voice,
Arion, by the Nereids fondly fed,
Would to your stables willingly be led;
Contemning Castor, Cyllarus would move,
And docile to your reins and wishes prove;
To serve Achilles, Xanthus might disdain
E'en Pegasus's wings would you sustain,
And, proud to bear a load of such renown,
Would on Bellerophon's directions frown.
Aurora's swift precursor, Æthion, too,
Who, neighing, drives the stars from azure view,
Submissive to the rosy rays of day,
As oft he ventures, from the spangled way,
Upon your horse to look, would fain submit,
And envy feels, to foam and champ your bit.
WHAT rich and sumptuous dresses met the eyes!
What splendid elegance to raise surprise,
When, with Ausonian robes on ev'ry side,
Ligurians, to behold you, fondly vied,
Borne high, among the troops in
pomp arrayed,
Whose chosen youth the shining charge conveyed!
So Memphis to the crowd her idols rears :-
A statue short, from sacred niche, appears;
But num'rous priests with linen overspread,
On beams the image raise above their head;
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