Part 27 (1/2)

That Argus by Palladian aid Had ne'er the advent'rous vessel made; In which at first, without dismay, Death's bold professors won their way, In which th' inhospitable main Was first laid open for the bane Of Grecians and barbarians too.

Which made the proud aeetas rue, And whence Medea's crimes to nought The house and reign of Pelias brought.

She--while in various forms she tries Her furious spirit to disguise, At one place in her flight bestow'd Her brother's limbs upon the road; And at another could betray The daughters their own sire to slay.”

How think you now?--What arrant tras.h.!.+

And our a.s.sertions much too ras.h.!.+-- Since prior to th' aegean fleet Did Minos piracy defeat, And made adventures on the sea.

How then shall you and I agree?

Since, stern as Cato's self, you hate All tales alike, both small and great.

Plague not too much the man of parts; For he that does it surely smarts.-- This threat is to the fools, that squeam At every thing of good esteem; And that they may to taste pretend, Ev'n heaven itself will discommend.

VII. THE VIPER AND THE FILE.

He that a greater biter bites, His folly on himself requites, As we shall manifest forthwith.-- There was a hovel of a smith, Where a poor Viper chanced to steal, And being greedy of a meal, When she had seized upon a file, Was answer'd in this rugged style: ”Why do you think, O stupid snake!

On me your usual meal to make, Who've sharper teeth than thine by far, And can corrode an iron bar?”

VIII. THE FOX AND THE GOAT.

A crafty knave will make escape, When once he gets into a sc.r.a.pe, Still meditating self-defence, At any other man's expense.

A Fox by some disaster fell Into a deep and fenced well: A thirsty Goat came down in haste, And ask'd about the water's taste, If it was plentiful and sweet?

At which the Fox, in rank deceit, ”So great the solace of the run, I thought I never should have done.

Be quick, my friend, your sorrows drown.”

This said, the silly Goat comes down.

The subtle Fox herself avails, And by his horns the mound she scales, And leaves the Goat in all the mire, To gratify his heart's desire.

IX. THE TWO BAGS.

Great Jove, in his paternal care, Has giv'n a man two Bags to bear; That which his own default contains Behind his back unseen remains; But that which others' vice attests Swags full in view before our b.r.e.a.s.t.s.

Hence we're inevitably blind, Relating to the Bag behind; But when our neighbours misdemean, Our censures are exceeding keen.

X. THE SACRILEGIOUS THIEF.

A villain to Jove's altar came To light his candle in the flame, And robb'd the G.o.d in dead of night, By his own consecrated light: Then thus an awful voice was sent, As with the sacrilege he went: ”Though all this gold and silver plate As gifts of evil men I hate; And their removal from the fane Can cause the Deity no pain; Yet, caitiff, at th' appointed time, Thy life shall answer for thy crime.

But, for the future, lest this blaze, At which the pious pray and praise, Should guide the wicked, I decree That no such intercourse there be.”

Hence to this day all men decline To light their candle at the shrine; Nor from a candle e'er presume The holy light to re-illume.

How many things are here contain'd, By him alone can be explain'd Who could this useful tale invent.

In the first place, herein is meant, That they are often most your foes Who from your fost'ring hand arose.

Next, that the harden'd villain's fate Is not from wrath precipitate, But rather at a destined hour.

Lastly, we're charg'd with all our pow'r, To keep ourselves, by care intense, From all connexions with offence.

XI. HERCULES AND PLUTUS.

Wealth by the brave is justly scorn'd, Since men are from the truth suborn'd, And a full chest perverts their ways From giving or deserving praise.

When Hercules, for matchless worth, Was taken up to heav'n from earth, As in their turns to all the crowd Of gratulating G.o.ds he bow'd, When Plutus, Fortune's son, he spies, He from his face averts his eyes.

Jove ask'd the cause of this disgust: ”I hate him, as he is unjust, To wicked men the most inclined, And grand corrupter of mankind.”

XII. THE HE-GOATS AND SHE-GOATS.