So the Theban-But to shine
Less conspicuous be mine!
I prefer the golden mean
Pomp and penury between ;
For alarm and peril wait
Ever on the loftiest state,
And the lowest, to the end,
Obloquy and scorn attend.

BY PHILEMON.

OFT we enhance our ills by discontent, And give them bulk, beyond what nature meant, A parent, brother, friend deceas'd, to cry— "He's dead indeed, but he was born to die-" Such temperate grief is suited to the size And burthen of the loss; is just and wise. But to exclaim, "Ah! wherefore was I born, "Thus to be left, for ever thus forlorn ?" Who thus laments his loss invites distress, And magnifies a wo that might be less, Through dull despondence to his lot resign'd, And leaving reason's remedy behind

26*

BY MOSCHUS.

I SLEPT, when Venus enter'd: to my bed
A Cupid in her beauteous hand she led,
A bashful seeming boy, and thus she said;

"Shepherd, receive my little one! I bring
An untaught love, whom thou must teach to sing."
She said, and left him. I suspecting nought,
Many a sweet strain my subtle pupil taught,
How reed to reed Pan first with osier bound,
How Pallas form'd the pipe of softest sound,
How Hermes gave the lute, and how the choir
Of Phoebus owe to Phœbus' self the lyre.

Such were my themes; my themes nought heeded he,
But ditties sang of am'rous sort to me,

The pangs, that mortals and immortals prove
From Venus' influence, and the darts of love.
Thus was the teacher by the pupil taught;
His lessons I retain'd, and mine forgot.

EPIGRAMS,

TRANSLATED FROM THE LATIN OF OWEN.

IN IGNORANTEM ARROGANTEM LINUM

CAPTIVUM, Line, te tenet ignorantia duplex.
Scis nihil, et nescis te quoque scire nihi'..

ON ONE IGNORANT AND ARROGANT.

THOU mayest of double ign'rance boast,
Who know'st not, that thou nothing know'st.

PRUDENS SIMPLICITAS.

Ur nulli nocuisse velis, imitare columbam :
Serpentem, ut possit nemo rccere tibi.

PRUDENT SIMPLICITY.

THAT thou mayest injure no man, dove-like be,
And serpent-like, that none may injure thee!

AD AMICUM PAUPEREM.

EST male nunc ? Utinam in pejus sors omnia vertat ; Succedunt summis optima sæpe malis.

TO A FRIEND IN DISTRESS.

I WISH thy lot, now bad, still worse, my friend; For when at worst they say, things always mend.

OMNIA me dum junior essem, scire putabam :
Quo scio plus, hoc me nunc scio scire minus

WHEN little more than boy in age,
I deem'd myself almost a sage;
But now seem worthier to be styl'd
For ignorance-almost a child.

LEX TALIONIS.

Majorum nunquam, Aule, legis monumenta tuorum Mirum est, posteritas si tua scripta legat.

RETALIATION.

THE works of ancient bards divine,
Aulus, thou scorn'st to read ;.'

And should posterity read thine,
It would be strange indeed '

DE ORTU ET OCCASU.

SOLE oriente, tui reditus a morte memento!.
Sis memor occasus, sole cadente, tui!

SUNSET AND SUNRISE.

CONTEMPLATE, when the sun declines,,
Thy death, with deep reflection;

And when again he rising shines,

Thy day of resurrection!

TRANSLATIONS

FROM

THE FABLES OF GAY.

LEPUS MULTIS AMICUS

Lusus amicitia est, uni nisi dedita, ceu fit,
Simplice ni nexus fædere, lusus amor.
Incerto genitore puer, non sæpe paternæ
Tutamen novit, deliciasque domus :
Quique sibi fidos fore multos sperat amicos,
Mirum est, huic misero si ferat ullus opem.

Comis erat, mitisque, et nolle et velle paratus
Cum quovis, Gaii more modoque, Lepus.
Ille, quot in sylvis, et quot spatiantur in agris
Quadrupedes, norat conciliare sibi;

Et quisque innocuo, invitoque lacessere quenquam
Labra tenus saltem fidus amicus erat.
Ortum sub lucis dum pressa cubilia linquit,
Rorantes herbas, pabula sueta, petens,
Venatorum audit clangores pone sequentum,
Fulmineumque sonum territus erro fugit.
Corda pavor pulsat, sursum sedet, erigit aures,
Respicit, et sentit jam prope adesse necem.
Utque canes fallat late circumvagus, illuc,
Unde abiit, mira calliditate redit;
Viribus at fractis tandem se projicit ultro

In media miserum semianimemque via.

Vix ibi stratus, equi sonitum pedis audit, et, oh spe Quam lata adventu cor agitatur equi!

Dorsum (inquit) mihi, chare, tuum concede, tuoque Auxilio nares fallere, vimque canum.