human
Away with all that's mine, he cries,
gpt
And plunges in the deep, without delay, Purples, which soft Mæcenases might wear, 55 Crimsons, deep-tinctured in the Bætic air, Where herbs, and springs of secret virtues, stain The flocks at feed, with Nature's richest grain. With these, neat baskets from the Britons bought, Rare silver chargers by Parthenius wrought, 60 A huge two-handed goblet, which might strain A Pholus, or a Fuscus' wife, to drain; Followed by numerous services of plate, Plain, and enchased; with cups of ancient date, In which, while at the city's strength he laughed, 65 The wily chapman of Olynthus quaffed. Yet show me, in this elemental strife, Another, who would barter wealth for life!-- Few GAIN TO LIVE, Corvinus, few or none, But, blind with avarice, LIVE TO GAIN alone. 70 Now had the deep devoured their richest store; Nor seems their safety nearer than before: The last resource alone was unexplored-- To cut the mast and rigging by the board; Haply the vessel so might steadier ride 75 O'er the vexed surface of the raging tide. Dire threats the impending blow, when, thus distress'd, We sacrifice a part, to save the rest! Go now, fond man, the faithless ocean brave, Commit your fortune to the wind and wave; 80 Trust to a plank, and draw precarious breath, At most, seven inches from the jaws of death! Go, but forget not that a storm may rise, And put up hatchets with your sea supplies. But now the winds were hushed; the wearied main 85 Sunk to repose, a calm, unruffled plain; For fate, superior to the tempest's power, Averted from my friend the mortal hour: A whiter thread the cheerful Sisters spun, And lo, with favoring hands their spindles run! 90 Mild as the breeze of eve, a rising gale Rippled the wave, and filled their only sail; Others the crew supplied, of vests combined, And spread to catch each vagrant breath of wind: By aids like these, slow o'er the deep impelled, 95 The shattered bark her course for Ostia held; While the glad sun uprose, supremely bright, And hope returned with the returning light. At length the heights, where, from Lavinum moved, Iülus built the city which he loved, 100 Burst on the view; auspicious heights! whose name From a white sow and thirty sucklings came. And now, the port they gain; the tower, whose ray Guides the poor wanderer o'er the watery way, And the huge mole, whose arms the waves embrace, 105 And stretching, an immeasurable space, Far into Ocean's bosom, leave the coast, Till, in the distance, Italy is lost!-- Less wonderful the bays which Nature forms, And less secure against assailing storms: 110 Here rides the wave-worn bark, devoid of fear; For Baian skiffs might ply with safety here. The joyful crew, with shaven crowns, relate Their timely rescue from the jaws of fate; On every ill a pomp of words bestow, 115 And dwell delighted on the tale of woe. Go then, my boys--but let no boding strain Break on the sacred silence--dress the fane With garlands, bind the sod with ribbons gay, And on the knives the salted offering lay: 120 This done, I'll speed, myself the rites to share, And finish what remains, with pious care. Then, hastening home, where chaplets of sweet flowers Bedeck my Lares, dear, domestic Powers! I'll offer incense there, and at the shrine 125 Of highest Jove, my father's god, and mine; There will I scatter every bud that blows, And every tint the various violet knows. All savors here of joy; luxuriant bay } O'ershades my portal, while the taper's ray } 130 Anticipates the feast, and chides the tardy day: } Nor think, Corvinus, interest fires my breast: Catullus, for whose sake my house is dress'd, Has three sweet boys, who all such hopes destroy, And nobler views excite my boundless joy. 135 Yet who besides, on such a barren friend, Would waste a sickly pullet? who would spend So vast a treasure, where no hopes prevail, Or, for a FATHER, sacrifice a quail?-- But should the symptoms of a slight disease 140 The childless Paccius or Gallita seize, Legions of flatterers to the fanes repair, And hang in rows their votive tablets there. Nay, some with vows of hecatombs will come-- For yet no elephants are sold at Rome; 145 The breed, to Latium and to us unknown, Is only found beneath the burning zone: Thence to our shore, by swarthy Moors conveyed, They roam at large through the Rutulian shade, Kept for the imperial pleasure, envied fate! 150 And sacred from the subject, and the state. Though their progenitors, in days of yore, Did worthy service, and to battle bore Whole cohorts; taught the general's voice to know, And rush, themselves an army, on the foe. 155 But what avails their worth! could gold obtain So rare a creature, worth might plead in vain: Novius, without delay, their blood would shed, To raise his Paccius from affliction's bed; An offering, sacred to the great design, 160 And worthy of the votary and the shrine! Pacuvius, did our laws the crime allow, The fairest of his numerous slaves would vow; The blooming boy, the love-inspiring maid, With garlands crown, and to the temple lead; 165 Nay, seize his Iphigene, prepared to wed, And drag her to the altar, from the bed; Though hopeless, like the Grecian sire, to find, In happy hour, the substituted hind. And who shall say my countryman does ill? 170 A thousand ships are trifles to a Will! For Paccius, should the fates his health restore, May cancel every _item_ framed before (Won by his friend's vast merits, and beset, On all sides, by the inextricable net), 175 And, in one line, convey plate, jewels, gold, Lands, every thing to him,