VIRGIL

Worthless they are of Caesars gracious Eyes, If they were perfect; much more, with their wants; Which yet are more, then my Time could supply: And, could great Caesars expectation Be satisfied with any other service, I would not show them. Then, in such endue fear, As fits Presenters of great works, to Caesar, I humbly show them: It will be thought a thing ridiculous To present Eyes, and to all future times A gross untruth; that any Poet (void Of Birth, or wealth, or Temporal dignity) Should, with decorum, transcend Caesars Chair. "Poor Virtue raised, high birth and wealth set under, "Crosseth Heavens courses, and makes worldlings wonder. Great Caesar hath his will: I will ascend. 'Twere simple injury to his free hand, That sweeps the Cobwebs, from unused Virtue, And makes her shine proportioned, to her worth, To be more nice to entertain his Grace; Then he is choice, and liberal to afford it. Mean while, Vir. lib. 4. Aeneid. the Skies gan thunder; and in tail Of that, fell powering storms of fleet, and hail: The Tyrian Lords, and Trojan youth, each where With Venus Dardan Julus. Nephew, now, in fear Seek out for several shelter through the Plain; Whilst Floods come rolling from the Hills amain. Dido a Cave, The Trojan Aeneas. Prince the same Lighted upon; There, Earth, and Heavens great Juno. Dame That hath the charge of Marriage, first gave sign Unto this Contract; Fire, and Air did shine, As guilty of the Match; and from the Hill, The Nymphs, withshriekings, do the Region fill. Here first began their Bane; This Day was ground Of all their Ills: For now, nor Rumours found, Nor nice respect of State moves Dido ought; Her Love, no longer now, by stealth is sought: She calls this Wedlock, and with that fair Name Covers her fault. Forthwith the Bruit, and Fame, Through all the greatest. Lybian Tawnes, is gone; Fame, a fleet Evil, then which is swifter none: That moving grows, and flying gathers strength; Little at first, and fearful; but at length. She dares attempt the Skies, and stalking proud With feet on Ground, her Head does pierce a Cloud. This Child, our Parent Earth, stirred up with spite Of all the Gods, brought forth; and, as some wright, She was last sister of that Giant Coens. Enclea dus, &c. Raze That thought to scale Jove's Court; right swift of Pace, And swifter, far, of Wing. A Monster vast, And dreadful: Look, how many Plumes are placed On her huge Corpse, so many waking Eyes Stick underneath: and (which may stranger rise In the Report) as many Tongues she bears, As many Mouths, as many listening Ears. Nightly, in amid of all the Heaven, she flies, And through the Earth's dark shadow, shrieking, cries; Nor do her Eyes once bend, to taste sweet sleep: By Day, on tops of Houses, she does keep, Or on high Towers; and does thence affright Cities, and Towns of most conspicuous site; As covetous she is of Tales, and Lies, As prodigal of Truth: This Monster, &c. Caesar hath done Like Caesar. Fair, and Just Is his Award, against these brainless Creatures. It's not the wholesome sharp Morality, Or modest anger of a Satyric Spirit, That hurts, or wounds the body of a State; But the sinister Application Of the malicious, ignorant, and base Interpreter; who will distorted, and strain The general Scope and purpose of and Author, To his particular, and private spleen. What says the Plaintiff. I, and as strangely worded, Caesar. The other, now. Before you go together (worthy Romans ) We are to tender our Opinion; And give you those Instructions, that may add Unto your even Judgement in the Cause; Which thus we do Commence: First, you must know That where there is a true, andperfect Merit, There can be no Dejection; and the Scorn Of humble Baseness, oftentimes, so works In a high Soul upon the grosser Spirit; That to his bleared, and offended Sense, There seems a hideous Fault blazed in the Object; When only the Disease is in his Eyes. Here-hence it comes, our Horace now stands taxed Of Impudence, Selflove, and Arrogance, By these, who share no merit in themselves; And therefore, think his Portion is as small. For they, from their own gilded, assure their Souls, If they should confidently praise their works, In them it would appear Inflation; Which, in a full, and well-digested man, Cannot receive that foul abusive name, But the fair Title of Erection. And, for his true use of translating Men, It still hath been a work of as much Palm In clearest Judgements, as to invent, or make. His sharpness, that is most excusable; As being forced out of a suffering Virtue, Oppressed with the Licence of the Time: And howsoever Fools, or Jerking Pedants, Players, or such Like Buffonary wits, May with their beggarly, and barren trash, Tickle base vulgar ears, in their despite; This (Like Jove's Thunder) shall their pride control. " The honest Satire hath the happiest Soul. Now, Romans, you have herd our thoughts. Withdraw, when you please. Help him: it sticks strangely, what ever it is. Again, hold him: hold his head there. These Pills can but restore him for a Time; Not cure him quite of such a Malady, Caught by so many surfeits; which have filled His Blood, and Brain, thus full of Crudities: It's necessary, therefore, he observe A strict and wholesome Diet. Look, you take Each morning, of old Cato's Principles A good draught, next your heart; that walk upon, Till it be well digested: Then come home, And taste a piece of Terence; suck his Phrase In steed of Licorice; and, at any hand, Shun Plautus, and old Ennius: They are meats Too harsh for a weak Stomach. Use to read (But not without a Tutor ) the best Greeks: As Orpheus, Musaeus, Pindarus, Hesiod, Callimachus, and Theocrite, High Homer; but beware of Lycophron: He is too dark, and dangerous a Dish. You must not hunt for wild, outlandish Terms, To stuff out a peculiar Dialect; But let your Matter run before your Words: And if, at any time, you chance to meet Some Gallo-Belgick Phrase, you shall not straight Rack your poor Verse to give it entertainment; But let it pass: and do not think your self Much damnified, if you do leave it out; When, nor your Understanding, nor the Sense Could well receive it. This fair Abstinence, In time, will render you more found, and Clear; And this have I prescribed to you, in place Of a strict Sentence: which till he perform, Attire him in that Robe. And henceforth, learn To bear your self more humbly; not to swell, Or breath your insolent, and idle Spite, On him, whose Laughter, can your worst affright. And, for a week, or two, see him locked up In some dark Place, removed from Company: He will talk idly else after his Physic. Now, to you, Sir: Extremity of Law Awards you to be branded in the front, For this your Calumny; But, since it pleases Horace (the Party wronged) t'intreat, of Caesar, A Mitigation of that juster Doom; With Caesars tongue, thus we pronounce your sentence. Demetrius Fannius, thou shalt here put on That Coat, and Cap; and henceforth, think thy self No other, then they make thee: vow to wear them In every Fair, and Generous Assembly, Till the best sort of Minds shall take to knowledge As well thy satisfaction, as thy wrongs. Horace, it shall: Tibullus, give it them. So: now dissolve the Court. Read the Indictment. Here fits Mecoenas, and Cornelius Gallus; Are you contented to be tried by these? Captain, then take your Place. Stay; turn, & take and Oath first. Youshall swear, By Thunder-darting Jove, the King of Gods; And by the Genius of Augustus Caesar; By your own white, and uncorrupted Souls; And the deep reverence of our Roman Justice; To judge this Case, with Truth and Equity: As bound, by your Religion, and your Laws. Now read the Evidence: But first demand Of either Prisoner, if that Writ be theirs. Read them aloud. Caesar is careful of your health, Crispinus; And hath himself chosen a Phistian To minister unto you: take his Pills. Captain; stand forth and answer. Demand, what cause they had to malign Horace. Thus, envious Souls repine at others good. What are they?