If not my prayers, my curfes muft prevail,

And no atonement can thy confcience clear, 'Tis not fo much, (tho' you're in hafte to fail) To fprinkle thrice the duft in kindness here,

See this ode finely imitated by Matthew Prior,

ODE

Mirum eft & monftri fimile Iccium Philofophum, ftudio intermiffo, ad militiam tranfiffe divitiarum cupiditate. ICCI, beatis nunc Arabum invides

Gazis: & acrem militiam paras

Non ante devictis Sabææ

Regibus horribilique Medo
Nectis catenas. Quæ tibi virginum
Sponfo necato barbara ferviet?
Puer quis ex aulâ capillis

Ad cyathum statuetur unctis,

Doctus fagittas tendere Sericas
Arcu paterno? Quis neget arduis
Pronos relabi poffe rivos

Montibus, & Tiberim reverti :

Quum tu coëmptos undique nobiles
Libros Panæti, Socraticam & domum
Mutare loricis Iberis,
Pollicitus meliora, tendis?

PROSE INTERPRETATION.

O Iccius, you now envy the fortunate treasures of the Arabs, and art making vigorous war against the kings of Saba, not before conquered, and art linking chains for the horrible Mede. What barbarian damfel fhall be your flave, after you have killed her betrothed fpoufe? What boy from the court shall ftand to your cup-board (fide-board) with his perfumed locks, fkilled to aim the Serican arrows with his

paternal

It is a marvel almost up to a prodigy, that Iccius the philofopher, laying afide his ftudies, fhould take a turn to arms, through defire of riches.

My

Y friend, you're now invidious grown,

To make th' Arabian wealth your own,

And 'gainst unconquer'd Saba war declare, And for the barb'rous Mede his future chains prepare. What virgin, when her love is flain,

Shall be a handmaid in thy train?

And, when thou din'ft, what youth from out the court, Shall stand with effenc'd hair, thy fplendour to fupport? An archer of paternal craft,

Skill'd to direct the Indian fhaft!

Who now denies but ftreams their ways may force
Back to the lofty hills, and Tiber change his course,
When you choice books fo dearly bought,
On doctrines that Panætius taught,

And your Socratick ftock for armour fell,
Whose taste for better things at first set out so well?

PROSE INTERPRETATION.

paternal bow? Who will now deny that it is practicable for rufhing rivers to glide back again to the mountains, difficult of afcent, and for Tiber to revert his course, fince you are about to barter the noble works of Panætius, bought up from all parts, and your whole Socratic fect for Iberian armour, though you had promised us much better things?

ODE

O DE XXX.

AD VENEREM.

Rogat Venerem ut in adem Glycera fibi dedicatam veniat.

Venus, regina Cnidi Paphique,
Sperne dilectam Cypron, & vocantis
Thure te multo Glyceræ decoram
Transfer in ædem.

Fervidus tecum puer, & folutis
Gratia zonis, properentque Nymphæ,
Et parum comis fine te Juventas,
Mercuriufque.

PROSE INTERPRETATIO N.

O Venus, queen of Cnidos and Paphos, difregard your beloved Cyprus, and tranfport yourself into the goodly temple of Glycera, (which the has, dedicated to you) invoking you with plenty of frankincenfe. Let your ardourous boy,

and

He requests the goddess to come to the temple, which Glycera bad dedicated to her.

LEAVE Cyprus, thou that art the queen
Of Gnidus, and the Paphian ifle,

And with my Glycera be feen,

Where, in her temple deck't and clean,

With frankincenfe fhe courts thy fmile.

With all his ardour bring thy boy,

The nymphs, the graces loofe and free;

Youth's goddefs too, that has no joy,

With Mercury, whofe mirth wou'd cloy,
Without thine influence and thee.

PROSE INTERPRETATION.

and the graces, with their zone unloofed, and the goddess of youth, by no means acceptable without you, and Mercury haften along with you.

VOL. I.

I

O DE