"The fea, with earth upon the ftars; "Then you fhall not defire,

My love with fuch a fire,

"As burns this pitch within the bars."

At this the boy no more

Intreated, as before,

The impious hags with gentle tone; -
But doubtful, where to make
His preface, thus he spake

The curfe Thyeftes well might own.

"Your poys'nous drugs are strong, Confounding right and wrong, "Yet nature cannot be destroy'd; "Such curfes I will urge,

"No facrifice can purge,

"And no atonement render void.

"And when I fhall expire,
“So deftin'd by your ire,

I'll be a fury in the dark;

"And with my crooked claws,

"I'll come to maim your jaws,

"(Such pow'r have ghofts) with many a mark. "And lying on your breast,

"I will deprive of reft

Vos turba vicatim hinc & hinc faxis petens

Contundet obfcœnas anus.

Post infepulta membra different lupi,
Et Efquilinæ alites.

Neque hoc parentes, heu mihi fuperftites,
Effugerit spectaculùm.

PROSE INTERPRETATION.

"reft, thro' dread. The mob, from town to town, throw"ing ftones at you on every fide, fhall knock down you "impure old hags.-Anon, the wolves, and Efquilian birds, "fhall difperfe your unburied members; nor fhall this fight "be hid from my parents, alas! my furvivors."

"Your eyes, by filling them with fear;

"And crowds, from town to town, "Shall join to knock you down, "Obscene old witches, far and near. "Your bodies after all, ' Depriv'd of funeral,

"Wolves and Esquilian birds fhall fhare; “Your horrors and your cries,

"My parents ears and eyes, "Shall glut, furviving me their heir."

E PODE

VI.

IN CASSIUM SEVERU M.

Poetam maledicum & petulantem.

QUID immerentes hospites vexas, canis,

Ignavus adverfum lupos ?

Quin huc inanes, fi potes, vertis minas,

Et me remorfurum petis?

Nam qualis aut Moloffus, aut fulvus Lacon,

(Amica vis paftoribus)

Agam per altas aure fublatâ nives,

Quæcunque præcedit fera.

Tu, quum timendâ voce complesti nemus,

Projectum odoraris cibum.

Cave, cave: namque in malos afperrimus
Parata tollo cornua,

PROSE INTERPRETATION.

Dog, that art idle against the wolves, why do you harrafs harmless guests? Why do you not, if you are able, turn your ineffectual yelpings here, and attack me about to bite again? For like a maftiff, or dun dog of the Spartan breed, that is a powerful friend to the fhepherds, I will hunt every wild beaft

that

E PODE VI.

AGAINST CASSIUS SEVERUS.

An abufive and petulant Poet.

WHY innocent vifitors do you moleft,

'Gainft wolves, a base mongrel, thou cur; Come here, if you chuse it, and fnarl out your best, For the kick and the bite I confer.

For like a staunch maftiff, or guard of the sheep,
A Spartan in colour and breed;

Thro' the fnows, ears erect, be they never fo deep,
I will urge all wild beasts that precede.

You, when with fierce barking you fill'd all the field,
Kept smelling at bones on your plate;

Have a care, have a care, of the weapon I wield,
For villains exafp'rate my hate.

PROSE INTERPRETATION.

that fhall precede me with ears erect thro' the high fnows. You smell at the meat that is thrown to you, when once you have filled the wood with your formidable cry. Beware, beware; for, most severe against the evil-minded, I lift up my ready horns; in fuch manner as he that was fcorned for

N 3

a fon