Epigrams of Martial, Englished with some other pieces, ancient and modern.

EPIGRAMS OF MARTIAL ENGLISHED.

LIB. SPECTAC.

Epigr. 1. On Caesar's Amphitheatre.

EGYPT, forbear thy Pyramids to praise, A barb'rous Work up to a Wonder raise; Let Babylon cease th' incessant Toyl to prize, Which made her Walls to such immensness rise; Nor let th' Ephesians boast the curious Art, Which Wonder to their Temple does impart. Delos dissemble too the high Renown, Which did thy Horn-fram'd Altar lately crown;

Caria to vaunt thy Mausoleum spare, Sumptuous for Cost, and yet for Art more rare, As not borne up, but pendulous i'th' Air: All Works to Caesar's Theatre give place, This Wonder Fame above the rest does grace.

Ep. 2. On the Publick Works.

Where the Etherial Coloss does appear, The towring Machin to the Stars draw near, The hated Court, which so much Blood did spill, Late stood; one House the City seem'd to fill!

Where the stupendious Theatre's vast Pile Is rear'd, there Nero's Fish-ponds were e'er-while.

Here, where the Baths, a great, yet speedy, Gift, All Men admire, (the People left to shift For Dwellings) late was a proud ample Space, Reserv'd to boast an insolent State and Grace.

Where now a goodly Tarras does extend, The City both with Shade and Walks befriend, Was but the Courts Fagg and expiring End.

Rome's to it self restor'd; in Caesar's Reign, The Prince's Pleasures now the People gain.

Ep. 3. To Caesar, exhibiting Shows.

What Land's so barb'rous, Caesar, so remote, Whose Natives come not to admire thy Court? Rough Thracians hither from Mount Hemus speed, Fierce Tartars, who on Flesh of Horses feed; Who the Nile drink at the first Spring and Head, Britains from utmost Thule hither led; Arabs make haste, Cilicians posting come, And in their Saffron Show'rs are drench'd at Rome; Germans with rolling Locks in knots up furl'd, Ethiops after a diff'rent manner curl'd. Various their Voices sound, but Hearts, we see, And the whole Jargon, does in One agree, When Father of thy Country All style thee.

Ep. 4. To Caesar, upon his banishing Informers.

The hateful Crew to Peace and sweet Repose, Informers, anxious Wealth's molesting Foes, (The Lions not sufficing to destroy The Num'rous Caitives, that did all annoy)

To th' Isles, and furthest Africa are sent, And those that caus'd, now suffer, Banishment. Thus while from Rome, sad Exiles, they do stray, Even Life, 'mong Caesar's Boons, we reckon may.

Ep. 6. To Caesar, on a Woman's fighting with a Lion.

'Tis not enough, in this our Martial Age, That Men, but Women in fierce Combate gage. Among the noblest Acts Fame does resound, Alcides laid a Lion on the Ground. Let Fables cease: Caesar, at thy Command, This hath been acted by a Female Hand.

Ep. 10. On a Lion that hurt his Keeper.

A trait'rous Lion on his Keeper flew, In him that fed him, durst his Teeth embrew: But Vengeance worthy of his Crime, he found, Who bore not Stripes, was forc'd to bear * 1.1 a Wound. To such a Prince what Manners ought Men show, Who Beasts commands a Gratitude to know?

Ep. 12. On a Sow that farrow'd through a Wound she receiv'd.

I' th' publick Huntings Caesar did allow, A Jav'lin swift transfixt a pregnant Sow. Straight from the wounded Dam the Litter sprung. Lucina, call'st thou this, to bring forth Young? The dying Sow wish'd that her wounds were more, That Issues had been made for all her Store. Who denies Bacchus from the Womb was torn? A God might well, when Beasts were this way born.

Ep. 13. On the same.

A Pregnant Sow, pierc'd with a deadly Blow, Her Life at once did lose, and Life bestow. How sure an Aim did the dire Steel command! Lucina, 'twas believ'd to be thy Hand: For dying both thy Deities she found, The Huntress, and the Midwife, in her Wound.

Ep. 14. On the same.

A Sow, her Litter ready to have laid, Was by a fatal Stroke a Mother made; The Young, not staying Birth, ran forth the Wound. How quick a Wit in sudden Streights is found!

Ep. 15. On Carpophorus.

A Boar Meleager which gave thee a Name, Adds little to Carpophorus his Fame; Who a vast Bear, rushing upon him, flew, The Northern Clime a fiercer never knew; A Lion, which became Alcides hand, Of immense Bulk he laid upon the Sand; Also a Pard: And when the Prize was won, He still was fresh, and could yet more have done.

Ep. 16. To Caesar, On Hercules carry'd to the Clouds upon a Bull.

That from the Stage a Bull t'wards Heav'n did fly, Was not th' Exploit of Art, but Deity.

A Bull Europa through the Surges bore, But with Alcides now 'bove Clouds doth soar. The Fact of Caesar, and of Iove compare, Which of the two shall we pronounce most rare? Suppose the Burdens even; were that true, The Lighter loaded swam, the heavier flew.

Ep. 17. On an Elephant's kneeling to Caesar.

That thee an Elephant suppliant did adore, Who stroke with Terror a fierce Bull before, To's Keeper's Art, cannot imputed be; We must ascribe it to thy Deity.

Ep. 18. On a Tyger's killing a Lion.

The rare-seen Glory of th' Hircanian Land, A Tyger, wont to lick his Master's Hand, In Pieces tore a Lion in his Rage, A thing not known before in any Age. He durst not this attempt in Forests high, Beasts among Men learn greater Cruelty.

Ep. 21. On the Fable of Orpheus acted in the Theatre.

What in the Thracian Mount's of Orpheus told, Thy Theatre, Great Caesar, did unfold, The Rocks were seen to move, the Woods to run, When to his Harp the wondrous Minstrel sung; Together with the Trees the Beasts were led, And hov'ring Birds circled his Sacred Head. At last a Bear the Prophet piece-meal tore, Acted in truth, what fabled was before.

Ep. 25. On Leander.

Leander, cease t'admire the Seas did spare Thy last-nights Passage, Caesar's Seas they were. While to enjoy Loves Sweets thou didst address, And boist'rous Waves thee threaten'd to oppress, Thus, Wretch, the raging Seas thou didst implore, Drown me returning, waft me safely o'er.

Ep. 26. On the Representation of the Sea and Sea-Gods.

The feigned Sea-Gods sport i'th' Waves with ease, Figuring with various Forms the yielding Seas; One shakes a Trident, while another rides A Fish, or in a Fish-drawn Chariot Glides. Barks mov'd with Oares, Sails swell'd with Wind, we see, Castor and Pollux there appear'd to be. Not real Seas so gratifie the Sense, Thetis taught here, or fram'd her Realm from hence.

Ep. 27. On Carpophorus.

If former Ages had Carpoph'rus known, Beside himself, there would have needed none, The Monsters through the World to have subdu'd, Being, in truth, with all that Might endu'd, Which to the Fab'lous Heroes gave a Name, Rais'd Iasons, Perseus, Meleager's Fame. Theseus, for th' Minotaur, had ne'er been crown'd; For th' Nemean Lion Hercules renown'd;

The Hydra, which so oft renew'd the Fight, At first Assault he would have slain out-right; Chimaera, of such various Figures form'd, His pow'rful Hand would all at Once have storm'd; The Bulls, which from their Nostrils breath'd a Flame, Without a Charm, his Courage knew to tame; Hesiones devouring Orke to quaile, Andromeda to rescue from the Whale.

Let Poets then their specious Lies relate, How Iove, a Matchless Hero to create, Two Nights did turn to one; to him allow A Term of Life, twelve Labours to go through. Carpoph'rus Glory yet does his excel, By whom, in one day, twenty Monsters fell.

Ep. 29. On two Gladiators.

Priscus and Verus, while with equal Might, Prolong'd an obstinate and doubtful Fight, The People, oft, their Mission did desire; But Caesar from the Law would not retire, Which did the Prize and Victory unite, Yet gave them what Encouragement he might;

Largess of Meat and Money did bestow, Which also 'mong the People he did throw. I'th' end, howe'er, the Strife was equal found, Both fought alike, and both alike gave ground: So that the Palm was upon each conferr'd, Their undecided Valour this deserv'd.

Under no Prince before we e'er did see, That two should fight, and both should Victors be.

Ep. 30. To Caesar.

My Haste, tho' faulty, ought thee to appease, Pardon his Haste, who hasted thee to please.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Condemn'd to be kill'd in the Theatre.