Who both the Foe, and Famine to beguile,
For Dead and Living rais'd one common Pile.
Meotis firft did Impious Rites devife,
Of treating Gods with Human Sacrifice:
But falvage Egypt's Cruelty exceeds
The 12 Scythian Shrine, where, tho' the Captive bleeds,
Secure of Burial when his Life is fled,
The murd'ring Knife's thrown by, when once the Victim's dead.
Did Famine to this monftrous Fact compel,
Or did the Mifcreants try this Conj'ring Spell,
In time of Drought to make the Nile to fwell?
Amongst the rugged Cimbrians, or the Race
Of Gauls or fiercer Tartars, can you trace
An Outrage of Revenge like this, purfu'd
By an effeminate Scoundrel Multitude?
Whofe utmost Daring is to cross the Nile
In painted Boats, to fright the Crocodile.
Can Men, or more refenting Gods, invent,
Or Hell inflict proportion'd Punishment
On Varlets, who cou'd treat Revenge and Spight
With fuch a Feaft, as Famine's felf wou'd fright?
Compaffion proper to Mankind appears,
Which Nature witnefs'd when the lent us Tears!
Of tender Sentiments we only give
Thofe Proofs: To weep is our Prerogative;
To fhew, by pitying Looks, and melting Eyes,
How with a fuffring Friend we fympathize!
Nay, Tears will ev'n from a wrong'd Orphan flide,
When his falfe Guardian at the Bar is try'd:
So tender, fo unwilling to accufe,
So oft the Rofes on his Cheek bedews,
12 The Temple of Diana Taurica, where they factific'd Strangers,
So foft his Treffes, fill'd with trickling Pearl.
You'd doubt his Sex, and take him for a Girl.
B'Impulse of Nature (though to us unknown
The Party be) we make the Lofs our own;
And Tears steal from our Eyes, when in the Street
With fome betrothed Virgin's Hearfe we meet;
Or Infant's Fun'ral, from the cheated Womb
Convey'd to Earth, and cradled in a Tomb.
Who can all fenie of others Ills escape,
Is but a Brute at beft in human Shape.
This nat❜ral Piety did first refine
Our Wit, and rais'd our Thoughts to things Divine
This proves our Spirit of the Gods Defcent,
While that of Beasts is prone and downward bent.
To them but Earth-born Life they did difpence;
To us, for mutual Aid, Coeleftial Senfe.
From ftragling Mountaineers, for publick Good
To Rank in Tribes, and quit the falvage Wood.
Houses to build, and them contiguous make,
For cheerful Neighbourhood and Safety's fake.
In War, a Common Standard to erect,
A wounded Friend in Battel to protect;
The Summons take of the fame Trumpet's Call
To fally from one Port, or Man one publick Wall.
But Serpents now more Amity maintain!
From Spotted Skins the Leopard does refrain:
No weaker Lion's by a ftronger flain:
Nor, from his Larger Tusks, the Forest Boar
Commiffion takes his Brother-Swine to gore:
Tyger with Tyger, Bear with Bear you'll find
In Leagues Offenfive and Defenfive join'd.
But lawless Man the Anvil dares profane,
And forg'd that Steel by which a Man is flain!
Which Earth, at firft, for Plow-fhares did afford,
Nor yet the Smith had learnt to form a Sword.
An impious Crew we have beheld, whofe Rage
Their En'mies very Life cou'd not affwage,
Unless they Banquet on the Wretch they flew,
Devour the Corps, and like the Blood they drew!
What think you wou'd Pythagoras have said
Of fuch a Feaft, or to what Defart fled?
Who Fleth of Animals refus'd to eat,
Nor held all forts of Pulfe for lawful Meat.
The ARGUMENT.
The Poet in this Satyr, proves, that the Condition of a Soldier is much better than that of a Country Man: First, because a Country Man, bowever affronted, provoked, and struck himself, dares not ftrike a Soldier; who is only to be judged by a Court-Martial: And by the Law of Camillus, which obliges him not to quarrel without the Trenches, he is also affur'd to have a speedy hearing, and quick dispatch: Whereas, the Townf man, or Peafant, is delay'd in his Suit by frivolous Pretences, and not fure of Justice when he is beard in the Court. The Soldier is alfo privileg'd to make a Will, and to give away his Eftate, which he got in War, to whom he pleases, without confideration of Parentage, or Relations; which is deny'd to all other Romans. This Satyr was written by Juvenal, when he was a Commander in Egypt: 'Tis certainly his, tho
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