原

PERSIUS

THE

FIFTH SATYR.

By Mr. DRYDEN.

The ARGUMENT.

The Judicious Cafaubon, in his Proem to this Satyr, tells us, That Ariftophanes the Grammarian be ing ask'd, what Poem of Archilochus bis Iambicks he preferred before the reft; anfwer'd, The longeft. His Anfwer may justly be apply'd to this Fifth Satyr which, being of a greater length than any of the reft, is also, by far, the most inftructive: For this reafon I have felected it from all the others, and infcrib'd it to my Learned Ma-. fter, Dr. Busby; to whom I am not only obliged my felf for the best part of my own Education, and that of my two Sons; but have alfo receiv'd from him the firft, and trueft Taste of Perfius. May be be pleas'd to find in this Tranflation, the Gratitude, or at least fome Small Acknowledgement, of his unworthy Scholar, at the Distance of 24: Years,

Tears, from the time when I departed from under bis Tuition.

This Satyr confifts of two diftin& Parts: The first contains the Praises of the Stoick Philofopher Cornutus, Mafter and Tutor to our Perfius. It alfo declares the Love and Piety of Perfius, to his well-deferving Mafter; and the mutual Friendfhip which continued betwixt them, after Perfius was now grown a Man. As also bis Exhortation to Young Noblemen, that they wou'd enter themfelves into his Inftitution. From bence he makes an artful Tranfition into the fecond Part of bis Subject: wherein be first complains of the Sloth of Scholars, and afterwards perfuades them to the pursuit of their true Liberty: Here our Author excellently treats that Paradox of the Stoicks, which affirms, that the Wife or Virtuous Man is only free; and that all Vicious Men are naturally Slaves. And, in the Illuftration of this Dogma, be takes up the remaining Part of this inimitable Satyr.

The FIFTH SATY R.
Infcrib'd to the Reverend Dr. BUSBY.

The Speakers Perfius and Cornutus.

PERSIUS.

F ancient Ufe to Poets it belongs,.

Oro with themselves an hundred Mouths and Tongues :

Whether to the well lung'd Tragedians Rage

They recommend their Labours of the Stage,

Or

Or fing the Parthian, when transfix'd he lies,
Wrenching the Roman Jav'lin from his Thighs.

Corn. And why wou'dft thou thefe mighty Morfels chufe, Of Words unchew'd, and fit to choak the Mufe? Let Fuftian Poets with their Stuff be gone,

And fuck the Mifts that hang o'er Helicon ;

When Progne's or Thyeftes' Feaft they write;
And, for the mouthing Actor, Verse indite.
Thou neither, like a Bellows, fwell'ft thy Face,
As if thou wert to blow the burning Mass
Of melting Ore; nor canft thou ftrain thy Throat,
Or murmur in an undistinguish'd Note,

Like rowling Thunder till it breaks the Cloud,
And rattling Nonfenfe is discharg'd aloud.
Soft Elocution does thy Style renown,
And the sweet Accents of the peaceful Gown:
Gentle or sharp, according to thy choice,
To laugh at Follies, or to lash at Vice.
Hence draw thy Theme, and to the Stage permit
Raw head and Bloody-bones, and Hands and Feet,
Ragoufts for Tereus or Thyeftes dreft;

"Tis Task enough for thee t'expofe a Roman Feaft
Perf. 'Tis not, indeed, my Talent to engage
In lofty Trifles, or to fwell my Page
With Wind and Noife; but freely to impart,
As to a Friend, the Secrets of my Heart;
And, in familiar Speech, to let thee know
How much I love thee, and how much I owe.

x Progne was Wife to Tereus, King of Thracia: Tereus fell in Love with Philomela, Sister to Progne, ravish'd her, and cut out her Tongue: In Revenge of which, Progne kill'd Itys, her own Son by Tereus; and ferv'd him up at a Feaft, to be

eaten by his Father.

2 Thyeftes and Atreus were Brothers, both Kings: Atreus, to Revenge himself of his unnatural Brother, kill'd the Sons of Thyeftes, and invited him to eat them,

Knocks