Tutor and Capito may warnings be,
Who felt the thunder of the states decree,
For robbing the Cilicians, tho' they,
Like leffer pikes, only fubfift on prey.
But what avails the rigour of their doom,
Which cannot future violence o'ercome,
Nor give the miserable province ease,

Since what one plund'rer left, the next will seize?
Cherippus (11) then, in time your felf bethink,
And what your rags will yield by auction, fink ;
Ne'er put your felf to charges to complain
Of wrong which heretofore you
did fuftain,
Make not a voyage to detect the theft:
'Tis mad to lavish what their rapine left.

When Rome at first our rich allies fubdu'd,
From gentle taxes noble spoils accru'd ;
Each wealthy province, but in part oppreft,
Thought the lofs trivial, and enjoy'd the rest.
All treafuries did then with heaps abound,
In ev'ry wardrobe coftly filks were found;
The least apartment of the meanest house
Cou'd all the wealthy pride of art produce;
Pictures which from (12) Parrhafius did receive
Motion and warmth, and statues taught to live;
Some (12) Polyclete's, fome Myron's work dcclar'd,
In others (12) Phidias' mafterpiece appear'd;
And crowding plate did on the cupboard ftand,
Emboss'd by curious (12) Mentor's artful hand..
Prizes like these oppreffors might invite,
Thefe (13) Dolabella's rapine did excite,

(11) Any poor man who is oppress'd.

(12) Famous painters, ftatuaries, and other artizans, (13) Proconfuls of Afia and Sicily.

Thefe

Thefe (13) Antony for his own theft thought fit;
(13) Verres for these did facrilege commit;

And when their reigns were ended, fhips full fraught
The hidden fruits of their exaction brought,
Which made in peace a treasure richer far,
Than what is plunder'd in the rage of war.

This was of old; but our confed'rates now
Have nothing left but oxen for the plough,
Or fome few mares referv'd alone for breed;
Yet left this provident defign fucceed,
They drive the father of the herd away,
Making both stallion, and his pafture, prey.
Their rapine is fo abject and prophane,
They not from trifles, nor from gods refrain;
But the poor Lares from the niches feize,
If they be little images that please.

Such are the spoils which now provoke their theft,

And are the greatest, nay they're all that's left.

Thus may (14) you (13) Corinth, or weak Rhodes

opprefs,

Who dare not bravely what they feel redress:

For how can fops thy tyranny controul ;
"Smooth limbs are fymptoms of a servile foul.
But trefpafs not too far on sturdy Spain,

Sclavonia, France; thy gripes from those restrain,
Who with their (16) fweat Rome's luxury maintain,
And fend us plenty, while our wanton day

Is lavish'd at the Circus, or the play.
For, fhou'd you to extortion be inclin'd,

Your cruel guilt will little booty find,

}

(14) Returning to Ponticus.

(15) The inhabitants of these places were effeminate, and eafy to be enslav'd.

(16) The people of Afric, who fupply'd Rome with corn.

Since

Since gleaning (17) Marius has already feiz'd
All that from fun-burnt Afric can be squeez'd.
But above all, "Be careful to with-hold
"Your talons from the wretched and the bold;
"Tempt not the brave and needy to defpair;
"For, tho' your violence fhou'd leave 'em bare
"Of gold and filver, fwords and darts remain,
"And will revenge the wrongs which they sustain:
"The plundred ftill have arms.-

Think not the precept I have here laid down
A fond, uncertain notion of my own;
No, 'tis a fibyl's leaf what I relate,

As fixt and fure as the decrees of fate.

Let none but men of honour you attend,
Chufe him that has moft virtue for your friend,
And give no way to any darling youth
To fell your favour, and pervert the truth.
Reclaim your wife from strolling up and down,
To all affizes and through ev'ry town,
With claws like harpies, eager for the prey,
For which your juftice, and your fame will pay.
Keep your felf free from scandals fuch as thefe ;
Then trace your birth from (18) Picus, if you please:
If he's too modern, and your pride aspire
To feek the author of your being higher,
Chufe any Titan who the gods withstood,
To be the founder of your antient blood,
Prometheus, and that race before the flood.
Or any other ftory you can find

From heralds, or in poets, to your mind.
But fhou'd you prove ambitious, luftful, vain;
Or cou'd you fee with pleasure and disdain,

}

(17) Marius Prifcus.

(18) The first king of the Latines,

Rods

Rods broke on our affociates bleeding backs,
And heads-men lab'ring till they blunt their ax;
Your father's glory will your fin proclaim,
And to a clearer light expose your shame;
"For ftill more publick scandal vice extends,
"As he is great and noble who offends.

How dare (19) you then your high extraction plead, Yet blush not when you go to forge a deed, In the fame temple which your grandfire built; Making his ftatue privy to the guilt; Or in a bawdy masquerade are led Muffled by night to fome polluted bed? Fat Lateranus does his revels keep Where his fore-fathers peaceful afhes fleep; Driving himself a chariot down the hill, And, tho' a conful, links himself the wheel: To do him justice, 'tis indeed by night, Yet the moon fees, and ev'ry smaller light Pries as a witness of the shameful fight: Nay when his year of honour's ended, foon He'll leave that nicety, and mount at noon; Nor blufh fhou'd he fome grave acquaintance meet, But, proud of being known, will jerk and greet: And when his fellow beafts are weary grown, He'll play the groom, give oats, and rub 'em down. If after (20) Numa's ceremonial way

He at Jove's altar wou'd a victim slay,

}

(19) The poet in this place fpeaks neither to Rubellius nor Ponticus, but in general to any perjur'd or debauch'd noble

man.

(20) Numa Pompilius, the fecond king of Rome, the better to civilize the favage humour of the people, first introduced among them the fear and worship of the gods, and instituted the rites and ceremonies of priests, oaths, and facrifices,

D

To no clean goddess he directs his pray'rs, de
But by (21) Hippona most devoutly fwears,
Or fome rank deity, whofe filthy face
We fuitably o'er ftinking ftables place.

When he has run his length, and does begin
To fteer his courfe directly for the inn,

Where they have watch'd, expecting him all night,
A greafy Syrian, ere he can alight,

Prefents him essence, while his courteous hoft,
Well knowing nothing by good breeding's loft,
Tags ev'ry fentence with fome fawning word,
Such as My King, My Prince, at least My Lord;
And a tight maid, e'er he for wine can afk,
Gueffes his meaning, and unoils the flask.
Some, friends to vice, induftrioufly defend
Thefe innocent diverfions, and pretend

That I the tricks of youth too roughly blame,
Alledging, that when young, we did the fame.
I grant we did; yet when that age was past,
The frolick humour did no longer last;
We did not cherish and indulge the crime:
What's foul in acting fhou'd be left in time.
'Tis true, fome faults, of courfe, with childhood end,
We therefore wink at wags when they offend,
And fpare the boy in hopes the man may mend.
But Lateranus, now his vig'rous age.

Shou'd prompt him for his country to engage,
The circuit of our empire to extend,

And all our lives, in Cæfar's, to defend,
Mature in riots, places his delight

All day in plying bumpers, and at night

--(21) ppona was the goddess of jockies and horses,

Reels