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JUVENA L.

THE

SATIRE VIII.

ARGUMENT.

In this Satire, the poet proves that nobility does not confift in ftatues and pedigrees, but in honourable and good actions: He lafhes Rubellius Plancus, for being infolent, by reafon of his high birth; and lays down an inftance that we ought to make the like judgment of men, as we do of horses, who are valued rather according to their perfonal qualities, than by the race of whence they come. He advises his noble friend Ponticus (to whom he dedicates the fatire) to lead a virtuous life, dissuading him from debauchery, luxury, oppreffion, cruelty, and other vices, by his fevere cenfures on Lateranus, Damafippus, Gracchus, Nero, Catiline; and in oppofition to thefe, difplays the worth of perfons meanly born, fuch as Cicero, Marius, Servius Tullius, and the Decii.

The tranflator of this fatire industriously avoided impofing upon the reader, and perplexing the printer with tedious common-place notes; but finding towards the latter end many examples of noblemen who difgraced their ancestors by vicious practices, and of men meanly born, who ennobled their families by virtuous and brave actions, he thought fome hiftori cal relations were necessary towards rendering those inftances more intelligible; which is all he pretends

to

to by his remarks. He would gladly have left out the heavy paffage of the Mirmillo and Retiarius, which he honeftly confesses he either does not rightly understand, or cannot fufficiently explain. If he has not confined himself to the ftrict rules of tranflation, but has frequently taken the liberty of imitating, paraphrafing, or reconciling the Roman cuftoms to our modern ufage; he hopes this freedom is pardonable, fince he has not used it but when he found the original flat, obfcure, or defective; and where the humour and connection of the author might naturally allow of fuch a change..

W

HAT's the advantage, or the real good,

In tracing from the fource our antient blood? To have our ancestors in paint or stone, Preferv'd as relicks, or like monsters fhewn? The brave Æmilii, as in triumph plac'd, The virtuous Curii, half by time defac'd; Corvinus, with a mouldering nose, that bears Injurious fcars, the fad effects of years; And Galba grinning without nofe or ears? Vain are their hopes, who fancy to inherit By trees of pedigrees, or fame, or merit :

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Though plodding heralds through each branch may trace
Old Captains and Dictators of their race,
While their ill lives that family bely,

And grieve the brass which stands dishonour'd by.
'Tis mere burlesque, that to our Generals praise

Their progeny immortal ftatues raife,

Yet

Yet (far from that old gallantry) delight
To game before their images all night,
And steal to bed at the approach of day,
The hour when these their enfigns did display.
Why should foft Fabius impudently bear
Names gain'd by conquests in the Gallic war?
Why lays he claim to Hercules's ftrain,
Yet dares be bafe, effeminate and vain ?
The glorious altar to that hero built
Adds but a greater luftre to his guilt,
Whofe tender limbs and polish'd skin disgrace
The grifly beauty of his manly race;
And who, by practising the dismal skill
Of poisoning, and fuch treacherous ways to kill,
Makes his unhappy kindred marble sweat,
When his degenerate head by theirs is set.
Long galleries of ancestors, and all
The follies which ill-grace a country hall,
Challenge no wonder or esteem from me ;
"Virtue alone is true nobility."

Live therefore well: to men and gods appear,
Such as good Paulus, Coffus, Drufus, were;
And in thy confular triumphal fhow,
Let these before thy father's statues go;
Place them before the enfigns of the state,
As choosing rather to be good than great.
Convince the world that you 're devout and true,
Be juft in all you say, and all
Whatever be your birth, you 're fure to be
peer of the firft magnitude to me:

A

you

do;

Rome

Rome for

your fake fhall push her conquests on, And bring new titles home from nations won, To dignify fo eminent a fon.

With your bleft name fhall every region found, Loud as mad Egypt, when her priefts have found A new Ofiris for the ox they drown'd.

But who will call thofe noble, who deface,
By meaner acts, the glories of their race;
Whofe only title to our fathers' fame

Is couch'd in the dead letters of their name?
A dwarf as well may for a giant pass;
A negro for a fwan; a crook-back'd lafs
Be call'd Europa; and a cur may bear
The name of tiger, lion, or whate'er
Denotes the nobleft or the fierceft beaft:
Be therefore careful, left the world in jest
Should thee juft fo with the mock titles greet,
Of Camerinus, or of conquer'd Crete.

To whom is this advice and cenfure due?
Rubellius Plancus, 'tis applied to you;
Who think your person second to divine,
Because defcended from the Drufian line;
Though yet you no illustrious act have done,
To make the world distinguish Julia's fon
From the vile offspring of a trull, who fits
By the town wall, and for a living knits.
"You are poor rogues (you cry) the baser fcum
"And inconfiderable dregs of Rome;

"Who know not from what corner of the earth

"The obfcure wretch, who got you, ftole his birth:

"Mine I derive from Cecrops"-May your Grace Live and enjoy the fplendor of your race!.

Yet of these base plebeians we have known
Some, who, by charming eloquence, have grown
Great fenators, and honours to that gown:
Some at the bar with fubtilty defend

The cause of an unlearned noble friend;
Or on the bench the knotty laws untie :
Others their ftronger youth to arms apply,
Go to Euphrates, or thofe forces join
Which garrifon the conquefts near the Rhine.
While you, Rubellius, on your birth rely;
Though you refemble your great family
No more, than those rough ftatues on the road
(Which we call Mercuries) are like that God:
Your blockhead though excels in this alone,
You are a living ftatue, that of stone.

Great Son of Troy, who ever prais'd a beaft
For being of a race above the reft,

But rather meant his courage, and his force?
To give an instance---We commend a horse
(Without regard of pasture or of breed)
For his undaunted mettle and his speed;

Who wins moft plates with greatest ease, and first
Prints with his hoofs his conquests on the duft.
But if fleet Dragon's progeny at last
Prove jaded, and in frequent matches caft,
No favour for the ftallion we retain,
And no refpect for the degenerate strain;

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The

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