Dov' e ITALIA, il tuo braccio? e a che ti servi Tu dell' altrui? non e s' io scorgo il vero, Di chi t' offende il defensor men fero: Ambe nemici sono, ambo fur servi. Cosi dunque l' onor, cosi conservi Gli avanzi tu del glorioso Impero? Cosi al valor, cosi al valor primiero Che a te fede giuro, la fede osservi? Or va; repudia il valor prisco, e sposa L' ozio, e fra il sangue, i gemiti, e le strida Nel periglio maggior dormi e riposa! Dormi, Adultera vil! fin che omicida Spada ultrice ti svegli, e sonnacchiosa, E nuda in braccio al tuo fedel t'uccida! Oh, Italy! where is thine arm? What purpose serves So to be helped by others? Deem I right, Among offenders thy defender stands? Both _are_ thy enemies--both _were_ thy servants! Thus dost thou honour--thus dost thou preserve The mighty boundaries of the glorious empire? And thus to Valour, to thy pristine Valour That swore its faith to thee, thy faith thou keep'st? Go! and divorce thyself from thy old Valiance, And marry Idleness: and midst the blood, The heavy groans and cries of agony, In thy last danger sleep, and seek repose! Sleep, vile Adulteress! the homicidal sword Vengeful shall waken thee! and lull'd to slumber, While naked in thy minion's arms, shall strike! Among the domestic contests of Italy the true principles of political freedom were developed; and in that country we may find the origin of that PHILOSOPHICAL HISTORY which includes so many important views and so many new results unknown to the ancients.