With equal laws when Athens throve, The petulance of freedom drove Their state to license, which o’erthrew Those just restraints of old they knew. Hence, as a factious discontent Through every rank and order went, Pisistratus the tyrant form’d A party, and the fort he storm’d: Which yoke, while all bemoan’d in grief, (Not that he was a cruel chief, But they unused to be controll’d) Then Esop thus his fable told: The Frogs, a freeborn people made, From out their marsh with clamor pray’d That Jove a monarch would assign With power their manners to refine. The sovereign smiled, and on their bog Sent his petitioners a log, Which, as it dash’d upon the place, At first alarm’d the tim’rous race. But ere it long had lain to cool, One slily peep’d out of the pool, And finding it a king in jest, He boldly summon’d all the rest. Now, void of fear, the tribe advanced, And on the timber leap’d and danced, And having let their fury loose, In gross affronts and rank abuse, Of Jove they sought another king, For useless was this wooden thing. Then he a water-snake empower’d, Who one by one their race devour’d. They try to make escape in vain, Nor, dumb through fear, can they complain. By stealth they Mercury depute, That Jove would once more hear their suit, And send their sinking state to save; But he in wrath this answer gave: “You scorn’d the good king that you had, And therefore you shall bear the bad.” Ye likewise, O Athenian friends, Convinced to what impatience tends, Though slavery be no common curse, Be still, for fear of worse and worse. III. THE VAIN JACKDAW. Lest any one himself should plume, And on his neighbour’s worth presume; But still let Nature’s garb prevail-- Esop has left this little tale: A Daw, ambitious and absurd, Pick’d up the quills of Juno’s bird; And, with the gorgeous spoil adorn’d, All his own sable brethren scorn’d, And join’d the peacocks--who in scoff Stripp’d the bold thief, and drove him off. The Daw, thus roughly handled, went To his own kind in discontent: But they in turn contemn the spark, And brand with many a shameful mark. Then one he formerly disdain’d, “Had you,” said he, “at home remain’d-- Content with Nature’s ways and will, You had not felt the peacock’s bill; Nor ’mongst the birds of your own dress Had been deserted in distress.” IV. THE DOG IN THE RIVER. The churl that wants another’s fare Deserves at least to lose his share. As through the stream a Dog convey’d A piece of meat, he spied his shade In the clear mirror of the flood, And thinking it was flesh and blood, Snapp’d to deprive him of the treat:-- But mark the glutton’s self-defeat, Miss’d both another’s and his own, Both shade and substance, beef and bone. V. THE HEIFER, GOAT, SHEEP, AND LION.