His tuneful Lyre when polish'd _Horace_ strung, [a]And all the Sweets of calm Retirement sung, In Practice still his courtly Conduct show'd His Joy was Luxury, and Power his God; [b]With great _Mæcenas_ meanly proud to dine, [c]And fond to load _Augustus_ flatter'd Shrine; [d]And whilst he rail'd at _Menas_ ill-got Sway, [e]His numerous Train that choak'd the _Appian_ Way, His Talents still to Perfidy apply'd, Three Times a Friend and Foe to either Side. _Horace_ forgot, or hop'd his Readers would, [f]His Safety on the same Foundation stood. That he who once had own'd his Country's Cause, Now kiss'd the Feet that trampled on her Laws: That till the Havock of _Philippi_'s Field, Where Right to Force, by Fate was taught to yield, He follow'd _Brutus_, and then hail'd the Sword, Which gave Mankind, whom _Brutus_ freed, a Lord: Nor to the Guilt of a Deserter's Name, } Like _Menas_ great (tho' with dishonest Fame) } Added the Glory, tho' he shar'd the Shame. } For whilst with Fleets and Armies _Menas_ warr'd, Courage his Leader, Policy his Guard, Poor _Horace_ only follow'd with a Verse That Fate the Freedman balanc'd, to rehearse; Singing the Victor for whom _Menas_ fought, And following Triumph which the other brought. [g]Thus graver _Seneca_, in canting Strains, Talk'd of fair Virtue's Charms and Vice's Stains, And said the happy were the chaste and poor; } Whilst plunder'd Provinces supply'd his Store, } And _Rome_'s Imperial Mistress was his Whore. } But tho' he rail'd at Flattery's dangerous Smile, A _Claudius_, and a _Nero_, all the while, With every Vice that reigns in Youth or Age, } The Gilding of his venal Pen engage, } And fill the slavish Fable of each Page. } See _Sallust_ too, whose Energy divine Lashes a vicious Age in ev'ry Line: With Horror painting the flagitious Times, The profligate, profuse, rapacious Crimes, That reign'd in the degenerate Sons of _Rome_, And made them first deserve, then caus'd their Doom; With all the Merit of his virtuous Pen, Leagu'd with the worst of these corrupted Men; The Day in Riot and Excess to waste, The Night in Taverns and in Brothels past: [h]And when the _Censors_, by their high Controll, Struck him, indignant, from the _Senate_'s Roll, From Justice he appeal'd to _Cæsar_'s Sword, [i]And by Law exil'd, was by Force restor'd. [k]What follow'd let _Numidia_'s Sons declare, Harrass'd in Peace with Ills surpassing War; Each Purse by Peculate and Rapine drain'd, Each House by Murder and Adult'ries stain'd: Till _Africk_ Slaves, gall'd by the Chains of _Rome_, Wish'd their own Tyrants as a milder Doom.