Envy, why twitt'st thou me, my time's spent ill? And call'st my verse fruits of an idle quill? Or that (unlike the line from whence I sprung) War's dusty honours I pursue not young? Or that I study not the tedious laws; And prostitute my voice in every cause? Thy scope is mortal; mine eternal fame, Which through the world shall ever chant my name. Homer will live, whilst Tenedos stands, and Ide, Or to the sea, fleet Symois doth slide: 10 And so shall Hesiod too, while vines do bear, Or crookËd sickles crop the ripened ear. Callimachus, though in invention low, Shall still be sung, since he in art doth flow; No loss shall come to Sophocles' proud vein; With sun and moon Aratus shall remain. Whilst slaves be false, fathers hard, and bawds be whorish, Whilst harlots flatter, shall Meander flourish. Ennius, though rude, and Accius' high-reared strain, A fresh applause in every age shall gain. 20 Of Varro's name, what ear shall not be told? Of Jason's Argo and the fleece of gold? Then, shall Lucretius' lofty numbers die, When earth, and seas in fire and flames shall fry. Tityrus, Tillage, ∆ney shall be read,[231] Whilst Rome of all the conquered world is head. Till Cupid's fires be out, and his bow broken, Thy verses, neat Tibulus, shall be spoken. Our Gallus shall be known from East to West, So shall Lycoris, whom he now loves best. 30 The suffering ploughshare or the flint may wear, But heavenly poesy no death can fear. Kings shall give place to it, and kingly shows, The banks o'er which gold-bearing Tagus flows. Kneel hinds to trash: me let bright Phoebus swell, With cups full flowing from the Muses' well. The frost-drad[232] myrtle shall impale my head, And of sad lovers I'll be often read. Envy the living, not the dead doth bite, For after death all men receive their right. 40 Then when this body falls in funeral fire, My name shall live, and my best part aspire. FOOTNOTES: [218] Isham copy and ed. A "tearmes our." [219] Dyce's correction for "come" of the old eds. [220] Isham copy and ed. A "might." [221] So Isham copy and ed. A.--Dyce follows ed. B, "Or into sea." [222] So old eds.--Dyce "doth." [223] Isham copy and ed. A omit this line and the next. [224] So Dyce.--Old eds. "fathers hoord." ("_Durus_ pater.") [225] The poet must have read "animosi _Maccius_ oris." The true reading is "animosique _Accius_ oris." [226] Old eds. "Argos." [227] Isham copy and ed. A "conquering." [228] Isham copy and ed. A "Let kings give place to verse." [229] So the Isham copy.--Ed. A (followed by Dyce) gives "rocks."--Eds. B and C "rakes" (and so Cunningham).