[140] The widow of Drymon poisoned her sons, that she might succeed to their estate: This was done in the poet's time, or just before it. [141] The Belides were fifty sisters, married to fifty young men, their cousin-germans; and killed them all on their wedding-night, excepting Hipermnestra, who saved her husband Linus. THE TENTH SATIRE OF JUVENAL. THE ARGUMENT. _The Poet's design, in this divine Satire, is, to represent the various wishes and desires of mankind, and to set out the folly of them. He runs through all the several heads, of riches, honours, eloquence, fame for martial achievements, long life, and beauty; and gives instances in each, how frequently they have proved the ruin of those that owned them. He concludes, therefore, that, since we generally choose so ill for ourselves, we should do better to leave it to the gods to make the choice for us. All we can safely ask of heaven, lies within a very small compass--it is but health of body and mind; and if we have these, it is not much matter what we want besides; for we have already enough to make us happy._ Look round the habitable world, how few Know their own good, or, knowing it, pursue. How void of reason are our hopes and fears! What in the conduct of our life appears So well designed, so luckily begun, But when we have our wish, we wish undone? Whole houses, of their whole desires possest, Are often ruined at their own request. In wars and peace things hurtful we require, When made obnoxious to our own desire. With laurels some have fatally been crowned; } Some, who the depths of eloquence have found, } In that unnavigable stream were drowned. } The brawny fool, who did his vigour boast; In that presuming confidence was lost;[142] But more have been by avarice opprest, And heaps of money crowded in the chest: Unwieldy sums of wealth, which higher mount Than files of marshalled figures can account; To which the stores of Croesus, in the scale, } Would look like little dolphins, when they sail } In the vast shadow of the British whale. } For this, in Nero's arbitrary time, When virtue was a guilt, and wealth a crime, A troop of cut-throat guards were sent to seize The rich men's goods, and gut their palaces: The mob, commissioned by the government, Are seldom to an empty garret sent. The fearful passenger, who travels late, Charged with the carriage of a paltry plate, Shakes at the moonshine shadow of a rush, And sees a red-coat rise from every bush; The beggar sings, even when he sees the place Beset with thieves, and never mends his pace. Of all the vows, the first and chief request