The Crowne of All Homers Workes/To Earth the Mother of All

by Homer

 

To Earth
the
Mother of all.

other of all things, the well-founded Earth,
My Muse shall memorise; who al the birth
Giues foode, that al her upper regions breede;
All that in her diuine diffusions feede
In under Continents: All those that liue
In all the Seas; and All the ayre doth giue
Wing'd expeditions; Of thy bounties eate
Faire Children, and faire fruites, thy labors sweate;
$\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,}$(O great in reuerence:) and referd to thee
For life, and death, is all the Pedigree
Of Mortall humanes. Happie then is He
Whom the innate Propensions of thy Minde
Stand bent to honor. He shall all things finde
In all abundance: All his Pastures yield
Herds in all plenties: All his roofes are fill'd
With rich possessions: He, in all the swaie
Of Lawes best orderd, cuts out his owne way
In Citties shining with delicious Dames;
And takes his choice of all those striuing Flames.
High happinesse, and riches, (like his Traine)
Follow his Fortunes; with delights that raigne
In all their Princes. Glorie inuests his Sonnes;
His Daughters, with their croun'd selections
Of all the Cittie, frolick through the Meades;
And euery one, her calld-for Dances treads
Along the soft-flowre of the clauer Grasse.
All this, with all those, euer comes to passe,
That thy loue blesses, Goddesse full of grace,
And treasurous Angell t'all the humane Race.
 Haile then, Great Mother of the Desired kinde;
 Wife to the Cope of Starrs? sustaine a Minde
 Propitious to me, for my Praise; and giue
 (Answering my minde) my vows fit Meanes to liue.

 

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