FRUIT OF OLD.
27
And ne'er before such awful comets blazed. 566
Philippi therefore saw the battle brunt,
Roman again met Roman front to front:
Nor grudged the gods our heart's blood to manure
Emathia twice and lonely Hæmus' moor. 570
Forsooth a time shall come, when there below
The farmer, toiling with the elbow'd plough,
Shall strike on spears ate out with rusty flake,
And batter empty morions with the rake,
And, turning over monumental stones, 575
Recoil in wonder from gigantic bones.
Ye Father-gods of Roman birth and name,
Thou, Romulus, and Vesta, holy dame,
On Tuscan Tiber's bank who hast thy home,
And guardest well the palaces of Rome, 580
At least permit this youth, as we presage,
To rise the saviour of the ruin'd age.
Our blood has long flow'd fast enough to cloy
The vengeance on Laomedon and Troy.
For Cæsar long the court of heaven delays, 585
Indignant that he stoops to mortal bays:
Where right and wrong stand each in other's place,
Such worlds of war, such floutings of sin's face!
The plough that blesses, with no honour blest,
Philippi therefore saw the battle brunt,
Roman again met Roman front to front:
Nor grudged the gods our heart's blood to manure
Emathia twice and lonely Hæmus' moor. 570
Forsooth a time shall come, when there below
The farmer, toiling with the elbow'd plough,
Shall strike on spears ate out with rusty flake,
And batter empty morions with the rake,
And, turning over monumental stones, 575
Recoil in wonder from gigantic bones.
Ye Father-gods of Roman birth and name,
Thou, Romulus, and Vesta, holy dame,
On Tuscan Tiber's bank who hast thy home,
And guardest well the palaces of Rome, 580
At least permit this youth, as we presage,
To rise the saviour of the ruin'd age.
Our blood has long flow'd fast enough to cloy
The vengeance on Laomedon and Troy.
For Cæsar long the court of heaven delays, 585
Indignant that he stoops to mortal bays:
Where right and wrong stand each in other's place,
Such worlds of war, such floutings of sin's face!
The plough that blesses, with no honour blest,
