THE GOLDEN VERSES OF PYTHAGORAS.
TRANSLATED FROM THE GREEK.
TO THE READER.
HOPE the reader will forgive the liberty I have taken in tranflating these Verses fomewhat at large, without which it would have been almost impoffible to have given any kind of turn in English poetry to fo dry a fubject. The sense of the Author is, I hope, no where mistaken; and if there feems in fome places to be some additions in the English verses to the Greek text, they are only fuch as may be juftified from Hierocles's Commentary, and delivered by him as the larger and explained sense of the Author's fhort precept. have in fome few places ventured to differ from the learned Mr. Dacier's French interpretation, as those that shall give themselves the trouble of a ftrict comparison will find. How far I am in the right, is left to the reader to determine.
IRST to the gods thy humble homage pay;
The greatest this, and first of laws, obey:
Perform thy vows, observe thy plighted troth,
And let religion bind thee to thy oath.
The heroes next demand thy juft regard,
Renown'd on earth, and to the stars preferr'd,
To light and endless life, their virtue's fure reward.
Due rites perform and honours to the dead,
To every wife, to every pious fhade.
With lowly duty to thy parents bow,
And grace and favour to thy kindred fhow:
For what concerns the rest of human kind,
Choose out the man to virtue best inclin'd;
Him to thy arms receive, him to thy bosom bind.
Poffeft of fuch a friend, preserve him still;
-Nor thwart his counsels with thy stubborn will;
Pliant to all his admonitions prove,
And yield to all his offices of love:
Him from thy heart, so true, fo justly dear,
Let no rash word nor light offences tear.
Bear all thou canft, still with his failings strive,
And to the utmoft ftill, and ftill forgive;
For ftrong neceffity alone explores
The fecret vigour of our latent powers,
Rouzes and urges on the lazy heart,
Force, to itself unknown before, t' exert.
By use thy ftronger appetites aflwage,
Thy gluttony, thy floth, thy luft, thy rage:
From each difhoneft act of shame forbear;
-Of others, and thyself, alike beware.
Let reverence of thyself thy thoughts control,
And guard the facred temple of thy soul.
Let justice o'er thy word and deed prefide,
And reason ev'n thy meanest actions guide:
For know that death is man's appointed doom,
Know that the day of great account will come,
When thy paft life shall strictly be furvey'd,
Each word, each deed, be in the balance laid,
And all the good and all the ill moft justly be repaid.
For wealth, the perishing, uncertain good,
Ebbing and flowing like the fickle flood,
That knows no fure, no fix'd abiding-place,
But wandering loves from hand to hand to pafs;
Revolve the getter's joy and loser's pain,
And think if it be worth thy while to gain.
Of all thofe forrows that attend mankind,
With patience bear the lot to thee affign'd;
Nor think it chance, nor murmur at the load;
For know what man calls Fortune is from God.
In what thou may'st, from wisdom seek relief,
And let her healing hand asswage thy grief;
Yet ftill whate'er the righteous doom ordains,
What cause foever multiplies thy pains,
Let not thofe pains as ills be understood;
For God delights not to afflict the good.
The reasoning art, to various ends apply'd,
Is oft a fure, but oft an erring guide.
Thy judgment therefore found and cool preserve,
Nor lightly from thy refolution fwerve;
The dazzling pomp of words does oft deceive,
And sweet perfuafion wins the easy to believe.
When fools and lyars labour to persuade,
Be dumb, and let the babblers vainly plead.
This above all, this precept chiefly learn,
This nearly does, and firft, thyself concern ;
Let not example, let no foothing tongue,
Prevail upon thee with a Syren's fong,
To do thy foul's immortal effence wrong.
Of good and ill by words or deeds exprest,
Choose for thyfelf, and always choose the best.
Let wary thought each enterprize forerun,
And ponder on thy task before begun,
Left folly should the wretched work deface,
And mock thy fruitlefs labours with difgrace.
Fools huddle on, and always are in hafte,
A&t without thought, and thoughtless words they waste.
But thou, in all thou doft, with early cares
Strive to prevent at first a fate like theirs ;
That forrow on the end. may never wait,
Nor sharp repentance make thee wife too late.
Beware thy meddling hand in aught to try,
That does beyond thy reach of knowledge lie;
But feek to know, and bend thy ferious thought
To fearch the profitable knowledge out.
So joys on joys for ever fhall increafe,
Wisdom shall crown thy labours, and shall bless
Thy life with pleasure, and thy end with peace.
Nor let the body want its part, but share
A juft proportion of thy tender care :
For health and welfare prudently provide,
And let its lawful wants be all fupply'd,
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