The Complete Poetry of John Milton Read Free Page B

of the land. / While the warlike son of old Daunas 2 / lay prone on his purple couch, / bold Euryalus and quick Nisus [5] / cunningly attacked in the frightening night / the sleeping Rutilians and the Volscian camp: / hence slaughter arose and discordant shout.…
    (
Incomplete; 1624–25
)
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    1 The meter is the lesser Aesclepiad (an irregular verse form used by Horace) with a spondee for the first foot.
    2 Turnus, king of the Rutili and leader of the Volscians and other Italian tribes who resisted Aeneas’ invasion. When in a drunken sleep, his army was attacked by Euryalus and Nisus (
Aen.
, IX, 314-66).
Elegia prima
    AD CAROLUM DIODATUM 1
                    Tandem, chare, tuæ mihi pervenere tabellæ,
                      Pertulit et voces nuntia charta tuas,
                    Pertulit occiduâ Devæ Cestrensis ab orâ
                      Vergivium prono quà petit amne salum.
    5
       5           Multùm crede juvat terras aluisse remotas
                      Pectus amans nostri, tamque fidele caput,
                    Quòdque mihi lepidum tellus longinqua sodalem
                      Debet, at unde brevi reddere jussa velit.
                    Me tenet urbs refluâ quam Thamesis alluit undâ,
    10
      10                  Meque nec invitum patria dulcis habet.
                    Jam nec arundiferum mihi cura revisere Camum,
                      Nec dudum vetiti me laris angit amor. 2
                    Nuda nec arva placent, umbrasque negantia molles,
                      Quàm male Phœbicolis convenit ille locus!
    15
       15         Nec duri libet usque minas perferre magistri
                      Cæteraque ingenio non subeunda meo.
                    Si sit hoc exilium patrios adiisse penates,
                      Et vacuum curis otia grata sequi,
                    Non ego vel profugi nomen, sortemve recuso,
    20
      20                  Lætus et exilii conditione fruor.
                    O utinam vates nunquam graviora tulisset
                      Ille 3 Tomitano flebilis exul agro;
                    Non tunc Jonio quicquam cessisset Homero
                      Neve foret victo laus tibi prima, Maro. 4
    25
       25         Tempora nam licet hîc placidis dare libera Musis,
                      Et totum rapiunt me mea vita libri.
                    Excipit hinc fessum sinuosi pompa theatri,
                      Et vocat ad plausus garrula scena suos. 5
                    Seu catus auditur senior, seu prodigus hæres,
    30
      30                  Seu procus, aut positâ casside miles adest,
                    Sive decennali fœcundus lite patronus
                      Detonat inculto barbara verba foro,
                    Sæpe vafer gnato succurrit servus amanti,
                      Et nasum rigidi fallit ubique Patris;
    35
       35         Sæpe novos illic virgo mirata calores
                      Quid sit amor nescit, dum quoque nescit, amat.
                    Sive cruentatum furiosa Tragœdia sceptrum
                      Quassat, et effusis crinibus ora rotat,
                    Et dolet, et specto, juvat et spectasse dolendo,
    40
      40                  Interdum et lacrymis dulcis amaror inest:
                    Seu puer infelix indelibata reliquit
                      Gaudia, et abrupto flendus amore cadit,
                    Seu ferus è tenebris iterat Styga criminis ultor