The nations 'gan their sovereignty disdain,
And cast to quit them from their bondage quite:
So, when all shrouded were in silent night,
The Gauls were, by corrupting of a maid,
Possess'd nigh of the Capitol through sleight,
Had not a goose the treachery bewray'd:
If then a goose great Rome from ruin stay'd,
And Jove himself, the patron of the place,
Preserv'd from being to his foes betray'd;
Why do vain men mean things so much deface,
And in their might repose their most assurance,
Sith nought on earth can challenge long endurance?
When these sad sights were overpast and gone,
My sprite was greatly moved in her rest,
With inward ruth and dear affection,
To see so great things by so small distrest:
Thenceforth I 'gan in my engrieved breast
To scorn all difference of great and small,
Sith that the greatest often are opprest,
And unawares do into danger fall.
And ye, that read these ruins tragical,
Learn, by their loss, to love the low degree;
And, if that Fortune chance you up to call
To Honour's seat, forget not what you be:
For he, that of himself is most secure,
Shall find his state most fickle and unsure.
It was the time, when Rest, soft sliding down
From heaven's height into men's heavy eyes,
In the forgetfulness of sleep doth drown
The careful thoughts of mortal miseries;
Then did a Ghost before mine eyes appear,
On that great river's bank, that runs by Rome;
Which, calling me by name, bade me to rear
My looks to heaven whence all good gifts do come,
And crying loud, Lo! now behold (quoth he)
What under this great temple placed is:
Lo, all is nought but flying vanity!
So I, that know this world's inconstancies,
Sith only God surmounts all time's decay,
In God alone my confidence do stay.
On high hill's top I saw a stately frame,
An hundred cubits high by just assize,1
With hundred pillars fronting fair the same,
All wrought with diamond after Doric wise:
Nor brick nor marble was the wall in view,
But shining crystal, which from top to base
* Du Bellay, a French poet, once highly celebrated. He, along with Jodelle, Rousard, &c., belonged to what was called 'The School of the Pleiades,' whose aim was seriousness and simplicity.
Out of her womb a thousand rayons1 threw, One hundred steps of Afric gold's enchase: Gold was the parget;2 and the ceiling bright Did shine all scaly with great plates of gold; The floor of jasp3 and emerald was dight.* Adorned. O world's vainness! Whiles thus I did behold,
An earthquake shook the hill from lowest seat,
And overthrew this frame with ruin great.
Then did a sharped spire of diamond bright,
Ten feet each way in square, appear to me,
Justly proportion'd up unto his height,
So far as archer might his level see:
The top thereof a pot did seem to bear,
Made of the metal, which we most do honour;
And in this golden vessel couched were
The ashes of a mighty Emperor:
Upon four corners of the base were pight,5
To bear the frame, four great lions of gold;
A worthy tomb for such a worthy wight.
Alas, this world doth nought but grievance hold!
I saw a tempest from the heaven descend,
Which this brave monument with flash did rend.
I saw rais'd up on ivory pillars tall,
Whose bases were of richest metals wark,
The chapters alabaster, the friezes crystal,
The double front of a triumphal arc:
On each side pourtray'd was a Victory,
Clad like a Nymph, that wings of silver wears,
And in triumphant chair was set on high,
The ancient glory of the Roman Peers.
No work it seem'd of earthly craftsman's wit,
But rather wrought by his own industry,
That thunder-darts for Jove his sire doth fit.
Let me no more see fair thing under sky,
Sith that mine eyes have seen so fair a sight
With sudden fall to dust consumed quite.
Then was the fair Dodonian tree far seen,
Upon seven hills to spread his gladsome gleam,
And conquerors bedecked with his green,
Along the banks of the Ausonian stream:
There many an ancient trophy was addrest,
And many a spoil, and many a goodly show,
Which that brave race's greatness did attest,
That whilome1 from the Trojan blood did flow.
Ravish'd I was so rare a thing to view;
When lo! a barbarous troop of clownish fone2
The honour of these noble boughs down threw:
Under the wedge I heard the trunk to groan;
And, since, I saw the root in great disdain
A twin of forked trees send forth again.
I saw a Wolf under a rocky cave
Nursing two whelps; I saw her little ones
In wanton dalliance the teat to crave,
While she her neck wreath'd from them for the
I saw her range abroad to seek her food,
And roaming through the field with greedy rage
T'embrue her teeth and claws with lukewarm blood
Of the small herds, her thirst for to assuage.
I saw a thousand huntsmen, which descended
Down from the mountains bord'ring Lombardy,
That with an hundred spears her flank wide rended;
I saw her on the plain outstretched lie,
Throwing out thousand throbs in her own soil;
Soon on a tree uphang'd I saw her spoil.
I saw the Bird, that can the Sun endure,
With feeble wings assay to mount on height;
By more and more she gan her wings t' assure,
Following th' ensample of her mother's sight:
I saw her rise, and with a larger flight
To pierce the clouds, and with wide pinions
To measure the most haughty1 mountain's height,
2 Reached. Until she raught2 the gods' own mansions:
There was she lost; when sudden I beheld,
Where, tumbling through the air in fiery fold,
All flaming down she on the plain was fell'd,3
And soon her body turn'd to ashes cold.
I saw the fowl, that doth the light despise,
Out of her dust like to a worm arise.
I saw a river swift, whose foamy billows
Did wash the ground-work of an old great wall;
I saw it cover'd all with grisly shadows,
That with black horror did the air appal:
Thereout a strange Beast with seven heads arose,
That towns and castles under her breast did coure,4
And seem'd both milder beasts and fiercer foes
Alike with equal ravin to devour.
Much was I 'maz'd, to see this monster's kind
In hundred forms to change his fearful hue;
When as at length I saw the wrathful wind,
Which blows cold storms, burst out of Scythian mew,
That 'spers'd these clouds; and, in so short as
This dreadful shape was vanished to nought.
Then all astonied with this mighty ghost,
An hideous body big and strong I saw,
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