EPIGRAMS,

ANCIENT AND MODERN.

SECTION I

FROM THE GREEK ANTHOLOGY,(1) AND FROM LATIN AUTHORS, CATULLUS, MARTIAL, CLAUDIAN,

AND AUSONIUS.

B

SECTION I.

FROM THE GREEK ANTHOLOGY.

I

(Plato. Jac. b. ix. ep. 44.)

A man found a treasure; and what's very strange,
Running off with the cash, left a rope in exchange :
The poor owner, at missing his gold, full of grief,
Hung himself with the rope which was left by the thief.

Sir A. Croke.

2

(Nicarchus. Jac. b. xi. ep. 118.)

The physician, who killed me,

Neither bled, purged, nor pilled me,

Nor counted my pulse; but it comes to the same :
In the height of my fever, I died of his name.

3

(Nicarchus Jac. b. xi. ep. 186.)

Dr. H. Wellesley.

'Tis said that certain death awaits

The raven's nightly cry ;

But at the sound of Cymon's voice
The very ravens die.

7. H. Merivale.

4

A Cure for Love.

(Crates, the Theban. Jac. b. ix. ep. 497.)

Fasting, or length of time, love's fires will chill ; If that won't do the work, a halter will.

5

(Lucillius. Jac. b. xi. ep. 430.)

W. Baxter.

If beards long and bushy true wisdom denote,
Then Plato must bow to a hairy he goat.

6

Lord Chief Justice Denman.

To an Idle Servant.

(Lucillius. Jac. b. xi. ep. 431.)

You feed so fast, and run so very slow :
Eat with your legs, and with your grinders go.

7

(Lucillius. Jac. b. xi. ep. 401.)

A Doctor, fond of letters, once agreed

Bland.

Beneath my care his son should learn to read. The lad soon knew 'Achilles' wrath' to sing, And said by heart, 'To Greece the direful spring.' "'Tis quite enough, my dear,' the parent said; 'For too much learning may confuse your head: That wrath which hurls to Pluto's gloomy reign, Go, tell your tutor, I can best explain.'

Bland.

8

(Palladas. Jac. b. xi. ep. 273.)
If the outward form's akin
To the nature that's within,
By your limping foot we learn
Your intellect's a lame concern.

9

(Lucillius. Jac. b. xi. ep. 310.)

Hair, wax, rouge, honey, teeth you buy,

A multifarious store.

A mask at once would all supply,

Nor would it cost you more.

H. W.

W. Cowper.

ΙΟ

(Demodocus. Jac. b. xi. ep. 237.)

A viper stung a Cappadocian's hide;

And poisoned by his blood, that instant died.(2)

II

(Palladas. Jac. b. xi. ep. 387.)

One dinner's thought enough; but when I've dined with Salaminus,

I dine again at home, or else I find that I am minus.

12

(Pollianus. Jac. b. xi. ep. 127.)

H. W.

Some Furies sure possessed the Nine, what time
They dubbed thee poet with thy trashy rhyme.
Scribble away; if madness be a curse,
What greater can I wish thee than thy verse?

H. W.