JUVENA L.

THE

SATIRE VIII.

ARGUMENT.

In this Satire, the poet proves that nobility does not confift in ftatues and pedigrees, but in honourable and good actions: He lashes Rubellius Plancus, for being infolent, by reason of his high birth; and lays down an inftance that we ought to make the like judgment of men, as we do of horfes, who are valued rather according to their personal qualities, than by the race of whence they come. He advifes his noble friend Ponticus (to whom he dedicates the fatire) to lead a virtuous life, diffuading him from debauchery, luxury, oppreffion, cruelty, and other vices, by his fevere cenfures on Lateranus, Damafippus, Gracchus, Nero, Catiline; and in oppofition to thefe, difplays the worth of perfons meanly born, fuch as Cicero, Marius, Servius Tullius, and the Decii.

The translator of this fatire induftriously avoided impofing upon the reader, and perplexing the printer with tedious common-place notes; but finding towards the latter end many examples of noblemen who difgraced their ancestors by vicious practices, and of men meanly born, who ennobled their families by virtuous and brave actions, he thought fome hiftorical relations were neceffary towards rendering those inftances more intelligible; which is all he pretends

to

to by his remarks. He would gladly have left out the heavy paffage of the Mirmillo and Retiarius, which he honeftly confeffes he either does not rightly understand, or cannot fufficiently explain. If he has not confined himself to the ftrict rules of tranflation, but has frequently taken the liberty of imitating, paraphrafing, or reconciling the Roman cuftoms to our modern ufage; he hopes this freedom is pardonable, fince he has not used it but when he found the original flat, obfcure, or defective; and where the humour and connection of the author might naturally allow of fuch a change.

HAT's the advantage, or the real good,

WE

In tracing from the fource our antient blood? To have our ancestors in paint or stone, Preferv'd as relicks, or like monsters shewn ? The brave Æmilii, as in triumph plac'd, The virtuous Curii, half by time defac'd ; Corvinus, with a mouldering nofe, that bears Injurious fcars, the fad effects of years; And Galba grinning without nofe or ears? Vain are their hopes, who fancy to inherit By trees of pedigrees, or fame, or merit: Though plodding heralds through each branch may trace Old Captains and Dictators of their race, While their ill lives that family bely,

And grieve the brafs which stands dishonour'd by. 'Tis mere burlesque, that to our Generals praise

Their progeny immortal ftatues raife,

Yet

Yet (far from that old gallantry) delight

To game

before their images all night,

And steal to bed at the approach of day,

The hour when these their enfigns did display.
Why should foft Fabius impudently bear
Names gain'd by conquefts in the Gallic war?
Why lays he claim to Hercules's strain,
Yet dares be bafe, effeminate and vain ?
The glorious altar to that hero built
Adds but a greater luftre to his guilt,
Whofe tender limbs and polish'd skin disgrace
The grifly beauty of his manly race;
And who, by practising the difmal skill
Of poisoning, and fuch treacherous ways to kill,
Makes his unhappy kindred marble sweat,
When his degenerate head by theirs is fet.
Long galleries of ancestors, and all
The follies which ill-grace a country hall,
Challenge no wonder or esteem from me ;
"Virtue alone is true nobility."

Live therefore well: to men and gods appear,
Such as good Paulus, Coffus, Drufus, were;
And in thy confular triumphal fhow,
Let thefe before thy father's ftatues go;
Place them before the enfigns of the state,

As choofing rather to be good than great.
Convince the world that you 're devout and true,
Be just in all you fay, and all you do ;

Whatever be your birth, you 're fure to be
peer of the first magnitude to me:

A

Rome

Rome for your fake fhall push her conquefts on,
And bring new titles home from nations won,
To dignify fo eminent a fon.

With your bleft name shall every region found,
Loud as mad Egypt, when her priests have found
A new Ofiris for the ox they drown'd.

But who will call thofe noble, who deface, By meaner acts, the glories of their race; Whofe only title to our fathers' fame

A

negro

Is couch'd in the dead letters of their name?
A dwarf as well may for a giant pafs;
for a fwan; a crook-back'd lafs
Be call'd Europa; and a cur may bear
The name of tiger, lion, or whate'er
Denotes the nobleft or the fierceft beaft:
Be therefore careful, left the world in jeft
Should thee juft fo with the mock titles greet,
Of Camerinus, or of conquer'd Crete.

To whom is this advice and cenfure due ?
Rubellius Plancus, 'tis applied to you;
Who think your person second to divine,
Because defcended from the Drufian line;
Though yet you no illuftrious act have done,
To make the world distinguish Julia's fon
From the vile offspring of a trull, who fits
By the town wall, and for a living knits.
"You are poor rogues (you cry) the baser scum
"And inconfiderable dregs of Rome;

"Who know not from what corner of the earth

"The obfcure wretch, who got you, ftole his birth:

"Mine I derive from Cecrops"-May your Grace Live and enjoy the fplendor of your race!—

Yet of these bafe plebeians we have known
Some, who, by charming eloquence, have grown
Great fenators, and honours to that

gown:

Some at the bar with fubtilty defend
The cause of an unlearned noble friend;
Or on the bench the knotty laws untie :
Others their stronger youth to arms apply,
Go to Euphrates, or thofe forces join
Which garrifon the conquefts near the Rhine.
While you, Rubellius, on your birth rely;
Though you resemble your great family
No more, than those rough statues on the road
(Which we call Mercuries) are like that God:
Your blockhead though excels in this alone,
You are a living ftatue, that of stone.

Great Son of Troy, who ever prais'd a beast
For being of a race above the rest,

But rather meant his courage, and his force?
To give an instance---We commend a horfe
(Without regard of pasture or of breed)
For his undaunted mettle and his speed;
Who wins moft plates with greatest ease, and first
Prints with his hoofs his conquefts on the duk.
But if fleet Dragon's progeny at last
Prove jaded, and in frequent matches cast,
No favour for the ftallion we retain,
And no refpect for the degenerate ftrain;

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