Her Cæsar's heav'nly Part she made her Care,
Nor left the recent Soul to waste to Air;
But bore it upwards to its native Skies:
Glowing with new-born Fires she saw it rise;
Forth springing from her Bosom up it flew,
And kindling, as it soar'd, a Comet grew;
Above the Lunar Sphere it took its Flight,
And shot behind it a long Trail of Light.
The Reign of Augustus, in which
Ovid flourish'd.
Thus rais'd, his glorious Off-spring Julius view'd,
Beneficently Great, and scattering Good,
Deeds, that his own surpass'd, with Joy beheld,
And his large Heart dilates to be excell'd.
What tho' this Prince refuses to receive
The Preference, which his juster Subjects give;
Fame uncontroll'd, that no Restraint obeys,
The Homage, shunn'd by modest Virtue, pays,
And proves disloyal only in his Praise.
Tho' great his Sire, him greater we proclaim:
So Atreus yields to Agamemnon's Fame;
Achilles so superior Honours won,
And Peleus must submit to Peleus' Son;
Examples yet more Noble to disclose,
So Saturn was eclipsed, when Jove to Empire rose:
Jove rules the Heav'ns; the Earth Augustus sways;
Each claims a Monarch's and a Father's Praise.
Celestials, who for Rome your Cares employ;
Ye Gods, who guarded the Remains of Troy;
Ye native Gods, here born, and fix'd by Fate;
Quirinus, Founder of the Roman State;
O Parent Mars, from whom Quirinus sprung;
Chaste Vesta, Cæsar's houshold Gods among,
