Who can omit the Gracchi? who declare The Scipios' worth, those thunderbolts of war, The double bane of Carthage? Who can see Without esteem for virtuous poverty, Severe Fabricius, or can cease t' admire The plowman consul in his coarse attire?
Tir'd as I am, my praise the Fabii claim;And thou, great hero, greatest of thy name, Ordain'd in war to save the sinking state, And, by delays, to put a stop to fate!
Let others better mold the running mass Of metals, and inform the breathing brass, And soften into flesh a marble face;Plead better at the bar; describe the skies, And when the stars descend, and when they rise.
But, Rome, 't is thine alone, with awful sway, To rule mankind, and make the world obey, Disposing peace and war by thy own majestic way;To tame the proud, the fetter'd slave to free:
These are imperial arts, and worthy thee."He paus'd; and, while with wond'ring eyes they view'd The passing spirits, thus his speech renew'd:
"See great Marcellus! how, untir'd in toils, He moves with manly grace, how rich with regal spoils!
He, when his country, threaten'd with alarms, Requires his courage and his conqu'ring arms, Shall more than once the Punic bands affright;Shall kill the Gaulish king in single fight;Then to the Capitol in triumph move, And the third spoils shall grace Feretrian Jove."Aeneas here beheld, of form divine, A godlike youth in glitt'ring armor shine, With great Marcellus keeping equal pace;But gloomy were his eyes, dejected was his face.