Ben the Immortal Memory and Friendship of the noble Johnson, “To Pair, Sir Lucius Cary and Sir H. Morison” As, could they but life's miseries foresee, No doubt all THE TURN infants would return like thee. Brave infant of Saguntum, clear Thy coming forth in that great year, When the prodigious Hannibal did THE STAND crown His rage with razing your For what is life, if measur'd by the immortal town. Thou looking then space, Not by the act? about, Or masked man, if valu'd by his face, Ere thou wert half got out, Above his fact? Wise child, didst hastily Here's one outliv'd his peers return, And told forth fourscore And mad'st thy mother's womb thine urn. years: How summ'd a circle didst thou leave He vexed time, and busied the whole mankind Of deepest lore, could we the state; Troubled both foes and friends; centre find! But ever to no ends: What did this stirrer but die late? THE COUNTER-TURN How well at twenty had he fall'n or Did wiser nature draw thee stood! For three of his four score he back, From out the horror of did no good. that sack; Where shame, faith, honour, and regard of right, Lay trampled on? The deeds of death and night Urg'd, hurried forth, and hurl'd Upon th' affrighted world; Sword, fire and famine with fell fury met, And all on utmost ruin set:
Ben Johnson, “To the Immortal Memory and Friendship of the noble Pair, Sir Lucius Cary and Sir H. Morison” THE TURN Brave infant of Saguntum, clear Thy coming forth in that great year, When the prodigious Hannibal did crown His rage with razing your immortal town. Thou looking then about, Ere thou wert half got out, Wise child, didst hastily return, And mad'st thy mother's womb thine urn. How summ'd a circle didst thou leave mankind Of deepest lore, could we the centre find! THE COUNTER-TURN Did wiser nature draw thee back, From out the horror of that sack; Where shame, faith, honour, and regard of right, Lay trampled on? The deeds of death and night Urg'd, hurried forth, and hurl'd Upon th' affrighted world; Sword, fire and famine with fell fury met, And all on utmost ruin set: As, could they but life's miseries foresee, No doubt all infants would return like thee. THE STAND For what is life, if measur'd by the space, Not by the act? Or masked man, if valu'd by his face, Above his fact? Here's one outliv'd his peers And told forth fourscore years: He vexed time, and busied the whole state; Troubled both foes and friends; But ever to no ends: What did this stirrer but die late? How well at twenty had he fall'n or stood! For three of his four score he did no good.
Poetry-Sestinas-Villanelles-Odes-and-Elegies.docx