The plague of Ahtens [sic], which hapened [sic] in the second year of the Peloponnesian war / First described in Greek by Thucydides; then in Latine by Lucretius. Since attempted in English. By the Right Reverend Father in God, Thomas Lord Bishop of Rochester.

  • Sprat, Thomas, 1635-1713.
Date:
1709
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The plague of Ahtens [sic], which hapened [sic] in the second year of the Peloponnesian war / First described in Greek by Thucydides; then in Latine by Lucretius. Since attempted in English. By the Right Reverend Father in God, Thomas Lord Bishop of Rochester. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    22/24 (page 22)
    ( ) Go, and rqot out all Mankind there, f hat when the Europi an Armies (hall appear. Their Sin may be the lefs. They may find all a Wildernefs, And without blood the gold and fijver there poiTefs. XX VL Nor is this all which we thee grant $ Esther than thou ihouldil full employment want9 We do permit in Greece thy Kingdom plant» Raniack Lycurgus Streets throughout. They’ve no defence of Walls to 4eep thee out. On wanton and proud Corinth leize. Nor let her double waves thy flames appeals Let Cyprus feel more fires than thole of Lovej , Let Delos which at firft did give the Sun, See unknown flames in her begun, Now let her wiih fhe might unconftant move. And from her place might truly prove: · Let Lemnos all thy anger feel. And think that a new Vulcan fell, And brought with him new Anvils, and new Hell. Nay, at Athens too we give thee up, All that thou find'# in Field, or Camp, or Shop, Make havock there without controul Of every ignorant and common Soul. But then, kind Plague, thy Conquefts flop 5 Let Arts, and let the Learned there efcapeA Upon Minerva s feif commit no Rape$ Touch not the facred throng, And let Apoilo\ Priefls be (like him j young» Let him be healthful too, and ftrong. But ah ! too ravenous Plague, whilil I Strive to keep off the mifery. The Learned too as fail as others round me die | They from Corruption are not free, Are mortal though they give an immortality. XXViL They turn’d their Authors o’er to try What help, what Cure, what remedy All Nature’s fiore|againfl thisPbgue f-upply. And though befid^ they fliun’d it every where. They fearch’d it in their Books, and fain would meet ittheife»· They turn’d the Records of the ancieac rimes j And chiefly thofe that were made famous by their Crimes 5 To find if Men were puniih’d fo before. But found not the difeafe nor cafCo