The Consolation of Philosophy

Revengeful Atreus' son did ten whole years employ

In wars, till he his brother's loss repaid with ransacked Troy.

He setting forth the fleet of Greece upon the seas,

And knowing well that only blood the angry winds would please,

Forgot a father's part, and with his cruel knife

Unto the gods did sacrifice his dearest daughter's life.

Ulysses wailed the loss of his most faithful men,

Whom Polyphemus did devour enclosed in his den

But when his hands by sleight had made the Cyclops blind,

Most pleasant joy instead of former tears possessed his mind.

Hercules famous is for his laborious toil,

Who tamed the Centaurs and did take the dreadful lion's spoil.

He the Stymphalian birds with piercing arrows strook,

And from the watchful dragon's care the golden apples took.¹

He in a threefold chain the hellish porter led,

And with their cruel master's flesh the savage horses fed.

He did th' increasing heads of poisonous Hydra burn,

And breaking Achelous' horns, did make him back return.²*

He on the Libyan sands did proud Antaeus kill,

And with the mighty Cacus' blood Euander's wrath fulfil.

That world-uplifting back the boar's white foam did fleck.

To hold on high the sphere of heaven with never bending neck

Of all his many toils the last was, and most hard,

And for this last and greatest toil the heaven was his reward.

You gallant men pursue this way of high renown,

Why yield you? Overcome the earth, and you the stars shall crown,"