Eternity of Rome Two Temples rais'd with sacred Incense shine The Difficulty I bow at Nature's and the Muses shrine Both aids I need for double Cares do throng And fill my Thought the Subject and the Song And whilst I 'm bound to Verse with Orbs immense The World rouls round me and distracts my sense Vast is my Theme yet unconceiv'd and brings Untoward words scarce loosned from the Things Who first below these wondrous secrets knew Who stole that knowledge which the World withdrew Whose soaring mind those Airy mazes trod And spight of Heaven desir'd to seem a God! Open the Skies and teach how Stars obey And run their race as Nature marks the way Their Power and Influence what directs their Course What whirls them round and what confines their force First Mercury disclos'd these mysteries I. The Rise and Progress of Astronomy By Him we view the Inside of the Skies And know the Stars and now Mankind admires The Power not onely Lustre of their Fires By Him all know how great how just and wise And good is the Contriver of the Skies At whose Command the Stars in order met Who times appointed when to rise and set That Heaven 's great secrets may lie hid no more And Man instructed gratefully Adore Nature disclos'd her self and from her Springs Pure streams deriv'd o'erslow'd the Minds of Kings Kings next to Heaven who o'er the East did sway Where swift Euphrates cuts his rapid way Where 2 Nile o'erflows and whence the Whirl restores The Day to Us and passing burns the Moors And next o'er Priests whose constant Cares employd In publick service did obleige the God His Presence did their holy minds inspire With sacred flames and rais'd their fancies higher Till by degrees to due perfection wrought He made himself the Object of their thought Such were those wondrous Men who first from far Lookt up and saw Fates hanging at each Star Their thoughts extended did at once comprise Ten thousand revolutions of the Skies They markt the Influence and observ'd the Power Of every Sign and every fatal Hour What Tempers they bestow'd what Fortunes gave And who was doom'd a King who born a Slave How Aspects vary and their change creates Though little great variety in Fates Thus when the Stars their mighty Round had run And all were fixt whence first their Race begun What Hints Experience did to search impart They join'd and Observation grew to Art Thus Rules were fram'd for by Example shown They knew what would be from what had been done They saw the Stars their constant Round maintain Perform their Course and then return again They on their Aspects saw the Fates attend Their change on their Variety depend And thence they fixt unalterable Laws Settling the same Effect on the same Cause Before that time Life was an artless State Of Reason void and thoughtless in debate Nature lay hid in deepest Night below None knew her wonders and none car'd to know Upward men look they saw the circling light Pleas'd with the Fires and wondred at the sight The Sun when Night came on withdrawn they griev'd As dead and joy'd next Morn when he reviv'd But why the Nights grow long or short the Day Is chang'd and the Shades vary with the Ray Shorter at his approach and longer grown At his remove the Causes were unknown For Wit lay unimprov'd the desart plains Were unmanur'd nor fed the idle Swains Ev'n Gold dwelt safe in Hills and none resign'd Their lives to Seas or wishes to the Wind Consin'd their search they knew themselves alone And thought that onely worthy to be known But when long time the Wretches thoughts resin'd When Want had set an edge upon their Mind When Men encreast and Want did boldly press And forc'd them to be witty for redress Then various Cares their working thoughts employ'd And that which each invented all enjoy'd Then Corn first grew then Fruit enricht the grounds And barbarous noise was first confin'd to sounds Through Seas unknown the Sailer then was hurl'd And gainfull Traffick joyn'd the distant World Then Arts of War were found and Arts of Peace For Vse is always fruitfull in encrease New hints from settled Arts Experience gains Instructs our Labour and rewards our Pains Thus into many Streams one Spring divides And through the Valleys rouls refreshing Tides But these were little things compar'd they knew The voice of Birds in Entrails Fates could view Burst Snakes with charms and in a Bullock's bloud See Rage appeas'd or fear an angry God They call'd up Ghosts mov'd deepest Hell the Sun Could stop and force a Night upon his Noon Then make him rise at Night for all submit To constant Industry and piercing Wit Nor stopt they here unwearied Industry Rose boldly up and mounted through the Sky Saw all that could be seen view'd Nature's Laws And young Effects still lying in their Cause What wings the Lightning why from watry Clouds The Thunder breaks and roars the wrath of Gods What raiseth Storms what makes the Winds to blow Why Summer's Hail's more stiff than Winter's Snow What fires Earth's Entrails what doth shake the Ball Why Tempests rattle and why Rain doth fall All this she view'd and did their modes explain And taught us to admire no more in vain Heaven was disarm'd mad Whirlwinds rul'd above And Clouds and Vapors thundred instead of Jove These things explain'd their hidden Cause known The Mind grew strong and ventur'd boldly on For rais'd so high from that convenient rise She took her flight and quickly reacht the Skies To every Constellation Shapes and Names Assign'd and markt them out their proper frames Then view'd their Course and saw the Orbs were mov'd As Heaven did guide and as the World approv'd That Chance was baffled whilst their Whirls create The interchang'd Variety of Fate This is my Theme ne'er yet in Numbers wrought Assist me Fortune and improve my thought Equal my Mind to my vast task prolong My life in ease smooth as my flowing Song That while my Muse is working o'er the Heap And forms this Chaos to a pleasing shape I may with equal care and equal heat Declare the Little and disclose the Great But now since Fate and Verse do joyntly flow From Heaven and both rule equally below First let my Muse whole Nature's Face design Its Figure draw and finish every Line Whether from Seed it ne'er 3 began to be II. Different Opinions about the beginning of the World Secure from Fate and from Corruption free Knew no Beginning and no Ending fears But was and will be as it now appears Or huddled 4 Chaos by a wondrous Birth Archt the vast Sky and fixt the solid Earth And when this shining World once rais'd its Head To Shades Infernal banisht Darkness fled Or whether unseen 5 Atoms blindly thrown Compos'd it and as Years whirle nimbly on It must dissolve and as it first was wrought From almost Nothing fall to almost Nought
and keep the Frame intire And did not Reason guide and Sense controul The vast stupendous Machine of the whole Earth would not keep its place the Skies would fall And universal Stiffness deaden All Stars would not wheel their Round nor Day nor Night Their Course perform be put and put to flight Rains would not feed the Fields and Earth deny Mists to the Clouds and Vapors to the Sky Seas would not fill the Springs nor Springs return Their grateful Tribute from their flowing Urn Nor would the All unless contriv'd by Art So justly be proportion'd in each part That neither Seas nor Skies nor Stars exceed Our Wants nor are too scanty for our Need Thus stands the Frame and the Almighty Soul Thro' all diffus'd so turns and guides the whole That nothing from its setled Station swerves And Motion alters not the Frame but still preserves This God or Reason 2. The Influence of the Heavens which the Orbs doth move Makes Things below depend on Signs above Tho' far remov'd tho' hid in Shades of Night And scarce to be descry'd by their own Light Yet Nations own and Men their Influence feel They rule the Publick and the Private Will The Proofs are plain Thus from a different Star We find a fruitful or a barren Year Now Grains encrease and now refuse to grow Now quickly ripen now their growth is slow The Moon commands the Seas she drives the Main To pass the Shores then drives it back again And this Sedition chiefly swells the Streams When opposite she views her Brother's Beams Or when she neer in close Conjunction rides She rears the Flood and swells the flowing Tides Or when attending on his yearly Race The Equinoctial sees her borrow'd Face Her Power sinks deep it searches all the Main Testaceous 4 Fish as she her Light regains Increase and still diminish in her Wain For as the Moon in deepest Darkness mourns Then Rays receives and points her borrow'd Horns Then turns her Face and with a Smile invites The full Effusions of her Brother's Lights They to her Changes due proportion keep And shew her various Phases in the Deep So Brutes whom Nature did in sport create Ignorant both of themselves and of their Fate A secret Instinct still erects their Eyes To Parent Heaven and seems to make them wise One at the New Moons â— rise to distant Shores Retires his Body sprinkles and adores Some see Storms gathering or Serenes foretel And scarce our Reason guides us half so well Then who can doubt that Man the glorious Pride Of All is nearer to the Skies ally'd Nature in Man capacious Souls hath wrought And given them Voice expressive of their Thought In Man the God descends and joys to find The narrow Image of his greater Mind But why should all the other Arts be shown Too various for Productions of our own Why should I sing how different Tempers fall And Inequality is seen in All How many strive with equal Care to gain The highest Prize and yet how few obtain Which proves not Matter sways but Wisdom rules And measures out the Bigness of our Souls Sure Fate stands fixt nor can its Laws decay 'T is Heaven's to rule and Matter 's Essence to obey Who could know Heaven unless that Heaven bestow'd The Knowledge or find God but part of God How could the Space immense be e're confin'd Within the compass of a narrow Mind How could the Skies the Dances of the Stars Their Motions adverse and eternal Wars Unless kind Nature in our Breasts had wrought Proportion'd Souls be subject to our Thought Were Heaven not interessed to advance our Mind To know Fate 's Laws and teach the way to find Did not the Skies their kindred Souls improve Direct and lead them thro' the Maze above Discover Nature shew its secret Springs And tell the Sacred Intercourse of things How impious were our Search how bold our Course Thus to assault and take the Skies by force But to insist on tedious Proofs in vain The Art defends it self the Art is plain For Art well grounded forces to believe It cannot be deceived nor can deceive Events foretold fulfil the Prophesie What Fortune seconds how can Man deny The Proofs are Sacred and to doubt would be Not Reason's Action but Impiety Whilst on these Themes my Songs sublimely soar And take their Flight where Wing ne're beat before Where none will meet none guide my first Essay Partake my Labors or direct my way I rise above the Crowd I leave the Rude Nor are my Poems for the Multitude Heaven shall rejoyce nor shall my Praise refuse But see the Subject equall'd by the Muse At least those favour'd few whose Minds it shows The Sacred Maze but ah how few are Those Gold Power soft Luxury vain Sports and Ease Possess the World and have the luck to please Few study Heaven unmindful of their state Vain stupid Man but this it self is Fate My Subject this and I must this pursue This wondrous Theme 3. tho read and prais'd by few And first the Signs in various Ranks dispose As Nature prompts or their Position shows Six Male from Aries 4. Male and Female Signs from the Bull comprise See how he rises backward in the Skies Six Female Signs but intermixt they fall In order turn'd 6 one Female and one Male Some Signs bear 7 Humane Shapes 5. Humane and Brute Signs some Signs exprest In single Figures bear the Form of Beast These Shapes direct us and from those we know How each inclines what Tempers Signs bestow Their Figures will not let their Force escape Their Tempers are agreeing to their Shape These Signs are Single 6. Single and Double Signs now observe the 8 Pairs Double Shapes confess a double Force in Stars And each Companion still in each creates A Change and vast Variety in Fates Ambiguous Force from both exprest combines No Single Influence flows from Double Signs What Powers or good or bad one Part displays They may be alter'd by the others Rays 7. Pairs Two of this kind in all the round of Sky Appear the Pisces and the naked Gemini These different Powers tho both Pair Signs possess Because their Parts Position disagrees For tender Gemini in strict embrace Stand clos'd and smiling in each others Face Whilst Pisces glide in two divided Streams Nor friendly seem nor mix agreeing Beams Thus tho in Both two parts compose the Frame In Form alike their Nature 's not the same These Pairs alone an equal Frame can boast 8. Double Signs of different Species No stranger parts are mixt no parts are lost From their due Form whilst other Pairs are join'd Of Natures disagreeing in their kind Such is the Goat he twists a Scaly Train The Centaur such half Horse and half a Man Observe this well in these Mysterious Arts VVhether the Signs are fram'd of different parts Or only Pairs it much imports to know For hence comes great
Eyes The best of Vices yet 't is still a Vice Because it stifles checks or nips like Frost A blooming Vertue and the Fruit is lost Besides though strange such Influence should come From Virgo's Rays she gives a fruitful Womb. Libra XVI Of Libra whose Scales when Autumn turns the Signs And ruddy Bacchus treads the juicy Vines In equal Balance poize the Night and Day Teach how to measure and instruct to weigh And Rival 21 Palamed who Numbers found And into Letters fram'd unpolisht sound To Him the Art of Words and Speech we owe Till then Men only Spoak but knew not how Besides He 'll know the Niceties of Law What guard the Good and what the Guilty awe What Vengeance wait on Crimes with Skill declare His private Chamber still shall be the Bar. What He determines that for Right shall stand As Justice weigh'd her Balance in his Hand This Rul'd at 22 Servius's Birth who first did give Our Laws a Being rather than Revive The Tables seem'd Old Reverend Senseless Lines Meer waxen Things and fit to serve Designs As Fools mistook or Crafty Knaves would draw Till He infus'd a Soul and made them Law Bright Scorpio Arm'd XVII Of Scorpio with poys'nous Tail prepares Mens Martial Minds for Violence and Wars His Venom heats and boyls their Bloods to Rage And Rapine spreads o're the unlucky Age. Yet when the Sun drives there Men tear the Earth And cast their Seed to an increasing Birth As if he led mistaken Men to toil And sweat for Matter for a future spoil Yet 't is not Prey they seek as much as Blood For e'en in Peace they fiercely trace the Wood O're Forests range and every Plain infest Now Fight with Man and now Engage with Beast To please the Crowd they unprovok'd engage And sell their Lives to the dishonest Stage And when calm Peace doth Publick Rest bestow Yet still to Fight each seeks himself a Foe They spend their leisure Hours in fierce Alarms And all their Recreation is in Arms. The double Centaur different Tempers breeds XVIII Of Sagittarius They break the Horse and tame the fiery Steeds They love the sounding Whip the Race the Rein And whirl the Chariot o're the dusty Plain Nor is their Humor to the Fields confin'd They range the Woods and tame the Savage Kind Young Bears they break and Tygers heats asswage And hear Young Lions roaring without Rage Discourse the 23 Elephant and Teach the Mass A mimick Action and a decent Grace To Act in Plays or raise th' unweildly load To Dance and be the Darling of the Crowd For in the Frame in double forms exprest The Man is uppermost and rules the Beast His Bow full drawn implies his Rays impart Strength to the Limbs and Vigor to the Heart Quick active Motions full of warmth and heat Still pressing on unknowing to retreat But Sacred Vesta guards thy fatal Fire XIX Of Capricorn And thence 't is guess'd what Minds thy Rays inspire Contracted Goat by thee that Art 's infus'd Which Fire assists and where a Flame is us'd By thee the Miners burn the Womb of Earth And see the place of Metals fatal Birth By thee they melt by thee they work the Mould Refine and Stamp it into mighty Gold By thee the Silver Iron Gold and Brass The Forge dissolves and forms the easie Mass By thee the Ovens heat and Baths acquire And Happy 24 Chymists blow enriching Fire Thy Cold for thou o're Winter Signs dost reign Pull'st back the Sun and send'st us Day again Makes Brokers Rich for whilst you spread your Ice Their Wares go off and they enhance the Price From thee our Youth unconstant Tempers prove And eagerly pursue unlawful Love ' Cause Goat above but these the Fish behind Corrects in Age and fixes the soft Mind Aquarius pouring out his Urn XX. Of Aquarius imparts An useful Knowledge in resembling Arts To find out Springs and with new Streams supply The Barren Countries and refresh the dry To raise in Pipes or to extend in Beams And in high Rooms imprison Foreign Streams Affront the Sea for State not use restrain The Waves with Moles and curb the raging Main Or Engins raise whence Waters mount above And mix the lower with the higher Jove A thousand other Arts which Waters sway As Channels lead or else as Pipes convey Depend upon the influence of his Ray. And to his Births the World oblig'd shall owe Spheres Cycles Orbs and turn new Skies below Soft easie Tempers loving Coin for use Not sorbid but inclin'd to be profuse Not pincht nor yet too swelling in Estate Thus flows the Vrn and fixes this for Fate Last double Pisces XXI Of Pisces from their shining scale Spread watry influence and incline to Sail To trust their Lives to Seas to plow the Deep To make fit Rigging or to build a Ship In short what e're can for a Fleet be fram'd A thousand Arts too numerous to be nam'd Beside to steer observe the Stars and guide As they direct and never lose the Tide To know the Coasts the Winds the Ports and Shores To turn the Helm or ply the bending Oars To sweep smooth Seas with Nets to drag the Sand And draw the leaping Captives to the Land Lay cheating Wires or with unfaithful bait The Hook conceal and get by the deceit To fight at Sea to stain the Waves with blood Whilst War lies floating on th' unstable flood Fruitful their Births of Pleasure fond engage In Love are quick but changing with their Age. Thus rule the Twelve XXII The Tenths and the Lords of the third part of each sign these Powers they singly own And these would give if they could work alone But none rules All its own degrees they joyn Their friendly forces with some other Sign As 't were compound and equal parts receive From Other Signs as they to Others give Thus each hath Thirty parts and each resigns Two Thirds of those degrees to other Signs We call these portions Art new words will frame The Tenths 25 the Number doth impose the Name So hid is Truth so many Vails are spread Coy Nature's Face and hide her Gloomy Head So many are the little Niceties So intricate and puzling are the Skies Not easie to be read by common Eyes For one appearance in another lies Conceals its Powers and Acts in disguise And that which Lurks and subtly interferes Hath different Powers from that which then appears Not Day but piercing Thought must clear this Sky The Labour of thy Mind not of thy Eye Press bravely on and pass the Gloomy Cloud Enter and view the inside of the God The Path is dark and lest thy Mind should stray I 'll boldly lead and shew the nearest way I 'll Sing what League the different Parts combines And shew how others Rule in other Signs For instance Of Aries Aries shakes his shining Fleece And governs the First Ten of his Degrees But
next the Bull and next the Twins do claim The second and third Portions of the Ram Thus three times Ten Degrees the Ram divide And He as many others as preside In his Degrees so many Fates affords His proper Powers being temper'd by his Lords Thus lies the Ram Of Taurus next view the threatning Bull His case is different he hath none to Rule For in his First Ten Parts the Crab's obey'd I' th' Second Leo and i' th' Third the Maid Yet he seems stubborn and maintains his Throne And all Their Powers he mixeth with his Own The feeble Twins just Libra's Scales possess Of Gemini Then Scorpio and the rest of their Degrees Bold Sagittarius subjects to his flame With Bow full drawn as to defend his claim An equal share in Empire all maintain But keep not the same order in their Reign For Cancer's Sign Of Cancer as in the Goat he sways Resigns his first third Portion to His Rays For when he bears the Sun oppos'd in site His Day is equal to the Others Night This is the Reason why these Two combine And each hath the same Portion in each Sign His second part the Vrn with watry Beams O're-flows and Pisces rule in the Extreams The Lion minds his Partner in the Trine Of Leo. And makes the Ram first Ruler in his Sign And then the Bull with whom he makes a Square I' th' Second Reigns His Sextile Twins declare Their Third pretence and Rule the other share The Crab is chiefly Honour'd by the Maid In Cancer The first place his and there his Sway 's obey'd The next is Leo's and the last her own She Rules unenvy'd in her petty Throne The Ram's Example Libra takes In Libra and bears A likeness in this Rule as in the Years For as He in the Spring Her Scales do weigh In Autumn equal Night with equal Day The first She Rules her self next Scorpio's plac't And Sagittarius Lords it o're the last In Scorpio's first Degrees the Goat presides In Scorpio Next Young Aquarius pours his flowing Tides Next Pisces Rules for they in Waves delight The Flood pursue and claim an easie Right The grateful Goat doth Cancer's Gift repay In Capricorn His First Third part resigning to his Ray I' th' next the Lion shakes his flaming Manc The last feels modest Virgo's gentle Rein. The Young Aquarius Libra's Scales command In Aquarius Restrain his Youth and check his turning Hand The next Ten parts bright Scorpio's Rays enjoy Then Sagittarius Rules the giddy Boy Pisces comes last In Pisces and sheds a watry flame Its First Degrees resigning to the Ram The Bull 's the next his own the last are found Content with the last Portion of the Round This thing consider'd well thy Mind prepares To know the secret guidance of the Stars The usefulness of this Doctrin of the Lords They interchange their Powers they mix their Laws And all agree to make one Common Cause For these Divisions do unite the Sky The more they part the closer is the Tye. But now lest Error should thy Mind surprise Believe not the Appearance of the Skies They make a shew they spread a Glaring Light To lead thee on but never guide thee right Let Active Thought assisting Sense pursue Goy Truth 's retreat and take an open view What ever Things are born their Minds receive The fatal Temper which that sign can give That governs in the Tenths the Foreign Ray Tempers the Mass and forms the easie Clay A Thousand Reasons for this Truth appear From different Births belonging to One Star Of all those Creatures that at once do see The Light scarce Two can perfectly agree But different Tempers all the shapes adorn As various as the Bodies that are born For though one Chiefly Rules yet others joyn And change the proper influence of that Sign These Interchanges all our Thoughts distract We think on other Signs whilst others Act. Thus neither singly will the Ram bestow A Love to Cloathing nor the Bull to Plough To Hunt the Lion nor the Crab to Trade Learning the Twins nor Eloquence the Maid The Scales to weigh to measure and to gage Nor Poys'nous Scorpio arm unhappy Rage The Fish to Sail nor the Youth's Urn inspire To work in Water nor the Goat in Fire But many joyn and these mixt Signs bestow Mixt Inclinations on the Births below A subtle and surprizing Task is shown XXIII Encouragements to this Study Much have I past yet still you lead me on These things seem dark whilst I the rest explore Enjoy my Precepts and complain no more 'T is God you search for by my Aid you trie To climb and view the inside of the Sky Confin'd by Fate you search its boundless sway And seek to know the Laws you must Obey The narrow Bounds of your own Breast you pass Enjoy the World and rove in the vast space Painful but always noble things are hard Great is the Task but equal the Reward Nor let the various Maze thy Thoughts repress Enter and you are certain to possess Is Gold thy Aim What mighty Pains attend Mountains are level'd and the Mines descend Through Earth's deep Center though she hides her Store We tear her up and reach the hidden Oar For shining Gems we cut the burning Zone Such Dangers are the value of a Stone The fearful Farmer makes his Yearly Vow And Pain still presseth the deceiving Plow In War no Danger 's shun'd we fight for Spoyl E'en lazy Luxury leads us on to Toyl For Foodâ— and Cloaths from East to West we run And Spendchrists often sweat to be undone Are perishing Goods worth so much Pains and Cost Hard to be got and in injoyment lost Then what must Heaven Deserve 26 That Gold that buys The rest how disproportionate a Price It asks a higher value and to gain The God lay out thy self The Price is Man Thus Fate 's dispos'd XXIV The Good and Bad Degrees of each Sign but yet the Work 's not done For though the Powers of all the Signs are known And how they joyn how each rules every part The Skill is small and incompleat the Art Observe the numerous parts of the Degrees What Heat doth scorch or what the Cold doth freeze Unfruitful both where too much Moisture flows Or Drought doth drain and various Fates dispose For different Qualities in Signs controul There 's nought all-over-equal in the whole For view the Earth the gliding Streams or Flood Faults are on all sides Bad is mixt with Good Thus Barren Seasons midst the Best appear And a small Turn blasts all the Blooming Year A Port turns Shelf and the inglorious Sand Forfeits that Praise which once its Safety gain'd Now Streams through Plains in smooth Meanders play Then Roar o're Rocks and force a rugged way Such Inequality above appears And thus the Sky is vary'd in the Stars As Sign from Sign so from it self
eats his Funeral and he spends his Grave When Virgo rises Virgo who whilst Right prevail'd Rul'd here below retreating when it fail'd To awful Honors all the Births must rise Profoundly skill'd in Sacred Mysteries Good Pious Just Devout unus'd to Rage And great Examples to the looser Age But when Autumnal Scales do first appear Happy the Birth Libra he shall be known from far The Glory of the Bench and of the Bar He justest Laws shall make and Life and Death Depend upon the Issues of his Breath Him Towns shall fear the Earth observe his Nod And after Earth the Heaven enjoy a God Thus Act these Signs Scorpio but Scorpio's Tayl displays A double Influence from his Forked Rays For when that first appears tho Peaceful Child Shall Cities Raise and be inclin'd to build The World shall see him with his 28 Plow surround The place design'd and mark the fatal Bound Or he shall wast what others Pains did raise Where Populous Cities stood there Beasts shall graze Or Harvests grow He leads to these Extreams And Power agreeing waits upon his Beams Bold Sagittarius Sagittarius when he first appears Heats the gay Birth and makes him fam'd for Wars In Triumphs great the Wonder of the Crowd By Captives carry'd he almost a God Shall climb the Capitol bright Fame pursue Old Cities raze or grace the Earth with New But ill succeess his Forehead 's wreath'd with Frowns Shall wast his Fame and blast his gather'd Crowns Thus Conquering Hannibal by this Sign betray'd Before his slight perceiv'd his Wreaths to fâ—de He paid for Trebia's and for Cannae's fame And recompenc'd our Losses by his shame But when the narrow Goat erects his Tail He drives to Sea Capricornus and much inclines to Sail Ignoble Trade then Ploughs the dangerous Main And precious Life is meanly stak'd for Gain The Good the Pious and the Just are born When first Aquarius pours out his Vrn. Aquarius But could I rule Pisces could I the Fates design The rising Fishes ne're should govern mine They give a Hateful Pratling Railing Tongue Still full of Venom always in the wrong That blows up Jealousies and heightens Fears By mutterring Poys'nous Whispers in Mens Ears Faithless the Births and full of wild desire Their Faith is Treachery and their Love is Fire For when the Skies grew weak when Giants strove And snaky Typhon shook the Throne of Jove Fair Venus fled and in a Fish's shape This Syria knows secur'd her mean escape Then did she through the Scaly Kind inspire New Heats and with the Ocean mixt her Fire No single Births for when this Sign begins Twins shall be Born or those that shall have Twins Now learn what Signs o're different Lands controle But first take this short figure of the whole East The winds call'd Cardinal West and North and South on either side These Quarters lie oppos'd the World divide As many Winds from these four Quarters flie And fight and rattle thro' the empty Sky Rough Boreas from the North bears Frost and Snows And from the East the gentle Eurus blows Wet Auster from the torrid South is thrown And pleasing Zephyrus cools the setting Sun 'Twixt these two other Winds their Seats do claim The Collateral winds Alike in Nature different but in Name Around the Earth the liquid Ocean plays The Ball enclosing with a soft Embrace But yet on many parts Earth's bending sides Or open Bays receive the flowing Tides The Sea admitted from the Western Shores The Mediterranean Sea and and the several parts of it Doth on the Right Hand wash the swarthy Moors And Lybia's Sands where once great Carthage stood Then o're the Syrtes whirls the rapid Flood And thence to Egypt it directly flows Where what dry Heaven denies the Nile bestows The Left Hand Sea by Spain and France extends And follows Conquering Italy as it bends Till into Streights the barking Sylla draws And whirls it round Charybdis greedy Jaws Loos'd from these Streights the Flouds spread wide again And freely flow in the Ionian Main Then on the left they turn and winding flow Fair Italy surround and drink the Po. Then make rough Adria's Gulph the other side Illyrium washes with a gentle Tide Sees Epire's Cliffs and Corinth's lofty Towers Then winds round plain Morea's open Shores Thence Northward into vast recesses tost The Sea confines the Learn'd Achaia's Coast Thence North and Eastward the unwilling Flood Consin'd by Streights and stain'd with Helle's Blood To fam'd Byzantium cuts its winding way And joyns Propontis to the Euxine Sea Behind whose back the Lake Meotis lies Receives full Tanais and the Sea supplies Hence when the Circling Waves return again The weary Sailer to the Open Main He cuts th' Icarian and th' Aegaean Tide By Asia's Coasts and wonders at their Pride And whilst the left hand Course he still pursues As many Trophies as he places views A thousand Nations 29 Taurus mount that threats The Floods the Bay that from the Sea retreats Parcht Syria's Plains and the Cilician Seats Till he at last to Egypt turns his Oars And sees the Waves dye on the swarthy Shores Thus ruling Nature draws her bounding Lines Checks midland Seas and all their Rage confines Yet midst this Sea a thousand Islands rise The Islands of the Mediter-anean Shap'd like a Foot the low Sardinia lies Near Lybia's shores Trinaâ—rid fill'd with Fires But just cut off from Italy retires And adverse Greece Euboean Cliffs admires Jove's Birth-place Crete appears a goodly Isle And Cyprus beaten by the adverse Nile A thousand lesser Isles Command these Seas Rhodes Delos and the equal Cyclades Fam'd Aulis Tenedos and by Sardinia's side Lies Corsica and breaks the coming Tide Near the Streight's Mouth the Baleares Reign And strong Ebusus Triumphs o're the Main Ten thousand smaller Rocks the Waves disperse Too little to be nam'd too mean for Verse Nor doth the Ocean but one single way Attempt the Earth The Caspian Sea and force an open Bay It tries on every side but Mountains bound Insulting Billows and preserve the Ground For 'twixt the Summer East and Northern Pole Through narrow Channels secret Waters roul Till spread at last upon the open Plain They make the Caspian like the Euxine Main Southward encroaching Waters doubly press The Persian Gulph O'reflow the Earth and in a vast recess One part more East runs on and breaks a way Through Persia's Banks and makes the Persian Bay More West the other soft Arabia beats Where Incense grows The Arabian Gulph and pleasing Odor sweats Which sends us Gums soft Luxury to please And reconcile the angry Deities Strange that the same when differently apply'd Should calm the Rage of Heaven and serve our Pride This Bay is call'd th' Arabian Gulph the Name The Country gives it and 't is great in Fame Thus lie the Seas Africa Earth midst this mighty Flood Contains first Africk
Suckt the Bleeding Prey Ventur'd to shoot The pious Arrow fled As sent by Fate and pierc'd the Dragon's Head To be a Father then was Art and Love By Stars unaided had but vainly strove They drew the Bow restor'd the flying Breath To the lost Boy and wak'd the Youth from Death But when the heedless Goat 24 Exalts his Beard XVII The Goat Alone as stragling from the other Herd Then Tempers quick and piercing Minds are wrought With Cares unweary'd and of active Thought They scorn that Rest which private Minds enjoy But fawn upon the Crowd and Court Employ That 's their delight and they 're enlarg'd by Fate To serve the Many and be Slaves of State Whilst they survive smooth Knaves shall fear to Cheat In hopes of scapeing or of grownig Great They shall espouse their injur'd Country's Cause And be severe yet not exceed the Laws Imprison Cheats or else with rigorous Fines Break their Estates and curb their lewd Designs Happy this Temper would they still pursue These useful Pleasures and affect the True But they 'll from Business and from Court retire Loose are their Words and looser their Desire Lewd Love and Wine indulge and wast their Age In Mimick Dancing or affect the Stage Next shines the Harp XVIII The Harp and through the Liquid Skies The Shell as lightest first begins to rise This when sweet Orpheus struck to listning Rocks He Senses gave and Ears to wither'd Oaks Parch'd Pluto's 25 Cheeks grew moist and Death resign'd Her Spoil and unrelenting Fates grew kind These skill in Musick and in Songs impart How Sound is vary'd into Notes by Art Their Births shall know Their Mouths shall Pipes inspire With voice Their Hands shall strike the speaking Lyre At merry Feasts they shall the Guests delight Smooth Wine with Songs and stay the flying Night Nay e'en when Troubles and when Cares oppress Their Mournful Lays shall give their Sorrows Ease Low Murmurs shall employ their warbling Tongue And their own Ears shall always hear a Song Below fierce Scorpio XIX What Constellations rise with Scorpio when his Eighth Degree Appears the Altar riseth from the Sea No Lightning arm'd Jove's Hand no Thunder roard Till here as Priest he stood The Altar and first ador'd Then Powers unknown assisted Clouds did swell With Fire and the Devoted Giants fell And who should then be born but those that wait On Sacred Temples and converse with Fate That Hymn in Holy Quires know what 's to come Are almost Gods and can dispose of Doom With Twelve Degrees the Centaur's Form appears XX. The Centaur And gives a Temper from the shape he bears For he that then is born and feels his force Shall harness Mules or he shall drive the Horse Or he shall proudly mount the ratling Car Or Arm the Steed and lead him forth to War Or he shall study what Disease infests And Ease apply to uncomplaining Beasts Or he shall keep them sound his Art be shown In sure Prevention nor expect a Groan Next Sagittarius mounts with threatning Bow XXI What Constellations rise with Sagittarius Whose Fifth Degree doth bright Arcturus show And he that then is born shall ne're be Poor To him rich Fortune shall entrust her Store King's Treasures he shall keep and Reign alone Whilst those sit only higher in the Throne Arcturus Or if a Private House confine his Care Blest he shall live and see the thriving Heir In Wealth increast Or he shall still defend The People's Right and be a Common Friend But when this Centaur hath advanc'd his Fire Thrice Ten Degrees XXII The Swan and shews his Horse entire The Swan displays his Wings And then by Fate The Birds for an Enployment and Estate Are given to every Birth Nor can the Skies Make better claim to every Fowl that flies And hence to seize their own they oft declare Against the Sky it self an open War They take them flying or they set their Toyls On Boughs or Fields and catch the Feather'd Spoils Sometimes besiege their Nestswith treach'rous Reed Or draw the Net and take them whilst they feed Thus Luxury toyls bold Luxury ventures far To Foreign Lands and Travels more than War Numidia's Plains and Cholcos Woods afford Delicious Tribute to the Glutton's Board Or Nature's stubborn Laws their Art shall break Enlarge Converse and teach the Birds to speak The 26 Swan still shrouds a God 't is more than Fowl The Feather'd part confines a noble Soul And when cold Death comes on the God dilates His Powers and softly murmurs o're his Fates Or they on Doves shall all their Cares employ To make them Thrive or teach them to decoy Or carry Messages the Birds convey Their Masters Orders nor mistake their way They know this Star and they this Influence own Who carry sportive Birds about the Town Who with one Sparrow wretched Life maintain These are his Powers and thus inclines the Swan When Ophieuchus mounts XXIII With Capricorn riseth Ophieuchus and joyns the Goat Those that are born shall live an Antidote To strongest Poyson they may safely take The frightful Serpent and the Venom'd Snake Into their Bosom Whilst the Monster 's Cling About their Bodies kils their fiercest Sting When the South Fish doth leave the Floods XXIV The South Fish and rise To Airy Seats and swims in Liquid Skies Those that are born in every Shore shall lay Their Lines and Hooks and catch the hanging Prey No Fish in their own Shells shall safely live By Nature fortify'd whilst these can dive All shall be dar'd and they immerst shall rove Thro' Depths despair'd and lost to those above Till with their dancing Prey they mount again So small is the reward of all this Pain Or Fish for Pearls for Avarice cheats the Mind By valuing Things not for their Worth but Kind Vile Shells which Nature midst the Floods hath laid Asham'd of the mean work that she hath made When drawn up hither equal Provinces Nor can the Land now bear the Riches of the Seas Such are the Tempers and Success that waits On these Stars Influence and compleats their Fates Or free from danger they incline to gain By Merchandise what others get by Pain Before I sung the Harp's Commanding Powers XXV The Strings of the Harp And taught the Influence of its fatal Hours Back to the same my Muse doth now retire Pleas'd with the sounding Vertues of the Lyre For when its gay Harmonious Strings appear Let Sin grow Pale and Villains learn to fear For subtle Judges whose Demands shall draw Pale sculking Guilt within the reach of Law Shall then be born or else the Births shall dare To screw the Rack and make the Wretch his Sin declare Steel'd against Pity and averse to Spare All Pains inflict be Cruel without Hate And make stern Justice wield the Sword of Fate Or if soft Methods can prevail the Cause They gravely shall determine by the Laws