Series 1 > Grameid: an heroic poem descriptive of the campaign of Viscount Dundee in 1689, and other pieces

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SCOTI POEMATA.
245
Arrida jamque ipsis lactescant ubera vaccis ;
Lactea nectareis, et inundent flumina rivis
Jam neque noctumus circumfremat ursus1 ovile,
Nec lupus ad caulas lactantes terreat agnos,
Sed canibus mistae repetent jam pabula damae,
Ipsae etiam e cunis surgent violaeque rosaeque
Mollia luteolos fundentque cubilia flores.
Jamque malus coluber cadit, et perit anguis, et omnis
Herba nocens, pereunt medicataque pocula Circes,
Atque venenatae cecidit vis alta cicutae,
Inque vicem mediis erumpunt lilia sylvis,
Et longe incultis amaranthus surgit in arvis.
Attamen ingentis quae sint praeconia famae,
Et quae magnorum sint Martia facta parentum,
Virtutes, viresque altasque in pectore dotes
Jam sequere, et studiis coelestibus imbue mentem.
Alma Ceres gravidis passim flavescet aristis,
Paulatim et steriles linquent jejunia campos:
Nunc tibi maturis nutabit pampinus uvis.
Flumina et electro manabunt purius omni,
Et tibi mella fluent duri de vulnere saxi,
Et tibi jam soles lucebunt clarius auro.
Nulla dehinc suberunt tragici vestigia belli
Quae jubeant positas iterum t'ractare secures,
Atque armare natos,2 aut cingere milite muros.
Gramus et alter erit, Vallasque erit alter in armis,
Rursus et ad Banocum pugnabit Brussius amnem.
Victaque Cressiacas metuet jam Gallia pugnas,
Alter et Ausofiiis Aubignius 8 ibit in oris.
Hinc ubi maturis quamprimum adoleveris annis
Ignavus medio requiescat navita ponto,
1 A wolf would have seemed more appropriate here.
2 False quantity. Mixed subjunctives and futures only partially sorted on
this page.
3 The reference is, I think, to the Sire d’Aubigny who commanded for Louis
xu. the army which crossed the Alps for the invasion of Italy in 1501. By a
victory at Terranova, December 25th, 1502, he reduced all Calabria, and at the
head of his French and Scottish gendarmerie rode from one extremity to another
of the province without opposition.—Prescott, Ferd. and Isa., vol. ii. p. 247.
The prominence of the Scottish contingent will account for the notice here.