isos.] 



( 469 5 



ORIGINAL POETRY. 



TRANSLATION OF A CELEBRATED 

 FRAGMENT BY SIMONIDES. 



£The following Satire was the lubjetl of a 

 very interefting paper in the Speftator, 

 aad is there introduced by judicious and 

 elegant obfervations. 



*' Simonides, a poet famous in his generation, 

 is, I think, author of the oldeft fatire that 

 IS now extant J and, as fome fay, of the 

 firft that was ever written. This jwet 

 fiourifhed about four hundred years after 

 the fieye of Troy j and Ihews, by his way 

 Of writing, the fimplicity, or rather coarfe- 

 nefs, of the age in which he lived. I 

 have taken notice, in a former fpecula- 

 *ion, that the rule of obferving what the 

 French call the Bieiifeanct in an allufion, 

 has been found out of latter years ; and 



' that the ancients, provided there was a 

 likenefs in their fimilitudc, did not much 

 trouble themfelves about the decency of 

 the comparifon. The fatire or iambics of 

 Simonides, with which I ihall entertain 

 my readers in the prefent paper, are a 

 remarkable inftance of what I formerly 

 advanced. The fubjed of this fatire is 

 woman. He defcribes the fc'i in their fe- 

 veral charaflers, which he derives to them 

 from a fanciful fuppofition raifed upon the 

 doiftrine of prae-exiftence. He tells us, 

 "that the gods formed the fouls of women 

 out of thofe feeds and principles which 

 compofe feveral iiinds of inimals and ele- 

 menis ; and that their g^iod or bad difpo- 

 fitions arife in them according as fuch and 

 luch feeds and principles predominate in 

 their conftitutions." 



Thefe excellent remarks preclude the necef- 

 fity of any further introduftion. If I lieed 

 any apology for prefentlng a tranflation of 

 what is fo avowedly contrary to bkiifiance, I 

 hope it will be adn)itted that where Mr. 

 Addifon has difcovcred fo much force and 

 fuch felicity of expreiTion as to deferve a 

 literal vcrlion, there muft 'be enough of 

 poetical merit to juftify an attempt to pre- 

 ferve the fpirit, as well as the fenfe, of 



. the original.] 



A PART from man, te no one rule confin'd, 

 Has changeful nature form'd the female 

 mind. 

 nh moulded fr«m the fwtnc^s polluted breed, 

 Slut in her houfe, and glutton in her feed. 

 Unclean in perfoii, negligent in drefs, 

 V/allov.s in felf-created naftinefs. 



That from the cfll-nce of the_/iv was made : 

 Dilcerning woman ! to wliofe mine, difplay'd, 

 AiloNTiiLT Ma<., No. 150. 



The various forms of vice and virtue lie 

 Well mark'd by her all-penetrating eye ; 

 Who yet," as intereft rules, or pallion buTilSj 

 Is wife and good, and weak and bad, bT 

 turns. 



One from a prying bitch her race betrays. 

 Eager to know and learn the hidden ways. 

 Who throws about her keen enquiring eyeSj, 

 And barks for ever, though llie nothing fpies. 

 Threaten — you'll not the more her tongue 



reftrain ; 

 Knock out her teeth with ftones— you toil ia 



vain : 

 The milder arts of foft perfuafion try, 

 —Yet, let her walk, or ride, or ftand, or lie. 

 Rings in your ears, by no remorfe kept bacJc, 

 And ftill will ring th'ungover.nable clack. • 



This for her hufband's everlafting bane. 

 Born of the earth, the angry gods ordain. 

 Nor good nor ill this fenfelefs creature feels. 

 Yet ihews unequall'd judgment in her meals j 

 And, when the Iky defcends in wintry 



fnous, 

 Ctiieps nearer to the fire to warm her toes. 



Now bring the /e«-bred creature to yout 



mind. 

 To day, (he fmiles on all, to all is kind, 

 And the pleas'd gueft, delighted with her 



care. 

 Thinks none more good, more affable, er fair. 

 To-morrow, clouds that heav'nly fojm dij 



grace. 

 Frowns clothe her forehead, paflions dim her 



face ; 

 Strons, and more ftrong, her caufelefs fur J 



glows, 

 Alike avvaken'd by her friends and foes. 

 As, when the fummer-fun fhmes fair and 



free. 

 To joyful failors fmiles the tranquil fea. 

 But foon, when wint'ry clouds the Iky de- 

 form, 

 Swells tu the thuudersof the hideous ftorm. 



One of the ajs the patient image fliews. 

 Who, not till urg'd by hunger, thirft, and 



blows. 

 At length performs each feveral tafk aiTign'd, 

 And ends each labour to the mafter's mmd. 

 Yet Ihe, both day anJ night, by Health is fed, 

 ^for over-;aithful to her tulband's bed. 



The iuea%el forms a fad and wretched race. 

 With joylefs eye. and beauty-lacking facii. 

 Who tecl nopalHon, nor excite defirs, 

 Guitlefs alike of Lave and Fancy's fira 

 And every art, but how to ciieata friend, 

 D»;frauJ the poor, apd f^ve a candle's end. 



