SYLVA 255 



Let them the woods and forest burn and waste, 

 There will be trees to hang the slaves at last, 

 And God, who such infernal men disclaims, 

 Will root 'em out, and throw' em into flames. 



In which he has shew'd himself as well a prophet 

 as a poet. 



We have spoken of the great Xerxes, that passing 

 conqueror through Achaia, he would not suffer his 

 army to violate so much as a tree of his adversaries ; 

 and have sufficiently observed from the ancients, that 

 the l Gods did never permit them to escape unpunished 

 who were injurious to groves. What became of 

 Agamemnon's host after his spoil of the woods at 

 Aulis ? Histories tell us Cleomenes died mad : The 

 Temesaean Genius became proverbial; and the des- 

 tructive fact that the inraged Caesar perpetrated on the 

 Massilian trees, went not long unrevenged ; thus 

 related by the poet, and an illustrious record of all 

 we have hitherto produc'd to assert their veneration: 



Lucus erat longo nunquam violatus ab aevo, &c. 



Lucan. 1. 3. 



A wood untouch'd of old was growing there 



Of thick-set trees whose boughs spreading and fair, 



Meeting, obscured the inclosed air, 



And made dark shades exiling Phoebus rayes : 



There no rude Fawn, nor wanton Silvan plays ; 



No nymph disports, but cruel deities 



Claim barbarous rites, and bloody sacrifice : 



Each tree defil'd with human blood ; if we 



Believe traditions of antiquity : 



No bird dares light upon those hallowed boughs, 



1 Though cut down for building of ships. 



Lucum Aesculapio dicatum succiderat Turullius : manif estis numinis illius viri- 

 bus, eum in lucum quern violaverat, ille attractus est, effecitque deus ut ibi potis- 

 simum occideretur. VideValer. Max. lib. I. cap. i. n. 19. 



