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1Vain
Herostratus1
was so fond of fame,2He set this sacred temple on a flame:
3That stately structure which was so renowned,
4And for the image of
Diana2
crowned,5Which fell from
Jupiter3
, whom they implored—6Whom
Ephesus4
and all the world adored.7Thus some out of ambition, some for gain,
8Mingle together holy and profane.
9So cities,
fanes5
, and altars some have burned,10And monarchies into
confusions6
turned.11
My dear Hibernia7
made this story good12
When crystal Shannon ran with Christian blood8
.13
As no edict could make that villain die9
,14
So these are odious to posterity10
.15Then let me ever have a
splendent11
fame,16Or let me lose
Hadassah12
, my loved name.17Far better in oblivion live and die
18Than to survive with these in infamy.
19What got
Antiochus, then Epiphanes13
,20More than
the epithet of Epimanes14
?21Or what gained
Brennus after all his plunder15
,22When he
and’s16
men received their pay in thunder17
?23Were they not sacrilegious villains both?
24Doth not posterity their names e’en loathe?
25What pleasure had
Belshazzar18
in his feast,26Or what
his grandsire19
when he was a beast?27One took the sacred utensils away;
28The other praised the gods of gold and clay;
29Nor would they be reformed of their error
30Till one was struck with madness, th’other terror.
31What got
Cambyses at horned Ammon’s hand20
32When fifty thousand men died in the sand?
33
What will they get that do our fanes profane21
?34Sure shame and horror will be all their gain.