1All creatures than the dolphin are more slow
2Below fair Cynthia
: Neptune
this did know. 3When lovely Amphitrite
, whose splendent
fame
4Had kindled in his breast a quenchless flame,
5He
was his
spokesman to this dainty
doxy
, 6Who wooed and won and married her by proxy
. 7Into her wavy bed he flacked
his tail; 8The contract in no circumstance did fail,
9Yet would he not the royal virgin leave,
10Lest some affront his sovereign should receive:
11Like Maximilian
, who did Britain wed 12With putting one bare leg into her bed.
13King Charles too nimble was for this slow ___:
14Himself did wed and bed this princely lass.
15The dolphin wiser was than this great king
, 16For he the slippery virgin home did bring.
17This active fish with fishermen will join
18In catching mullets; sops and spritely wine
19They have for pay. No love to man they lack
, 20For musical Arion
on the back 21Of dolphins rode; so did two pretty boys
. 22Some that are rigid count these virtues toys.
23This fish is still in motion till he dies,
24For though he sleeps yet still he never lies
, 25But sinks into the bottom of the main
, 26Then wakes and springs up to the top again
. 27He’s true to’s
king
, his int’rest
, and his end
: 28True to ungrateful man, himself his friend.
29By all these circumstances you may see
30None but the active man a friend can be.
31Those that have reason, and yet idle by,
32Do just like hogs, no good until they die.
33Then think on Titus
, who would always say, 34When he had done none good, “I have lost this day.”
35Remember Draco
, sure that law was good, 36For mother idleness was writ in blood
; 37Should he reform our villages and towns,
38We should have empty houses and large grounds.
39That law would take away (I fear) more lives
40Of country gentlemen, and citizens’ wives,
41Than of the natives’ blood the Spaniards spilled
, 42Or in these times our seeking saints
have killed. 43Then do some good whilst light and life have;
44The idle man anticipates the grave.