404
HUDIBRAS.
[PART III.
Hence timely running's no mean part 245
Of conduct, in the martial art,
By which some glorious feats achieve,
As citizens by breaking thrive,
And cannons conquer armies, while
They seem to draw off and recoil; 250
Is held the gallant'st course, and bravest,[1]
To great exploits, as well as safest;
That spares th' expense of time and pains,
And dang'rous beating out of brains;
And, in the end, prevails as certain 255
As those that never trust to fortune;
But make their fear do execution
Beyond the stoutest resolution;
As earthquakes kill without a blow,
And, only trembling, overthrow. 260
If th' ancients crown'd their bravest men
That only sav'd a citizen,[2]
What victory cou'd e'er be won,
If ev'ry one would save but one?
Or fight endanger'd to be lost, 265
Where all resolve to save the most?
By this means, when a battle's won,
The war's as far from being done;
For those that save themselves and fly,
Go halves, at least, i' th' victory; 270
And sometime, when the loss is small,[3]
And danger great, they challenge all;
Of conduct, in the martial art,
By which some glorious feats achieve,
As citizens by breaking thrive,
And cannons conquer armies, while
They seem to draw off and recoil; 250
Is held the gallant'st course, and bravest,[1]
To great exploits, as well as safest;
That spares th' expense of time and pains,
And dang'rous beating out of brains;
And, in the end, prevails as certain 255
As those that never trust to fortune;
But make their fear do execution
Beyond the stoutest resolution;
As earthquakes kill without a blow,
And, only trembling, overthrow. 260
If th' ancients crown'd their bravest men
That only sav'd a citizen,[2]
What victory cou'd e'er be won,
If ev'ry one would save but one?
Or fight endanger'd to be lost, 265
Where all resolve to save the most?
By this means, when a battle's won,
The war's as far from being done;
For those that save themselves and fly,
Go halves, at least, i' th' victory; 270
And sometime, when the loss is small,[3]
And danger great, they challenge all;
- ↑ Some editions read:
'Tis held the gallant'st———
- ↑ This was the corona civica, or civic crown, which was granted to any soldier who had saved the life of a Roman citizen by slaying an enemy. Though formed of no better materials than oak twigs, it was esteemed more honourable than any other decoration.
- ↑ The early editions have "their loss."
miscellaneous poems, published in 1656, and reprinted in Wit's Recreations, 2 vols. 12mo, Lond. 1817:
He that is in battle slain,
Can never rise to fight again;
But he that fights and runs away,
May live to fight another day.
Can never rise to fight again;
But he that fights and runs away,
May live to fight another day.
