AMYNTAS.
39
My fancy heated with surrounding objects,
I raised my voice, and sung of war and heroes,
My former unaspiring themes disdaining,
The shepherds humble, and unpolished lay.
And though it was my fate to seek again
These woods; yet still my pipe retains a part
Of the bold character which then I caught;
It sounds not weak, but with a martial tone,
And makes the astonished woods, and valleys ring.
The envious Mopsus heard my epic strain,
And viewed me with malign, bewitching eye:
With hoarseness I was smit; and, for a time,
I could not speak; the neighbouring shepherds thought
A wolf had seen me; but the wolf was he.
So much I've told thee, that thou mayst not fear
To have such fate as he predicted thee:
Instead of robbery and ridicule,
I, at the famous city, met with honours,
And I returned enriched with sacred genius.
I raised my voice, and sung of war and heroes,
My former unaspiring themes disdaining,
The shepherds humble, and unpolished lay.
And though it was my fate to seek again
These woods; yet still my pipe retains a part
Of the bold character which then I caught;
It sounds not weak, but with a martial tone,
And makes the astonished woods, and valleys ring.
The envious Mopsus heard my epic strain,
And viewed me with malign, bewitching eye:
With hoarseness I was smit; and, for a time,
I could not speak; the neighbouring shepherds thought
A wolf had seen me; but the wolf was he.
So much I've told thee, that thou mayst not fear
To have such fate as he predicted thee:
Instead of robbery and ridicule,
I, at the famous city, met with honours,
And I returned enriched with sacred genius.
Mopsusis
