In pure majestic poverty rever'd;
Who, even his glory to his country's weal
Submitting, swell'd a haughty [1]Rival's fame.
Rear'd by his care, of softer ray, appears 465
Cimon sweet-soul'd; whose genius, rising strong,
Shook off the load of young debauch; abroad
The scourge of Persian pride, at home the friend
Of every worth and every splendid art;
Modest, and simple, in the pomp of wealth. 470
Then the last worthies of declining Greece,
Late-call'd to glory, in unequal times,
Pensive, appear. The fair Corinthian boast,
Timoleon, happy temper! mild, and firm,
Who wept the Brother while the Tyrant bled. 475
And, equal to the best, the [2]Theban Pair,
Whose virtues, in heroic Concord join'd,
Their country rais'd to freedom, empire, fame.
He too, with whom Athenian honour sunk,
And left a mass of sordid lees behind, 480
Phocion the Good: in public life severe,
To virtue still inexorably firm;
But when, beneath his low illustrious roof,
Sweet peace and happy wisdom smooth'd his brow,
Not friendship softer was, nor love more kind. 485
And he, the last of old Lycurgus' sons,
The generous victim to that vain attempt,
To save a state, Agis, who saw
Even Sparta's self to servile avarice sunk.
The two Achaian heroes close the train. 490
Aratus, who a while relum'd the soul
Of fondly-lingering liberty in Greece:
And he her darling as her latest hope,
The gallant Philopemen; who to arms
Turn'd
