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The Crowne of All Homers Workes/To Mars

From Wikisource
For other English-language translations of this work, see To Mars (Homer).

To Mars.

Mars Most-strong: Gold-helm'd; making Chariots crack;Neuer without a shield, cast on thy back.Minde master, towne-guard, with darts neuer driuen.Strong-handed; Allarmes; fort, and fence of heauen.Father of Victory, with faire strokes giuen.Ioint surrogate of Iustice; lest she fall;In vniust strifes, a Tyrant. Generall,Onely of iust Men, iustly. That dost beareFortitud's Scepter. To Heauens fiery sphereGiuer of circulare motion: betweeneThat, and the Pleiad's that still wandring bene.Where thy still-vehemently-flaming Horse,About the third Heauen, make their fiery course.Helper of Mortalls; Heare! As thy fires giueThe faire, and present boldnesses that striueIn Youth for Honor; being the sweete-beamd LightThat darts into their liues, from all thy HeightThe Fortitudes, and Fortunes, found in fight. So, would I likewise wish to haue the PowreTo keepe off, from my head, thy bitter Howre;And that false fire, cast from my soules lowe kinde,Stoope to the fit rule, of my highest Minde.Controuling, that so eager sting of wrath,That styrrs me on still, to that horrid scathOf warr; that God still sends to wreake his splene;(Euen by whole Tribes) of proud iniurious Men.But O thou euer-blessed! Giue me still,Presence of minde, to put in Act, my willVaried, as fits, to all Occasion.And to liue free; vnforc't; vnwrought vpon;Beneath those Lawes of Peace, that neuer areAffected with Pollutions PopulareOf vniust hurt; or losse to any One;And to beare safe, the burthen vndergoneOf Foes inflexiue, and inhumane hates;Secure from violent, and harmefull Fates.