The Works of the Rev. Jonathan Swift/Volume 7/Carberiæ Rupes

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The Works of the Rev. Jonathan Swift, Volume 7
(1723)
by Jonathan Swift, edited by Thomas Sheridan, John Nichols, John Boyle, Patrick Delany, John Hawkesworth, Deane Swift, William Bowyer, John Birch, and George Faulkner

Carberiæ Rupes

Translated by Dr. Dunkin

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The next poem, Translated by Dr. Dunkin, is a translation of this poem.

Jonathan Swift1560622The Works of the Rev. Jonathan Swift, Volume 7
— Carberiæ Rupes1723Thomas Sheridan, John Nichols, John Boyle, Patrick Delany, John Hawkesworth, Deane Swift, William Bowyer, John Birch, and George Faulkner

CARBERIÆ RUPES.

IN COMITATU CORGAGENSI. 1723.

ECCE ingens fragmen scopuli, quod vertice summo
Desuper impendet, nullo fundamine nixum
Decidit in fluctus: maria undique & undique saxa
Horrisono stridore tonant, & ad æthera murmur
Erigitur; trepidatque suis Neptunus in undis.
Nam, longâ venti rabie, atque aspergine crebrâ
Æquorei laticis, specus imâ rupe cavatur:
Jam fultura ruit, jam summa cacumina nutant;
Jam cadit in præceps moles, & verberat undas.
Attonitus credas, hinc dejecisse Tonantem
Montibus impositos montes, & Pelion altum
In capita anguipedum cœlo jaculâsse gigantum.
Sæpe etiam spelunca immani aperitur hiatu
Exesa è scopulis, & utrinque foramina pandit,
Hinc atque hinc a ponto ad pontum pervia Phœbo.
Cautibus enormè junctis laquearia tecti
Formantur; moles olim ruitura supernè.
Fornice sublimi nidos posuere palumbes,
Inque imo stagni posuere cubilia phocæ.
Sed, cum sævit hyems, & venti, carcere rupto,
Immensos volvunt fluctus ad culmina montis;
Non obsessæ arces, non fulmina vindice dextrâ
Missa Jovis, quoties inimicas sævit in urbes,
Exæquant sonitum undarum, veniente procellâ:
Littora littoribus reboant; vicinia latè,
Gens assueta mari, & pedibus percurrere rupes,
Terretur tamen, & longè fugit, arva relinquens.
Gramina dum carpunt pendentes rupe capellæ,
Vi salientis aquæ de summo præcipitantur,
Et dulces animas imo sub gurgite linquunt.
Piscator terrâ non audet vellere funem;
Sed latet in portu tremebundus, & aëra sudum
Haud sperans, Nereum precibus votisque fatigat.