THE Horſe and the Olive: OR, WAR and PEACE.
[]WITH Moral Tale let Ancient Wiſdom move,
Which thus I ſing to make the Moderns wiſe:
Strong Neptune once with ſage Minerva ſtrove,
And riſing Athens was the Victor's Prize.
By Neptune, Plutus (Guardian Pow'r of Gain),
By Great Minerva, Bright Apollo ſtood:
But Jove ſuperior bad the Side obtain
Which beſt contriv'd to do the Nation Good.
Then Neptune ſtriking, from the parted Ground
The Warlike Horſe came pawing on the Plain,
And as it toſs'd its Mane, and pranc'd around,
By this, he cries, I'll make the People Reign.
The Goddeſs ſmiling gently bow'd the Spear,
And, rather thus they ſhall be bleſs'd, ſhe ſaid;
Then upwards ſhooting in the Vernal Air
With loaded Boughs the fruitful Olive ſpread.
Jove ſaw what Gifts the Rival Pow'rs deſign'd,
And took th' impartial Scales, reſolv'd to ſhow,
If greater Bliſs in Warlike Pomp we find,
Or in the Calm which Peaceful Times beſtow.
On Neptune's part he plac'd Victorious Days,
Gay Trophies won, and Fame extending wide:
But Plenty, Safety, Science, Arts, and Eaſe,
Minerva's Scale with greater weight ſupply'd.
[]
Fierce War devours whom gentle Peace wou'd ſave,
Sweet Peace reſtores what angry War deſtroys,
War made for Peace with that rewards the Brave,
While Peace its Pleaſures from it ſelf enjoys.
Hence vanquiſh'd Neptune to the Sea withdrew,
Hence wiſe Minerva rul'd Athenian Lands,
Her Athens hence in Arts and Honour grew,
And ſtill her Olives deck pacifick Hands.
From Fables thus diſclos'd, a Monarch's Mind
May form juſt Rules to chuſe the Truly-Great:
And Subjects weary'd with Diſtreſſes find
Whoſe kind Endeavours moſt befriend the State.
Ev'n Britain here may learn to place her Love,
If Cities won her Kingdoms Wealth have coſt,
If ANNA's Thoughts the PATRIOT-SOULS approve
Whoſe Cares reſtore that Wealth the Wars had loſt.
But if we ask the Moral to diſcloſe
Whom beſt EUROPA'S Patroneſs it calls,
Great ANNA's Title no Exception knows,
And unapply'd in this the Fable falls.
With Her no Neptune or Minerva vyes;
Whene'er ſhe pleas'd her Troops to Conqueſt flew,
Whene'er ſhe pleaſes Peaceful Times ariſe:
She gave the Horſe, and gives the Olive too.
FINIS.
Appendix A
Printed for John Morphew, near Stationers-Hall.
- Citation Suggestion for this Object
- TextGrid Repository (2020). TEI. 3316 The horse and the olive or war and peace. University of Oxford Text Archive. . https://hdl.handle.net/21.T11991/0000-001A-6134-C