Page:Ovid's Metamorphoses (Vol. 2) - tr Garth, Dryden, et. al. (1727).djvu/285

Book 15. What more Advance can Mortals make in Sin So near Perfection, who with Blood begin? Deaf to the Calf, that lyes beneath the Knife, Looks up, and from her Butcher begs her Life: Deaf to the harmless Kid, that e'er he dies All Methods to procure thy Mercy tries, And imitates in vain thy Children's Cries. Where will he stop, who feeds with Houshold Bread, Then eats the Poultry, which before he fed? Let plough thy Steers; that when they lose their Breath, To Nature, not to thee, they may impute their Death. Let Goats for Food their loaded Udders lend, And Sheep from Winter-cold thy Sides defend; But neither Sprindges, Nets, nor Snares employ, And be no more Ingenious to destroy. Free as in Air, let Birds on Earth remain, Nor let insidious Glue their Wings constrain; Nor opening Hounds the trembling Stag affright, Nor purple Feathers intercept his Flight: Nor Hooks conceal'd in Baits for Fish prepare, Nor Lines to heave 'em twinkling up in Air. Take not away the Life you cannot give, For all Things have an equal Right to live. Kill noxious Creatures, where 'tis Sin to save; This only just Prerogative we have: But nourish Life with vegetable Food, And shun the sacrilegious Taste of Blood. These Precepts by the Samian Sage were taught, Which Godlike Numa to the Sabines brought, And thence transferr'd to Rome, by Gift his own: A willing People, and an offer'd Throne. O happy Monarch, sent by Heav'n to bless A Salvage Nation with soft Arts of Peace, To teach Religion, Rapine to restrain, Give Laws to Lust, and Sacrifice ordain: Him-