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For Justice adds her flower to raise

A tribute to the good man's praise.

Unjust the love that only views

With pleasure names of foreign lore—

Wouldst thou a worthy hero choose

To raise and ornament thy muse,

Domestic chronicles explore.

His royal virtues thus prolong

King Peleus' fame in ancient song;

Who his hewn spear exulting shook,

And all alone Iolcos took;

Then with aspiring labour strove

To win the seaborn Thetis' love;

While Telamon's far-potent might

With Iolas overthrew Laomedon in fight.

Him to the Amazonian band,

Whose bow of brass twang'd in their hand,

He follow'd—nor subduing fear

Quench'd his impetuous mind's career;

For true nobility of soul

Prevails beyond all weak control.

The man that darkling gropes his way,

But for his borrow'd wisdom blind,

With foot uncertain where to stray,

And hopes that various objects sway,

Grasps all alike with feeble mind.

Meanwhile in Philyra's abode

Achilles of the golden hair

In sports of active childhood show'd

The ripen'd hero's manly care;

Shaking his iron-headed dart

In hands that play'd the warrior's part.

He combated with lions wild,

And swift as storms destruction wrought.

The boars he slew when scarce were fled

Six winters o'er his youthful head,