Page:Poetical Works of John Oldham.djvu/179

Rh What there the gods in parliament debate, What votes, or acts i'th' heavenly houses pass, By thee so well communicated was, As if thou'dst been of that cabal of state, As if thou hadst been sworn the privy counsellor of fate. What chief who does thy warrior's great exploits survey, Will not aspire to deeds as great as they? What generous readers would he not inspire With the same gallant heat, the same ambitious fire? Methinks from Ida's top with noble joy I view The warlike squadrons, by his daring conduct led; I see the immortal host engaging on his side, And him the blushing gods outdo. Where'er he does his dreadful standards bear, Horror stalks in the van, and slaughter in the rear; Whole swarms of enemies his sword does mow, And limbs of mangled chiefs his passage strew, And floods of reeking gore the field o'erflow; While Heaven's dread monarch from his throne of state, With high concern upon the fight looks down, And wrinkles his majestic brow into a frown, To see bold man, like him, distribute fate. While the great Macedonian youth in nonage grew, Nor yet by charter of his years set free From guardians, and their slavish tyranny, No tutor, but the budge philosophers he knew; And well enough the grave and useful tools Might serve to read him lectures, and to please With unintelligible jargon of the schools, And airy terms and notions of the colleges; They might the art of prating and of brawling teach, And some insipid homilies of virtue preach;