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To Carthage, then from East to West

Should journey round, until oppressed

With age he’d lost his every tooth,

Yet still with all the zest of youth

Pressed onward vigorously, his skirt

For speed around his waistband girt,

And brimmed with ardour still stride forth

From sultry south to freezing north,

Till all the earth he’d scoured around,

Much doubt I if he yet had found

This wondrous love that you recite.

The world, meseems, thereof was quite

Delivered when the old Gods fled

By giants overmastered,

And Chastity, Good-Faith, and Law

Alarmed, did also hence withdraw,

For then, I trow, this love was tost

Aside, and earth the treasure lost.

E’en ponderous Justice, who was cast

In stronger mould, retired at last.

All left this world, outworn with war,

And sought beyond the skies afar

A fairer home, and since have shown

Themselves by miracles alone

To those on earth. ’Twas Fraud that sent

Them hence, who since that time hath bent

Earth ’neath her yoke.

E’en Tully’s wit,

Which searched through all that e’er was writ,

Could never find throughout the store

Of ages more than three or four