Page:Romance of the Rose (Ellis), volume 1.pdf/276

242

All these o’er realms in freedom reigned,

Yet slaves became when Fortune waned.

’Fore God I count it shame to thee

That, having studied history,

Thou ne’ertheless hast clean forgot

Examples which thou well shouldst wot

From out great Homer’s page; why spend

Thy time in reading if the end

Is but forgetfulness, and nought

Thou hast by all thy study bought?

Who is there if thou still lackst wit

Except thyself to thank for it?

Each man great benefit will find

If Homer’s lessons in his mind

Are duly stored; each word he said

Should be with care rememberèd

While life endures, and he whose heart

Pastures thereon shall ne’er depart

From wisdom’s ways, but surely know

To tread her holy path, nor go

Therefrom: he no mischance need fear,

But safely through the world may steer,

Whatever haps of good or bad,

Hard, soft, sweet, bitter, bright or sad.

For he so perfectly doth paint

Dame Fortune’s tricks and manners quaint,

That every man may mark the sense

Who’s blest with slight intelligence.

’Tis strange thy brain should lie a-waste

If e’er thou Homer’s wit didst taste,

But this insensate game of love

Would seem all better sense to shove