Page:Writings of Henry David Thoreau (1906) v5.djvu/423

Rh But even wisdom is bound by gain,

And gold appearing in the hand persuaded even him, with its bright reward,

To bring a man from death

Already overtaken. But the Kronian, smiting

With both hands, quickly took away

The breath from his breasts;

And the rushing thunderbolt hurled him to death.

It is necessary for mortal minds

To seek what is reasonable from the divinities,

Knowing what is before the feet, of what destiny we are.

Do not, my soul, aspire to the life

Of the Immortals, but exhaust the practicable means.

In the conclusion of the ode, the poet reminds the victor, Hiero, that adversity alternates with prosperity in the life of man, as in the instance of

The Immortals distribute to men

With one good two

Evils. The foolish, therefore,

Are not able to bear these with grace,

But the wise, turning the fair outside.

But thee the lot of good fortune follows,

For surely great Destiny

Looks down upon a king ruling the people,

If on any man. But a secure life

Was not to Peleus, son of Æacus,