'Tis an undoubted Truth, that Time seems long to those that are big with Expectation. The Poet, therefore, having, for this Reason, chid the Tardiness of the Moon and Stars, nothing could be more elegant, than from this very Circumstance to take a further Occasion of complimenting the Prince, by finding out another Reason of their Delay; viz. that those bright Attendants (for the Poet suppos'd them endow'd with Sense) stay'd the longer, that they might be the happy Spectators of Cæsar's triumphal Entry. He then gives a new Turn to his Reflections, and thus concludes the Epigram:
Jam, Cæsar, vel nocte veni; stent astra licebit, Non deerit populo, Te veniente, dies.
Yet let not Cæsar wait the rising Morn, Or damp our Blessings till the Day's Return: His Light shall cheer us with as bright a Ray, And without Phœbus usher in the Day.
This is ingenious enough, but a little of the boldest. The Prince of Lyric Poets is more modest upon the same Occasion:
[146] Lucem redde tuæ, Dux bone, patriæ; Instar veris enim, vultus ubi tuus Affulsit populo, gratior it dies, Et soles melius nitent.
Ah! quickly come, and with you bring A brighter Sun, a brighter Spring: Plenty and Mirth with you appear, The World looks gay, when you are here. Olds.
He does not say the Approach of Cæsar would restore the Day, but only increase it; that is, would add to its Gaiety and Lustre: And true it is, that Men whose Breasts are fill'd with Joy, think every Thing about them partakes of that Quality.
There are other Thoughts, which tho' founded more upon poetical Fiction than the former, yet come into the Number of true and elegant ones. Thus our foremention'd Martial, in his Epitaph upon Canace, after having beautifully describ'd the Disease of which the Lady died, in the following Verses:
[147]——Horrida vultum
Inficit, & tenero sedit in ore lues; Ipsaque crudeles ederunt oscula morbi, Nec data sunt nigris tota labella rogis.
A horrid Cancer seiz'd her beauteous Face, Prey'd o'er her Charms, and rifled ev'ry Grace; Nor spar'd those Lips that ravish'd with a Kiss, The inexhausted Treasuries of Bliss!