Heartless and spiritless are we, poor bankrupt swains!
Like fishes out of water, so we writhe and gasp.
The dam break down; let flow the stream; avert death’s grasp!
Thou art the very paragon, the phœnix of the age.
Heaven’s mercy, save us; or, we perish, we enrage!”
To them he thus: “O men of little sense, take heed;
You foolishly are seeking elsewhere what you need.
Your ears stop up with wool; list not to speech of man;
The mote that blinds your eyes cast out. Then, see you can.255
With cotton in your outward ears, you’ll plainly hear