Quas navis recipit, quantum sit pondus aquarum,
Dimidrum tanti ponderis intret onus.
Quot vox missa pedes abit, horae parte secunda?
Undecies centum denos quater adde duosque.
[Greek: Eis BIRCHION][a]
[Greek:]
Eiden Alaetheiae proaen chairousa graphonta
Haeroon te bious Birchion, aede sophon
Kai bion, eipen, hotan rhipsaes thanatoio belessi,
Sou pote grapsomenon Birchion allon echois.
[a] The rev. Dr. Thomas Birch, author of the History of the Royal
Society, and other works of note.
[Greek:] Eis to taes ELISSAES peri ton oneiron ainigma.[a]
Tae kallous dunamei ti telos; Zeus panta dedoken
Kupridi, und' autou skaeptra memaele theo.
Aek Dios estin Onap, theios pot' egrapsen Homaeros,
Alla tod' eis thnaetous Kupris epempsen onar
Zeus mounos phlogoenti poleis ekperse kerauno,
Ommasi lampra Dios Kupris oista pherei.
[a] When Johnson had composed this Greek epigram to Mrs. Elizabeth Carter, he said, in a letter to Cave, "I think she ought to be celebrated in as many different languages as Louis le grand." His admiration of her learning was so great, that when he wished to praise the acquirements of any one excessively, he remarked that, he knew as much Greek almost as Mrs. Carter. The verses in Elizae Aenigma are addressed to the same excellent and accomplished lady. It is now nearly an insult to add, that she translated Epictetus, and contributed Nos. 44 and 100, to the Rambler. See Boswell, i. iii. and iv. and preface to Rambler, ii.—ED.
IN ELIZAE AENIGMA.
Quis formae modus imperio? Venus arrogat audax
Omnia, nec curae sunt sua sceptra Jovi.
Ab Jove Maeonides descendere somnia narrat:
Haec veniunt Cypriae somnia missa Deae.
Jupiter unus erat, qui stravit fulmine gentes;
Nunc armant Veneris lumina tela Jovis.
[a]O! Qui benignus crimina ignoscis, pater,
Facilisque semper confitenti ades reo,
Aurem faventem precibus O! praebe meis;
Scelerum catena me laborantem grave
Aeterna tandem liberet clementia,
Ut summa laus sit, summa Christo gloria.