fore, in that thou shalt alway see her puffed
up, and wavering, and blinded with a self-conceit of herself, in this
thou shalt find her sober, settled, and, with the very exercise of
adversity, wise. Finally, prosperity with her flatterings withdraweth
men from true goodness, adversity recalleth and reclaimeth them many
times by force[120] to true happiness. Dost thou esteem it a small
benefit that this rough and harsh Fortune hath made known unto thee the
minds of thy faithful friends? She hath severed thy assured from thy
doubtful friends; prosperity at her departure took away with her those
which were hers, and left thee thine. How dearly wouldst thou have
bought this before thy fall, and when thou seemedst to thyself
fortunate! Now thou dost even lament thy lost riches; thou hast found
friends, the most precious treasure in the world.

[120] Literally, "pulleth them back with a hook."

VIII.

Quod mundus stabili fide
Concordes uariat uices,
Quod pugnantia semina
Foedus perpetuum tenent,
Quod Phoebus roseum diem 5
Curru prouehit aureo,
Vt quas duxerit Hesperos
Phoebe noctibus imperet,
Vt fluctus auidum mare
Certo fine coerceat, 10
Ne terris liceat uagis
Latos tendere terminos,
Hanc rerum seriem ligat
Terras ac pelagus regens
Et caelo imperitans amor. 15
Hic si frena remiserit,
Quidquid nunc amat inuicem
Bellum continuo geret
Et quam nunc socia fide
Pulchris motibus incitant*, 20
Certent soluere machinam.
Hic sancto populos quoque
Iunctos foedere continet,
Hic et coniugii sacrum
Castis nectit amoribus, 25
Hic fidis etiam sua
Dictat iura sodalibus.
O felix hominum genus,
Si uestros animos amor
Quo caelum regitur regat." 30

VIII.

That this fair world in settled course her several forms should vary,
That a perpetual law should tame the fighting seeds of things,
That Phoebus should the rosy day in his bright chariot carry,
That Phoebe should govern the nights which Hesperus forth brings,
That to the floods of greedy seas are certain bounds assigned,
Which them, lest they usurp too much upon the earth, debar,
Love ruling heaven, and earth, and seas, them in this c