and forest beasts with deadly power.
"The hapless ploughman, wondering, at his work
"Sees his strong oxen in the furrow sink.
"The woolly flocks with sickly bleatings waste
"In body, while their wool spontaneous falls.
"The steed so fiery, on the dusty plain
"So fam'd, the palm contemns; and all despis'd
"His ancient honors, at his manger groans,
"Prey to disease inglorious. His fierce rage
"The boar forgets. The stag neglects his speed.
"Not rush the bears upon the stronger herds.
"A general languor reigns. In woods, in fields,
"In ways, the filthy carcases are seen;
"The stench pollutes the air: and, wonderous! dogs,
"Nor birds rapacious, nor the grizzly wolves,
"Touch the dead spoil. Rotting they melt away,
"Poisoning the gale; and spreading wide the pest.
"Now the disease, a heavier scourge, attacks
"The hapless swains, and in the lofty walls
"Of cities rules. First the scorch'd vitals burn;
"The hidden fire the blushing skin betrays,
"And breath laborious drawn; the furr'd tongue swells;
"The parch'd mouth widely gapes, th' infectious air
"Inhaling copious. On the couch none lie;
"None bear their covering robes; their bodies swol'n,
"On the bare earth they fling; nor coolness find
"Their bodies from the ground;--the ground from them
"Burns hot. Nor aids them now physicians' skill;
"E'en them the dire pest seizes, and their art
"Fails to assist themselves. Who boldly comes,
"With kindly hand his dying friend to aid,
"Sinks straight in death beside him. Fled all hope
"Of health, and in the grave alone an end
"Beheld of their disease,--some wild indulge
"Their fondest passions, void of every care;
"For every care is vain. Of modest shame
"Regardless, in promiscuous throngs they crowd
"To rivers, fountains, and capacious wells,
"Their hot thirst unextinguish'd, but with life.
"To rise unable, many in the stream
"Sink, and there perish: still their followers drink.
"So irksome to the wretched sufferers seem
"Their couches, thence they spring;--and some too weak
"To lift their limbs, roll desperate to the ground.
"Each quits his home,--to each his home appears,
"The fatal spot; and while obscure the cause,
"Each deems the house contagious. Oft were seen
"Beings half-dead, slow crawling o'er the ways,
"Till power to crawl was lost. Others with moans
"Stretch'd on the ground, rolling their half-clos'd eyes,
"In