which to the human ken
Nature deny'd. When all with watchful care
Was learnt in secret, to the listening crowd
He public spoke. Told to their wondering ears
The primal origin of this great world;
The cause of things; what nature is; what god;
Whence snow; and whence tremendous thunder springs,--
From Jove, or from the rattling of rent clouds;
What shakes earth's pillars; by what law the stars
Wander; and what besides lies hid from man.
And first that animals should heap the board
For food, he strict forbade; and first in words
Thus eloquent, but unbeliev'd he spoke.

"Cease, mortals, cease your bodies to pollute
"With food unhallow'd: plentiful is grain;
"The apples bend the branches with their load;
"The vines bear swelling heaps of clustering grapes;
"Bland herbs you have; and such as heat require
"To mollify for use. Nor do you lack
"The milky fluid, or the honey sweet,
"Fragrant of thyme. The lavish earth supplies
"Mild aliments, her riches and affords
"Dainties, with nought of slaughter or of blood.
"Their hunger beasts alone with flesh allay,
"And beasts not all; the generous steed, the flock,
"The herd, on grass subsist. But lions grim,
"Armenian tigers, bears, and wolves, delight
"In bloody feasts. How impious to behold
"Bowels in bowels bury'd! greedy limbs
"Fatten on limbs digested, and prolong'd
"One's animation by another's death.
"In vain the earth, benignant mother, gives
"Her copious stores, if nought can thee delight,
"Save with a savage tooth this living food
"To chew, and Cyclopean feasts renew.
"Can'st thou not cloy the appetite's keen rage,
"Deprav'd desire! unless another die?
"That early age, to which we give the name
"Of golden, happy was in mellow fruits,
"And plants, by earth produc'd; nor e'er did gore
"The mouth defile. In safety through the air
"Fowls way'd their feathers: fearless through the fields
"Wander'd the hare: nor, on the barb'd hook hung
"By his credulity, was snar'd the fish.
"Fraud was not, none suspicious of deceit;
"And all was fill'd with harmony and peace.
"But soon some wretch (whatever wretch was he)
"Such food disliking, in his greedy maw
"Bury'd what animation once possess'd.
"He led the way to wickedness. And first
"The weapon smok'd with blood of ravenous beasts:
"And there it should have stay'd. Just is the plea
"To take their lives that follow us f