The Jews seeking to cast Christ headlong from a precipice. What daring leads you on, ungodly crew, To that which ev'n the Devil durst not do? Ye dare what he dares not? If truth be told, Ye tempt the Devil's self to be more bold. LXXX. In draconem praecipitem, Rev. xii. 9. I, frustra truculente; tuas procul aurea rident The casting-down of the dragon. Go, Dragon: the fair stars smile at thy threat, G. Thy throne o'er sky and stars thou fain would't wt; Thot need not razit so high to plunge wo low, G Queen! thy faith's working is full well rewarded; God's daughter, thou God's mother art on earth. G. LXXXII. Licetne Caesari censum dare? Marc. xii. 14. Post tot Scribarum, Christe, in te proelia, tandem Is it lawful to give tribute to Cæsar? G. LXXXIII. In tibicines et turbam tumultuantem circa dejunctam. Vani, quid strepitis? nam quamvis dormiat illa,1 Expectat solos Christi sopor iste susurros: Dormit enim; sed non omnibus illa tamen. 1 Ver. 21. Non enim mortua est puella, sed dormit. CR. The minstrels and crowd making a noise about the dead. Vain mourning this; why make ye such loud noise? LXXXIV. Piscatores vocati. Matt. iv. 19. Ludite jam, pisces, secura per aequora: pisces The fishermen called. Play, fishes, in your waters, safely play : We become fishes too, another way. Not to be taken, to you safety brought: G. But we are then most safe when we are caught. B. ANOTHER RENDERING. Careless, aneath the waves, ye fishes, play: We too are fishes, in a different way; Ye die, we live, being caught; and that for aye. G. ANOTHER. Sport, fishes, now, within the secure sea: Lo, fishes too, in different kind, are we. In shunning nets your hope of safety lay; VOL. II. A. n |