Poetical Works: Translation of a Speech..

Translation of a Speech..

..of Aquileio in the 'Adriano' of Metastasio, beginning, 'Tu Che in Corte Invecchiasti'.

  Grown old in courts, thou art not surely one
  Who keeps the rigid rules of ancient honour:
  Well skill'd to soothe a foe with looks of kindness,
  To sink the fatal precipice before him,
  And then lament his fall with seeming friendship:
  Open to all, true only to thyself,
  Thou know'st those arts which blast with envious praise,
  Which aggravate a fault with feign'd excuses,
  And drive discountenanced Virtue from the throne
  That leave the blame of rigour to the prince,                10
  And of his every gift usurp the merit;
  That hide in seeming zeal a wicked purpose,
  And only build upon each other's ruin.

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