The plague of Ahtens [sic], which hapened [sic] in the second year of the Peloponnesian war / First described in Greek by Thucydides; then in Latine by Lucretius. Since attempted in English. By the Right Reverend Father in God, Thomas Lord Bishop of Rochester.

Sprat, Thomas, 1635-1713.

Date:: 1709

Credit: The plague of Ahtens [sic], which hapened [sic] in the second year of the Peloponnesian war / First described in Greek by Thucydides; then in Latine by Lucretius. Since attempted in English. By the Right Reverend Father in God, Thomas Lord Bishop of Rochester. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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$'—“ ... .. cw? XXX. - The Woods gave fun ral Tiles no mor&> The Dead the very fire devour, - And that almighty Conqueror over power* The noble and the common dufi: Into each others Graves are tfiruil. No place is facred, and no Tomb, *Tis now a privilege to confume s Their Aihes no diiiin&ion Mid | Too truly all by Death are equal made . 'The Ghofts of thofe great, Heroes that had fled From Athens long fince baniflied. Now o’er the City hovered; Their Anger yielded to their Love, They left th’ immortal Joys above, • So much their Athens dangerdid them move, ^ They came to pity and to aid. But noW) alas! were quite difmay’d* When they beheld the Marbles open lay’d, And poor Mens Bones the noble Urns invade j Back to the blefled feats they went. And now did thank their Baniihment, By which they were to die in foreign Countries lento XXXI. But what great Gods was worft of *11, Hell forth its Maguzines of Lulls did call. Nor would it be content With the thick Troops of Souls were thither fent 3 Into the upper World it went. Such guilt, luch wickednefs, Such irreiigion did inereale, ,i That the few good which did furvive, Were angry with the Plague for fuffering them to live 3 More for the living than the dead did grieve. Some robb’d the yery dead, Though fure to be infeded e'er they fled, Though in the very Air fure to be puniflied. Some nor the Shrines nor the Temples fpar’d^ Nor Gods nor Heavens feared^ V ; 1 Though fuch Example of their Power appear’d, Vertue was now efteem’d an empty name. And honofiy the foolifh voice of Fame 5 For haying pall thofe torching flameshefore, They thought the punifhment already o’er. Thought Heaven no worfe torments had in ilore * Here having fdc one Hell, they thought there was no more \ <. .. , .5 '' \ ■' v · ' '· '· F I.ft Ϊ S.\$