Vane, young in years, but in sage counsel old, Than whom a better senator ne'er held The helm of Rome, when gowns not arms repelled The fierce Epirot and the African bold: Whether to settle peace or to unfold The drift of hollow states, hard to be spelled, Then to advise how war may best, upheld, Move by her two main nerves, iron and gold, In all her equipage; besides to know Both spiritual power and civil, what each means, What severs each, thou hast learnt, which few have done. The bounds of either sword to thee we owe; Therefore on thy firm hand religion leans In peace, and reckons thee her eldest son. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...A SWEET LULLABY by NICHOLAS BRETON MOONLIT APPLES by JOHN DRINKWATER THE DARK MAN by NORA (CHESSON) HOPPER ABOU BEN ADHEM by JAMES HENRY LEIGH HUNT ON THE SITE OF A MULBERRY-TREE PLANTED BY SHAKESPEARE ... by DANTE GABRIEL ROSSETTI AMY WENTWORTH; FOR WILLIAM BRADFORD by JOHN GREENLEAF WHITTIER PHILLIS INAMOROTA by LANCELOT ANDREWES |