Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE DANGER OF THE SEA; 13TH BOOK OF MACARONICS, by TEOFILO FOLENGO



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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE DANGER OF THE SEA; 13TH BOOK OF MACARONICS, by                    
First Line: The treacherous seas unwary men betray
Last Line: Then y' had ne'er strove to reach the shore in vain.
Alternate Author Name(s): Coccaius, Merlinus; Coccaio, Merlino; Folengo, Girolamo
Subject(s): Sea; Ocean


THE treacherous seas unwary men betray,
Dissembling calms, but storms in ambush lay;
Such who in bounds of safety cannot keep,
Flock here to see the wonders of the deep:

They hope they may some of the Sea-Gods spy,
With all their train of Nymphs, and Tritons by:
But when their eyes lose the retiring shore,
Join Heaven with seas, and see the land no more:

Then wretched they, with brains are swimming round,
Their undigested meats and choler drown:
Nor yet their boiling stomachs can restrain,
Till they the waters all pollute, and stain.

When Aeolus enrag'd that human race,
Should his old friend the Ocean, thus disgrace,
To punish it, he from their hollow caves,
With rushing noise, lets loose the winds his slaves.

Who up tow'rds Heav'n such mighty billows throw,
You'd think you saw from thence Hell's vaults below.
Fools! To whom wrecks have of no caution been,
By other storms you might have this foreseen,

Ere your bold sailors launch'd into the main,
Then y' had ne'er strove to reach the shore in vain.





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