flowers to me, my friend?” > Be not a meddler; no affair Of thine the life thy neighbours lead: Be prudent; oft the random jest Recoils upon the jester’s head. Thy constant labour let it be To earn thyself an honest name, For fooleries preserved in print Are perpetuity of shame. > A further counsel bear in mind: If that thy roof be made of glass, It shows small wit to pick up stones To pelt the people as they pass. Win the attention of the wise, And give the thinker food for thought; Whoso indites
Thou that didst imitate that life of mine When I in lonely sadness on the great Rock Peña Pobre sat disconsolate, In self-imposèd penance there to pine; Thou, whose sole beverage was the bitter brine Of thine own tears, and who withouten plate Of silver, copper, tin, in lowly state Off the bare earth and on earth’s fruits didst dine; Live thou, of thine eternal glory sure. So long as on the round of the fourth sphere The bright Apollo shall his coursers steer, In thy renown thou shalt remain secure, Thy country’s name in story shall endure, And thy sage author stand without a peer.
In slashing, hewing, cleaving, word and deed, I was the foremost knight of chivalry, Stout, bold, expert, as e’er the world did see; Thousands from the oppressor’s wrong I freed; Great were my feats, eternal fame their meed; In love I proved my truth and loyalty; The hugest giant was a dwarf for me; Ever to knighthood’s laws gave I good heed. My mastery the Fickle Goddess owned, And even Chance, submitting to control, Grasped by the forelock, yielded to my will. Yet—though above yon hornèd moon