Latin Epigrams Englished, Illustration – Encomia
IOANNES OWENVS CAMBRO BRITANNVS OXONIENSIS.
John Owen's LATINE EPIGRAMS Englished By THO. HARVEY, Gent. Dedicated By the Author Mr. John Owen unto the Lady Mary Nevil, Daughter of the Earl of DORSET.
Nec verbum verbo curabis reddere— Horat. de Arte Poet.
Licensed May 25. 1677. Roger L'Estrange.
LONDON, Printed by Robert White, for Nevil Simmons at the Sign of the Prince's Arms in St. Paul's Church-yard, and Thomas Sawbridge at the three Flower de Luces in Little-Britain. 1677.
THE LATINE EPIGRAMS OF John Owen, LATE One of the Fellows of New Colledge in OXFORD.
Rendred into English by Thomas Harvey, Gent. Once a Commoner in the Colledge at Winchester; Both Colledges being Founded and Indowed by William Wickam, heretofore Bishop of Winton, in Anno Dom. 1389.
Anno 120. Richardi secundi Regis Angliae.
Dignum laude virum Musa vetat mori. Horat.
LONDON, Printed by Robert White, for Nevil Simons at the Sign of the Prince's Arms in St. Paul's Church-yard, and for Thomas Sawbridge at the Three Flower-de-Luces in Little-Britain. 1677.
To Mr. Thomas Harvey upon his Translation of Owen's Epigrams.
VVHo could divine a Branch so old could bring
Such specious Blossoms as might suit the Spring
Of youths best Fancy? for here stand at vye
The Cream of wit, and Oyl of Industry.
I wonder how this English Muse could sink
Into Owens depths, into each hole and chink
Of his hid sense: Sure All thy year is May,
And owns no darkness; For I needs must say
When I read Owen, I conceiv'd each part
Of his Laconick Epigrams so smart,
So sharp, so short, so comprehensive, that
No English Genius could it adequate.
Pardon my Country, that my Thoughts so rov'd
And undervalu'd Thee; For here 'tis prov'd,
An English Pen makes That inventive Brain,
For all its intricate Conceits, so plain
That now each Epigram, each Riddle lies
Anatomiz'd to All unclouded eyes.
His Criticismes dissected and made bare,
And so Diaphanous, that now They are
(Although not word for word, yet sense for sense)
Unriddled, and with such quaint Eloquence,
That as I read Both, I could swear almost
That Harvey's Muse consulted Owen's Ghost;
For but Compare Them, and you'l censure, that
Harvey hath hit what Owen aimed at.
David Lochard.
To Mr. Thomas Harvey of his Englishing Owen's Latine Epigrams.
SMooth Ogleby for Virgil; Sandys won
The Garland, what for Ovid he hath done.
And Martial's Epigrams hath Fletcher drest
In English Garb: Horace is so exprest
By divers Persons, eminent for worth
…genious Brome (deceas'd) did set them forch.
But as for Owen's Epigrams, there's none
As yet, hath vent'red a Translation,
But only Harvey; and He Mantuan thus
Hath made most happily conspicuous.
The Sun's unclouded now, what Owen writ
In shadowed mysteries of Roman wit,
His de…t'rous hand Translated hath, and Pen'd
That …h…h none yet attempted, f…w can mend.
Robert Coxshall.
Of the same.
OWen compos'd, Harvey Translated well;
The question's, which of these doth most excell?
The answer in few words is quickly done,
Which like you best the Shadow or the Sun?
Robert Coxshall.
To the Book.
OWen had many Patrons, I have None:
None that will be my Patron, no, not One.
None that to Me will give a Quire of Paper,
Nor Pens, nor Ink, nor a poor Farthing Taper.
To the Reader.
THough I These Epigrams which Owen writ
Have done int' English, Thou must not expect
Like quaint Conceits, like Criticismes of wit
In the Translator, as in th' Architect.
For in their Idiome and Dialect
Each Language diff'rent is, as man from man:
One from Another differs in Aspect,
In Nuture, in Condition; nor Can
Translations with th' original hold weight;
In sense They may Consent, not in Conceit.
But take't as 'tis, and with a Candid Eye
Read, Ruminate, Remember and apply.
Septemb. 26. 1672. Sic dixit Tho. Harvey.
To his Patroness.
MIne English Owen Patron-less did pine,
Wanting an Heros, or an Heroine
To Potronize It: Almost in despair:
Until a candid Nymph (Mecaenas heir)
Not willing Papers fitted for the Press
Should be suppress'd, became my Patroness.
Tho. Harvey.
IN rendring mine, with Owen, parallels,
I am like One than rings or Chimes the Bells;
If I do jangle (venidl's the sin)
It is to soule a better Ringer in.
Tho. Harvey.
In Praise of the Author.
To the Reader.
A. Clerick art? or Laick? read This Book;
Here Thou shalt find thy will, if well Thou look.
D. Du-Tr. Med.
2. To D. John Owen of his Book.
What hinders, but thy Book should pass the Press?
If I know Verse, This Age will say no less.
Suppose not, so great hazard's of thy wit:
Yet This my judgement is, I think it fit.
John Hoskins, J. C.
3. To John Owen of his three Books of Epigrams.
Results of Love, the Graces effluence,
The Muses mirth, Apollo's Eloquence,
Wise Sentences, and Criticisms of Art,
The Genius of an ingenious Heart;
All These Thy Book, O Owen, represents
Unt' us, replenish'd with rare Arguments.
John Bowman, Theol.
4. To John Owen.
Owen, dost ask what Epigrams w' approve?
Those, which That Engine of thy wit doth move,
What's short, chast, learned, quick, polite withal,
That many Satyres hath, yet free from Gall.
Thy Muse, thy Genius gives This; no less
By Thee 'tis promis'd to thy Patroness.
Thine, William James, Theol.
5. In Praise of the Author.
What was, is, shall be still the Poets use,
Women and Men are Censur'd by thy Muse:
Yet in my Judgement, thy rare wit, thy Pen
Deserveth Praise of Women and of Men.
Jane Owen of Oxford.
6. To the Reader, in Praise of the Author, whose Epigrams were published the second Time within a Month 1606.
Greek, Latine Authors, Epigrams have writ,
Whose Work took up their Life to finish it:
Owen except, he sole unparallel'd,
Hath equaliz'd Them All, if not excell'd.
D. Du-Tr. Med.
7. Of the Third Edition of these Epigrams.
To the Author.
This Book is like the world, moves, and is mov'd:
Though silent, It is by the Printer prov'd:
For These thine Epigrams have had Access
Thrice to the Printer, and half tir'd the Press.
John Hoskins, J. C.