Translation from Alcaeus

Mr Flaxman

Infancy, youth and hoary age
In dread unequal war engage
With envy, falsehood deadly strife
Whose ambush hunts down human life.
Foul envy aims her rankling dart,
False friendship cuts the generous heart
And blood-stained strife for rule & gain
Adds to the mind & body’s pain.
Yet these can’t always surely kill
The gods! the gods protect us still.

Fulvius Ursinus Graece, 1567