Alexander Pope
Alexander Pope
Alexander Popewas an 18th-century English poet. He is best known for his satirical verse, as well as for his translation of Homer. Famous for his use of the heroic couplet, he is the second-most frequently quoted writer in The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations, after Shakespeare...
NationalityEnglish
ProfessionPoet
Date of Birth21 May 1688
summer wise war
Chiefs who no more in bloody fights engage, But wise through time, and narrative with age, In summer-days like grasshoppers rejoice - A bloodless race, that send a feeble voice.
war fighting might
Our business in the field of fight, Is not to question, but to prove our might.
hurt lawyer scribes
Alas! the small discredit of a bribe Scarce hurts the lawyer, but undoes the scribe.
fighting choices dies
Of fight or fly, This choice is left ye, to resist or die.
volunteer honest instinct
But honest instinct comes a volunteer; Sure never to o'er-shoot, but just to hit, While still too wide or short in human wit.
guests sage welcome
For I, who hold sage Homer's rule the best, Welcome the coming, speed the going guest.
wind wings flying
On wings of wind came flying all abroad.
glowing guilt delight
How glowing guilt exalts the keen delight!
strong men growth
Tis thus the mercury of man is fix'd, Strong grows the virtue with his nature mix'd.
gratitude mankind unwilling
Th' unwilling gratitude of base mankind!
cutting gold bread
What nature wants, commodious gold bestows; 'Tis thus we cut the bread another sows.
long doubt sides
The doubtful beam long nods from side to side.
luxury disease-and-death succeed
But just disease to luxury succeeds, And ev'ry death its own avenger breeds.
darkness deceit veils
Of darkness visible so much be lent, as half to show, half veil, the deep intent.