Meleager.

  Yet is not less himself than his own law.

  Althaea.

  Nor shifts and shuffles old things up and down.

  Meleager.

  But what he will remoulds and discreates.

  Althaea.

  Much, but not this, that each thing live its life.

  Meleager.

  Nor only live, but lighten and lift up higher.

  Althaea.

  Pride breaks itself, and too much gained is gone.

  Meleager.

  Things gained are gone, but great things done endure.

  Althaea.

  Child, if a man serve law through all his life
  And with his whole heart worship, him all gods
  Praise; but who loves it only with his lips,
  And not in heart and deed desiring it
  Hides a perverse will with obsequious words,
  Him heaven infatuates and his twin-born fate
  Tracks, and gains on him, scenting sins far off,
  And the swift hounds of violent death devour. 
  Be man at one with equal-minded gods,
  So shall he prosper; not through laws torn up,
  Violated rule and a new face of things. 
  A woman armed makes war upon herself,
  Unwomanlike, and treads down use and wont
  And the sweet common honour that she hath,
  Love, and the cry of children, and the hand
  Trothplight and mutual mouth of marriages. 
  This doth she, being unloved, whom if one love,
  Not fire nor iron and the wide-mouthed wars
  Are deadlier than her lips or braided hair. 
  For of the one comes poison, and a curse
  Falls from the other and burns the lives of men. 
  But thou, son, be not filled with evil dreams,
  Nor with desire of these things; for with time
  Blind love burns out; but if one feed it full
  Till some discolouring stain dyes all his life,
  He shall keep nothing praiseworthy, nor die
  The sweet wise death of old men honourable,
  Who have lived out all the length of all their years
  Blameless, and seen well-pleased the face of gods,
  And without shame and without fear have wrought
  Things memorable, and while their days held out
  In sight of all men and the sun’s great light
  Have gat them glory and given of their own praise
  To the earth that bare them and the day that bred,
  Home friends and far-off hospitalities,
  And filled with gracious and memorial fame
  Lands loved of summer or washed by violent seas,
  Towns populous and many unfooted ways,
  And alien lips and native with their own. 
  But when white age and venerable death
  Mow down the strength and life within their limbs,
  Drain out the blood and darken their clear eyes,
  Immortal honour is on them, having past
  Through splendid life and death desirable
  To the clear seat and remote throne of souls,
  Lands indiscoverable in the unheard-of west,
  Round which the strong stream of a sacred