Book V V

Quam uariis terras animalia permeant figuris!Namque alia extento sunt corpore pulueremque uerruntContinuumque trahunt ui pectoris incitata sulcumSunt quibus alarum leuitas uaga uerberetque uentosEt liquido longi spatia aetheris enatet uolatu,Haec pressisse solo uestigia gressibusque gaudentVel uirides campos transmittere uel subire siluas.Quae uariis uideas licet omnia discrepare formis,Prona tamen facies hebetes ualet ingrauare sensus.Vnica gens hominum celsum leuat altius cacumenAtque leuis recto stat corpore despicitque terras.Haec nisi terrenus male desipis, admonet figura,Qui recto caelum uultu petis exserisque frontem,In sublime feras animum quoque, ne grauata pessumInferior sidat mens corpore celsius leuata.

What several figures things that live upon the earth do keep!Some have their bodies stretched in length by which the dust they sweepAnd do continual furrows make while on their breasts they creep.Some lightly soaring up on high with wings the wind do smiteAnd through the longest airy space pass with an easy flight.Some by their paces to imprint the ground with steps delight,Which through the pleasant fields do pass or to the woods do go,Whose several forms though to our eyes they do a difference show,Yet by their looks cast down on earth their senses heavy grow.Men only with more stately shape to higher objects rise,Who with erected bodies stand and do the earth despise.These figures warn (if baser thoughts blind not thine earthly eyes)That thou who with an upright face dost look upon the sky,Shouldst also raise thy mind aloft, lest while thou bearest highThine earthly head, thy soul opprest beneath thy body lie.