Take thou no care how to defer thy death, And give more respite to this mortal breath. Wouldst thou live long? the only means are these -- 'Bove Galen's diet, or Hippocrates: Strive to live well, tread in the upright ways, And rather count thy actions than thy days; Then thou hast liv'd enough amongst us here. For every day well-spent I count a year. Live well, and then how soon soe'er thou die, Thou art of age to claim eternity. But he that outlives Nestor, and appears T' have passed the date of grey methusalem's years: If he his life to sloth and sin doth give, I say he only @3was@1, he did not @3live@1. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...SONG: SO OFTEN, SO LONG I HAVE THOUGHT by HAYDEN CARRUTH A DEATH IN THE DESERT by ROBERT BROWNING THE LADY AND THE SWINE by MOTHER GOOSE A PETITION TO TIME by BRYAN WALLER PROCTER THE SUPPLIANTS: PRAYER FOR DELIVERANCE. CHORUS by AESCHYLUS |