immortal, you are an outcast from the gods, and despised by good men.
Never have you heard that most agreeable of all sounds, your own praise,
nor ever have you beheld the most pleasing of all objects, any good work
of your own hands. Who would ever give any credit to anything that you
say? Who would assist you in your necessity, or what man of sense would
ever venture to be of your mad parties? Such as do follow you are robbed
of their strength when they are young, void of wisdom when they grow old.
In their youth they are bred up in indolence and all manner of delicacy,
and pass their old age with difficulties and distress, full of shame for
what they have done, and oppressed with the burden of what they are to
do, squanderers of pleasures in their youth, and hoarders up of
afflictions for their old age.

"On the contrary, my conversation is with the gods, and with good men,
and there is nothing excellent performed by either without my influence.
I am respected above all things by the gods and by the best of mortals,
and it is just I should. I am an agreeable companion to the artisan, a
faithful security to masters of families, a kind assistant to servants, a
useful associate in the arts of peace, a faithful ally in the labours of
war, and the best uniter of all friendships.

"My votaries, too, enjoy a pleasure in everything they either eat or
drink, even without having laboured for it, because they wait for the
demand of their appetites. Their sleep is sweeter than that of the
indolent and inactive; and they are neither overburdened with it when
they awake, nor do they, for the sake of it, omit the necessary duties of
life. My young men have the pleasure of being praised by those who are
in years, and those who are in years of being honoured by those who are
young. They look back with comfort on their past actions, and delight
themselves in their present employments. By my means they are favoured