Sanctius his animal mentisque capacius altae
deerat adhuc et quod dominari in cetera posset.
Natus homo est, sive hunc divino semine fecit
ille opifex rerum, mundi melioris origo,
80
sive recens tellus seductaque nuper ab alto
aethere cognati retinebat semina caeli;
[…]
Pronaque cum spectent animalia cetera terram,
85 os homini sublime dedit, caelumque videre
iussit et erectos ad sidera tollere vultus.
Howbeit yet of all this while, the creature wanting was,
Farre more devine, of nobler minde, which should the residue passe
In depth of knowledge, reason, wit, and high capacitie,
And which of all the residue should the Lord and ruler bee.
Then eyther he that made the worlde, and things in order set,
Of heavenly seede engendred Man: or else the earth as yet
Yong, lustie, fresh, and in hir floures, and parted from the skie,
But late before, the seede thereof as yet held inwardlie.
[…]
And where all other beasts behold the ground with groveling eie,
He gave to Man a stately looke replete with majestie.
And willde him to behold the Heaven wyth countnance cast on hie,
To marke and understand what things were in the starrie skie.
(ed. Arthur Golding)
*
But one more perfect and more sanctified,
a being capable of lofty thought,
intelligent to rule, was wanting still
man was created! Did the Unknown God
designing then a better world make man
of seed divine?
[…]
On earth the brute creation bends its gaze,
but man was given a lofty countenance
and was commanded to behold the skies;
and with an upright face may view the stars:–
(ed. Brookes More)
*
Но същество по-свещено от тях, с по-възвишена мисъл,
нямаше още в света за господство над всички околни.
И появи се човекът- дали от божествено семе
оня творец, първоизвор на свят по-добър, го създаде,
или земята, едва от ефира висок отделена,
свежа, бе скътала кълн от предишното сродство с небето?
[…]
Докато другите твари наведени гледат земята,
стори човешкият лик възвисен, за да вижда небето,
и повели на човека да свръща очи км звездите.
(Георги Батаклиев)