Thomas Cooke (author)

Thomas Cooke (1703 – 29 December 1756), often called "Hesiod" Cooke, was an active English translator and author who ran afoul of Alexander Pope and was mentioned as one of the "dunces" in Pope's Dunciad. Quotes The Works of Hesiod (1728) As Drones, oppressive Habitants of Hives,Owe to the Labour of the Bees their Lives,Whose Work is always with the Day begun,And never ends but with the sering Sun,From Flowr to Flowr they rove, and loaded HomeReturn, to build the white the waxen Comb,While lazy the luxurious Race remainWithin, and of their Toils enjoy the Gain;So Woman, by the Thund’rer’s hard Decree,And wretched Man, are like the Drone and Bee. Theogony, l. 594 Oh! would I had my Hours of Life beganBefore this fifth, this sinful, Race of Man;Or had I not been call’d to breathe the Day,Till the rough Iron Age had pass’d away!For now, the Times are such, the Gods ordain,That ev’ry Moment shall be wing’d with Pain;Condemn’d to Sorrows, and to Toil, we live;Rest to our Labour Death alone can give;And yet amid the Cares our Lives anoy,The Gods will grant some Intervals of Joy. Works and Days, l. 174 External links Category:1703 births Category:1756 deaths Category:Translators from England Category:Poets from England