ONCE a high-reputed leech
Sent his son for me to teach.
He quickly learned the line that's first,
"Sing the wrath Achilles nursed,"
And fixed securely in his brains
"Caused the Achaean's countless pains";
And mastered with the greatest ease
The line which closely follows these,
"Many souls of heroes great
Sent to Pluto's gloomy state."
Then he ceased to send the boy
And my services employ.
But me one day his father meeting
Upon the street, he gave me greeting :
"Thanks, friend," he cried, "for what you've done
In teaching rhetoric to my son;
But he can learn at home as well
To send the souls of men to hell :
For this I'm doing every day.
This, then, is all I wished to say, -
To do the thing with reputation
Needs no elaborate education."
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