Death & Dying
On a Good Man
Translated by William Cowper · From Translations
Trav'ller, regret not me; for thou shalt find,
Just cause of sorrow none in my decease,
Who, dying, childrens' children left behind,
And with one wife liv'd many a year in peace:
Three virtuous youths espous'd my daughters three,
And oft their infants in my bosom lay,
Nor saw I one of all derive! from me
Touch'd with disease, or torn by death away.
Their duteous hands my fun'ral rites bestow'd,
And me, by blameless manners fitted well
To seek it, sent to the serene abode
Where shades of pious men for ever dwell.
Codex Note
Translated from the Greek.
Cite this poem
MLA
Cowper, William. “On a Good Man.” Translated by William Cowper. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/cowper/372/.
Chicago
Cowper, William. “On a Good Man.” Translated by William Cowper. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/cowper/372/.
Read this poem with the Codex →