James Vila Blake, Sonnets from Marcus Aurelius 16

16. 

Ὅ τι ἄν τις ποιῇ ἢ λέγῃ, ἐμὲ δεῖ ἀγαθὸν εἶναι, ὡς ἂν εἰ ὁ χρυσὸς ἢ ὁ σμάραγδος ἢ ἡ πορφύρα τοῦτο ἀεὶ ἔλεγεν: ὅ τι ἄν τις ποιῇ ἢ λέγῃ, ἐμὲ δεῖ σμάραγδον εἶναι καὶ τὸ ἐμαυτοῦ χρῶμα ἔχειν.

Whatever any one may say or do, it is my business to be good; just as an emerald might always say: Let any one do or say whatever he will, it is my part to be an emerald, and preserve my hue. And in like manner might speak gold or purple.

—Marcus Aurelius, Meditations 7.15 

16. 

’Tis said the ass cried down fine Philomel, 

The note of that sweet singer of the night 

Not being a bray. So might gross soil expel 

Emeralds, or gold, or royal purple’s light. 

But what saith gold, when so the soggy earth 

Disputes its yellow blaze, what th’ royal hue 

Or verdant gems, though everything i’ the girth 

Of ireful exhalations sulphurs the view? 

Unto the noisome mist of the gross chatter 

The gold saith naught, but shines as ’tis the more; 

The princely purple never heeds to flatter, 

And emeralds color like a small sea-shore. 

Like purple, gems and gold is my one art; 

Men cog and jog; my right self is my part.