All human things are subject to decay,And, when Fate summons, monarchs must obey;This Flecknoe found, who like Augustus youngWas call'd to empire, and had govern'd long:In prose and verse, was own'd, without disputeThrough all the realms of nonsense, absolute.

Summary

This quote, taken from Alexander Pope's satirical poem "Mac Flecknoe," highlights the inevitable decline and mortality of all human beings, including monarchs. It references a character named Flecknoe, who, like the Roman Emperor Augustus, was called to leadership and had ruled for a significant amount of time. However, in a comical twist, Flecknoe's reign was not characterized by wisdom or capability but rather by a mastery of nonsense. The quote serves as a commentary on the transient nature of human achievements and satirizes those who hold power but lack true substance or intellect.

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