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(Sidon the capiral), I stretch'd my toil
Through regions fatten'd with the flows of Nile.
Next, Æthiopia's utmost bound explore, IOI
And the parch'd borders of th' Arabian shore ;
Then warp my voyage on the fouthern gales,
O'er the warm Lybian wave to spread my fails:
That happy clime! where each revolving year 105
The teeming ewes a triple offspring bear;
And two fair crefc:nts of tranflucent horn
The brows of all their young increase adorn:
The fhepherd fwains, with fure abundance bieft,
On the fat flock and rural dainties feast ;
Nor want of herbage makes the dairy fail,
But every feafon fills the foaming pail.

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Whilft, heaping unwith'd wealth I distant roam;
The best of brothers, at his natal home,
By the dire fury of a traitress wife,
Ends the fad evening of a stormy life:
Whence with inceffant grief my foul annoy'd,
Thefe riches are poffefs'd, but not enjoy'd!
My wars, the copious theme of every tongue,
To you, your fathers have recorded long :
How favouring Heaven repaid my glorious toils
With a fack'd palace, and barbaric spoils.
Oh! had the Gods fo large a boon deny'd,
And life, the juft equivalent, supply'd

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A filver canister, divinely wrought,
In her foft hands the beauteous Phylo brought;
To Sparta's queen of old the radiant vase
Alcandra gave, a pledge of royal grace:
For Poly! us her lord (whofe fovereign fway
The wealthy tribes of Pharian Thebes obey), 170
When to that court Arrides came, careft
With vaft munificence th' imperial gueft;
Two lavers from the richeft ore refin'd,
With filver tripods, the kind host aflign'd:
And bounteous from the royal treasure told
Ten equal talents of refulgent gold.
Alcandra, confort of his high command,
A golden diftaff gave to Helen's hand;
And that rich vafe, with living fculpture wrought,
Which heap'd with wool the beauteous Phylo

brought:

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The filken fleece impurpled for the loom, Rival'd the hyacinth in vernal bloom. The sovereign feat then Jove-born Helen prefs'd, And pleafing thus her scepter'd lord addrefs'd: Who grace our palace now, that friendly pair, Speak they their lineage, or their names declare? Uncertain of the truth, yet uncontrol'd, Hear me the bodings of my breast unfold. With wonder wrapt, on yonder cheek I trace The features of the Ulyffean race: Diffus'd o'er each refembling line appear, In juft fimilitude, the grace and air Of young Telemachus! the lovely boy, Who bleft Ulyffes with a father's joy, 130 What time the Greeks combin'd their focial arms, T' avenge the ftain of my ill-fated charms!

eyes, 136

To those brave warriors, who, with glory fir'd, 125
Far from their country in my cause expir'd!
Still in fhort intervals of pleafing woc,
Regardful of the friendly dues I owe,
I to the glorious dead for ever dear !
Indulge the tribute of a grateful tear.
But, oh! Ulyffes-deeper than the reft
That fad idea wounds my anxious breast!
My heart bleeds fresh with agonizing pain;
The bowl and tasteful viands tempt in vain,
Nor fleep's foft power can clofe my ftreaming
When imag'd to my foul his forrows rife.
No peril in my cause he ceas'd to prove,
His labours equal'd only by my love:
And both alike to bitter fortune born,
For him to fuffer, and for me to mourn!
Whether he wanders on some friendless coast,
Or glides in Stygian gloom a penfive ghost,
No fame reveals; but, doubtful of his doom,
His good old fire with forrow to the tomb
Declines his trembling steps; untimely care
Withers the blooming vigour of his heir;
And the chaft: partner of his bed and throne
Waftes all her widow'd hours in tender moan.
While thus pathetic to the prince he spoke,
From the brave youth the ftreaming paffion
broke:

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Studious to veil the grief, in vain represt,
His face he fhrouded with his purple veft :
The conscious monarch pierc'd the coy difguife,
And view'd his filial love with vast surprize :
Dubious to prefs the tender theme, or wait
To hear the youth inquire his father's fate.
In this suspense bright Helen grac'd the room ;
Before her breath'd a gale of rich perfume.
So moves, adorn'd with each attractive grace,
The filver-fhafted Goddess of the chace!
The feat of majesty Adraste brings,
With art illustrious, for the pomp of kings;
To spread the pall (beneath the regal chair)
Of fofteft woof, is bright Alcippe's care.

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Juft is thy thought, the king affenting cries, Methinks Ulyffes ftrikes my wondering eyes: Full fhines the father in the filial frame, His port, his features, and his fhape, the fame : 200 Such quick regards his sparkling eyes bestow: Such wavy ringlets o'er his fhoulders flow! And when he heard the long disastrous store Of cares, which in my cause Ulyffes bore; Difmay'd, heart-wounded with paternal woes, 205 Above restraint the tide of forrow rofe: Cautious to let the gufhing grief appear, His purple garment veil'd the falling tear. See there confeft, Pifistratus replies, The genuine worth of Ithacus the wife! Of that heroic fire the youth is fprung, But modeft awe hath chain'd his timorous tongue, Thy voice, O king! with pleas'd attention heard, Is like the dictates of a God rever'd. With him at Neftor's high command I came, 215 Whole age I honour with a parent's name. By adverse destiny constrain'd to fue For counsel and redress he fues to you. Whatever ill the friendless orphan bears, Bereav'd of parents in his infant years, Still muft the wrong'd Telemachus sustain, If, hopeful of your aid, he hopes in vain : Affianc'd in your friendly power alone, The youth would vindicate the vacant throne. Is Sparta bleft, and these defiring eyes View my friend's fon ? (the king exulting cries) Son of my friend, by glorious toils approv'd, Whose sword was facred to the man he lov'd: Mirror of conftant faith, rever'd, and mourn'd!When Troy was ruin'd, had the chief return'd, 230

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He ceas'd; a guft of grief began to rife, Faft ftreams a tide from beauteous Helen's eyes; Faft from the fire the filial forrows flow; The weeping monarch fwells the mighty woe: Thy cheeks, Pififtratus, the tears bedew, While pictur'd to thy mind appear'd in view Thy martial brother: on the Phrygian plain Extended pale, by fwarthy Memnon flain! But filence from the son of Neftor broke, And, melting with fraternal pity, spoke : Frequent, O king, was Neftor wont to raise And charm attention with thy copious praise : 260 To crown thy various gifts, the fage affign'd The glory of a firm capacious mind: With that fuperior attribute control This unavailing impotence of foul.

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Let not your roof with echoing grief refound, 265
Now for the feaft the friendly bowl is crown'd;
But when, from dewy fhade emerging bright,
Aurora ftreaks the fky with orient light,
Let each deplore his deed: the rites of woe
Are all, alas! the living can bestow:
O'er the congenial duft injoin'd to hear
The graceful curl, and drop the tender tear.
Then, mingling in the mournful pomp with you,
I'll pay my brother's ghoft a warrior's due,
And mourn the brave Antilochus, a name
Not unrecorded in the rolls of Fame:
With ftrength and speed fuperior form'd in fight
To face the foe, or intercept his flight:
Too early fnateh'd by Fate, ere known to me!
I boast a witness of his worth in thee,
Young and mature ! (the monarch thus rejoins,)
In thee renew'd the foul of Neftor fhines:
Form'd by the care of that confummate fage,
In early bloom an oracle of age.
Whene'er his influence Jove vouchfafes to fhower
To blefs the natal, and the nuptial hour;
From the great fire tranfmiffive to the race,
The boon devolving gives diftinguish'd grace.
Such, happy Neftor! was thy glorious doom,
Around thee, full of years, thy offspring bloom,
Expert of arms, and prudent in debate;
The gifts of heaven to guard thy hoary state.
But now let each becalm his troubled breast,
Wafb, and partake ferene the friendly feast.
To move thy fuit, Telemachus, delay,
Till Heaven's revolving lamp restores the day.
+ Antilochus,

VOL. VI.

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He faid, Afphalion swift the laver brings; Alternate all partake the grateful springs: Then from the rites of purity repar,

And with keen guft the favoury viands fhare. 300 Mean time, with genial joy to warm the foul, Bright Helen mix'd a mirth-in piring bowl: Temper'd with drugs of fovereign ufe, t' affuage The boiling bofom of tumultuous rage;

[mind

310

To clear the cloudy front of wrinkled Care, 305
And dry the tearful fluices of Despair:
Charm'd with that virtuous draught, th' exalted
All fenfe of woe delivers to the wind.
Though on the blazing pile his parent lay,
Or a lov'd brother groan'd his life away,
Or darling fon, opprefs'd by ruffian force,
Fell breathlefs at his feet, a mangled corfe;
From morn to eve, impaffive and ferene,
The man entranc'd would view the deathful scene.
Thefe drugs, fo friendly to the joys of life, 315
Bright Helen learn'd from Thone's imperial wife;
Who fway'd the fceptre, where prolific Nile
With various fimples clothes the fatten'd foil.
With wholesome herbage mix'd, the direful bane
Of vegetable venom taints the plain;
From Pæon fprung, their patron-god imparts
To all the Pharian race his healing arts.
The beverage now prepar'd t' infpire the feaft,
The circle thus the beauteous queen addrest:

320

Thron'd in omnipotence, fupremest Jove 325
Tempers the fates of human race above;
By the firm fanction of his fovereign will,
Alternate are decreed our good and ill.
To feastful mirth be this white hour affign'd;
And sweet difcourfe, the banquet of the mind. 330
Myself, affifting in the focial joy,

Will tell Ulyffes' bold exploit in Troy:
Sole witnefs of the deed I now declare;

Speak you (who faw) his wonders in the war,
Seam'd o'er with wounds, which his own fabre

gave,

In the vile habit of a village-flave,
The foe deceiv'd, he pafs'd the tented plain, 335
In Troy to mingle with the hoftile train.
In this attire fecure from fearching eyes,
Till haply piercing through the dark difguife 340
The chief I challeng'd; he, whofe practis'd wit
Knew all the ferpent mazes of deceit,

Eludes my fearch: but when his form I view'd
Fresh from the bath with fragrant oils renew'd,
His limbs in military purple drefs'd;
345
Each brightening grace the genuine Greek confeis'd.
A previous pledge of facred faith obtain'd,
Till he the lines and Argive fleet regain'd,
To keep his ftay conceal'd; the chief declar'd
The plans of war against the town prepar'd. 350
Exploring then the fecrets of the state,

He learn'd what best might urge the Dardan fate :
And, fafe returning to the Grecian hoft,
Sent many a fhade to Pluto's dreary coaft.
Loud grief refounded through the towers of Troy
But my pleas'd bofom glow'd with fecret joy: 356
For then, with dire remorfe and confcious fhame,
I view'd th' effects of that disastrous flame,
Which, kindled by th' imperious queen of love,
Conftrain'd me from my native realm to rove: 360
And of't in bitterness of foul deplor'd

My abfent daughter, and my dearer lord;

Се

Admir'd among the first of human race,
For every gift of mind, and manly grace.
Right well, reply'd the king, your speech dif-
plays
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435

Our fovereign feat a lewd ufurping race
With lawlefs riot and mifrule disgrace;
To pamper'd infolence devoted fall
Prime of the flock, and choicest of the stall:
For wild ambition wings their bold defire,
And all to mount th' imperial bed aspire.
But proftrate I implore, oh king! relate
The mournful feries of my father's fate:
370 Each known difafter of the man disclose,
3ern by his mother to a world of woes!
Recite them! nor in erring pity fear
To wound with ftoried grief the filial ear:
If e'er Ulyffes, to reclaim your right,
Avow'd his zeal in council or in fight,
If Phrygian camps the friendly toils atteft,
To the fire's merit give the fon's request.
Deep from his inmoft foul Atrides figh'd, 445
And thus indignant to the prince reply'd :
Heavens! would a foft, inglorious dastard train
An abfent hero's nuptial joys profane !

380

"he matchlefs merit of the chief you praife:
Heroes in various climes myfelf have found,
For martial deeds, and depth of thought renown'd:
But Ithacus unrival'd, in his claim,
May boast a title to the loudeft fame :
In battle calm, he guides the rapid ftorm,
Wife to refolve, and patient to perform.
What wondrous conduct in the chief appear'd,
When the vast fabric of the fleed we rear'd!
Some Dæmon, anxious for the Trojan doom, 375
Urg'd you with great Deïphobus to come,
T'explore the fraud; with guile oppos'd to guile,
Slow-pacing thrice around th' infidious pile:
Each noted leader's name you thrice invoke,
Your accent varying as their spoufes fpoke:
The pleafing founds each latent warrior warm'd
But moft Tydides' and my heart alarm'd:
To quit the fteed we both impatient prefs,
Threatening to answer from the dark recefs.
Unmov'd the mind of Ithacus remain'd:
And the vain ardours of our love reftrain'd:
But Anticlus, unable to control,
Spoke loud the language of his yearning foul:
Ulyffes ftraight, with indignation fir'd,
(For fo the common care of Greece requir'd)
Firm to his lips his forceful hands apply'd,
Till on his tongue the fluttering murmurs dy'd.
Mean time Minerva, from the fraudful horse,
Back to the court of Priam hent your course.
Inclement Fate! Telemachus replies,
Frail is the boasted attribute of wife:
The leader, mingling with the vulgar hoft,
Is in the common mafs of matter loft!
But now let fleep the painful wafte repair
Of fad reflection, and corroding care.

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So with her young, amid the woodland fhades,
A timorous hind the lion's court invades,
Leaves in that fatal lair the tender fawns,
Climbs the green cliff, or feeds the flowery lawns.
Mean time return'd, with dire reniorseless fway
The monarch favage rends the trembling prey.
With equal fury, and with equal fame,
Ulyffes foon fhall re-affert his claim.
3900 Jove, fupreme, whom Gods and men revere !
And thou to whom 'tis given to gild the fphere!
With power congenial join'd, propitious aid
The chief adopted by the martial Maid!
Such to our with the warrior foon restore,
As when contending on the Lesbian fhore
His prowefs Philomelidus confefs'd,
And loud-acclaiming Greeks the victor blefs'd:
Then foon th' invaders of his bed and throne 465
Their love prefumptuous fhall with life atone.
With patient ear, O royal youth! attend
The ftoried labours of thy father's friend:
Fruitful of deeds, the copious tale is long,
But truth fevere fhall dictate to my tongue: 470
Learn what I heard the fea-born feer relate,
Whole eye can pierce the dark recefs of Fate.

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He ceas'd: the menial fair that round her wait,
At Helen's beck prepare the room of state;
Beneath an ample portico, they spread
The downy fleece to form the lumberous bed;
And o'er foft palls of purple grain, unfold
Rich tapestry, ftiff with interwoven gold:
Then, through th' illumin'd dome, to balmy reft
Th' obfequious herald guides each princely gueft:
While to his regal bower the king afcends,
And beauteous Helen on her lord attends.

410

Soon as the morn, in orient purple drest,
Unbarr'd the portal of the rofeate eaft,
The monarch rofe; magnificent to view,
Th' imperial mantle o'er his veft he threw :
The glittering zone athwart his fhoulder caft, 415
A ftarry faulchion low-depending grac'd;
Clafp'd on his feet th' embroider'd fandals fhine;
And forth he moves, majeflic and divine;
Inftant to young Telemachus he prefs'd,
And thus benevolent his fpeech addrefs'd;

Say, royal youth, fincere of foul, report
What caufe hath led you to the Spartan court?
Do public or domeftic cares constrain
This toilfome voyage o'er the furgy main?
Q highly-favoured delegate of Jove!
(Replies the prince) inflani'd with filial love,
And anxious hope, to hear my parent's doom,
uppliant to your royal court I come,

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Long on th' Egyptian coaft by calms con in'd,
Heaven to my fleet refus'd a profperous win 1;
No vows had we preferr'd, nor victim flain! 475
For this the Gods each favouring gale restrain:
Jealous, to fee their high behefts obey'd;
Severe, if men th' eternal rights invade.
High o'er a gulfy fea, the Pharian ille
Fronts the deep roar of difemboguing Nile: 480
Her diftance from the fhore, the course begun
At dawn, and ending with the fetting fun,
A galley measures: when the ftiffer gales
Rife on the poop, and fully stretch the fails.
There, anchor'd veffels fafe in harbour lie, 485
Whilft limpid fprings the failing cafk fupply.
And now the twentieth fun, defcending lave.
His glowing axle in the weftern waves;
Still with expanded fails we court in vain
Propitious winds, to waft us o'er the main : 490
And the pale mariner at once deplores

His drooping vigour, and exhausted stores,
When, lo! a bright coerulean form appears,
The fair Eidothea! to difpel my fears;

Apelle.

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Whoe'er thou art (the azure Goddess cries)
Thy conduct ill deserves the praise of wife:
Is death thy choice, or mifery thy boast,
That here inglorious on a barren coaft
Thy brave affociates droop, a meagre train
With famine pale, and afk thy care in vain?
Struck with the kind reproach, I ftraight reply;
Whate'er thy title in thy native fky,

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A Goddess fure! for more than mortal grace
Speaks the defcendant of ætherial race:
Deem not, that here of choice my fleet remains;
Some heavenly power averfe my flay constrains:
O, piteous of my fate, vouchfafe to fnew
(For what's fequefter'd from celestial view?)
What power becalms th' innavigable feas?
What guilt provokes him, and what vows appease?
I ceas'd, when affable the Goddess cry'd;
Obferve, and in the truths I fpeak confide:
Th' oraculous feer frequents the Pharian coast,
From whofe high bed my birth divine I boaft:
Proteus, a name tremendous o'er the main,
The delegate of Neptune's watery reign.
Watch with infidious care, his known abode;
There faft in chains conftrain the various God:
Who bound, obedient to fuperior force,
Unerring will preferibe your deftin'd course.
If ftudious of your realms, you then demand
Their ftate, fince last you left your natal land;
Inftant the God obfequious will difclofe
Bright tracks of glory, or a cloud of woes.
She ceas'd, and fuppliant thus I made reply:
0 Goddefs! on thy aid my hopes rely;
Dictate propitious to my duteous car,
What arts can captivate the changeful feer?
For perilous th' aflay, unheard the toil,
T'elude the prefcience of a God by guile.

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| So with his battering flocks the careful fwain
Abides, pavllion'd on the graffy plain.
With powers united, obftinately hold
Invade him, couch'd amid the fcaly fold:
Inftant he wears, elufive of the rape,
The mimic force of every favage shape:
Or glides with liquid lapfe a murmuring ftream,
Or, wrapt in flame, he glows at every limb. 566
Yet ftill retentive, with redoubled might,
Through each vain paffive form conftrains his flight.
But when, his native shape refum'd, he ftands
Patient of conqueft, and your caufe demands, 570
The caufe that urg'd the bold attempt declare,
And foothe the vanquish'd with a victor's prayer.
The bands relax'd, implore the feer to fay
What godhead interdict's the watery way:
Who ftraight, propitious, in prophetic ftrain 575
Will teach you to repafs th' unmeasur'd main.
She ceas'd, and, bounding from the shelfy fhore,
Round the defcending nymph the waves refound-
ingroar.

580

High wrapt in wonder of the future deed,
With joy impetuous, to the port I speed:
The wants of nature with repast suffice,
Till night with grateful fhade involv'd the fkies,
And fhed anbrofial dews. Faft by the deep,
Along the tented fhore, in balmy sleep,

590

Our cares were loft. When o'er the eastern lawn,
In faffron robes, the daughter of the dawn 586
Advanc'd her rofy steps, before the bay,
Due ritual honours to the Gods I
I pay;
Then feek the place the fea-born nymph affign'd,
With three affociates of undaunted mind.
Arriv'd, to form along th' appointed strand
For each a bed, the fcoops the hilly fand:
Then, from her azure car, the finny fpoils
Of four vaft Phocæ takes, to veil her wiles:
Beneath her finny fpoils, extended prone,
Hard toil! the prophet's piercing eye to fhun;
New from the corfe the fealy frauds diffuse
535 Unfavory ftench of oil, and brackish ooze;
But the bright fea-maid's gentle power implor'd,
With nectar'd drops the fickening fenfe reftor'd.

530

Thus to the Goddess mild my fuit 1 end.
Then the: Obedient to my rule, attend:
When through the zone of heaven the mounted

fun

Hath journey'd half, and half remains to run; 540
The feer, while zephyrs curl the swelling deep,
Bafks on the breezy fhore, in grateful fleep,
His oozy limbs. Emerging from the wave,
The Phoca fwift furrcund his rocky cave,
Frequent and full; the confecrated train
Of her, whofe azure trident awes the main
There wallowing warm, th' enormous herd

hales

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Thus till the fun had travell'd half the skies,601
Ambuth'd welie, and wait the bold emprise:
When, througing thick to bafk in open air,
The flocks of Ocean to the ftrand repair: [605
Couch'd on the funny fand, the monsters fleep;
Then, Proteus, mounting from the hoary deep,
Surveys his charge, unknowing of deceit
(In order told, we make the fum complete).
Pleas'd with the falfe review, fecure he lies
And leaden flumbers prefs his drooping eyes. 610
ex-Rufhing impetuous forth, we ftraight prepare
A furious onfet with the found of war,
And fhouting feize the God: our force t' evade,
His various arts he foon refumes in aid:
A lion now he curls a furgy mane;
Sudden, our bands a spotted pard restrain;
Then, arm'd with tufks, and lightning in his eyes,
A boar's obfcener fhape the God belies:
On fpiry volumes, there, a dragon rides;
Here, from our strict embrace a stream he guides:

An oily ftream, and taints the noon-tide gales.
To that recefs, commodious for furprise,
When purple light fhall next fuffufe the fkier, 550
With me repair; and from thy warrior band
Three chofen chiefs of dauntlefs foul command:
Let their auxiliar force befriend the toil:
For ftrong the God, and perfected in guile.
Stretch'd on the fhelly fhore, he first furveys 555
The flouncing herd afcending from the feas;
Their number f mm'd, repos'd in fleep profound
The fcaly charge their guardian God surround:
* Amphitrite,

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nd laft, fublime his ftately growth he rears,
A tree, and well-diffembled foliage wears.
Vain efforts! with fuperior power comprefs'd,
Me with reluctance thus the feer addrefs'd;

625

Say, fon of Atreus, fay what God infpir'd
This daring fraud, and what the boon defir'd?_
I thus; O thou whose certain eye forefees
The fix'd event of Fate's remote decrees;
After long woes, and various toil endur'd,
Still on this defert ifle my fleet is moor'd;
Unfriended of the gales. All-knowing! fay,
What Godhead interdicts the watery way?
What vows repentant will the power appeafe,
To speed a profperous voyage o'er the feas?

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To Jove (with ftern regard the chief replies) And all th' offended fynod of the skies, Juft hecatombs with due devotion flain, Thy guilt abfolv'd, a profperous voyage gain. To the firm fanction of thy fate attend! An exile thou, nor cheering face of friend, Nor fight of natal fhore, nor regal dome Shalt yet enjoy, but fill art doom'd to roam. Once more the Nile, who from the fecret fource Of Jove's high feat defcends with fweepy force, Muft view his billows white beneath thy oar, 645 And altars blaze along his fanguine fhore. Then will the Gods, with holy pomp ador'd, To thy long vows a fafe return accord,

650

He ceas'd: heart-wounded with afflictive pain, (Doom'd to repeat the perils of the main, A fhelfy tract and long!) O feer, I cry, To the itern fanction of th' offended sky My prompt obedience bows. But deign to say, What fate propitious, or what dire difmay, Suftain thofe peers, the reliques of our hoft, Whom 1 with Neftor on the Phrygian coaft Embracing left Muft I the warriors weep, Whelm'd in the bottom of the monftrous deep? Or did the kind domeftic friend deplore The breathlefs heroes on their native fhore?

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Prefs not too far, reply'd the God; but cease
To know, what known will violate thy peace:
Too curious of their doom! with friendly woe
Thy breaft will heave, and tears eternal flow.
Part live! the rest, a lamentable train !
Range the dark bounds of Pluto's dreary reign.
Two, foremost in the roll of Mars renown'd,
Whose arms with conqueft in thy caufe were
crown'd,

Fell by difaftrous fate; by tempefts toft,
A third lives wretched on a diftant coaft.

By Neptune rescued from Minerva's hate,
On Gyræ, fafe Oïlean Ajax fate,

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His fhip o'erwhelm'd; but frowning on the floods,
Impious he roar'd defiance to the Gods;
To his own prowess all the glory gave,
The power defrauding who vouchfaf'd to fave.
This heard the raging Ruler of the main;
His fpear, indignant, for fuch high disdain,
He launch'd; dividing with his forky mace
Th' aerial fummit from the marble base;
The rock rush'd fea-ward with impetuous roar
Ingulf'd, and to th' abyss the boafter bore.

680

But, when his hoary honours bow'd to Fate, Egyfthus govern'd in paternal ftate.

996

The furges now fubfide, the tempest ends;
From his tall ship the King of Men descends :
There fondly thinks the Gods conclude his toil!
Far from his own domain falutes the foil:
With rapture oft' the verge of Greece reviews,
And the dear turf with tears of joy bedews.
Him thus exulting on the diftant ftrand
A fpy difting fh'd from his airy stand,
To bribe whofe vigilance, Ægyfthus told
A nighty fum of ill-perfuading gold:
There watch'd this guardian of his guilty fear,
Till the twelfth moon had wheel'd her pale ca.

reer;

700

705

711

And now, admonish'd by his eye, to court
With terror wing'd conveys the dread report.
Of deathful arts expert, his lord employs
The minifters of blood in dark furprize:
And twenty youths in radiant mail incas'd,
Clofe ambush'd nigh the fpacious hall he plac❜d.
Then bids prepare the hofpitable treat:
Vain fhows of love to veil his felon-hate!
To grace the victor's welcome from the wars,
A train of courfers and triumphal cars'
Magnificent he leads! the royal guest,
Thoughtlefs of i", accepts the fraudful feaft.
The troop, forth iffuing from the dark recess,
With homicidal rage the king opprefs!
So, whilft he feeds luxurious in the stall,
The fovereign of the herd is doom'd to fall. 720
The partners of his fame and toils at Troy,
Around their lord, a mighty ruin! lie:
Mix'd with the brave, the bafe invaders bleed;
Egyfthus fole furvives to boast the deed.

715

He faid; chill horrors fhook my fhivering foul,
Rack'd with convulfive pangs in duft I roll; 726
And hate, in madnefs of extreme defpair,
To view the fun, or breathe the vital air.
But when, fuperior to the rage of woe,

I flood reftor'd, and tears had ceas'd to flow; 730
Lenient of grief, the pitying God began-
Forget the brother, and resume the man:
To Fate's fupreme difpofe the dead refign,
That care be Fate's, a fpeedy paffage thine.
Still lives the wretch who wrought the death
deplor'd,

But lives a victim for thy vengeful sword :
Unless with filial rage Oreftes glow,
And swift prevent the meditated blow;
You timely will return a welcome guest,
With him to fhare the fad funereal feaft.

739

749

He faid; new thoughts my beating heart em ploy,

My gloomy foul receives a gleam of joy.
Fair hope revives; and eager I addreft

745

The prefcient Godhead to reveal the reft. The doom decreed of thofe difaftrous two I've heard with pain, but, oh! the tale pursue; What third brave fon of Mars the Fates constrain To roam the howling defart of the main: Or, in eternal fhade if cold he lies, Provoke new forrow from thefe grateful eyes. 750 That chief (rejoin'd the God) his race derives From Ithaca, and wondrous woes fervives; Laertes' fon girt with circumfluous tides, 690 He still calamitous constraint abides.

686

By Juno's guardian aid, the watery vast, Secure of ftorms, your royal brother past: Till coafting nigh the cape, where Malea shrouds Her fpiry cliffs amid furrounding clouds; A whirling guft tumultuous from the shore Across the deep his labouring veffel bore. In an ill-fated hour the coaft he gain'd, Where late in regal pomp Thyeftes reign'd;

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