who I was Narbal who commanded the Ship that carried me ask'd me my Name and my Country Of what City said he in Phenicia are you I am not a Phenician said I but the Egyptians took me at Sea in a Phenician Ship I have been a long time Prisoner in Egypt as a Phenician under that Name I have suffer'd and under that Name I am deliver'd Of what Country art thou then said Narbal I am said I Telemachus Son to Ulysses King of Ithaca in Greece My Father made himself famous among the Kings who beseig'd the City of Troy but the Gods have not permitted him to return to his Country I have sought him in many Climates and Fortune Persecutes me also You see an unfortunate Person who desires no other Happiness than to return to his Country and to find his Father Narbal look'd upon me with Astonishment and thought he saw in my Face some Marks of Happiness that proceed from the favour of Heaven and are not in the rest of Men. He was by Nature sincere and generous He was mov'd with my Misfortunes and put a confidence in me that the Gods inspir'd him with for my Preservation Telemachus said he I doubt not the Truth of what you say neither can I doubt The lively Images of Grief and Virtue drawn upon your Face will not give me leave to distrust you I perceive that the Gods which I have always serv'd love you and will have me to love you as if you were my Son I will give you safe and useful Advice and for my Recompence desire nothing of you but Silence Fear not said I for I can without difficulty keep any thing secret that you shall trust to my Discretion Tho' I am young yet I have grown up in the Habit of not discovering my own Secret and much more of not betraying under any pretext the Secret of another How have you been able said he to accustom your self to keep Secrets in such tender years I shall be glad to know by what means you have acquir'd this admirable Quality which is the Foundation of the wisest Conduct and without which all other Talents are Useless When Ulysses said I departed to assist in the Siege of Troy he took me upon his Knees and embrac'd me for thus I have been told the Story and after he had kiss'd me in the tenderest manner he said these Words to me tho' I could not then understand them O my Son may the Gods prevent me from ever seeing thee again let rather the fatal Scissars cut the Thread of thy early Days as the Reaper cuts down with his Sicle the tender Flower that begins to blow let my Enemies dash thee in pieces before the Eyes of thy Mother and Me if ever thou art to be Corrupted and to relinquish the Ways of Virtue O! my Friends continued he I leave my dear Son with you take care of his tender years if you love me banish all Pernicious Flattery from about him instruct him how to overcome his Passions and let him be like a tender Plant that Men often bend in order to make it grow upright Above all forget not to render him Just Benificent Sincere and faithful in keeping a Secret Whoever is guilty of a Lie is unworthy to be accounted a Man and whoever knows not how to be Silent is unworthy to govern I am exact in the Repetition of these Words because care was taken to inculcate them often into me My Father's Friends made it their Business to exercise me early in keeping Secrets I was yet in my Infancy when they trusted me with all the Troubles they sustained to see my Mother expos'd to the Persecutions of so many that pretended to marry her Already they treated me as a Man of Reason and Fidelity They entertain'd me privately of the most important Affairs and acquainted me with all the measures they took to expel the Pretenders I was over-joy'd to be trusted in this manner I never abus'd the confidence repos'd in me I never let fall one single Word that might discover the least Secret The Pretenders often endeavour'd to make me talk expecting that a Child who had seen or heard any thing of Importance would not have been able to conceal it But I knew how to answer them without lying and without informing them of any thing that I ought not to discover Upon this Narbal said to me You see Telemachus the Power of the Phenicians They are formidable to all their Neighbours by their numerous Fleets The Trade they drive as far as the Columns of Hercules furnishes them with Riches surpassing all those of the most flourshing Nations The great Sesostris who could never have subdued them by Sea did with great difficulty defeat them by Land with those Armies that had conquer'd all the East and impos'd a Tribute upon us which has not continued long The Phenicians found themselves too Rich and too Potent to wear the Yoak of Servitude with Patience Sesostris was prevented by Death from finishing the War against us 'T is true we had reason to fear the Event and that much more on account of his wisdom than his Power But as soon as his Power without his Wisdom had pass'd into the Hands of his Son we concluded we had no more to fear In effect the Egyptians have been so far from returning in Arms to make an intire Conquest of our Country that they have been constrain'd to call us to their Assistance to deliver them from the Fury of an impious and outragious King We have been their Deliverers and have added the glory of this Action to the Liberty and Riches of our Country But whilst we deliver others we our selves are Slaves O Telemachus beware of falling into the cruel Hands of Pygmalion our King He has already died them in the Blood of Sicheus his Sister Dido's Husband Dido full of Horror and Revenge is fled from Tyre with many Ships Most of those who are best affected to Liberty and Virtue have attended her She has founded a Magnificent City upon the Coast of Africk and called it Carthage Pygmalion tormented with and insatiable Thirst of Wealth renders himself every day more wretched and odious to all his Subjects 'T is a Crime at Tyre to be Rich. His Avarice fills him with Suspicion Distrust and Cruelty He persecutes the Wealthy and fears the Poor Every thing disturbs him affrights him preys upon him He trembles at his own Shadow he sleeps neither by Night nor by Day The Gods to confound him load him with Treasures which he dares not enjoy The things he covets to make him happy are precisely those that make him miserable He regrets whatever he gives dreads to loose and torments himself with Hopes of Gain He is seldom seen He shuts himself up in the remotest parts of his Palace sad alone disconsolate His Friends dare not approach him for fear of being suspected A Guard terrible to see stands round his House with Swords
beyond what Fame proclaims about it whereupon he began thus The River Betis runs through a fruitful Land and under a temper'd and ever-serene Sky The Country has its Name from the River which discharges its Waters into the great Ocean near the famous Pillars of Hercules and about that Place where the furious Sea breaking thro' its Banks divided heretofore the Land of Tarsis from Great Africa This Country seems to have preserv'd the Delights of the Golden Age here Winters are Luke-warm and the fierce Northern Winds never rage in it the scorching Heat of the Summer is ever allay'd by refreshing Zephires which fan the sweltry Air towards Noon so that the whole Year is but a happy Hymen betwixt Spring and Autumn which seem ever to go Hand in Hand The Land both in the Vallies and the Plains yields every Year a double Harvest the Hills are over-spread with numerous Flocks of Sheep whose fine Wool is a choice Commodity among all Nations of the known World There are a great many Mines of Gold and Silver in that happy Country but its rude Inhabitants contented and happy with their Plainness disdain to count Gold or Silver among their Riches and only value what is really necessary to answer the Wants of Humane Nature When we first began to Trade with that Nation we found Gold and Silver employ'd among them about the same uses as Iron as for example for Plow-shares c. As they had no outward Trade so they wanted no Coin most of them are either Shepherds or Husband-men Artificers and Tradesmen are but few in this Country for they only tolerate those Arts which procure the Necessaries of Life and besides tho' most of the Inhabitants either follow Agriculture or the tending of Herds and Flocks yet they are skill'd in those Arts which are serviceable for the support of their plain and frugal way of living The Women spin that silky Wool I told you of and make extraordinary fine and white Stuffs they bake Bread dress Victuals and all those Labours are easie to them for in this Country their ordinary Food is Fruit and Milk out of the Leather of their Sheep they make thin Shoes for themselves their Husbands and their Children they make Tents some of waxed Skins and others of Barks of Trees they wash the Cloaths keep the Houses in order and sweet and clean to admiration and make Garments for all the Family those Garments are easily made for in this sweet and happy Climate they only wear a thin and light Piece of Stuff neither cut nor sow'd and which for Modesty's sake every one laps about his Body in long folds and in what form he pleases The Men besides Husbandry and the tending of the Herds and Flocks have no other Arts to exercise but the Working and Fashioning of Wood and Iron and even in 〈◊〉 they seldom make any use of Fire unless it be for Tools necessary for Husbandry All those Arts which belong to Architecture are altogether useless to them for they never build Houses it argues say they too great a Fondness for the Earth the building a Dwelling upon it much more lasting than one self it is sufficient to have a Shelner against the Injuries of the Air. As for all other Arts so much 〈◊〉 among the Grecians the AEgyptains and other civiliz'd Nations they abhor and detest them as the Inventions of Pride and Effeminacy When they hear of Nations that have the skill of raising magnificent Buildings and can make Gold and Silver houshold Goods Stuffs adorn'd with Imbroidery and precious Stones exquisite Perfumes delicious and dainty Dishes of Meat and Instruments of Musick whose Harmony inchants the Soul they answer in these words Those Nations are unhappy thus to have bestow'd so much Time Labour and Industry upon the corrupting of themselves those Superfluities soften intoxicate and torment the Possessors of them and tempt those that are depriv'd of them to acquire them by Injustice and Violence And how can that be called a Good which serves only to make Men wicked The Men of those Countries are they more sound strong and robust than we Do they live longer And are they better united among themselves Is there Life more free from Cares more peaceful and more jovial and merry Nay on the contrary they must needs be jealous of one another devour'd by shameful and black Envy ever disquieted and tortur'd by Ambition Fears and Avarice and incapable of enjoying plain unmixt and solid Pleasures since they are Slaves to so many sham Necessaries on which they make all their Felicity depend Thus 't is continued Adoam that these wise Men speak who owe all their Wisdom to their diligent Study of Nature they have an abhorrence for our Politeness and it must be confest that theirs has something great in their admirable Plainness they live all together without dividing the Land every Family is govern'd by its Chief who is real King of it the Father of the Family has the power to punish any of his Children of Grand-children that commits a Fault but before he inflicts the Punishment he advises with the rest of the Family 'T is rare indeed that there is any Punishment for the Innocence of Manners Truth Honesty Integrity Obedience and Abhorrence of Vice dwell in this happy Place and it seems as if Astrea who is said to have retir'd into Heaven lies yet conceal'd here among these People There is no need of Judges amongst them for their own Consciences Judge'em All their Goods are in Common the Fruits of the Trees the Grain Pulse of the Earth the Milk of the Herds are so abounding that a People so Sober and so Moderate have no occasion to divide 'em each moving fancily in this happy Countrey carry their Tents from one Place to another when they have eaten up the Pasturage and consum'd the Fruits of that part whence they come so that it is not their Interest to maintain one against t'other and if they all love one another with a brotherly Love which nothing can interrupt 't is the contempt of vain Riches and of deceitful Pleasures which confirm 'em in this Peace Union and Liberty They are all free and all equal and there is no other difference among 'em than that alone which the Experience of the Grave old Men or the extraordinary Wisdom of some young Men makes who being accomplish'd in all Virtue equal the old Men The cruel Outcrys of Fraud Violence Perjury Law-suits and Wars are never heard in this Countrey cherish'd by the Gods No human Blood ever stain'd this Land no not so much as the Blood of innocent Lambs When they hear of bloody Battels devouring Conquests of the overthrow of States which are frequent in all other Nations they are Amaz'd What say they are not Men subject enough to Mortality without percipitating one another to Death Life that is so short seems to them too long Are they sent here upon Earth to tear one another in
that we might prevent any Mischief But he would not give us either a Pilot or Mariners of his own Nation sor fear they might be expos'd to too much Hazard upon the Coast of Greece He committed us to the care of certain Phenician Merchants who Trading with all the People of the World had no occasion to fear and order'd them to bring back the Ship when they had left us safe in Ithaca But the Gods who sport with the Designs of Men had reserv'd us for farther Calamities The Tyrians by their Insolence had highly provoked the King of Egypt whose name was Sesostris and who had conquered many Kingdoms The Riches they had acquir'd by Trade and the impregnable Strength of Tyre which stands situated in the Sea had render'd this People so Proud that they not only refused to pay the Tribute which Sesostris imposed upon them in his ruturn from the Conquests he had made but assisted his Brother with Forces who had conspir'd to murder him on the Festival that was appointed to be celebrated on account of his great Victories For these Reasons Sesostris resolved to humble them by ruining their Commerce at Sea and commanded all his Ships to seek out and assault the Phenicians One of his Fleets met with us as soon as we lost sight of the Sicilian Mountains when the Harbour and Land seem'd to fly from behind us and lose themselves in the Clouds At the same time we saw the Egyptian Ships advancing towards us like a sloating City The Phenicians perceived and endeavour'd to avoid them but 't was too late Their Ships were better Sailors their Mariners more numerous the Wind favour'd them they Boarded us Took us and carried us Prisoners to Egypt I told them but in vain that I was no Phenician they hardly vouchsafed to hear me they look'd upon us as Slaves in which Merchandise they knew the Phenicians traded and thought only of making the best of their Prize We arrived in the Island of Pharos and rom thence were carried up the Nile to Memphis If the Grief we felt by reason of our Captivity had not render'd us insensible to all Pleasure our Eyes would have been charm'd with the fruitful Country of Egypt like a delicious Garden every where Water'd with the purest Streams We could not turn our Eyes on either side of the River without discovering many opulent Islands great numbers of well situated Villa's Lands richly cover'd with a golden Harvest Meadows full stock'd with Cattle Labourers bowing under the weight of the Fruits they had gather'd and Shepherds that made the Eccho's on every side repeat the sweet sound of their Pipes and Flutes Happy said Mentor is the People who are govern'd by a wise King They live in Plenty and Contentment and love him to whom they owe their Felicity Thus said he O Telemachus you ought to Reign and be the Joy of your People If ever the Gods give you the Possession of your Father's Kingdom love your People as your Children feel the Pleasure of being beloved by them and carry your self so that all the Tranquility and Pleasure they enjoy may lead them to remember that they are the rich Presents of a good King Kings who make it their only business to render themselves formidable to their own Subjects and to impoverish them in order to make them more submissive are the Plagues of Mankind They are perhaps feared as they desire but they are hated detested and have more reason to be afraid of their Subjects than their Subjects have to fear them I answer'd alas Mentor 'T is not now the Question by what Maxims a King ought to Reign We shall never see Ithaca again We shall never see our Country or Penelope more and tho' Ulysses should return full of Glory to his Kingdom he would never have the satisfaction of seeing me there nor I that of obeying him and learning the Rules of Government from him No Let us dye dear Mentor for we must have no other Thoughts Let us dye since the Gods have no Compassion for us As I spoke my Words were interrupted with sighs But Mentor tho' he could be apprehensive of approaching Evils knew not what it was to fear them when they had happen'd Unworthy Son of the wise Ulysses cried he Dost thou suffer thy self to be overcome by thy Misfortunes Know that you shall one Day see both Ithaca and Penelope You shall see what your Eyes have never seen The invincible Ulysses in his former Glory He whom Fortune cannot Conquer and who in greater Misfortune admonishes us never to Despair O! if he should hear in the Regions where he is driven by the Winds and Sea that his Son knows not how to imitate him either in Patience or Courage such News would overwhelm him with Shame and prove more heavy than all the Misfortunes he has yet suffered After this Mentor caused me to observe the Fertility and Happiness that was seen over all the Country of Egypt which contain'd Two and twenty thousand Cities He admir'd the regular Government of these Places the distribution of Justice which was every where exercised with great regard to the Poor the good Education of Children who were inur'd early to Obedience Labour Sobriety Arts or Learning the due observation of all the Ceremonies of Religion a generous and disinterested Spirit a great desire of Reputation an universal Sincerity in their Dealings with Men and a just Reverence of the Gods which every Father took care to infuse into his Children He thought he could never enough admire this beautiful Order He would often cry out in a Rapture of Joy O! how happy is that People which is thus govern'd by a wise King But yet more happy is that King who when he has provided for the Happiness of so great a People can find himself happy in his own Virtue Such a one is more than fear'd he is belov'd Men not only Obey him but they Obey him with Pleasure He Reigns universally in their Hearts and every Man is so far from desiring his Death that he fears it above all Misfortunes and would readily sacrifice his Life for him I heark'ned with Attention to what Mentor said and as he spoke I found my Courage to revive in the bottom of my Heart As soon as we were arriv'd at the rich and magnificent City of Memphis the Governor commanded us to be sent to Thebes in order to be presented to King Sesostris who being highly incens'd against the Tyrians had resolved to examin us himself So we proceeded in our Voyage up the River Nile till we came to the famous Thebes which has a Hundred Gates and serves for a Habitation to that great King This City appear'd to us of a vast Extent and more Populous than the most flourishing Cities of Greece The Orders are Excellent in all that regards the neatness and conveniency of the Streets the course of the publick Waters the Baths the advancement of Arts and Sciences and
to Reign here At last I resum'd my Discourse and every one was silent in a moment not knowing whether or no I was going to accept what I had at first rejected in these words therefore I address'd my self to 'em Suffer me Oh! Cretans to tell you my Thoughts You are the wisest of all Nations but methinks Wisdom requires a Precaution which you seem to have forgot you ought to fix your Election not on that Man who best Discourses about the Laws but on him who with a most steddy and constant Virtue puts them in Practice For my part I am young and consequently without Experience expos'd to the Violence of Passions and more fit to be instructed by Obeying in order to Command hereafter than to Command at present Therefore seek not a Man that has overcome others in those Tryals of Wit and Strength but one that has overcome himself look for a Man that has your Laws deeply engraven in his Heart and whose Life is a continu'd Practice of those Laws let his Actions rather than his Words bespeak your Choice All the old Men charm'd with this Discourse and seeing the Applauses of the whole Assembly still encreasing told me Since the Gods will not suffer us to hope to see you Reign among us at least do us the favour to assist us in the finding out a King that will govern according to our Laws Do you know any Body that can Command with that Moderatiou you speak of I know a Man answer'd I to whom I am beholden for all you have admir'd in me 't is his Wisdom and not mine that spoke to you 't is he who suggested to me all those Answers you heard just now Thereupon all the Assembly cast their Eyes upon Mentor whom I shew'd to them holding him by the hand moreover I told them what care he had taken of me from my Infancy what Dangers he had rescued me from what Misfortunes had besallen me as soon as I began to neglect his Counsels At first they took no notice of him because of his plain negligent Dress his modest Countenance his being silent almost all the while and his reserv'd Looks But when they view'd him more attentively they discover'd in his Countenance something that bespoke a firm noble and elevated Soul they took notice of the liveliness of his Eyes and how active he was in all his Actions they ask'd him several Questions which he answer'd to the Admiration of all they resolv'd to make him their King but he excused himself without any concern He told them he preferr'd the Sweets of a private Life before the grand Pomp of a Crown that even the best Kings were unhappy in that they scarce ever did that Good they had a mind to do and that through Surprize and the Insinuations of Flatterers they often did that Mischief they never intended He added that if Slaves be miserable the Condition of a King is no less wretched since 't is but servitude in a disguise When a Man said he is King he is still dependent upon all those whom he has occasion for to support his Authority and make others obey Happy is he who is not oblig'd to Command 'T is only to ones own Country when she invests a Man with Power that he ought to offer the dear Sacrifice of his Liberty in order to consult and promote the publick Good At these words the Cretans still full of wonder and admiration ask'd him What Man they ought to chuse A Man reply'd he that 's well known to you all since you must be govern'd by him and such a one as is affraid to govern you Whoever desires Sovereignty is not acquainted with it and how then will he perform the Duties incumbent upon his Dignity if he be a stranger to them He courts a Crown for himself but you ought to endeavour after one who accepts it only for your advantage All the Cretans being very much surpriz'd to see these two Strangers resuse a Crown which a great many others seek after with eager Ambition they enqui'd who came along with them Nausicrates who had conducted them from the Port to the Circus where the Games were celebrated shew'd them Hasael who was come with Mentor and my self from the Isle of Cyprus but their wonder still encreased when they heard that Mentor had been Hasael's Slave That Hasael deeply affected with the Wisdom and Virtue of his Slave had made him his Counsellor and intimate Friend That that Slave made free was the same who just now refused to be King and that Hasael was come from Damascus in Syria to make himself acquainted with the Laws of Minos so much was his Heart possest with the love of Wisdom The old Men said to Hasael We dare not to desire you to Rule over us for we suppose your Thoughts are the same with those of Mentor you despise Men too much to be willing to take upon you the Conduct of them Besides you have so far renounc'd Riches and the vain Pomp of a Crown that you would not purchase them at the expence of your Liberty and with the Fatigue and anxious Cares which are inseparably attending upon Rule and Government Hasael answer'd Do not understand me Oh! Cretans as if I despis'd Men. No I know too well what great and noble Employment it is to make them good and happy but that Employment is full of Trouble and Dangers the Pomp that attends it has but a false Brightness which can only dazzle the Eyes of Vain-glorious Men. Life is short Greatness and Elevation do more provoke the Passions than they can satisfie them My design in coming so far was not to purchase those false Goods but only to learn to be easie without them I must bid you farewel I have no other Thoughts than to return to a peaceful and retir'd Life where Wisdom shall fill my Heart and nourish my Soul and where the hopes that result from virtue towards a better Life shall comfort me under the Miseries of old Age if I wish for any thing 't is not to be a King but rather never to be parted from those two Men you see here before you At last the Cretans addressing themselves to Mentor cry'd out You the wisest and greatest of all Mortals tell us then who it is we must chuse to be our King for we will not let you go till you have determin'd our Choice To which he answer'd Whilst I was among the Crowd of the Spectators I took notice of a vigorous old Man who shewed no manner of eagerness or concern I ask'd who he was and answer was made he was call'd Aristomedes Afterwards I heard some Body telling him that his two Sons were amongst the Combatants at which he exprest no manner of Joy he said That as for the one he did not wish him the Dangers which attend a Crown and as for the other he lov'd his Country too well ever to consent that he should be King By that
can scarce perceive before it is too fierce to be extinguish'd Fly my dear Telemachus fly from those Nymphs who are so modest and discreet only to decoy you into their Snares fly from the Dangers your Youth exposes you to but above all fly from that Boy whom you do not know He is Cupid whom her Mother Venus has brought into this Island to revenge your Contempt of those Rites which are perform'd in her Honour in the Isle of Cythera he has wounded the Heart of Calipso and made her passionately in Love with you he had fir'd all those Nymphs that are now about him and even Telemachus himself Oh! wretched young Man you burn without feeling your secret Flame Telemachus often interrupted the Discourse of Mentor and told him but why shall we not stay in this Island Ulysses is certainly dead and has been a long time Buried in the Waves and Penelope seeing that neither he nor I return home will never be able to resist so many Lovers and without doubt her Father Icarus has by this time oblig'd her to Marry a new Husband Shall I return to Ithaca to see her ingaged with another contrary to the solemn Faith she had given to my Father The Ithacians have quite forgot Ulysses and we cannot return thither without running upon certain Death since Penelope's Lovers are already possess'd of all the Avenues to the Port the better to make our Destruction sure at our return Mentor reply'd Your Discourse is the result of a blind Passion we are wonderfully industrious in finding all the Reasons which seem to favour it and with no less care we avoid the sight of those which condemn it we employ all our Wit in deceiving our selves and stifling those Remorses which give a check to our Desires Have you forgot what the Gods have done for you in order to bring you back into your own Country Which way did you come out of Sicily Those Misfortunes which befel you in Egypt did they not turn on a sudden to your Prosperity What unknown Hand dispell'd all those impending Dangers which threatned your Head at the City of Tyre After so many wonderful Deliverances can you be doubtful of what the Gods have in store for you But no you suppose your self unworthy of their Favours For my own part I go out of this Island But you oh degenerate Son of so wise and noble a Father you may lead here a soft inglorious Life amongst Women and in spite of Heaven do what your Father thought unworthy of him These reflecting Expressions touch'd Telemachus to the very quick He felt his Heart relenting at Mentor's Words His Griefs was attended with Shame He fear'd both the departure and indignation of so wise a Person as one to whom he was so very much oblig'd but a new-born Passion with which he was but little acquainted made him quite another Man What said he to Mentor with Tears in his Eyes Do you reckon for nothing that immortal Life which the Goddess offers me No answered Mentor I make no account of any thing that is inconsistent with Virtue and against the supreme Decrees of Heaven Virtue calls you back into your own Country that you may see and comfort Ulysses and Penelope Virtue bids you not to abandon your self to an extravagant Passion The Gods who deliver'd you from so many Dangers in order to make your Glory shine as bright as your Father's the Gods I say command you to quit this Island Love alone that base Tyrant Love is able to detain you here Yet what will you do with an immortal Life bereft of Liberty Virtue and Honour Your sort of Life would still be the more wretched in that it were endless Telemachus answer'd him only with Sighs Sometimes he wish'd that Mentor had forc'd him away from Calipso and sometimes he wish'd that his Departure had rid him of a troublesome rigid Friend who ever reproach'd him with his Weakness His Heart was continually in suspense betwixt various Thoughts just as the Sea is toss'd by contrary Winds that sport with its inconstant Waves He often lay motionless on the Sea-shore sometimes in a lonely and gloomy Covert of a Wood he shed a Flood of bitter Tears and cry'd like a roaring Lion He was grown Lean his hollow Eyes were full of a devouring Fire and by his pale downcast Looks and disfigured Face one could never have thought he had been Telemachus his Beauty his graceful Sprightliness and his noble Aspect were fled from him he was like a Flower which blows in the Morning casts forth its fragancy around all the Day but fades insensibly towards Night its fine Colours decay its Leaves wither and its fine Top droops and bears down the feeble Stalk Thus the Son of Ulysses was brought to a languishing and dying Condition Mentor perceiving that Telemachus was not able to resist the violence of his Passion he thought on a Stratagem to deliver him from so great a Danger He took notice that Calipso was desperately in Love with Telemachus and that Telemachus was no lest taken with the Charms of the young Nymph Eucharis for cruel Cupid the better to torment Mortals makes them seldom love the Person by whom they are belov'd Now upon a Day when Telemachus was to go out a Hunting with Eucharis Mentor in order to raise Calipso's Jealousy told her I find in Telemachus an eager Love for Hunting which I never perceiv'd in him before this Recreation makes him slight all other Pleasures he only delights in Forests and wild Mountains Is it you Oh great Goddess who have inspir'd him with this Passion Calipso was touch'd to the quick with these Words and was not able to contain her Resentments That Telemachus answer'd she who despis'd all the Pleasures of the Isle of Cyprus cannot resist the faint Charms of one of my Nymphs How dares one to boast of so many wonderful Actions whose Heart is so easily soften'd by shameful effeminate Pleasures and who seems to be Born only to lead an obscure inglorious Life among Women Mentor was not a little pleas'd to find that Jealousy began to work in Calipso's Heart but said no more at that time for fear she should distrust him only he express'd his concern by his sad and downcast Looks The Goddess complained to him about all she saw and renew'd her Complaints every Day This Hunting-match of which Mentor gave her notice began to raise her Fury she was told that Telemachus had no other Design in his Sports than to withdraw from the other Nymphs in order to entertain Eucharis alone there was also a Talk of a second Hunting-match wherein she foresaw he would do what he had done in the first But to break Telemachus's Measures she declar'd that she design'd to make one amongst them and then on the sudden being no more able to contain her Passion she spoke to him in these Words Is it thus Oh young rash Mortal that thou art come into my Island to
the Trunk of some great Tree I cannot suffer you O Telemachus to fall into this Fault which renders a Man so weak for Government You who are so tender as not to dare to speak to Idomeneus will be no longer touch'd with his Sorrows when you are once got out of Salentum 'T is not so much his Trouble that softens you as 't is his Presence that embarasses you Go speak to Idomeneus and learn on this Occasion to be resolv'd and tender at the same time Let him know the Trouble you feel in parting from him but let him know at the same time by the decisive tone of your Voice the necessity of your departure Telemachus durst neither any longer oppose Mentor nor go to Idomeneus he was asham'd of his Fear and yet had not the Courage to surmount it he hesitated made a step or two and then return'd immediately to alledge to Mentor some new reason of delay But Mentor's Look alone depriv'd him of Speech and made all his fair Pretences disappear And is this says Mentor smiling the great Conqueror of the Daunians The Deliverer of the great Hesperia The Son of the wise Ulysses who is to be the Oracle of Greece after him Who knows not how to tell Idomeneus that he can no longer defer his return into his Country to see his Father O ye People of Ithaca how miserable will you one Day be if you have a King whose Mind is under the Dominion of an unbecoming Shame and who will sacrifice his greatest Interests to his Weaknesses in matters of the smallest Consequence See Telemachus what a difference there is between Valour in the Field and Courage in the Court You have not fear'd the Arms of Adrastus and yet you are now afraid of the Sorrows of Idomeneus This is that which dishonours Princes who have done the greatest Feats after they have appear'd to be Heroes in War they shew themselves the meanest of Men on common Occasions wherein others support themselves with Vigour Telemachus convinc'd of the Truth of these Words and spur'd on with this Reproach went out hastily and would no longer give ear to his Affections But he was scarce come into the Room where Idomeneus was sitting with dejected Eyes languishing and overwhelm'd with Sorrow but they were both afraid of each other They durst not look on one another they understood one another without saying any Thing and each was afraid that the other would break Silence both of 'em fell a Weeping and in fine Idomeneus press'd with excess of Sorrow cried out To what purpose is Vertue sought after if she so ill requites those that Love her After my Weakness is remonstrated to me I am forsaken If it be so I must e'ne fall back into all my Misfortunes Speak no more to me of Governing well I am not able to do it I am weary of Men. Whether will you go Telemachus Your Father is Dead You in vain seek after him Ithaca is become a Prey to your Enemies they 'll destroy you if you return thither you 'll find that one or other of 'em has married your Mother Continue here and Reign with me at least leave Mentor with me who is my only support Speak answer me do not harden your Heart have pity on the most miserable Man in the World What do you say nothing Ah! I very well perceive how cruel the Gods are to me I feel it even more severely than I did in Crete when I was so unhappy as to pierce my own Son At last Telemachus answer'd with a disturb'd and timorous Voice I am not my own the Destinies call me back into my Country Mentor who has the Wisdom of the Gods commands me in their Name to be gone What would you have me do Shall I renounce my Father my Mother and my Country which ought to be dearer to me than my Life Being Born to Royalty I am not destin'd to a calm and sedate Life nor to follow my own Inclinations Did you not promise me to send me back to Ithaca Was it not upon this Promise that I fought for you against Adrastus with the Confederates 'T is time for me to think of retrieving my domestick Misfortunes The Gods who have given me to Mentor have also given Mentor to the Son of Ulysses to make him fill up the Decrees of the Fates Would you have me lose Mentor after having lost every Thing else I have now neither Estate nor Retreat nor Father nor Mother nor Countrey to receive me I have only a Wise and Virtuous Man left me who is the most precious Gift of Jupiter Judge your self if I can renounce such a Treasure and so abandon my self to my own Conduct No I would sooner die Take away my Life that does not signifie much but do not take Mentor from me As Telemachus went on to speak his Voice grew stronger and his Timorousness vanish'd Idomeneus knew not what to answer and could not tell how to consent to what the Son of Ulysses said When he could no Ionger speak to him he endeavour'd at least by his Looks and Gestures to move his Compassion At the same moment he saw Mentor appear who very gravely address'd himself to him in these Terms Do not afflict your self we leave you But Wisdom which presides in the Councils of the Gods will always continue with you Only believe that you are very Happy in that Jupiter has sent us hither to save your Kingdom and to reduce you from your Mistakes Philocles whom we have restor'd to you will serve you faithfully the Fear of the Gods the Relish of Virtue the Love of the People and Compassion for the Miserable will always Reign in his Heart Hearke to these and make use of him with Confidence and without Jealousie The greatest Service you can desire from him is to oblige him to tell you your Faults without any Extenuation This is that in which the Courage of a good King consists to seek true friends who may point out to him his own Defects Provided you have this kind of Resolution our Absence cannot hurt you and you may live happily But if Jealousie which insinuates it self like a Serpent should again find a Way to your Heart to make you distrust the most disinterested Counsels you are undone Don't suffer your self weakly to sink under Sorrow but strenuously endeavour to follow the guidance of Virtue I have told Philocles all that he ought to do for your assistance and have caution'd him never to abuse your Confidence in him I can undertake to answer for him The Gods have given him to you as they have given me to Telemachus Every one ought Couragiously to follow his Destiny 'T is to no purpose to afflict your self If ever you have need of my help after I have restor'd Telemachus to his Father and his Country I will come and see you again and what can I do that can give me a more sensible Pleasure I neither seek for Riches nor
with Mentor Their Voyage into Crete The publick Games for the Election of a new King after Idomeneus's Flight Venus's Anger Their Ship-wrack The kind and joyful Welcome Calipso had made them The Jealousie of that Goddess against one of her Nymphs and Mentor's throwing his Friend into the Sea as soon as he espied the Phenician Ship After they had given each other the respective Stories of their Adventures Adoam caus'd a magnificent Entertainment to be serv'd up and the better to express his excessive Joy he procur'd all the Pleasures that could be had whilest they were at Table during which time they were attended by young Phenician Boys clad in white they burnt the most exquisite Frankincense of Arabia all the Rowers Seats were fill'd with Musitians playing on the Flute Architoas now and then interrupted them by the sweet Harmony of his Voice and his Lyre fit to entertain the Gods at their Revels and even to please the Ears of Apollo himself The Tritons the Nereids all the Deities who obey the Command of Neptune and the Sea-Monsters themselves forsook their watry deep Grotto's and came in Shoals round the Ship charm'd by this Divine Melody A Company of young Phenicians of an excellent Beauty and clad in fine Lawn as white as the driven Snow danc'd for a long time several Dances of their own Country afterwards they danc'd after the AEgyptain manner and last of all after the Grecian Now and then the loud Trumpets made the Waves resound with their Clangors as far as the distant Shore The dead of silent Night the stilness of the Sea the trembling Light of the Moon which play'd on the surface of the Water and the Azure Blew of the Skies studded with bright twinkling Stars serv'd to heighten the Nobleness and Majesty of the Shew Telemachus being of a quick and sprightly Temper easily affected with the Impressions of sensual Objects relish'd all those Pleasures with delight but he durst not indulge himself too far in the enjoying of them since he had experienc'd to his Grief and Shame in the Isle of Calipso how ready Youth is to be inflam'd He was shy and afraid even of the most innocent Pleasures and suspected every Thing He look'd upon Mentor and consulted both his Face and his Eyes to know what he ought to think of all those Pleasures Mentor was not a little pleas'd to see him in that Perplexity but made as if he did not take notice of it at last mov'd with Telemachus's Moderation he told him with a Smile I perceive what you are afraid of nay I applaud your Fear but however you must have a care not to carry it too far No Man can ever wish more earnestly than I that you enjoy those soft and moderate Pleasures that will leave you the use of your Reason and can never turn you into a furious Brute 't is now convenient you should refresh your self after all your Troubles and Fatigue relish with a grateful Complaisance to Adoam all those Enjoyments he offers you be merry Telemachus be merry and rejoyce Virtue is neither morose austere nor affected 'T is she yields true Pleasures she alone knows how to season and temper them to make them solid and lasting she knows how to mix Mirth and Sports with the most important and serious Affairs she prepares us for Pleasure by Labour and refreshes the Hardships of Labour by Pleasure Wisdom it self is not asham'd to be gay and sprightly upon occasion Having spoke these words Mentor took up a Harp and touch'd it with such exquisite Art that Architoas stung with Jealousie let his drop from his Hands his Eyes were flaming with spite his troubled Face turn'd pale then blush'd and then turn'd pale again and every Body would have taken notice of his Pain and Confusion but that at the same moment Mentor's Harp had ravish'd into Extasie the Soul of all the Assistants No Man scarce durst draw Breath for fear of interrupting the profound Silence and so losing the least Note of the Divine Song all were still in pain lest he should end it too soon Mentor's Voice had no effeminate softness but was flexible mellow and strong and he us'd it with such Art that he humour'd to admiration every thing he Sung He at first rehears'd the Praises of mighty Jove the Father and King both of Gods and Men who with a Nod shakes the whole Universe Afterwards he represented Minerva coming out of his Head that is Wisdom which that supreme God creates within himself and which issues from him to instruct those Men who are willing to be taught Mentor sung all those Truths in such divine and lofty Strains that the whole Assembly thought themselves transported to the very Top of Olympus before the Face of great Jupiter whose Looks are as pierceing as his Thunder Next to that he sung the Misfortune of young Narcissus whose being fondly 〈◊〉 with his own Beauty which he was continually viewing in a Fountain consum'd himself with Grief and was chang'd into a Flower that bears its Name Lastly he sung the fatal Death of fair Adonis whom a fierce wild Boar tore in Pieces and whom Venus being passionately in love with could never bring to life again with all the bitter Complaints she put up to Heaven None of those who heard him were able to contain their Tears and every one felt a secret Pleasure in Weeping when he had done Singing The Phenicians look'd upon one another full of Wonder and Amazement One said this is Orpheus for thus with his Harp he us'd to tame fierce Beasts and draw after him both Trees and Stones 'T is thus he enchanted Cerberus suspended for a while the Torments of Ixion and of the Danaids and mov'd the inexorable Pluto to let the fair Eurydice go out of Hell Another cry'd No t is Linus the Son of Apollo to whom some body answer'd You are mistaken this must be Appollo himself Telemachus's Surprize was little less than that of the rest for he never knew before that Mentor could play on the Harp with so much Mastery Architoas who by this time had conceal'd his Jealousie began to give Mentor those Commendations he deserv'd but he could not praise him without blushing neither was he able to make an end of his Discourse Mentor who saw what Trouble he was in began to interrupt him and endeavour'd to comfort him by commending his Musick However his Praises did not comfort Architoas for he was sensible that Mentor surpass'd him yet more by his Modesty by the Charms of his Voice In the mean time Telemachus said to Adoam I remember you spoke to me of a Voyage you made into Betica fince we came away from AEgypt and because Betica is a Country of which common Fame relates so many incredible Wonders Vouchsafe to tell me what we must believe of them I will be extream glad reply'd Adoam to give you Description of that famous Country which deserves your Couriosity and which is much