cast his arms about Her Neck and begg'd her to resolve the Doubt 'T is hard to judge if Climenè were mov'd More by his Pray'r whom she so dearly lov'd Or more with fury fir'd to find her Name Traduc'd and made the sport of common Fame She stretch'd her Arms to Heav'n and fix'd her Eyes On that fair Planet that adorns the Skies Now by those Beams said she whose holy Fires Consume my Breast and kindle my desires By him who sees us both and chears our sight By him the publick Minister of light I swear that Sun begot thee if I lye Let him his chearful Influence deny Let him no more this perjur'd Creature see And shine on all the World but only me If still you doubt your Mother's Innocence His Eastern Mansion is not far from hence With little pains you to his Levè go And from himself your Parentage may know With joy th' ambitious Youth his Mother heard And eager for the Journey soon prepar'd He longs the World beneath him to survey To guide the Chariot and to give the day From Meroe's burning Sands he bends his course Nor less in India feels his Father's force His Travel urging till he came in sight And saw the Palace by the Purple light The End of the First Book of Ovid 's Metamorphoses THE FABLE OF IPHIS and IANTHE From the Ninth Book of the Metamorphoses English'd by Mr. Dryden THE Fame of this perhaps through Crete had flown But Crete had newer Wonders of her own In Iphis chang'd For near the Gnossian bounds As loud Report the Miracle resounds At Phoestus dwelt a man of honest blood But meanly born and not so rich as good Esteem'd and loy'd by all the Neighbourhood Who to his Wife before the time assign'd For Child-birth came thus bluntly spoke his mind If Heav'n said Lygdus will vouchsafe to hear I have but two Petitions to prefer Short pains for thee for me a Son and Heir Girls cost as many throws in bringing forth Besides when born the Titts are little worth Weak puling things unable to sustain Their share of Labour and their Bread to gain If therefore thou a Creature shalt produce Of so great Charges and so little Use Bear witness Heav'n with what reluctancy Her hapless Innocence I doom to dye He said and tears the common grief display Of him who bade and her who must obey Yet Telethusa still persists to find Fit Arguments to move a Father's mind T' extend his Wishes to a larger scope And in one Vessel not confine his hope Lygdus continues hard her time drew near And she her heavy load cou'd scarcely bear When slumb'ring in the latter shades of Night Before th' approaches of returning light She saw or thought she saw before her Bed A glorious Train and Isis at their head Her Moony Horns were on her Forehead plac'd And yellow Sheaves her shining Temples grac'd A Mitre for a Crown she wore on high The Dog and dappl'd Bull were waiting by Osyris sought along the Banks of Nile The silent God the sacred Crocodile And last a long procession moving on With Timbrels that assist the lab'ring Moon Her slumbers seem'd dispell'd and broad awake She heard a Voice that thus distinctly spake My Votary thy Babe from Death defend Nor fear to save whate're the Gods will send Delude with Art thy Husband 's dire Decree When danger calls repose thy trust on me And know thou hast not serv'd a thankless Deity This Promise made with Night the Goddess fled With joy the Woman wakes and leaves her Bed Devoutly lifts her spotless hands on high And prays the Pow'rs their Gift to ratifie Now grinding pains proceed to bearing throws Till its own weight the burden did disclose 'T was of the beauteous Kind and brought to light With secresie to shun the Father's sight Th' indulgent Mother did her Care employ And pass'd it on her Husband for a Boy The Nurse was conscious of the Fact alone The Father paid his Vows as for a Son And call'd him Iphis by a common Name Which either Sex with equal right may claim Iphis his Grandsire was the Wife was pleas'd Of half the fraud by Fortune's favour eas'd The doubtful Name was us'd without deceit And Truth was cover'd with a pious Cheat. The Habit shew'd a Boy the beauteous Face With manly fierceness mingl'd Female grace Now thirteen years of Age were swiftly run When the fond Father thought the time drew on Of settling in the World his only Son Ianthe was his choice so wondrous fair Her Form alone with Iphis cou'd compare A Neighbour's Daughter of his own Degree And not more blest with Fortunes Goods than he They soon espous'd for they with ease were joyn'd Who were before Contracted in the Mind Their Age the same their Inclinations too And bred together in one School they grew Thus fatally dispos'd to mutual fires They felt before they knew the same desires Equal their flame unequal was their care One lov'd with Hope one languish'd in Despair The Maid accus'd the ling'ring days alone For whom she thought a man she thought her own But Iphis bends beneath a greater grief As fiercely burns but hopes for no relief Ev'n her Despair adds fuel to her fire A Maid with madness does a Maid desire And scarce refraining tears alas said she What issue of my love remains for me How wild a Passion works within my Breast With what prodigious Flames am I possest Cou'd I the Care of Providence deserve Heav'n must destroy me if it wou'd preserve And that 's my Fate or sure it wou'd have sent Some usual Evil for my punishment Not this unkindly Curse to rage and burn Where Nature shews no prospect of return Nor Cows for Cows consume with fruitless fire Nor Mares when hot their fellow Mares desire The Father of the Fold supplies his Ewes The Stag through secret Woods his Hind pursues And Birds for Mates the Males of their own Species chuse Her Females Nature guards from Female flame And joyns two Sexes to preserve the Game Wou'd I were nothing or not what I am Crete fam'd for Monsters wanted of her Store Till my new Love produc'd one Monster more The Daughter of the Sun a Bull desir'd And yet ev'n then a Male a Female fir'd Her passion was extravagantly new But mine is much the madder of the two To things impossible she was not bent But found the Means to compass her Intent To cheat his Eyes she took a different shape Yet still she gain'd a Lover and a leap Shou'd all the Wit of all the World conspire Shou'd Doedalus assist my wild desire What Art can make me able to enjoy Or what can change Ianthe to a Boy Extinguish then thy passion hopeless Maid And recollect thy Reason for thy aid Know what thou art and love as Maidens ought And drive these Golden Wishes from thy thought Thou canst not hope thy fond desires to gain Where Hope is wanting Wishes are in vain
Mountain Trees in distant prospect please E're yet the Pine descended to the Seas E're Sails were spread new Oceans to explore And happy Mortals unconcern'd for more Confin'd their Wishes to their Native Shoar No walls were yet nor sence nor mote nor mownd Nor Drum was heard nor Trumpets angry sound Nor Swords were forg'd but void of Care and Crime The soft Creation slept away their time The teeming Earth yet guiltless of the Plough And unprovok'd did fruitful Stores allow Content with Food which Nature freely bred On Wildings and on Strawberries they fed Cornels and Bramble-berries gave the rest And falling Acorns furnisht out a Feast The Flow'rs un-sown in Fields and Meadows reign'd And Western Winds immortal Spring maintain'd In following years the bearded Corn ensu'd From Earth unask'd nor was that Earth renew'd From Veins of Vallies Milk and Nectar broke And Honey sweating through the pores of Oak The Silver Age. But when Good Saturne banish'd from above Was driv'n to Hell the World was under Jove Succeeding times a Silver Age behold Excelling Brass but more excell'd by Gold Then Summer Autumn Winter did appear And Spring was but a Season of the Year The Sun his Annual course obliquely made Good days contracted and enlarg'd the bad Then Air with sultry heats began to glow The wings of winds were clogg'd with Ice and Snow And shivering Mortals into Houses driv'n Sought shelter from th'inclemency of Heav'n Those Houses then were Caves or homely Sheds With twining Oziers fenc'd and Moss their Beds Then Ploughs for Seed the fruitful furrows broke And Oxen labour'd first beneath the Yoke The Brazen Age. To this came next in course the Brazen Age A Warlike Offspring prompt to Bloody Rage Not Impious yet The Iron Age. Hard Steel succeeded then And stubborn as the Mettal were the Men. Truth Modesty and Shame the World forsook Fraud Avarice and Force their places took Then Sails were spread to every Wind that blew Raw were the Sailors and the Depths were new Trees rudely hollow'd did the Waves sustain E're Ships in Triumph plough'd the watry Plain Then Land-marks limited to each his right For all before was common as the light Nor was the Ground alone requir'd to bear Her annual Income to the crooked share But greedy Mortals rummaging her Store Digg'd from her Entrails first the precious Oar Which next to Hell the prudent Gods had laid And that alluring ill to sight displaid Thus cursed Steel and more accursed Gold Gave mischief birth and made that mischief bold And double death did wretched Man invade By Steel assaulted and by Gold betray'd Now brandish'd Weapons glittering in their hands Mankind is broken loose from moral Bands No Rights of Hospitality remain The Guest by him who harbour'd him is slain The Son in Law pursues the Father's life The Wife her Husband murders he the Wife The Step-dame Poyson for the Son prepares The Son inquires into his Father's years Faith flies and Piety in Exile mourns And Justice here opprest to Heav'n returns The Gyants War Nor were the Gods themselves more safe above Against beleaguer'd Heav'n the Gyants move Hills pii'd on Hills on Mountains Mountains lie To make their mad approaches to the Skie Till Jove no longer patient took his time T' avenge with Thunder their audacious Crime Red Light'ning plaid along the Firmament And their demolish't Works to pieces rent Sing'd with the Flames and with the Bolts transfixt With Native Earth their Blood the Monsters mixt The Blood indu'd with animating heat Did in th' Impregnant Earth new Sons beget They like the Seed from which they sprung accurst Against the Gods Immortal Hatred nurst An Impious Arrogant and Cruel Brood Expressing their Original from Blood Which when the King of Gods beheld from high Withal revolving in his memory What he himself had found on Earth of late Lycaon's Guilt and his Inhuman Treate He sigh'd nor longer with his Pity strove But kindl'd to a Wrath becoming Jove Then call'd a General Council of the Gods Who Summon'd Issue from their Blest Abodes And fill th' Assembly with a shining Train A way there is in Heavens expanded Plain Which when the Skies are clear is seen below And Mortals by the Name of Milky know The Ground-work is of Stars through which the Road Lyes open to the Thunderer's Abode The Gods of greater Nations dwell around And on the Right and Left the Palace bound The Commons where they can the Nobler sort With Winding-doors wide open front the Court This Place as far as Earth with Heav'n may vie I dare to call the Loovre of the Skie When all were plac'd in Seats distinctly known And he their Father had assum'd the Throne Upon his Iv'ry Sceptre first he leant Then shook his Head that shook the Firmament Air Earth and Seas obey'd th' Almighty nod And with a gen'ral fear confess'd the God At length with Indignation thus he broke His awful silence and the Pow'rs bespoke I was not more concern'd in that debate Of Empire when our Universal State Was put to hazard and the Giant Race Our Captive Skies were ready to imbrace For tho' the Foe was fierce the Seeds of all Rebellion sprung from one Original Now wheresoever ambient waters glide All are corrupt and all must be destroy'd Let me this Holy Protestation make By Hell and Hell 's inviolable Lake I try'd whatever in the God-Head lay But gangreen'd Members must be lopt away Before the Nobler Parts are tainted to decay There dwells below a Race of Demi-Gods Of Nymphs in Waters and of Fawns in Woods Who tho not worthy yet in Heav'n to live Let 'em at least enjoy that Earth we give Can these be thought securely lodg'd below When I my self who no Superior know I who have Heav'n and Earth at my command Have been attempted by Lycaon's Hand At this a murmur thro' the Synod went And with one Voice they vote his Punishment Thus when Conspiring Traytors dar'd to doom The fall of Caesar and in him of Rome The Nations trembled with a pious fear All anxious for their Earthly Thunderer Nor was their care O Caesar less esteem'd By thee than that of Heav'n for Jove was deem'd Who with his Hand and Voice did first restrain Their Murmurs then resum'd his Speech again The Gods to silence were compos'd and sate With Reverence due to his Superior State Cancel your pious Cares already he Has paid his Debt to Justice and to me Yet what his Crimes and what my Judgments were Remains for me thus briefly to declare The Clamours of this vile degenerate Age The Cries of Orphans and th'Oppressor's Rage Had reach'd the Stars I will descend said I In hope to prove this loud Complaint a Lye Disguis'd in Humane Shape I Travell'd round The World and more than what I hear'd I found O're Moenalus I took my steepy way By Caverns infamous for Beasts of Prey Then cross'd Cyllenè and the piny shade More infamous by Curst Lycaon made Dark
you the weak Definer know 3. Say why shou'd the collected Main It self within it self contain Why to its Caverns shou'd it sometimes creep And with delighted Silence sleep On the lov'd Bosom of its Parent Deep Why shou'd its numerous Waters stay In comely Discipline and fair Array Prepar'd to meet its high Commands And with diffus'd Obedience spread Their op'ning Ranks o're Earth's submissive head And march through different Paths to different Lands Why shou'd the constant Sun With measur'd steps his Radiant Journeys run Why does he order the Diurnal Hours To leave Earth's other part and rise in ours Why does he wake the correspondent Moon And filling her willing Lamp with liquid Light Commanding her with delegated Power To beautifie the World and bless the Night Why shou'd each animated Star Love the just Limits of its proper Sphere Why shou'd each consenting Sign With prudent Harmony combine To keep in order and gird up the regulated Year 4. Man does with dangerous Curiosity These unfathom'd Wonders try With fancy'd Rules and Arbitrary Laws Matter and Motion he restrains And studied Lines and fictious Circles draws Then with imagin'd Sov'raignty Lord of his new Hypothesis he reigns He reigns how long till some Usurper rise And he too mighty Thoughtful mighty Wise Studies new Lines new Circles feigns On t'other's Ruine rears his Throne And shewing his mistakes maintains his own Well then from this new toil what Knowledge flows Just as much perhaps as shows That former Searchers were but bookish Fools Their choice Remarks their Darling Rules But canting Error all and Jargon of the Schools 5. Through the aerial Seas and watry Skies Mountainous heaps of Wonders rise Whose tow'ring Strength will ne're submit To Reason's Batteries or the Mines of Wit Yet still Enquiring still Mistaking Man Each hour repuls'd each hour dare onward press And levelling at God his wandring Guess That feeble Engine of his Reasoning War Which guides his Doubts and combats his Despair Laws to his Maker the learn'd Wretch can give Can bound that Nature and prescribe that Will Whose pregnant Word did either Ocean fill And tell us how all Beings are and how they move and live Vain Man that pregnant Word sent forth again Through either Ocean Might to a World extend each Atom there And for each drop call forth a Sea a Heav'n for every Star 6. Let cunning Earth her fruitful Wonders hide And only lift thy staggering Reason up To trembling Calvary's astonish'd top The mock thy Knowledge and confound thy Pride By telling thee Perfection suffer'd Pain An Eternal Essence dy'd Death's Vanquisher by vanquish'd Death was slain The promis'd Earth prophan'd with Deicide Then down with all thy boasted Volumes down Only reserve the Sacred One Low reverently low Make thy stubborn Knowledge bow Weep out thy Reason's and thy Body's Eyes Deject thy self that thou may'st rise And to see Heaven be blind to all below Then Faith for Reason's glimmering light shall give Her Immortal Perspective And Grace's presence Nature's loss retrieve Then thy enliv'ned Soul shall know That all the Volumes of Philosophy With all their Comments never cou'd invent So politick an Instrument So fit as Jacob's Ladder was to scale the distant Skie THE Last parting OF Hector and Andromache FROM THE SIXTH BOOK OF Homer's Iliads Translated from the Original BY Mr. DRYDEN ARGUMENT Hector returning from the Field of Battel to visit Helen his Sister-in-Law and his Brother Paris who had fought unsuccessfully hand to hand with Menelaus from thence goes to his own Palace to see his Wife Andromache and his Infant Son Astyanax The description of that Interview is the Subject of this Translation THus having said brave Hector went to see His Virtuous Wife the fair Andromache He found her not at home for she was gone Attended by her Maid and Infant Son To climb the steepy Tow'r of Ilion From whence with heavy Heart she might survey The bloody business of the dreadful Day Her mournful Eyes she cast around the Plain And sought the Lord of her Desires in vain But he who thought his peopled Palace bare When she his only Comfort was not there Stood in the Gate and ask'd of ev'ry one Which way she took and whither she was gone If to the Court or with his Mother's Train In long Procession to Minerva's Fane The Servants answer'd neither to the Court Where Priam's Sons and Daughters did resort Nor to the Temple was she gone to move With Prayers the blew-ey'd Progeny of Jove But more solicitous for him alone Than all their safety to the Tow'r was gone There to survey the Labours of the Field Where the Greeks conquer and the Trojans yield Swiftly she pass'd with Fear and Fury wild The Nurse went lagging after with the Child This heard the Noble Hector made no stay Th' admiring Throng divide to give him way He pass'd through every Street by which he came And at the Gate he met the mournful Dame His Wife beheld him and with eager pace Flew to his Arms to meet a dear Embrace His Wife who brought in Dow'r Cilicia's Crown And in her self a greater Dow'r alone Aëtion's Heyr who on the Woody Plain Of Hippoplacus did in Thebe reign Breathless she flew with Joy and Passion wild The Nurse came lagging after with her Child The Royal Babe upon her Breast was laid Who like the Morning Star his beams display'd Scamandrius was his Name which Hector gave From that fair Flood which Ilion's Wall did lave But him Astyanax the Trojans call From his great Father who defends the Wall Hector beheld him with a silent Smile His tender Wife stood weeping by the while Prest in her own his Warlike hand she took Then sigh'd and thus Prophetically spoke Thy dauntless Heart which I foresee too late Too daring Man will urge thee to thy Fate Nor dost thou pity with a Parent 's mind This helpless Orphan whom thou leav'st behind Nor me th' unhappy Partner of thy Bed Who must in Triumph by the Greeks be led They seek thy Life and in unequal Fight With many will oppress thy single Might Better it were for miserable me To die before the Fate which I foresee For ah what comfort can the World bequeath To Hector's Widow after Hector's death Eternal Sorrow and perpetual Tears Began my Youth and will conclude my Years I have no Parents Friends nor Brothers left By stern Achilles all of Life bereft Then when the Walls of Thebes he o'rethrew His fatal Hand my Royal Father slew He slew Action but despoil'd him not Nor in his hate the Funeral Rites forgot Arm'd as he was he sent him whole below And reverenc'd thus the Manes of his Foe A Tomb he rais'd the Mountain Nymphs around Enclos'd with planted Elms the Holy Ground My sev'n brave Brothers in one fatal Day To Death's dark Mansions took the mournful way Slain by the same Achilles while they keep The bellowing Oxen and the bleating Sheep My Mother who the Royal
Scepter sway'd Was Captive to the cruel Victor made And hither led but hence redeem'd with Gold Her Native Country did again behold And but beheld for soon Diana's Dart In an unhappy Chace transfix'd her Heart But thou my Hector art thy self alone My Parents Brothers and my Lord in one O kill not all my Kindred o're again Nor tempt the Dangers of the dusty Plain But in this Tow'r for our Defence remain Thy Wife and Son are in thy Ruin lost This is a Husband 's and a Father's Post. The Scoean Gate commands the Plains below Here marshal all thy Souldiers as they go And hence with other Hands repel the Foe By yon wild Fig-tree lies their chief ascent And thither all their Pow'rs are daily bent The two Ajaces have I often seen And the wrong'd Husband of the Spartan Queen With him his greater Brother and with these Fierce Diomede and bold Meriones Uncertain if by Augury or chance But by this easie rise they all advance Guard well that Pass secure of all beside To whom the Noble Hector thus reply'd That and the rest are in my daily care But shou'd I shun the Dangers of the War With scorn the Trojans wou'd reward my pains And their proud Ladies with their sweeping Trains The Grecian Swords and Lances I can bear But loss of Honour is my only Fear Shall Hector born to War his Birth-right yield Belie his Courage and forsake the Field Early in rugged Arms I took delight And still have been the foremost in the Fight With dangers dearly have I bought Renown And am the Champion of my Father's Crown And yet my mind forebodes with sure presage That Troy shall perish by the Grecian Rage The fatal Day draws on when I must fall And Universal Ruine cover all Not Troy it self tho' built by Hands Divine Nor Priam nor his People nor his Line My Mother nor my Brothers of Renown Whose Valour yet defends th' unhappy Town Not these nor all their Fates which I foresee Are half of that concern I have for thee I see I see thee in that fatal Hour Subjected to the Victor's cruel Pow'r Led hence a Slave to some insulting Sword Forlorn and trembling at a Foreign Lord. A spectacle in Argos at the Loom Gracing with Trojan Fights a Grecian Room Or from deep Wells the living Stream to take And on thy weary Shoulders bring it back While groaning under this laborious Life They insolently call thee Hector's Wife Upbraid thy Bondage with thy Husband's name And from my Glory propagate thy Shame This when they say thy Sorrows will encrease With anxious thoughts of former Happiness That he is dead who cou'd thy wrongs redress But I opprest with Iron Sleep before Shall hear thy unavailing Cries no more He said Then holding forth his Arms he took his Boy The Pledge of Love and other hope of Troy The fearful Infant turn'd his Head away And on his Nurse's Neck reclining lay His unknown Father shunning with affright And looking back on so uncouth a fight Daunted to see a Face with Steel o're-spread And his high Plume that nodded o're his Head His Sire and Mother-smil'd with silent Joy And Hector hasten'd to relieve his Boy Dismiss'd his burnish'd Helm that shone afar The Pride of Warriours and the Pomp of War Th' Illustrious Babe thus reconcil'd he took Hugg'd in his Arms and kiss'd and thus he spoke Parent of Gods and Men propitious Jove And you bright Synod of the Pow'rs above On this my son your Gracious Gifts bestow Grant him to live and great in Arms to grow To Reign in Troy to Govern with Renown To shield the People and assert the Crown That when hereafter he from War shall come And bring his Trojans Peace and Triumph home Some aged Man who lives this act to see And who in former times remember'd me May say the Son in Fortitude and Fame Out-goes the Mark and drowns his Father's Name That at these words his Mother may rejoyce And add her Suffrage to the publick Voice Thus having said He first with suppliant Hands the Gods ador'd Then to the Mother's Arms the Child restor'd With Tears and Smiles she took her Son and press'd Th' Illustrious Infant to her fragrant Breast He wiping her fair Eyes indulg'd her Grief And eas'd her Sorrows with this last Relief My Wife and Mistress drive thy fears away Nor give so bad an Omen to the Day Think not it lies in any Grecian's Pow'r To take my Life before the fatal Hour When that arrives nor good nor bad can fly Th' irrevocable Doom of Destiny Return and to divert thy thoughts at home There task thy Maids and exercise the Loom Employ'd in Works that Womankind become The Toils of War and Feats of Chivalry Belong to Men and most of all to me At this for new Replies he did not stay But lac'd his Crested Helm and strode away His lovely Consort to her House return'd And looking often back in silence mourn'd Home when she came her secret Woe she vents And fills the Palace with her loud Laments Those loud Laments her ecchoing Maids restore And Hector yet alive as dead deplore SYPHILIS Written IN LATIN By that Famous POET and PHYSICIAN Fracastorius ENGLISH'D BY Mr. TATE THE TRANSLATOR TO Dr. THO. HOBBS ACcept great Son of Art this faint effect Of a most active and unfeign'd Respect Numbers that yield Alas too just survey Of Physick's growth and Poetry's decay That shew a generous Muse impair'd by Me As much as th' Author's skill's out-done by Thee This Indian Conqu'rer's fatal March he sung To the same Lyre his own Apollo strung Whose Notes yet fail'd the Monster to asswage Revenging Here invading Spaniard's Rage Dear was the Conquest of a new found World Whose Plague e're since through all the Old is hurl'd Had Fracastorius who in Numbers told Numbers more rich than those new Lands of Gold This great Destroyer's Progress seen this Age And thy Success against the Tyrant's Rage Bembus had then been no immortal Name Thou and thy Art had challeng'd all his Flame Thou driv'st th' Usurper to his last Retreats Repairing as Thou go'st the ruin'd Seats Thus while the Foe is by thy Art remov'd The Holds are strengthen'd and the Soil improv'd Thy happy Conquest do's at once Expell Th' Invader's force and inbred Factions quell Thy Patients and Augusta's fate 's the same To rise more fair and lasting for the Flame While meaner Artists this bold Task essay I' th' little World of Man they lose their way Thou know'st the secret Passes to each Part And skill'd in Nature can'st not fail in Art THE LIFE OF Fracastorius FRacastorius was descended from the Fracastorian Family of great Antiquity in Verona He seemed not only to rival the Fame of Catullus and Pliny who had long before made that City renown'd but to have very far exceeded all his Contemporaries for Learning and Poetry His Parents were Paulo-Philippus Fracastorius and Camilla Mascarellia both