y e Black Rod AE â— l. 150. Inur'd to suffer and resolv'd to dare The Fates without my Pow'r shall be without my Care This let me crave since near your Grove the Road To Hell lies open and the dark Abode Which Acheron surrounds th' innavigable Flood Conduct me thro' the Regions void of Light And lead me longing to my Father's sight For him a thousand Dangers I have sought And rushing where the thickest Grecians fought Safe on my Back the sacred Burthen brought He for my sake the raging Ocean try'd And Wrath of Heav'n my still auspicious Guide And bore beyond the strength decrepid Age supply'd Oft since he breath'd his last in dead of Night His reverend Image stood before my sight Enjoin'd to seek below his holy Shade Conducted there by your unerring aid But you if pious Minds by Pray'rs are won Oblige the Father and protect the Son Yours is the Pow'r nor Proserpine in vain Has made you Priestess of her nightly Reign If Orpheus arm'd with his enchanting Lyre The ruthless King with Pity could inspire And from the Shades below redeem his Wife If Pollux off'ring his alternate Life Cou'd free his Brother and can daily go By turns aloft by turns descend below Why name I Theseus or his greater Friend Who trod the downward Path and upward cou'd ascend Not less than theirs from Jove my Lineage came My Mother greater my Descent the same So pray'd the Trojan Prince and while he pray'd His Hand upon the holy Altar laid Then thus reply'd the Prophetess Divine O Goddess born of Great Anchises Line The Gates of Hell are open Night and day Smooth the Descent and easie is the Way But to return and view the chearful Skies In this the Task and mighty Labour lies To few great Jupiter imparts this Grace And those of shining Worth and Heav'nly Race Betwixt those Regions and our upper Light Deep Forrests and impenetrable Night Possess the middle space Th' Infernal Bounds Cocytus with his sable Waves surrounds But if so dire a Love your Soul invades As twice below to view the trembling Shades If you so hard a Toil will undertake As twice to pass th' innavigable Lake Receive my Counsel In the Neighb'ring Grove There stands a Tree the Queen of Stygian Jove Claims it her own thick Woods and gloomy Night Conceal the happy Plant from Humane sight One Bough it bears but wond'rous to behold The ductile Rind and Leaves of Radiant Gold This from the vulgar Branches must be torn And to fair Proserpine the Present born E're leave be giv'n to tempt the neather Skies The first thus rent a second will arise And the same Metal the same room supplies Look round the Wood with lifted Eyes to see The lurking Gold upon the fatal Tree Then rend it off as holy Rites command The willing Metal will obey thy hand Following with ease if favour'd by thy Fate Thou art foredoom'd to view the Stygian State If not no labour can the Tree constrain And strength of stubborn Arms and Steel are vain Besides you know not while you here attend Th' unworthy Fate of your unhappy Friend Breathless he lies And his unbury'd Ghost Depriv'd of Fun'ral Rites pollutes your Host Pay first his Pious Dues And for the dead Two sable Sheep around his Herse be led Then living Turfs upon his Body lay This done securely take the destin'd Way To find the Regions destitute of Day She said and held her Peace Aeneas went Sad from the Cave and full of Discontent Unknowing whom the sacred Sibyl meant Achates the Companion of his Breast Goes grieving by his side with equal Cares oppress'd Walking they talk'd and fruitlesly divin'd What Friend the Priestess by those Words design'd But soon they found an Object to deplore Misenus lay extended on the Shore Son to the God of Winds none so renown'd The Warrior Trumpet in the Field to sound With breathing Brass to kindle fierce Alarms And rouze to dare their Fate in honourable Arms. He serv'd great Hector and was ever near Not with his Trumpet only but his Spear But by Pelides Arms when Hector fell He chose Aeneas and he chose as well Swoln with Applause and aiming still at more He now provokes the Sea Gods from the Shore With Envy Triton heard the Martial sound And the bold Champion for his Challenge drown'd Then cast his mangled Carcass on the Strand The gazing Crowd around the Body stand All weep but most Aeneas mourns his Fate And hastens to perform the Funeral state In Altar-wise a stately Pile they rear The Basis broad below and top advanc'd in Air. An ancient Wood fit for the Work design'd The shady Covert of the Salvage Kind The Trojans found The sounding Axe is ply'd Firs Pines and Pitch-Trees and the tow'ring Pride Of Forest Ashes feel the fatal Stroke And piercing Wedges cleave the stubborn Oak Huge Trunks of Trees fell'd from the steepy Crown Of the bare Mountains rowl with Ruin down Arm'd like the rest the Trojan Prince appears And by his pious Labour urges theirs Thus while he wrought revolving in his Mind The ways to compass what his Wish design'd He cast his Eyes upon the gloomy Grove And then with Vows implor'd the Queen of Love O may thy Pow'r propitious still to me Conduct my steps to find the fatal Tree In this deep Forest since the Sibyl's Breath Foretold alas too true Misenus Death Scarce had he said when full before his sight Two Doves descending from their Airy Flight Secure upon the grassy Plain alight He knew his Mother's Birds and thus he pray'd Be you my Guides with your auspicious Aid And lead my Footsteps 'till the Branch be found Whose glittering Shadow guilds the sacred Ground And thou great Parent with Coelestial Care In this Distress be present to my Pray'r Thus having said he stop'd With watchful sight Observing still the motions of their Flight To S r Tho Dyke of Horeham in y e County of Sussex Bar t AE 6. l. 280 To M rs Anne Baynard Daughter of Dr. Edn d Baynard of the Family of Leckham in y e County of Wilts AE 6. l 31â— What course they took what happy Signs they shew They fed and flutt'ring by degrees withdrew Still farther from the Place but still in view Hopping and flying thus they led him on To the slow Lake whose baleful Stench to shun They wing'd their Flight aloft then stooping low Perch'd on the double Tree that bears the golden Bough Thro' the green Leafs the glitt'ring Shadows glow As on the sacred Oak the wintry Misleto Where the proud Mother views her precious Brood And happier Branches which she never sow'd Such was the glitt'ring such the ruddy Rind And dancing Leaves that wanton'd in the Wind. He seiz'd the shining Bough with griping hold And rent away with ease the ling'ring Gold Then to the Sibyl's Palace bore the Prize Mean time the Trojan Troops with weeping Eyes To dead Misenus pay his Obsequies First
sweet Embraces ah no longer thine She said and from his Eyes the fleeting Fair Retir'd like subtile Smoke dissolv'd in Air And left her hopeless Lover in despair In vain with folding Arms the Youth assay'd To stop her flight and strain the flying Shade He prays he raves all Means in vain he tries With rage inflam'd astonish'd with surprise But she return'd no more to bless his longing Eyes Nor wou'd th' Infernal Ferry-Man once more Be brib'd to waft him to the farther shore What shou'd He do who twice had lost his Love What Notes invent what new Petitions move Her Soul already was consign'd to Fate And shiv'ring in the leaky Sculler sate For seven continu'd Months if Fame say true The wretched Swain his Sorrows did renew By Strymon's freezing Streams he sate alone The Rocks were mov'd to pity with his moan Trees bent their heads to hear him sing his Wrongs Fierce Tygers couch'd around and loll'd their fawning Tongues So close in Poplar Shades her Children gone The Mother Nightingale laments alone Whose Nest some prying Churl had found and thence By Stealth convey'd th' unfeather'd Innocence But she supplies the Night with mournful Strains With one continu'd Tenor still complains Which fills the Forrest and the neighb'ring Plains Sad Orpheus thus his tedious Hours employs Averse from Venus and from nuptial Joys Alone he tempts the frozen Floods alone Th' unhappy Climes where Spring was never known He mourn'd his wretched Wife in vain restor'd And Pluto's unavailing Boon deplor'd The Thracian Matrons who the Youth accus'd Of Love disdain'd and Marriage Rites refus'd With Furies and Nocturnal Orgies fir'd At length against his sacred Life conspir'd Whom ev'n the salvage Beasts had spar'd they kill'd And strew'd his mangl'd Limbs about the Field Then when his Head from his fair Shoulders torn Wash'd by the Waters was on Hebrus born Ev'n then his trembling Tongue invok'd his Bride With his last Voice Eurydice he cry'd Eurydice the Rocks and River-banks reply'd This answer Proteus gave nor more he said But in the Billows plung'd his hoary Head And where he leap'd the Waves in Circles widely spread The Nymph return'd her drooping Son to chear And bade him banish his superfluous fear For now said she the Cause is known from whence Thy Woe succeeded and for what Offence The Nymphs Companions of th' unhappy Maid This punishment upon thy Crimes have laid And sent a Plague among thy thriving Bees With Vows and suppliant Pray'rs their Pow'rs appease The soft Napaean Race will soon repent Their Anger and remit the Punishment The secret in an easy Method lies Select four Brawny Bulls for Sacrifice Which on Lycaeus graze without a Guide Add four fair Heifars yet in Yoke untry'd For these four Altars in their Temple rear And then adore the Woodland Pow'rs with Pray'r From the slain Victims pour the streaming Blood And leave their Bodies in the shady Wood Nine Mornings thence Lethean Poppy bring T' appease the Manes of the Poets King And to propitiate his offended Bride A fatted Calf and a black Ewe provide This finish'd to the former Woods repair His Mother's Precepts he performs with care The Temple visits and adores with Pray'r Four Altars raises from his Herd he culls For Slaughter four the fairest of his Bulls Four Heifars from his Female Store he took All fair and all unknowing of the Yoke Nine Mornings thence with Sacrifice and Pray'rs The Pow'rs aton'd he to the Grove repairs Behold a Prodigy for from within The broken Bowels and the bloated Skin A buzzing noise of Bees their Ears alarms Straight issue through the Sides assembling Swarms Dark as a Cloud they make a wheeling Flight Then on a neighb'ring Tree descending light Like a large Cluster of black Grapes they show And make a large dependance from the Bough To the Hon ble John Granville second Son to John EARL of BATH one of the Com â—s appointed by Act of Parliam t for Examining Taking Stating the Publick Accounts of the Kingdome Geor 4 l. 795. Thus have I sung of Fields and Flocks and Trees And of the waxen Work of lab'ring Bees While mighty Caesar thund'ring from afar Seeks on Euphrates Banks the Spoils of War With conq'ring Arms asserts his Country's Cause With Arts of Peace the willing People draws On the glad Earth the Golden Age renews And his great Father's Path to Heav'n pursues While I at Naples pass my peaceful Days Affecting Studies of less noisy Praise And bold through Youth beneath the Beechen Shade The Lays of Shepherds and their Loves have plaid TO THE MOST HONOURABLE John Lord Marquess of Normanby EARL of MULGRAVE c. AND Knight of the Most Noble Order of the Garter A HEROICK Poem truly such is undoubtedly the greatest Work which the Soul of Man is capable to perform The Design of it is to form the Mind to Heroick Virtue by Example 't is convey'd in Verse that it may delight while it instructs The Action of it is always one entire and great The least and most trivial Episodes or under-Actions which are interwoven in it are parts either necessary or convenient to carry on the main Design Either so necessary that without them the Poem must be Imperfect or so convenient that no others can be imagin'd more suitable to the place in which they are There is nothing to be left void in a firm Building even the Cavities ought not to be fill'd with Rubbish which is of a perishable kind destructive to the strength But with Brick or Stone though of less pieces yet of the same Nature and fitted to the Cranies Even the least portions of them must be of the Epick kind all things must be Grave Majestical and Sublime Nothing of a Foreign Nature like the trifling Novels which Aristotle and others have inserted in their Poems By which the Reader is miss-led into another sort of Pleasure opposite to that which is design'd in an Epick Poem One raises the Soul and hardens it to Virtue the other softens it again and unbends it into Vice One conduces to the Poet's aim the compleating of his Work which he is driving on labouring and hast'ning in every Line the other slackens his pace diverts him from his Way and locks him up like a Knight Errant in an Enchanted Castle when he should be pursuing his first Adventure Statius as Bossu has well observ'd was ambitious of trying his strength with his Master Virgil as Virgil had before try'd his with Homer The Grecian gave the two Romans an Example in the Games which were Celebrated at the Funerals of Patroclus Virgil imitated the Invention of Homer but chang'd the Sports But both the Greek and Latin Poet took their occasions from the Subject though to confess the Truth they were both Ornamental or at best convenient parts of it rather than of necessity arising from it Statius who through his whole Poem is noted for want of Conduct and Judgment instead of staying as he
into Example or pleaded by his puny Successors in justification of their ignorance he decreed for the future No Poet shou'd presume to make a Lady die for Love two hundred years before her Birth To Moralize this Story Virgil is the Apollo who has this Dispensing Power His great Judgment made the Laws of Poetry but he never made himself a Slave to them Chronology at best is but a Cobweb-Law and he broke through it with his weight They who will imitate him wisely must chuse as he did an obscure and a remote Aera where they may invent at pleasure and not be easily contradicted Neither he nor the Romans had ever read the Bible by which only his false computation of times can be made out against him this Segrais says in his defence and proves it from his Learned Friend Bochartus whose Letter on this Subject he has Printed at the end of the Fourth Aeneid to which I referr your Lordship and the Reader Yet the Credit of Virgil was so great that he made this Fable of his own Invention pass for an Authentick History or at least as credible as any thing in Homer Ovid takes it up after him even in the same Age and makes an ancient Heroine of Virgil's new-created Dido Dictates a Letter for her just before her death to the ingrateful Fugitive and very unluckily for himself is for measuring a Sword with a Man so much superiour in force to him on the same subject I think I may be Judge of this because I have Translated both The Famous Author of the Art of Love has nothing of his own he borrows all from a greater Master in his own profession and which is worse improves nothing which he finds Nature fails him and being forc'd to his old shift he has recourse to Witticism This passes indeed with his Soft Admirers and gives him the preference to Virgil in their esteem But let them like for themselves and not prescribe to others for our Author needs not their Admiration The Motives that induc'd Virgil to Coyn this Fable I have shew'd already and have also begun to shew that he might make this Anacronism by superseding the mechanick Rules of Poetry for the same Reason that a Monarch may dispense with or suspend his own Laws when he finds it necessary so to do especially if those Laws are not altogether fundamental Nothing is to be call'd a fault in Poetry says Aristotle but what is against the Art therefore a Man may be an admirable Poet without being an exact Chronologer Shall we dare continues Segrais to condemn Virgil for having made a Fiction against the order of time when we commend Ovid and other Poets who have made many of their Fictions against the Order of Nature For what are else the splendid Miracles of the Metamorphoses Yet these are Beautiful as they are related and have also deep Learning and instructive Mythologies couch'd under them But to give as Virgil does in this Episode the Original Cause of the long Wars betwixt Rome and Carthage to draw Truth out of Fiction after so probable a manner with so much Beauty and so much for the Honour of his Country was proper only to the Divine Wit of Maro and Tasso in one of his Discourses admires him for this particularly 'T is not lawful indeed to contradict a Point of History which is known to all the World as for Example to make Hannibal and Scipio Contemporaries with Alexander but in the dark Recesses of Antiquity a great Poet may and ought to feign such things as he finds not there if they can be brought to embelish that Subject which he treats On the other side the pains and diligence of ill Poets is but thrown away when they want the Genius to invent and feign agreeably But if the Fictions be delightful which they always are if they be natural if they be of a piece if the beginning the middle and the end be in their due places and artfully united to each other such Works can never fail of their deserv'd Success And such is Virgil's Episode of Dido and Aeneas where the sourest Critick must acknowledge ' that if he had depriv'd his Aeneis of so great an Ornament because he found no traces of it in Antiquity he had avoided their unjust Censure but had wanted one of the greatest Beauties of his Poem I shall say more of this in the next Article of their Charge against him which is want of Invention In the mean time I may affirm in honour of this Episode that it is not only now esteem'd the most pleasing entertainment of the Aeneis but was so accounted in his own Age and before it was mellow'd into that reputation which time has given it for which I need produce no other testimony than that of Ovid his Contemporary Nec pars ulla magis legitur de Corpore toto Quam non legitimo faedere junctus Amor. Where by the way you may observe my Lord that Ovid in those words Non legitimo faedere junctus Amor will by no means allow it to be a lawful Marriage betwixt Dido and Aeneas He was in Banishment when he wrote those Verses which I cite from his Letter to Augustus You Sir says he have sent me into Exile for writing my Art of Love and my wanton Elegies yet your own Poet was happy in your good graces though he brought Dido and Aeneas into a Cave and left them there not over-honestly together May I be so bold to ask your Majesty is it a greater fault to teach the Art of unlawful Love than to shew it in the Action But was Ovid the Court-Poet so bad a Courtier as to find no other Plea to excuse himself than by a plain accusation of his Master Virgil confess'd it was a Lawful Marriage betwixt the Lovers that Juno the Goddess of Matrimony had ratify'd it by her presence for it was her business to bring Matters to that issue That the Ceremonies were short we may believe for Dido was not only amorous but a Widow Mercury himself though employ'd on a quite contrary Errand yet owns it a Marriage by an innuendo PalchramqueVxorius Vrbem Extruis He calls Aeneas not only a Husband but upbraids him with being a fond Husband as the word Vxorius implies Now mark a little if your Lordship pleases why Virgil is so much concern'd to make this Marriage for he seems to be the Father of the Bride himself and to give her to the Bridegroom it was to make way for the Divorce which he intended afterwards for he was a finer Flatterer than Ovid and I more than conjecture that he had in his eye the Divorce which not long before had pass'd betwixt the Emperour and Scribonia He drew this dimple in the Cheek of Aeneas to prove Augustus of the same Family by so remarkable a Feature in the same place Thus as we say in our home-spun English Proverb He kill'd two Birds with one stone
Then of it self unfolds th' Eternal Door With dreadful Sounds the brazen Hinges roar You see before the Gate what stalking Ghost Commands the Guard what Centries keep the Post More formidable Hydra stands within Whose Jaws with Iron Teeth severely grin The gaping Gulph low to the Centre lies And twice as deep as Earth is distant from the Skies The Rivals of the Gods the Titan Race Here sing'd with Lightning rowl within th' unfathom'd space Here lye th' Alaean Twins I saw them both Enormous Bodies of Gigantick Growth Who dar'd in Fight the Thund'rer to defy Affect his Heav'n and force him from the Sky Salmoneus suff'ring cruel Pains I found For emulating Jove the ratling Sound Of Mimick Thunder and the glitt'ring Blaze Of pointed Lightnings and their forky Rays Through Elis and the Grecian Towns he flew Th' audacious Wretch four fiery Coursers drew He wav'd a Torch aloft and madly vain Sought Godlike Worship from a Servile Train Ambitious Fool with horny Hoofs to pass O're hollow Arches of resounding Brass To rival Thunder in its rapid Course And imitate inimitable Force But he the King of Heav'n obscure on high Bar'd his red Arm and launching from the Sky His writhen Bolt not shaking empty Smoak Down to the deep Abyss the flaming Felon strook There Tityus was to see who took his Birth From Heav'n his Nursing from the foodful Earth Here his Gygantic Limbs with large Embrace Infold nine Acres of Infernal Space A rav'nous Vulture in his open'd side Her crooked Beak and cruel Tallons try'd Still for the growing Liver dig'd his Breast The growing Liver still supply'd the Feast Still are his Entrails fruitful to their Pains Th' immortal Hunger lasts th' immortal Food remains Ixion and Perithous I cou'd name And more Thessalian Chiefs of mighty Fame High o're their Heads a mould'ring Rock is plac'd That promises a fall and shakes at ev'ry Blast They lye below on Golden Beds display'd And genial Feasts with Regal Pomp are made The Queen of Furies by their sides is set And snatches from their Mouths th' untasted Meat Which if they touch her hissing Snakes she rears Tossing her Torch and thund'ring in their Ears Then they who Brothers better Claim disown Expel their Parents and usurp the Throne Defraud their Clients and to Lucre sold Sit brooding on unprofitable Gold Who dare not give and ev'n refuse to lend To their poor Kindred or a wanting Friend Vast is the Throng of these nor less the Train Of lustful Youths for foul Adultry slain Hosts of Deserters who their Honour sold And basely broke their Faith for Bribes of Gold All these within the Dungeon's depth remain Despairing Pardon and expecting Pain Ask not what Pains nor farther seek to know Their Process or the Forms of Law below Some rowl a weighty Stone some laid along And bound with burning Wires on Spokes of Wheels are hung Unhappy Theseus doom'd for ever there Is fix'd by Fate on his Eternal Chair And wretched Phlegias warns the World with Cries Cou'd Warning make the World more just or wise Learn Righteousness and dread th' avenging Deities To Tyrants others have their Country sold Imposing Foreign Lords for Foreign Gold Some have old Laws repeal'd new Statutes made Not as the People pleas'd but as they paid With Incest some their Daughters Bed prophan'd All dar'd the worst of Ills and what they dar'd attain'd Had I a hundred Mouths a hundred Tongues And Throats of Brass inspir'd with Iron Lungs I could not half those horrid Crimes repeat Nor half the Punishments those Crimes have met But let us haste our Voyage to pursue The Walls of Pluto's Palace are in view The Gate and Iron Arch above it stands On Anvils labour'd by the Cyclops Hands Before our farther way the Fates allow Here must we fix on high the Golden Bough She said and thro' the gloomy Shades they past And chose the middle Path Arriv'd at last The Prince with living Water sprinkl'd o're His Limbs and Body then approach'd the Door Possess'd the Porch and on the Front above He fix'd the fatal Bough requir'd by Pluto's Love These Holy Rites perform'd they took their Way Where long extended Plains of Pleasure lay The verdant Fields with those of Heav'n may vye With Aether vested and a Purple Sky The blissful Seats of Happy Souls below Stars of their own and their own Suns they know Their Airy Limbs in Sports they exercise And on the Green contend the Wrestler's Prize Some in Heroick Verse divinely sing Others in artful Measures lead the ring The Thracian Bard surrounded by the rest There stands conspicuous in his flowing Vest His flying Fingers and harmonious Quill Strike sev'n distinguish'd Notes and sev'n at once they fill Here found they Teucer's old Heroick Race Born better times and happier Years to grace Assaracus and Ilus here enjoy Perpetual Fame with him who founded Troy The Chief beheld their Chariots from afar Their shining Arms and Coursers train'd to War Their Lances fix'd in Earth their Steeds around Free from their Harness graze the flow'ry Ground The love of Horses which they had alive And care of Chariots after Death survive Some chearful Souls were feasting on the Plain Some did the Song and some the Choir maintain Beneath a Laurel Shade where mighty Po Mounts up to Woods above and hides his Head below Here Patriots live who for their Countries good In fighting Fields were prodigal of Blood Priests of unblemish'd Lives here make Abode And Poets worthy their inspiring God And searching Wits of more Mechanick parts Who grac'd their Age with new invented Arts. Those who to worth their Bounty did extend And those who knew that Bounty to commend The Heads of these with holy Fillets bound And all their Temples were with Garlands crown'd To these the Sibyl thus her Speech address'd And first to him surrounded by the rest Tow'ring his Height and ample was his Breast Say happy Souls Divine Musaeus say Where lives Anchises and where lies our Way To find the Heroe for whose only sake We sought the dark Abodes and cross'd the bitter Lake To this the Sacred Poet thus reply'd In no fix'd place the Happy Souls reside In Groves we live and lye on mossy Beds By Crystal Streams that murmur through the Meads But pass yon easie Hill and thence descend The Path conducts you to your Journeys end This said he led them up the Mountains brow And shews them all the shining Fields below They wind the Hill and thro' the blissful Meadows go But old Anchises in a flow'ry Vale Review'd his muster'd Race and took the Tale. Those Happy Spirits which ordain'd by Fate For future Beings and new Bodies wait With studious Thought observ'd th' illustrious Throng In Nature's Order as they pass'd along Their Names their Fates their Conduct and their Care In peaceful Senates and successful War He when Aeneas on the Plain appears Meets him with open Arms and falling Tears Welcome he said the Gods undoubted
went Of solid Brass of Linnen trebly rowl'd And three Bull-hides which round the Buckler rowl'd All these it pass'd resistless in the Course Transpierc'd his Thigh and spent its dying Force The gaping Wound gush'd out a Crimson Flood The Trojan glad with sight of hostile Blood His Fauchion drew to closer Fight address'd And with new Force his fainting Foe oppress'd His Father's Peril Lausus view'd with Grief He sigh'd he wept he ran to his Relief And here Heroick Youth 't is here I must To thy immortal Memory be just And sing an Act so noble and so new Posterity will scarce believe 't is true Pain'd with his Wound and useless for the Fight The Father sought to save himself by Flight Incumber'd slow he drag'd the Spear along Which pierc'd his thigh and in his Buckler hung The pious Youth resolv'd on Death below The lifted Sword springs forth to face the Foe Protects his Parent and prevents the Blow Shouts of Applause ran ringing thro' the Field To see the Son the vanquish'd Father shield All fir'd with gen'rous Indignation strive And with a storm of Darts to distance drive The Trojan Chief who held at Bay from far On his Vulcanian Orb sustain'd the War As when thick Hail comes ratling in the Wind The Plowman Passenger and lab'ring Hind For shelter to the neighb'ring Covert fly Or hous'd or safe in hollow Caverns lye But that o'reblown when Heav'n above 'em smiles Return to Travel and renew their Toils Aeneas thus o'rewhelm'd on ev'ry side The storm of Darts undaunted did abide And thus to Lausus loud with friendly threat'ning cry'd Why wilt thou rush to certain Death and Rage In rash Attempts beyond thy tender Age Betray'd by pious Love Nor thus forborn The Youth desists but with insulting Scorn Provokes the ling'ring Prince Whose Patience tyr'd Gave Place and all his Breast with Fury fir'd For now the Fates prepar'd their cruel Sheers And lifted high the flaming Sword appears Which full descending with a frightful sway Thro Shield and Corslet forc'd th' impetuous Way And bury'd deep in his fair Bosom lay The purple Streams thro' the thin Armour strove And drench'd th' imbroider'd Coat his Mother wove And Life at length forsook his heaving Heart Loath from so sweet a Mansion to depart But when with Blood and Paleness all o'respread The pious Prince beheld young Lausus dead He griev'd he wept the sight an Image brought Of his own filial Love a sadly pleasing Thought Then stretch'd his Hand to hold him up and said Poor hapless Youth what Praises can be paid To Love so great to such transcendent Store Of early Worth and sure Presage of more Accept what e're Aeneas can afford Untouch'd thy Arms untaken be thy Sword And all that pleas'd thee living still remain Inviolate and sacred to the slain Thy Body on thy Parents I bestow To rest thy Soul at least if Shadows know Or have a sense of human Things below There to thy fellow Ghosts with Glory tell 'T was by the great Aeneas hand I fell With this his distant Friends he beckons near Provokes their Duty and prevents their Fear Himself assists to lift him from the Ground With clotted Locks and Blood that well'd from out the Wound Mean time his Father now no Father stood And wash'd his Wounds by Tyber's yellow Flood Oppress'd with Anguish panting and o'respent His fainting Limbs against an Oak he leant A Bough his Brazen Helmet did sustain His heavier Arms lay scatter'd on the Plain A chosen Train of Youth around him stand His drooping Head was rested on his hand His grisly Beard his pensive Bosom sought And all on Lausus ran his restless thought Careful concern'd his Danger to prevent He much enquir'd and many a Message sent To warn him from the Field Alas in vain Behold his mournful Followers bear him slain O're his broad Shield still gush'd the yawning Wound And drew a bloody Trail along the Ground Far off he heard their Cries far off divin'd The dire Event with a foreboding Mind With Dust he sprinkled first his hoary Head Then both his lifted hands to Heav'n he spread Last the dear Corps embracing thus he said What Joys alas cou'd this frail Being give That I have been so covetous to live To see my Son and such a Son resign His Life a Ransom for preserving mine And am I then preserv'd and art thou lost How much too dear has that Redemption cost 'T is now my bitter Banishment I feel This is a Wound too deep for time to heal My Guilt thy growing Virtues did defame My Blackness blotted thy unblemish'd Name Chas'd from a Throne abandon'd and exil'd For foul Misdeeds were Punishments too mild I ow'd my People these and from their hate With less Resentment cou'd have born my Fate And yet I live and yet sustain the sight Of hated Men and of more hated Light But will not long With that he rais'd from Ground His fainting Limbs that stagger'd with his Wound Yet with a Mind resolv'd and unappal'd With Pains or Perils for his Courser call'd Well mouth'd well manag'd whom himself did dress With daily Care and mounted with Success His Aid in Arms his Ornament in Peace Soothing his Courage with a gentle Stroke The Steed seem'd sensible while thus he spoke O Rhaebus we have liv'd too long for me If Life and long were Terms that cou'd agree This Day thou either shalt bring back the Head And bloody Trophees of the Trojan dead This Day thou either shalt revenge my Woe For murther'd Lausus on his cruel Foe Or if inexorable Fate deny Our Conquest with thy conquer'd Master dye For after such a Lord I rest secure Thou wilt no foreign Reins or Trojan Load endure He said And straight th' officious Courser kneels To take his wonted Weight His Hands he fills With pointed Jav'lins On his Head he lac'd His glitt'ring Helm which terribly was grac'd With waving Horse-hair nodding from afar Then spurr'd his thund'ring Steed amidst the War Love Anguish Wrath and Grief to Madness wrought Despair and secret Shame and conscious thought Of inborn Worth his lab'ring Soul oppress'd Rowl'd in his Eyes and rag'd within his Breast Then loud he call'd Aeneas thrice by Name The loud repeated Voice to glad Aeneas came Great Jove he said and the far-shooting God Inspire thy Mind to make thy Challenge good He spoke no more but hasten'd void of Fear And threaten'd with his long protended Spear To whom Mezentius thus Thy Vaunts are vain My Lausus lies extended on the Plain He 's lost thy Conquest is already won The wretched Sire is murther'd in the Son Nor Fate I fear but all the Gods defy Forbear thy Threats my Bus'ness is to dye But first receive this parting Legacy He said And straight a whirling Dart he sent Another after and another went Round in a spacious Ring he rides the Field And vainly plies th' impenetrable Shield Thrice rode he round and thrice Aeneas wheel'd Turn'd
coolness of the Shade And Thestilis wild Thime and Garlike beats For Harvest Hinds o'respent with Toyl and Heats While in the scorching Sun I trace in vain Thy flying footsteps o're the burning Plain The creaking Locusts with my Voice conspire They fry'd with Heat and I with fierce Desire How much more easie was it to sustain Proud Amarillis and her haughty Reign The Scorns of Young Menalcas once my care Tho' he was black and thou art Heav'nly fair To the Right Hon ble Thomas Earle of Pembroke and Montgomery Lord Privy Seale 〈…〉 Past 2. Trust not too much to that enchanting Face Beauty 's a Charm but soon the Charm will pass White Lillies lie neglected on the Plain While dusky Hyacinths for use remain My Passion is thy Scorn nor wilt thou know What Wealth I have what Gifts I can bestow What Stores my Dairies and my Folds contain A thousand Lambs that wander on the Plain New Milk that all the Winter never fails And all the Summer overflows the Pails Amphion sung not sweeter to his Herd When summon'd Stones the Theban Turrets rear'd Nor am I so deform'd for late I stood Upon the Margin of the briny Flood The Winds were still and if the Glass be true With Daphnis I may vie tho' judg'd by you O leave the noisie Town O come and see Our Country Cotts and live content with me To wound the Flying Deer and from their Cotes With me to drive a-Field the browzing Goats To pipe and sing and in our Country Strain To Copy or perhaps contend with Pan. Pan taught to joyn with Wax unequal Reeds Pan loves the Shepherds and their Flocks he feeds Nor scorns the Pipe Amyntas to be taught With all his Kisses would my Skill have bought Of seven smooth joints a mellow Pipe I have Which with his dying Breath Damaetas gave And said This Corydon I leave to thee For only thou deserv'st it after me His Eyes Amyntas durst not upward lift For much he grudg'd the Praise but more the Gift Besides two Kids that in the Valley stray'd I found by chance and to my fold convey'd They drein to bagging Udders every day And these shall be Companions of thy Play Both fleck'd with white the true Arcadian Strain Which Thestilis had often beg'd in vain And she shall have them if again she sues Since you the Giver and the Gift refuse Come to my longing Arms my lovely care And take the Presents which the Nymphs prepare White Lillies in full Canisters they bring With all the Glories of the Purple Spring The Daughters of the Flood have search'd the Mead For Violets pale and cropt the Poppy's Head The Short Narcissus and fair Daffodil Pancies to please the Sight and Cassia sweet to smell And set soft Hyacinths with Iron blue To shade marsh Marigolds of shining Hue. Some bound in Order others loosely strow'd To dress thy Bow'r and trim thy new Abode My self will search our planted Grounds at home For downy Peaches and the glossie Plum And thrash the Chesnuts in the Neighb'ring Grove Such as my Amarillis us'd to love The Laurel and the Myrtle sweets agree And both in Nosegays shall be bound for thee Ah Corydon ah poor unhappy Swain Alexis will thy homely Gifts disdain Nor should'st thou offer all thy little Store Will rich Iolas yield but offer more What have I done to name that wealthy Swain So powerful are his Presents mine so mean The Boar amidst my Crystal Streams I bring And Southern Winds to blast my flow'ry Spring Ah cruel Creature whom dost thou despise The Gods to live in Woods have left the Skies And Godlike Paris in th' Idean Grove To Priam's Wealth prefer'd Oenone's Love In Cities which she built let Pallas Reign Tow'rs are for Gods but Forrests for the Swain The greedy Lyoness the Wolf pursues The Wolf the Kid the wanton Kid the Browze Alexis thou art chas'd by Corydon All follow sev'ral Games and each his own See from afar the Fields no longer smoke The sweating Steers unharnass'd from the Yoke Bring as in Triumph back the crooked Plough The Shadows lengthen as the Sun goes Low Cool Breezes now the raging Heats remove Ah cruel Heaven that made no Cure for Love I wish for balmy Sleep but wish in vain Love has no bounds in Pleasure or in Pain What frenzy Shepherd has thy Soul possess'd Thy Vinyard lies half prun'd and half undress'd Quench Corydon thy long unanswer'd fire Mind what the common wants of Life require On willow Twigs employ thy weaving care And find an easier Love tho' not so fair The Third Pastoral OR PALAEMON Menalcas Damaetas Palaemon The Argument Damaetas and Menalcas after some smart strokes of Country Railery resolve to try who has the most Skill at a Song and accordingly make their Neighbour Palaemon Judge of their Performances Who after a full hearing of both Parties declares himself unfit for the Decision of so weighty a Controversie and leaves the Victory undetermin'd MENALCAS HO Groom what Shepherd owns those ragged Sheep DAMAETAS Aegon 's they are he gave 'em me to keep MENALCAS Unhappy Sheep of an Unhappy Swain While he Neaera courts but courts in vain And fears that I the Damsel shall obtain Thou Varlet dost thy Master's gains devour Thou milk'st his Ewes and often twice an hour Of Grass and Fodder thou defraud'st the Dams And of their Mothers Duggs the starving Lambs DAMAETAS Good words young Catamite at least to Men We know who did your Business how and when And in what Chappel too you plaid your prize And what the Goats observ'd with leering Eyes The Nymphs werekind and laught and there your safety lies To the Right Hon ble Charles Sackvill Earle of Dorsett Midleseoc Lord Chamberlain of his Maj t s househould c. Past 3. MENALCAS Yes when I crept the Hedges of the Leys Cut Micon's tender Vines and stole the Stays DAMAETAS Or rather when beneath yon ancient Oak The Bow of Daphnis and the Shafts you broke When the fair Boy receiv'd the Gift of right And but for Mischief you had dy'd for spight MENALCAS What Nonsense wou'd the Fool thy Master prate When thou his Knave can'st talk at such a rate Did I not see you Rascal did I not When you lay snug to snap young Damon's Goat His Mungril bark'd I ran to his relief And cry'd There there he goes stop stop the Thief Discover'd and defeated of your Prey You sculk'd behind the Fence and sneak'd away DAMAETAS An honest Man may freely take his own The Goat was mine by singing fairly won A solemn match was made He lost the Prize Ask Damon ask if he the Debt denies I think he dares not if he does he lyes MENALCAS Thou sing with him thou Booby never Pipe Was so profan'd to touch that blubber'd Lip Dunce at the best in Streets but scarce allow'd To tickle on thy Straw the stupid Crowd DAMAETAS To bring it to the Trial will you dare Our Pipes our
Brows of Phoebus his own Bays adorn The branching Vine the jolly Bacchus loves The Cyprian Queen delights in Mirtle Groves With Hazle Phillis crowns her flowing Hair And while she loves that common Wreath to wear Nor Bays nor Myrtle Bows with Hazle shall compare THYRSIS The towring Ash is fairest in the Woods In Gardens Pines and Poplars by the Floods But if my Lycidas will ease my Pains And often visit our forsaken Plains To him the tow'ring Ash shall yield in Woods In Gardens Pines and Poplars by the Floods MELIBOEUS I 've heard and Thyrsis you contend in vain For Corydon young Corydon shall reign The Prince of Poets on the Mantuan Plain The Eighth Pastoral OR PHARMACEUTRIA The Argument This Pastoral contains the Songs of Damon and Alphesiboeus The first of 'em bewails the loss of his Mistress and repines at the Success of his Rival Mopsus The other repeats the Charms of some Enchantress who endeavour'd by her Spells and Magic to make Daphnis in Love with her To the Rig t Hon ble Charles Ld Clifford Baron of Lounsbrough in the County of York past 8 THE mournful Muse of two despairing Swains The Love rejected and the Lovers ' pains To which the salvage Linxes listning stood The Rivers stood on heaps and stop'd the running Flood The hungry Herd their needful Food refuse Of two despairing Swains I sing the mournful Muse Great Pollio thou for whom thy Rome prepares The ready Triumph of thy finish'd Wars Whither Timavus or th' Illirian Coast Whatever Land or Sea thy presence boast Is there an hour in Fate reserv'd for me To Sing thy Deeds in Numbers worthy thee In numbers like to thine cou'd I rehearse Thy lofty Tragick Scenes thy labour'd Verse The World another Sophocles in thee Another Homer shou'd behold in me Amidst thy Laurels let this Ivy twine Thine was my earlyest Muse my latest shall be thine Scarce from our upper World the Shades withdrew Scarce were the Flocks refresh'd with Morning Dew When Damon stretch'd beneath an Olive Shade And wildly staring upwards thus inveigh'd Against the conscious Gods and curs'd the cruel Maid Star of the Morning why dost thou delay Come Lucifer drive on the lagging Day While I my Nisa's perjur'd Faith deplore Witness ye Pow'rs by whom she falsly swore The Gods alas are Witnesses in vain Yet shall my dying Breath to Heav'n complain Begin with me my Flute the sweet Maenalian Strain The Pines of Maenalus the vocal Grove Are ever full of Verse and full of Love They hear the Hinds they hear their God complain Who suffer'd not the Reeds to rise in vain Begin with me my Flute the sweet Maenalian Strain Mopsus triumphs he weds the willing Fair When such is Nisa's choice what Lover can despair Now Griffons join with Mares another Age Shall see the Hound and Hind their Thirst asswage Promiscuous at the Spring Prepare the Lights O Mopsus and perform the bridal Rites Scatter thy Nuts among the scrambling Boys Thine is the Night and thine the Nuptial Joys For thee the Sun declines O happy Swain Begin with me my Flute the sweet Maenalian Strain O Nisa Justly to thy Choice condemn'd Whom hast thou taken whom hast thou contemn'd For him thou hast refus'd my browzing Herd Scorn'd my thick Eye-brows and my shaggy Beard Unhappy Damon sighs and sings in vain While Nisa thinks no God regards a Lover's pain Begin with me my Flute the sweet Maenalian Strain I view'd thee first how fatal was the View And led thee where the ruddy Wildings grew High on the planted hedge and wet with Morning Dew Then scarce the bending Branches I cou'd win The callow Down began to cloath my Chin I saw I perish'd yet indulg'd my Pain Begin with me my Flute the sweet Maenalian Strain I know thee Love in Desarts thou wert bred And at the Dugs of Salvage Tygers fed Alien of Birth Usurper of the Plains Begin with me my Flute the sweet Maenalian Strains Relentless Love the cruel Mother led The Blood of her unhappy Babes to shed Love lent the Sword the Mother struck the blow Inhuman she but more inhuman thou Alien of Birth Usurper of the Plains Begin with me my Flute the sweet Maenalian Strains Old doting Nature change thy Course anew And let the trembling Lamb the Wolf pursue Let Oaks now glitter with Hesperian Fruit And purple Daffodils from Alder shoot Fat Amber let the Tamarisk distil And hooting Owls contend with Swans in Skill Hoarse Tity'rus strive with Orpheus in the Woods And challenge fam'd Arion on the Floods Or oh let Nature cease and Chaos reign Begin with me my Flute the sweet Maenalian Strain Let Earth be Sea and let the whelming Tide The lifeless Limbs of luckless Damon hide Farewel ye secret Woods and shady Groves Haunts of my Youth and conscious of my Loves From yon high Cliff I plunge into the Main Take the last Present of thy dying Swain And cease my silent Flute the sweet Maenalian Strain Now take your Turns ye Muses to rehearse His Friend's Complaint and mighty Magick Verse Bring running Water bind those Altars round With Fillets and with Vervain strow the Ground Make fat with Frankincense the sacred Fires To re-inflame my Daphnis with Desires 'T is done we want but Verse Restore my Charms My lingring Daphnis to my longing Arms. Pale Phoebe drawn by Verse from Heav'n descends And Circe chang'd with Charms Ulysses Friends Verse breaks the Ground and penetrates the Brake And in the winding Cavern splits the Snake Verse fires the frozen Veins Restore my Charms My lingring Daphnis to my longing Arms. Around his waxen Image first I wind Three woollen Fillets of three Colours join'd Thrice bind about his thrice devoted head Which round the sacred Altar thrice is led Unequal Numbers please the Gods my Charms Restore my Daphnis to my longing Arms. Knit with three knots the Fillets knit 'em streight And say These Knots to Love I consecrate Haste Amaryllis haste restore my Charms My lovely Daphnis to my longing Arms. As Fire this Figure hardens made of Clay And this of Wax with Fire consumes away Such let the Soul of cruel Daphnis be Hard to the rest of Women soft to me Crumble the sacred Mole of Salt and Corn Next in the Fire the Bays with Brimstone burn And while it crackles in the Sulphur say This I for Daphnis burn thus Daphnis burn away This Laurel is his Fate Restore my Charms My lovely Daphnis to my longing Arms. As when the raging Heyfar through the Grove Stung with Desire pursues her wand'ring Love Faint at the last she seeks the weedy Pools To quench her thirst and on the Rushes rowls Careless of Night unmindful to return Such fruitless Fires perfidious Daphnis burn While I so scorn his Love Restore my Charms My lingring Daphnis to my longing Arms. These Garments once were his and left to me The Pledges of his promis'd Loyalty Which underneath my Threshold I bestow These Pawns O
The Mists flew upward and dissolv'd in day The Trojan Chief appear'd in open sight August in Visage and serenely bright His Mother Goddess with her hands Divine Had form'd his Curling Locks and made his Temples shine And giv'n his rowling Eyes a sparkling grace And breath'd a youthful vigour on his Face Like polish'd Iv'ry beauteous to behold Or Parian Marble when enchas'd in Gold Thus radiant from the circling Cloud he broke And thus with manly modesty he spoke He whom you seek am I by Tempests tost And sav'd from Shipwreck on your Lybian Coast Presenting gracious Queen before your Throne A Prince that ows his Life to you alone Fair Majesty the Refuge and Redress Of those whom Fate pursues and Wants oppress You who your pious Offices employ To save the Reliques of abandon'd Troy Receive the Shipwreck'd on your friendly Shore With hospitable Rites relieve the Poor Associate in your Town a wandring Train And Strangers in your Palace entertain What thanks can wretched Fugitives return Who scatter'd thro' the World in exile mourn The Gods if Gods to Goodness are inclin'd If Acts of mercy touch their Heav'nly Mind And more than all the Gods your gen'rous heart Conscious of worth requite its own desert In you this Age is happy and this Earth And Parents more than Mortal gave you birth To the Right Hon ble Elizabeth Countess Dowager of Winchelsea ct AE 1. l 875. While rowling Rivers into Seas shall run And round the space of Heav'n the radiant Sun While Trees the Mountain tops with Shades supply Your Honour Name and Praise shall never dye What e're abode my Fortune has assign'd Your Image shall be present in my Mind Thus having said he turn'd with pious hast And joyful his expecting Friends embrac'd With his right hand Ilioneus was grac'd Serestus with his left then to his breast Cloanthus and the Noble Gyas prest And so by turns descended to the rest The Tyrian Queen stood fix'd upon his Face Pleas'd with his motions ravish'd with his grace Admir'd his Fortunes more admir'd the Man Then recollected stood and thus began What Fate O Goddess born what angry Pow'rs Have cast you shipwrack'd on our barren Shores Are you the great Aeneas known to Fame Who from Coelestial Seed your Lineage claim The same Aeneas whom fair Venus bore To fam'd Anchises on th' Idaean Shore It calls into my mind tho' then a Child When Teucer came from Salamis exil'd And sought my Father's aid to be restor'd My Father Belus then with Fire and Sword Invaded Cyprus made the Region bare And Conqu'ring finish'd the successful War From him the Trojan Siege I understood The Grecian Chiefs and your Illustrious Blood Your Foe himself the Dardan Valour prais'd And his own Ancestry from Trojans rais'd Enter my Noble Guest and you shall find If not a costly welcome yet a kind For I my self like you have been distress'd Till Heav'n afforded me this place of rest Like you an Alien in a Land unknown I learn to pity Woes so like my own She said and to the Palace led her Guest Then offer'd Incense and proclaim'd a Feast Nor yet less careful for her absent Friends Twice ten fat Oxen to the Ships she sends Besides a hundred Boars a hundred Lambs With bleating cries attend their Milky Dams And Jars of gen'rous Wine and spacious Bowls She gives to chear the Sailors drooping Souls Now Purple Hangings cloath the Palace Walls And sumptuous Feasts are made in splendid Halls On Tyrian Carpets richly wrought they dine With loads of Massy Plate the Side-boards shine And Antique Vafes all of Gold Emboss'd The Gold it self inferiour to the Cost Of curious Work where on the sides were seen The Fights and Figures of Illustrious Men From their first Founder to the present Queen The Good Aeneas whose Paternal Care Iulus absence could no longer bear Dispatch'd Achates to the Ships in hast To give a glad Relation of the past And fraught with precious Gifts to bring the Boy Snatch'd from the Ruins of unhappy Troy A Robe of Tissue stiff with golden Wire An upper Vest once Hellen's rich Attire From Argos by the fam'd Adultress brought With Golden flow'rs and winding foliage wrought Her Mother Laeda's Present when she came To ruin Troy and set the World on flame The Scepter Priam's eldest Daughter bore Her orient Necklace and the Crown she wore Of double texture glorious to behold One order set with Gems and one with Gold Instructed thus the wise Achates goes And in his diligence his duty shows But Venus anxious for her Son's Affairs New Councils tryes and new Designs prepares That Cupid should assume the Shape and Face Of sweet Ascanius and the sprightly grace Shou'd bring the Prefents in her Nephews stead And in Eliza's Veins the gentle Poison shed For much she fear'd the Tyrians double tongu'd And knew the Town to Juno's care belong'd These thoughts by Night her Golden Slumbers broke And thus alarm'd to winged Love she spoke My Son my strength whose mighty Pow'r alone Controuls the Thund'rer on his awful Throne To thee thy much afflicted Mother flies And on thy Succour and thy Faith relies Thou know'st my Son how Jove's revengeful Wife By force and Fraud attempts thy Brother's life And often hast thou mourn'd with me his Pains Him Dido now with Blandishment detains But I suspect the Town where Juno reigns For this 't is needful to prevent her Art And fire with Love the proud Phoenician's heart A Love so violent so fond so sure That neither Age can change nor Art can cure How this may be perform'd now take my mind Ascanius by his Father is design'd To come with Presents laden from the Port To gratifie the Queen and gain the Court I mean to plunge the Boy in pleasing Sleep And ravish'd in Idalian Bow'rs to keep Or high Cythaera That the sweet Deceipt May pass unseen and none prevent the Cheat Take thou his Form and Shape I beg the Grace But only for a Night 's revolving Space Thy self a Boy assume a Boy 's dissembled Face That when amidst the fervour of the Feast The Tyrian hugs and fonds thee on her Breast And with sweet Kisses in her Arms constrains Thou may'st infuse thy Venom in her Veins The God of Love obeys and sets aside His Bow and Quiver and his plumy Pride He walks Iulus in his Mother's Sight And in the sweet Resemblance takes Delight The Goddess then to young Ascanius flies And in a pleasing Slumber seals his Eyes Lull'd in her Lap amidst a Train of Loves She gently bears him to her blissful Groves Then with a Wreath of Myrtle crowns his Head And softly lays him on a flow'ry Bed Cupid mean time assum'd his Form and Face Foll'wing Achates with a shorter Pace And brought the Gifts The Queen already sate Amidst the Trojan Lords in shining State High on a Golden Bed Her Princely Guest Was next her side in order sate the rest Then Canisters with
he for his Country bore Now stream'd afresh and with new Purple ran I wept to see the visionary Man And while my Trance continu'd thus began O Light of Trojans and Support of Troy Thy Father's Champion and thy Country's Joy O long expected by thy Friends from whence Art thou so late return'd for our Defence Do we behold thee weary'd as we are With length of Labours and with Toils of War After so many Fun'rals of thy own Art thou restor'd to thy declining Town But say what Wounds are these What new Disgrace Deforms the Manly Features of thy Face To this the Spectre no Reply did frame But answer'd to the Cause for which he came And groaning from the bottom of his Breast This Warning in these mournful Words express'd O Goddess-born escape by timely flight The Flames and Horrors of this fatal Night The Foes already have possess'd the Wall Troy nods from high and totters to her Fall Enough is paid to Priam's Royal Name More than enough to Duty and to Fame If by a Mortal Hand my Father's Throne Cou'd be defended 't was by mine alone Now Troy to thee commends her future State And gives her Gods Companions of thy Fate From their assistance happyer Walls expect Which wand'ring long at last thou shalt erect He said and brought me from their blest abodes The venerable Statues of the Gods With ancient Vesta from the sacred Quire The Wreaths and Relicks of th' Immortal Fire Now peals of Shouts come thund'ring from afar Cries Threats and loud Laments and mingl'd War The Noise approaches though our Palace stood Aloof from Streets encompass'd with a Wood. Louder and yet more loud I hear th' Allarms Of Human Cries distinct and clashing Arms Fear broke my Slumbers I no longer stay But mount the Terrass thence the Town survey And hearken what the frightful Sounds convey Thus when a flood of Fire by Winds is born Crackling it rowls and mows the standing Corn Or Deluges descending on the Plains Sweep o're the yellow Year destroy the pains Of lab'ring Oxen and the Peasant's gains Unroot the Forrest Oaks and bear away Flocks Folds and Trees an undistinguish'd Prey The Shepherd climbs the Cliff and sees from far The wastful Ravage of the wat'ry War Then Hector's Faith was manifestly clear'd The Grecian Frauds in open light appear'd The Palace of Deiphobus ascends In smoaky Flames and catches on his Friends Ucalegon burns next the Seas are bright With splendor not their own and shine with Trojan light New Clamours and new Clangors now arise The sound of Trumpets mix'd with fighting cries With frenzy seiz'd I run to meet th' Alarms Resolv'd on death resolv'd to die in Arms. But first to gather Friends with them t' oppose If Fortune favour'd and repel the Foes Spurr'd by my courage by my Country fir'd With sense of Honour and Revenge inspir'd Pantheus Apollo's Priest a sacred Name Had scap'd the Grecian Swords and pass'd the Flame With Reliques loaden to my Doors he fled And by the hand his tender Grand-son led What hope O Pantheus whither can we run Where make a stand and what may yet be done Scarce had I said when Pantheus with a groan Troy is no more and Ilium was a Town The fatal Day th' appointed Hour is come When wrathful Jove's irrevocable doom Transfers the Trojan State to Grecian hands The Fire consumes the Town the Foe commands And armed Hosts an unexpected Force Break from the Bowels of the Fatal Horse Within the Gates proud Sinon throws about The flames and Foes for entrance press without With thousand others whom I fear to name More than from Argos or Mycenae came To sev'ral Posts their Parties they divide Some block the narrow Streets some scour the wide The bold they kill th' unwary they surprise Who fights finds Death and Death finds him who flies The Warders of the Gate but scarce maintain Th' unequal Combat and resist in vain I Heard and Heav'n that well-born Souls inspires Prompts me thro' lifted Swords and rising Fires To run where clashing Arms and Clamour calls And rush undaunted to defend the Walls Ripheus and Iph'itus by my side engage For Valour one Renown'd and one for Age. Dymas and Hypanis by Moonlight knew My motions and my Meen and to my Party drew With young Choroebus who by Love was led To win Renown and fair Cassandra's Bed And lately brought his Troops to Priam's aid Forewarn'd in vain by the Prophetic Maid Whom when I saw resolv'd in Arms to fall And that one Spirit animated all Brave Souls said I but Brave alas in vain Come finish what our Cruel Fates ordain You see the desp'rate state of our Affairs And Heav'ns protecting Pow'rs are deaf to Pray'rs The passive Gods behold the Greeks defile Their Temples and abandon to the Spoil Their own Abodes we feeble few conspire To save a sinking Town involv'd in Fire Then let us fall but fall amidst our Foes Despair of Life the Means of Living shows So fierce a Speech incourag'd their desire Of Death and added fuel to their fire As hungry Wolves with raging appetite Scour thro' the fields nor fear the stormy Night Their Whelps at home expect the promis'd Food And long to temper their dry Chaps in Blood So rush'd we forth at once resolv'd to die Resolv'd in Death the last Extreams to try We leave the narrow Lanes behind and dare Th' unequal Combat in the publick Square Night was our Friend our Leader was Despair What Tongue can tell the Slaughter of that Night What Eyes can weep the Sorrows and Affright An ancient and imperial City falls The Streets are fill'd with frequent Funerals Houses and Holy Temples float in Blood And hostile Nations make a common Flood Not only Trojans fall but in their turn The vanquish'd Triumph and the Victors mourn Ours take new Courage from Despair and Night Confus'd the Fortune is confus'd the Fight All parts resound with Tumults Plaints and Fears And grisly Death in sundry shapes appears Androgeos fell among us with his Band Who thought us Grecians newly come to Land From whence said he my Friends this long delay You loiter while the Spoils are born away Our Ships are laden with the Trojan Store And you like Truants come too late ashore He said but soon corrected his Mistake Found by the doubtful Answers which we make Amaz'd he wou'd have shun'd th' unequal Fight But we more num'rous intercept his flight As when some Peasant in a bushy Brake Has with unwary Footing press'd a Snake He starts aside astonish'd when he spies His rising Crest blue Neck and rowling Eyes So from our Arms surpriz'd Androgeos flies In vain for him and his we compass'd round Possess'd with Fear unknowing of the Ground And of their Lives an easy Conquest found Thus Fortune on our first Endeavour smil'd Choraebus then with youthful Hopes beguil'd Swoln with Success and of a daring Mind This new Invention fatally design'd My Friends said he since
lead A Queen that proudly scorn'd his proffer'd Bed Had you deferr'd at least your hasty Flight And left behind some Pledge of our delight Some Babe to bless the Mother's mournful sight Some young Aeneas to supply your place Whose Features might express his Father's Face I should not then complain to live bereft Of all my Husband or be wholly left Here paus'd the Queen unmov'd he holds his Eyes By Jove's Command nor suffer'd Love to rise Tho' heaving in his Heart and thus at length replies Fair Queen you never can enough repeat Your boundless Favours or I own my Debt Nor can my Mind forget Eliza's Name While vital Breath inspires this Mortal Frame This only let me speak in my Defence I never hop'd a secret Flight from hence Much less pretended to the Lawful Claim Of Sacred Nuptials or a Husband's Name For if indulgent Heav'n would leave me free And not submit my Life to Fate 's Decree My Choice would lead me to the Trojan Shore Those Reliques to review their Dust adore And Priam's ruin'd Palace to restore But now the Delphian Oracle Commands And Fate invites me to the Latian Lands That is the promis'd Place to which I steer And all my Vows are terminated there If you a Tyrian and a Stranger born With Walls and Tow'rs a Lybian Town adorn Why may not we like you a Foreign Race Like you seek shelter in a Foreign Place As often as the Night obscures the Skies With humid Shades or twinkling Stars arise Anchises angry Ghost in Dreams appears Chides my delay and fills my Soul with fears And young Ascanius justly may complain Of his defrauded Fate and destin'd Reign Ev'n now the Herald of the Gods appear'd Waking I saw him and his Message heard From Jove he came commission'd Heav'nly bright With Radiant Beams and manifest to Sight The Sender and the Sent I both attest These Walls he enter'd and those Words express'd Fair Queen oppose not what the Gods command Forc'd by my Fate I leave your happy Land Thus while he spoke already She began With sparkling Eyes to view the guilty Man From Head to Foot survey'd his Person o're Nor longer these outrageous Threats forbore False as thou art and more than false forsworn Not sprung from Noble Blood nor Goddess-born But hewn from hardned Entrails of a Rock And rough Hyrcanian Tygers gave thee suck Why shou'd I fawn what have I worse to fear Did he once look or lent a list'ning Ear Sigh'd when I sob'd or shed one kindly Tear All Symptoms of a base Ungrateful Mind So foul that which is worse 't is hard to find Of Man's Injustice why shou'd I complain The Gods and Jove himself behold in vain Triumphant Treason yet no Thunder flyes Nor Juno views my Wrongs with equal Eyes Faithless is Earth and Faithless are the Skies Justice is fled and Truth is now no more I sav'd the Shipwrack'd Exile on my Shore With needful Food his hungry Trojans fed I took the Traytor to my Throne and Bed Fool that I was 't is little to repeat The rest I stor'd and Rigg'd his ruin'd Flect I rave I rave A God's Command he pleads And makes Heav'n accessary to his Deeds Now Lycian Lotts and now the Delian God Now Hermes is employ'd from Jove's abode To warn him hence as if the peaceful State Of Heav'nly Pow'rs were touch'd with Humane Fate But go thy flight no longer I detain Go seek thy promis'd Kingdom through the Main Yet if the Heav'ns will hear my Pious Vow The faithless Waves not half so false as thou Or secret Sands shall Sepulchers afford To thy proud Vessels and their perjur'd Lord. Then shalt thou call on injur'd Dido's Name Dido shall come in a black Sulph'ry flame When death has once dissolv'd her Mortal frame Shall smile to see the Traitor vainly weep Her angry Ghost arising from the Deep Shall haunt thee waking and disturb thy Sleep At least my Shade thy Punishment shall know And Fame shall spread the pleasing News below Abruptly here she stops Then turns away Her loathing Eyes and shuns the sight of Day Amaz'd he stood revolving in his Mind What Speech to frame and what Excuse to find Her fearful Maids their fainting Mistress led And softly laid her on her Iv'ry Bed But good Aeneas tho' he much desir'd To give that Pity which her Grief requir'd Tho' much he mourn'd and labour'd with his Love Resolv'd at length obeys the Will of Jove Reviews his Forces they with early Care Unmoor their Vessels and for Sea prepare The Fleet is soon afloat in all its Pride And well calk'd Gallies in the Harbour ride Then Oaks for Oars they fell'd or as they stood Of its green Arms despoil'd the growing Wood. Studious of Flight The Beach is cover'd o're With Trojan Bands that blacken all the Shore On ev'ry side are seen descending down Thick swarms of Souldiers loaden from the Town Thus in Battalia march embody'd Ants Fearful of Winter and of future Wants T' invade the Corn and to their Cells convey The plunder'd Forrage of their yellow Prey The sable Troops along the narrow Tracks Scarce bear the weighty Burthen on their Backs Some set their Shoulders to the pond'rous Grain Some guard the Spoil some lash the lagging Train All ply their sev'ral Tasks and equal Toil sustain What Pangs the tender Breast of Dido tore When from the Tow'r she saw the cover'd Shore And heard the Shouts of Sailors from afar Mix'd with the Murmurs of the wat'ry War All pow'rful Love what Changes canst thou cause In Human Hearts subjected to thy Laws Once more her haughty Soul the Tyrant bends To Pray'rs and mean Submissions she descends No female Arts or Aids she left untry'd Nor Counsels unexplor'd before she dy'd Look Anna look the Trojans crowd to Sea They spread their Canvass and their Anchors weigh The shouting Crew their Ships with Garlands binds Invoke the Sea-Gods and invite the Winds Cou'd I have thought this threatning Blow so near My tender Soul had been forewarn'd to bear But do not you my last Request deny With yon perfidious Man your Int'rest try And bring me News if I must live or dye You are his Fav'rite you alone can find The dark recesses of his inmost Mind In all his trusted Secrets you have part And know the soft Approaches to his Heart Haste then and humbly seek my haughty Foe Tell him I did not with the Grecians goe Nor did my Fleet against his Friends employ Nor swore the Ruin of unhappy Troy Nor mov'd with Hands prophane his Father's Dust Why shou'd he then reject a suit so just Whom does he shun and whither would he fly Can he this last this only Pray'r deny Let him at least his dang'rous Flight delay Wait better Winds and hope a calmer Sea The Nuptials he disclaims I urge no more Let him pursue the promis'd Latian Shore A short delay is all I ask him now A pause of Grief an interval from
Crew Or with my Fleet their flying Sails pursue What force have I but those whom scarce before I drew reluctant from their Native Shore Will they again Embark at my desire Once more sustain the Seas and quit their second Tyre Rather with Steel thy guilty Breast invade And take the Fortune thou thy self hast made Your pity Sister first seduc'd my Mind Or seconded too well what I design'd These dear-bought Pleasures had I never known Had I continu'd free and still my own Avoiding Love I had not found Despair But shar'd with Salvage Beasts the Common Air. Like them a lonely life I might have led Not mourn'd the Living nor disturb'd the Dead These Thoughts she brooded in her anxious Breast On Boord the Trojan found more easie rest Resolv'd to sail in Sleep he pass'd the Night And order'd all things for his early flight To whom once more the winged God appears His former Youthful Meen and Shape he wears And with this new alarm invades his Ears Sleep'st thou O Goddess born and can'st thou drown Thy needful Cares so near a Hostile Town Beset with Foes nor hear'st the Western Gales Invite thy passage and Inspire thy sails She harbours in her Heart a furious hate And thou shalt find the dire Effects too late Fix'd on Revenge and Obstinate to die Haste swiftly hence while thou hast pow'r to fly The Sea with Ships will soon be cover'd o're And blazing Firebrands kindle all the Shore Prevent her rage while Night obscures the Skies And sail before the purple Morn arise Who knows what Hazards thy Delay may bring Woman 's a various and a changeful Thing Thus Hermes in the Dream then took his flight Aloft in Air unseen and mix'd with Night Twice warn'd by the Coelestial Messenger The pious Pious arose with hasty fear Then rowz'd his drowsie Train without delay Haste to your banks your crooked Anchors weigh And spread your flying Sails and stand to Sea A God commands he stood before my sight And urg'd us once again to speedy flight O sacred Pow'r what Pow'r so e're thou art To thy bless'd Orders I resign my heart Lead thou the way protect thy Trojan Bands And prosper the Design thy Will Commands He said and drawing forth his flaming Sword His thund'ring Arm divides the many twisted Cord An emulating Zeal inspires his Train They run they snatch they rush into the main With headlong haste they leave the desert Shores And brush the liquid Seas with lab'ring Oars Aurora now had left her Saffron Bed And beams of early Light the Heav'ns o'respread When from a Tow'r the Queen with wakeful Eyes Saw Day point upward from the rosie Skies She look'd to Seaward but the Sea was void And scarce in ken the sailing Ships descry'd Stung with despight and furious with despair She struck her trembling Breast and tore her Hair And shall th' ungrateful Traytor go she said My Land forsaken and my Love betray'd Shall we not Arm not rush from ev'ry Street To follow sink and burn his perjur'd Fleet Haste haul my Gallies out pursue the Foe Bring flaming Brands set sail and swiftly row What have I said where am I Fury turns My Brain and my distemper'd Bosom burns Then when I gave my Person and my Throne This Hate this Rage had been more timely shown See now the promis'd Faith the vaunted Name The Pious Man who rushing through the Flame Preserv'd his Gods and to the Phrygian Shore The Burthen of his feeble Father bore I shou'd have torn him piecemeal strow'd in Floods His scatter'd Limbs or left expos'd in Woods Destroy'd his Friends and Son and from the Fire Have set the reeking Boy before the Sire Events are doubtful which on Battels wait Yet where 's the doubt to Souls secure of Fate My Tyrians at their injur'd Queen's Command Had toss'd their Fires amid the Trojan Band At once extinguish'd all the faithless Name And I my self in vengeance of my Shame Had fall'n upon the Pile to mend the Fun'ral Flame Thou Sun who view'st at once the World below Thou Juno Guardian of the Nuptial Vow Thou Hecat hearken from thy dark abodes Ye Furies Fiends and violated Gods All Pow'rs invok'd with Dido's dying breath Attend her Curses and avenge her death If so the Fates ordain and Jove commands Th' ungrateful Wretch should find the Latian Lands Yet let a Race untam'd and haughty Foes His peaceful Entrance with dire Arms oppose Oppress'd with Numbers in th' unequal Field His Men discourag'd and himself expell'd Let him for Succour sue from place to place Torn from his Subjects and his Son's embrace First let him see his Friends in Battel slain And their untimely Fate lament in vain And when at length the cruell War shall cease On hard Conditions may he buy his Peace Nor let him then enjoy supreme Command But fall untimely by some hostile Hand And lye unbury'd on the barren Sand. These are my Pray'rs and this my dying Will And you my Tyrians ev'ry Curse fulfill Perpetual Hate and mortal Wars proclaim Against the Prince the People and the Name These grateful Off'rings on my Grave bestow Nor League nor Love the jarring Nations know Now and from hence in ev'ry future Age When Rage excites your Arms and Strength supplies the Rage Rise some Avenger of our Lybian Blood With Fire and Sword pursue the perjur'd Brood Our Arms our Seas our Shores oppos'd to theirs And the same hate descend on all our Heirs This said within her anxious Mind she weighs The Means of cutting short her odious Days Then to Sicheus's Nurse she briefly said For when she left her Country hers was dead Go Barcè call my Sister let her Care The solemn Rites of Sacrifice prepare The Sheep and all th' attoneing Off'rings bring Sprinkling her Body from the Crystal Spring With living Drops then let her come and thou With sacred Fillets bind thy hoary Brow Thus will I pay my Vows to Stygian Jove And end the Cares of my disastrous Love Then cast the Trojan Image on the Fire And as that burns my Passion shall expire The Nurse moves onward with officious Care And all the speed her aged Limbs can bear But furious Dido with dark Thoughts involv'd Shook at the mighty Mischief she resolv'd With livid Spots distinguish'd was her Face Red were her rowling Eyes and discompos'd her Pace Ghastly she gaz'd with Pain she drew her Breath And Nature shiver'd at approaching Death Then swiftly to the fatal place she pass'd And mounts the Fun'ral Pile with furious haste Unsheaths the Sword the Trojan left behind Not for so dire an Enterprise design'd But when she view'd the Garments loosely spred Which once he wore and saw the conscious Bed She paus'd and with a Sigh the Robes embrac'd Then on the Couch her trembling Body cast Repress'd the ready Tears and spoke her last Dear Pledges of my Love while Heav'n so pleas'd Receive a Soul of Mortal Anguish eas'd My fatal Course is finish'd
all the Pow'rs that rule the Realms below To John Pulteney of the Parish of S t James's Westminster Esq. AE 6. l. 615 Unwilling I forsook your friendly State Commanded by the Gods and forc'd by Fate Those Gods that Fate whose unresisted Might Have sent me to these Regions void of Light Thro' the vast Empire of eternal Night Nor dar'd I to presume that press'd with Grief My Flight should urge you to this dire Relief Stay stay your Steps and listen to my Vows 'T is the last Interview that Fate allows In vain he thus attempts her Mind to move With Tears and Pray'rs and late repenting Love Disdainfully she look'd then turning round But fix'd her Eyes unmov'd upon the Ground And what he says and swears regards no more Than the deaf Rocks when the loud Billows roar But whirl'd away to shun his hateful sight Hid in the Forest and the Shades of Night Then sought Sicheus thro' the shady Grove Who answer'd all her Cares and equal'd all her Love Some pious Tears the pitying Heroe paid And follow'd with his Eyes the flitting Shade Then took the forward Way by Fate ordain'd And with his Guide the farther Fields attain'd Where sever'd from the rest the Warrior Souls remain'd Tideus he met with Meleager's Race The Pride of Armies and the Souldier's Grace And pale Adrastus with his ghastly Face Of Trojan Chiefs he view'd a num'rous Train All much lamented all in Battel slain Glaucus and Medon high above the rest Antenor's Sons and Ceres sacred Priest And proud Ideus Priam's Charioteer Who shakes his empty Reins and aims his Airy Spear The gladsome Ghosts in circling Troops attend And with unweary'd Eyes behold their Friend Delight to hover near and long to know What buis'ness brought him to the Realms below But Argive Chiefs and Agamemnon's Train When his refulgent Arms flash'd thro' the shady Plain Fled from his well known Face with wonted Fear As when his thund'ring Sword and pointed Spear Drove headlong to their Ships and glean'd the routed Reer They rais'd a feeble Cry with trembling Notes But the weak Voice deceiv'd their gasping Throats Here Priam's Son Deiphobus he found Whose Face and Limbs were one continu'd Wound Dishonest with lop'd Arms the Youth appears Spoil'd of his Nose and shorten'd of his Ears He scarcely knew him striving to disown His blotted Form and blushing to be known And therefore first began O Teucer's Race Who durst thy faultless Figure thus deface What heart cou'd wish what hand inflict this dire Disgrace T was fam'd that in our last and fatal Night Your single Prowess long sustain'd the Fight Till tir'd not forc'd a glorious Fate you chose And fell upon a Heap of slaughter'd Foes But in remembrance of so brave a Deed A Tomb and Fun'ral Honours I decreed Thrice call'd your Manes on the Trojan Plains The place your Armour and your Name retains Your Body too I sought and had I found Design'd for Burial in your Native Ground The Ghost reply'd your Piety has paid All needful Rites to rest my wand'ring Shade But cruel Fate and my more cruel Wife To Grecian Swords betray'd my sleeping Life To Christopher Knight Esq of Chanton in Hantshire AE 6. l. 675. These are the Monuments of Helen's Love The Shame I bear below the Marks I bore above You know in what deluding Joys we past The Night that was by Heav'n decreed our last For when the fatal Horse descending down Pregnant with Arms o'rewhelm'd th' unhappy Town She feign'd Nocturnal Orgyes left my Bed And mix'd with Trojan Dames the Dances led Then waving high her Torch the Signal made Which rouz'd the Grecians from their Ambuscade With Watching overworn with Cares opprest Unhappy I had laid me down to rest And heavy Sleep my weary Limbs possess'd Mean time my worthy Wife our Arms mislay'd And from beneath my head my Sword convey'd The Door unlatch'd and with repeated calls Invites her former Lord within my walls Thus in her Crime her confidence she plac'd And with new Treasons wou'd redeem the past What need I more into the Room they ran And meanly murther'd a defenceless Man Ulysses basely born first led the way Avenging Pow'rs with Justice if I pray That Fortune be their own another day But answer you and in your turn relate What brought you living to the Stygian State Driv'n by the Winds and Errors of the Sea Or did you Heav'ns Superior Doom obey Or tell what other Chance conducts your way To view with Mortal Eyes our dark Retreats Tumults and Torments of th' Infernal Seats While thus in talk the flying Hours they pass The Sun had finish'd more than half his Race And they perhaps in Words and Tears had spent The little time of stay which Heav'n had lent But thus the Sibyl chides their long delay Night rushes down and headlong drives the Day T is here in different Paths the way divides The right to Pluto's Golden Palace guides The left to that unhappy Region tends Which to the depth of Tartarus descends The Seat of Night profound and punish'd Fiends Then thus Deiphobus O Sacred Maid Forbear to chide and be your Will Obey'd Lo to the secret Shadows I retire To pay my Penance 'till my Years expire Proceed Auspicious Prince with Glory Crownd And born to better Fates than I have found He said and while he said his Steps he turn'd To Secret Shadows and in silence Mourn'd The Heroe looking on the left espy'd A lofty Tow'r and strong on ev'ry side With treble Walls which Phlegethon surrounds Whose fiery Flood the burning Empire bounds And press'd betwixt the Rocks the bellowing noise resounds Wide is the fronting Gate and rais'd on high With Adamantine Columns threats the Sky Vain is the force of Man and Heav'ns as van To crush the Pillars which the Pile sustain Sublime on these a Tow'r of Steel is rear'd And dire Tisiphone there keeps the Ward Girt in her sanguine Gown by Night and Day Observant of the Souls that pass the downward way From hence are heard the Groans of Ghosts the pains Of sounding Lashes and of dragging Chains The Trojan stood astonish'd at their Cries And ask'd his Guide from whence those Yells arise And what the Crimes and what the Tortures were And loud Laments that rent the liquid Air She thus reply'd The chast and holy Race Are all forbidden this polluted Place But Hecate when she gave to rule the Woods Then led me trembling thro' these dire Abodes And taught the Tortures of th' avenging Gods These are the Realms of unrelenting Fate And awful Rhadamanthus rules the State He hears and judges each committed Crime Enquires into the Manner Place and Time The conscious Wretch must all his Acts reveal Loath to confefs unable to conceal From the first Moment of his vital Breath To his last Hour of unrepenting Death Straight o're the guilty Ghost the Fury shakes The sounding Whip and brandishes her Snakes And the pale Sinner with her Sisters takes
his Foe pursues Thus when a fearful Stag is clos'd around With Crimson Toils or in a River found High on the Bank the deep-mouth'd Hound appears Still opening following still where e're he steers The persecuted Creature to and fro Turns here and there to scape his Vmbrian Foe Steep is th' Ascent and if he gains the Land The Purple Death is pitch'd along the Strand His eager Foe determin'd to the Chace Stretch'd at his length gains Ground at ev'ry Pace Now to his beamy Head he makes his way And now he holds or thinks he holds his Prey To the Right Hon ble Francis North Baron of Guilford Aen 12. L 1120. Just at the pinch the Stag springs out with fear He bites the Wind and fills his sounding Jaws with Air. The Rocks the Lakes the Meadows ring with Cries The mortal Tumult mounts and thunders in the Skies Thus flies the Daunian Prince and flying blames His tardy Troops and calling by their Names Demands his trusty Sword The Trojan threats The Realm with Ruin and their ancient Seats To lay in Ashes if they dare supply With Arms or Aid his vanquish'd Enemy Thus menacing he still pursues the Course With Vigour tho' diminish'd of his Force Ten times already round the listed place One Chief had fled and t'other giv'n the Chace No trivial Prize is play'd for on the Life Or Death of Turnus now depends the Strife Within the space an Olive Tree had stood A sacred Shade a venerable Wood For Vows to Faunus paid the Latins Guardian God Here hung the Vests and Tablets were ingrav'd Of sinking Mariners from Shipwrack sav'd With heedless Hands the Trojans fell'd the Tree To make the Ground inclos'd for Combat free Deep in the Root whether by Fate or Chance Or erring haste the Trojan drove his Lance Then stoop'd and tug'd with Force immense to free Th' incumber'd Spear from the tenacious Tree That whom his fainting Limbs pursu'd in vain His flying Weapon might from far attain Confus'd with Fear bereft of Human Aid Then Turnus to the Gods and first to Faunus pray'd O Faunus pity and thou Mother Earth Where I thy foster Son receiv'd my Birth Hold fast the Steel if my Religious Hand Your Plant has honour'd which your Foes profan'd Propitious hear my pious Pray'r He said Nor with successless Vows invok'd their Aid Th' incumbent Heroe wrench'd and pull'd and strain'd But still the stubborn Earth the Steel detain'd Juturna took her time and while in vain He strove assum'd Metiscus Form again And in that imitated Shape restor'd To the despairing Prince his Daunian Sword The Queen of Love who with Disdain and Grief Saw the bold Nymph afford this prompt Relief T' assert her Off-spring with a greater Deed From the tough Root the ling'ring Weapon freed Once more erect the Rival Chiefs advance One trusts the Sword and one the pointed Lance And both resolv'd alike to try their fatal Chance Mean time Imperial Jove to Juno spoke Who from a shining Cloud beheld the shock What new Arrest O Queen of Heav'n is sent To stop the Fates now lab'ring in th' Event What farther hopes are left thee to pursue Divine Aeneas and thou know'st it too Fore-doom'd to these Coelestial Seats is due What more Attempts for Turnus can be made That thus thou ling'rest in this lonely Shade Is it becoming of the due Respect And awful Honour of a God Elect A Wound unworthy of our State to feel Patient of Human Hands and earthly Steel Or seems it Just the Sister shou'd restore A second Sword when one was lost before And arm a conquer'd Wretch against his Conqueror For what without thy knowledge and avow Nay more thy Dictate durst Juturna do At last in deference to my Love forbear To lodge within thy Soul this anxious Care Reclin'd upon my Breast thy Grief unload Who shou'd relieve the Goddess but the God Now all things to their utmost Issue tend Push'd by the Fates to their appointed End While leave was giv'n thee and a lawful Hour For Vengeance Wrath and unresisted Pow'r Toss'd on the Seas thou cou'd'st thy Foes distress And driv'n ashore with Hostile Arms oppress Deform the Royal House and from the side Of the Just Bridegroom tear the plighted Bride Now cease at my Command The Thund'rer said And with dejected Eyes this Answer Juno made Because your dread Decree too well I knew From Turnus and from Earth unwilling I withdrew Else shou'd you not behold me here alone Involv'd in empty Clouds my Friends bemoan But girt with vengeful Flames in open sight Engag'd against my Foes in Mortal Fight 'T is true Juturna mingled in the Strife By my Command to save her Brother's Life At least to try But by the Stygian Lake The most Religious Oath the Gods can take With this restriction not to bend the Bow Or toss the Spear or trembling Dart to throw And now resign'd to your Superior Might And tir'd with fruitless Toils I loath the Fight This let me beg and this no Fates withstand Both for my self and for your Fathers Land That when the Nuptial Bed shall bind the Peace Which I since you ordain consent to bless The Laws of either Nation be the same But let the Latins still retain their Name Speak the same Language which they spoke before Wear the same Habits which their Grandsires wore Call them not Trojans Perish the Renown And Name of Troy with that detested Town Latium be Latium still let Alba reign And Rome's immortal Majesty remain Then thus the Founder of Mankind replies Unruffled was his Front serene his Eyes Can Saturn's Issue and Heav'ns other Heir Such endless Anger in her Bosom bear Be Mistress and your full Desires obtain But quench the Choler you foment in vain From ancient Blood th' Ausonian People sprung Shall keep their Name their Habit and their Tongue The Trojans to their Customs shall be ty'd I will my self their common Rites provide The Natives shall command the Foreigners subside All shall be Latium Troy without a Name And her lost Sons forget from whence they came From Blood so mix'd a pious Race shall flow Equal to Gods excelling all below No Nation more Respect to you shall pay Or greater Off'rings on your Altars lay Juno consents well pleas'd that her Desires Had found Success and from the Cloud retires The Peace thus made the Thund'rer next prepares To force the wat'ry Goddess from the Wars Deep in the dismal Regions void of Light Three Daughters at a Birth were born to Night These their brown Mother brooding on her Care Indu'd with windy Wings to flit in Air With Serpents girt alike and crown'd with hissing Hair In Heav'n the Dirae call'd and still at hand Before the Throne of angry Jove they stand His Ministers of Wrath and ready still The Minds of Mortal Men with Fears to fill When e're the moody Sire to wreak his Hate On Realms or Towns deserving of their Fate Hurls down Diseases Death and
the Fair Sex however if they had the Desertour in their power wou'd certainly have shewn him no more mercy than the Bacchanals did Orpheus For if too much Constancy may be a fault sometimes then want of Constancy and Ingratitude after the last Favour is a Crime that never will be forgiven But of Machines more in their proper place where I shall shew with how much judgment they have been us'd by Virgil and in the mean time pass to another Article of his defence on the present Subject where if I cannot clear the Heroe I hope at least to bring off the Poet for here I must divide their Causes Let Aeneas trust to his Machine which will only help to break his Fall but the Address is incomparable Plato who borrow'd so much from Homer and yet concluded for the Banishment of all Poets wou'd at least have Rewarded Virgil before he sent him into Exile But I go farther and say that he ought to be acquitted and deserv'd beside the Bounty of Augustus and the gratitude of the Roman People If after this the Ladies will stand out let them remember that the Jury is not all agreed for Octavia was of his Party and was also of the first Quality in Rome she was present at the reading of the Sixth Aeneid and we know not that she condemn'd Aeneas but we are sure she presented the Poet for his admirable Elegy on her Son Marcellus But let us consider the secret Reasons which Virgil had for thus framing this Noble Episode wherein the whole passion of Love is more exactly describ'd than in any other Poet. Love was the Theme of his Fourth Book and though it is the shortest of the whole Aeneis yet there he has given its beginning its progress its traverses and its conclusion And had exhausted so entirely this Subject that he cou'd resume it but very slightly in the Eight ensuing Books She was warm'd with the graceful appearance of the Heroe she smother'd those Sparkles out of decency but Conversation blew them up into a Flame Then she was forc'd to make a Confident of her whom she best might trust her own Sister who approves the passion and thereby augments it then succeeds her publick owning it and after that the consummation Of Venus and Juno Jupiter and Mercury I say nothing for they were all Machining work but possession having cool'd his Love as it increas'd hers she soon perceiv'd the change or at least grew suspicious of a change this suspicion soon turn'd to Jealousie and Jealousie to Rage then she disdains and threatens and again is humble and intreats and nothing availing despairs curses and at last becomes her own Executioner See here the whole process of that passion to which nothing can be added I dare go no farther lest I shou'd lose the connection of my Discourse To love our Native Country and to study its Benefit and its Glory to be interessed in its Concerns is Natural to all Men and is indeed our common Duty A Poet makes a farther step for endeavouring to do honour to it 't is allowable in him even to be partial in its Cause for he is not ty'd to truth or fetter'd by the Laws of History Homer and Tasso are justly prais'd for chusing their Heroes out of Greece and Italy Virgil indeed made his a Trojan but it was to derive the Romans and his own Augustus from him but all the three Poets are manifestly partial to their Heroes in favour of their Country For Dares Phrygius reports of Hector that he was slain Cowardly Aeneas according to the best account slew not Mezentius but was slain by him and the Chronicles of Italy tell us little of that Rinaldo d'Estè who Conquers Jerusalem in Tasso He might be a Champion of the Church but we know not that he was so much as present at the Siege To apply this to Virgil he thought himself engag'd in Honour to espouse the Cause and Quarrel of his Country against Carthage He knew he cou'd not please the Romans better or oblige them more to Patronize his Poem than by disgracing the Foundress of that City He shews her ungrateful to the Memory of her first Husband doting on a Stranger enjoy'd and afterwards forsaken by him This was the Original says he of the immortal hatred betwixt the two Rival Nations 'T is true he colours the falsehood of Aeneas by an express Command from Jupiter to forsake the Queen who had oblig'd him but he knew the Romans were to be his Readers and them he brib'd perhaps at the expence of his Heroe's honesty but he gain'd his Cause however as Pleading before Corrupt Judges They were content to see their Founder false to Love for still he had the advantage of the Amour It was their Enemy whom he forsook and she might have forsaken him if he had not got the start of her she had already forgotten her Vows to her Sichaeus and varium mutabile semper femina is the sharpest Satire in the fewest words that was ever made on Womankind for both the Adjectives are Neuter and Animal must be understood to make them Grammar Virgil does well to put those words into the mouth of Mercury If a God had not spoken them neither durst he have written them nor I translated them Yet the Deity was forc'd to come twice on the same Errand and the second time as much a Heroe as Aeneas was he frighted him It seems he fear'd not Jupiter so much as Dido For your Lordship may observe that as much intent as he was upon his Voyage yet he still delay'd it 'till the Messenger was oblig'd to tell him plainly that if he weigh'd not Anchor in the Night the Queen wou'd be with him in the Morning Notumque furens quid femina possit she was Injur'd she was Revengeful she was Powerful The Poet had likewise before hinted that her People were naturally perfidious For he gives their Character in their Queen and makes a Proverb of Punica fides many Ages before it was invented Thus I hope my Lord that I have made good my Promise and justify'd the Poet whatever becomes of the false Knight And sure a Poet is as much priviledg'd to lye as an Ambassador for the Honour and Interest of his Country at least as Sir Henry Wootton has defin'd This naturally leads me to the defence of the Famous Anachronism in making Aeneas and Dido Contemporaries For 't is certain that the Heroe liv'd almost two hundred years before the Building of Carthage One who imitates Bocaline says that Virgil was accus'd before Apollo for this Error The God soon found that he was not able to defend his Favourite by Reason for the Case was clear he therefore gave this middle Sentence That any thing might be allow'd to his Son Virgil on the account of his other Merits That being a Monarch he had a dispensing Power and pardon'd him But that this special Act of Grace might never be drawn