A night of fultry clouds involv'd around 744 But Phœbus afk'd why noxious fires appear, And raging Sirius blafts the fickly year; Demands their lives by whom his monster fell, And dooms a dreadful facrifice to hell. 750 Bleft be thy duft, and let eternal fame In fuch a caufe difdain'd thy life to fave; 759 With piety, the foul's fecurest guard, And conscious virtue, ftill its own reward, Willing I come, unknowing how to fear'; Nor fhalt thou, Phœbus, find a fuppliant here. Thy monster's death to me was ow'd alone, And 'tis a deed too glorious to difown. Behold him here, for whom, fo many days, Impervious clouds conceal'd thy fullen rays Quaeris, inique, poli. quod fi monftra effera magnis Cara adeo Superis, jacturaque vilior orbis, 766 Mors hominum, et faevo tanta inclementia coelo eft; Quid meruere Argi? me, me, divûm optime, folum Objeciffe caput fatis praeftabit, an illud Lene magis cordi, quod defolata domorum Tecta vides? ignique datis cultoribus omnis Lucet ager? fed quid fando tua tela manufque Demoror? expectant matres, fupremaque fundunt Vota mihi. fatis eft: merui ne parcere velles. Proinde move pharetras, arcufque intende fonoros, Infignemque animam leto demitte: fed illum Pallidus Inachiis qui defuper imminet Argis, Dum morior, depelle globum. Fors aequa me rentes Refpicit. ardentem tenuit reverentia caedis 780 Latoïden, triftemque viro fummiffus honorem Largitur vitae. noftro mala nubila coelo Diffugiunt. at tu stupefacti a limine Phœbi Exoratus abis. inde haec stata facra quotannis For whom, as Man no longer claim'd thy care, Such numbers fell by peftilential air! 766 770 But if th' abandon'd race of human kind Be mine the vengeance, as the crime my own. rage, Merit distress'd, impartial heav'n relieves : 780 Unwelcome life relenting Phoebus gives; For not the vengeful pow'r, that glow'd with With fuch amazing virtue durft engage. The clouds difpers'd, Apollo's wrath expir'd, And from the wond'ring God th' unwilling youth retir'd. 785 Thence we these altars in his temple raife, Solemnes recolunt epulae, Phœbeiaque placat neus Et Parthaoniae (dudum fi certus ad aures These folemn feafts propitious Phoebus please : These honours, ftill renew'd, his antient wrath appease. But fay, illuftrious guest (adjoin'd the King) What name you bear, from what high race you fpring? 791 The noble Tydeus stands confess'd, and known Our neighbour Prince, and heir of Calydon. Relate your fortunes, while the friendly night And filent hours to various talk invite. 795 The Theban bends on earth his gloomy eyes, Confus'd, and fadly thus at length replies : Before these altars how fhall I proclaim (Oh gen'rous prince) my nation, or my name, Or thro' what veins our ancient blood has roll'd? Let the fad tale for ever reft untold! Yet if propitious to a wretch unknown, 801 You seek to share in forrows not your own; |