a

Willing I come, unknowing how to fear ;
Nor shalt thou, Phæbus, find a suppliant here.
Thy moniter's death to me was ow'd alone, 761
And 'tis a deed too glorious to disown,
Behold him here, for whom, so many days,
Impervious clouds conceal'd thy fullen rays;
For whom, as man no longer claim'd thy care,
Such numbers fell by peftilential air!
But if th' abandon'd race of human kind
From gods above no more compassion find;
If such inclemency in heav'n can dwell,
Yet why muft unoffending Argos feel 770
The vengeance due to this unlucky steel?
On me, on me, let all thy fury fall,
Nor err from me, since I deserve it all;
Unless our desert cities please thy sight,
Our fun'ral flames reflect a grateful light.

775 Discharge thy shafts, this ready bofom rend, And to the shades a ghost triumphant send ;

Phæbe, tuum mortale nefas; quem nubibus artis Et squallente die, nigra quem tabe sinistri 761 Quæris, inique poli. quod fi monftra effera magnis Cara adeo Superis, jacturaque vilior orbis,

766 Mors hominum, et fævo tanta inclementia cælo eft; Quid meruere Argi? me, me, divum optime, folum Objeciffe caput fatis præftabit. an illud

771 Lene magis cordi, quod defolata domorum Tecta vides ? ignique datis cultoribus omnis Lucet ager? sed quid fando tua tela manusque Demoror? expectant matres, fupremaque fundunt Vota mihi. fatis eft: merui, ne parcere velles. Proinde move pharetras, arcufque intende fonoros, Insignemque animam leto demitte: fed illum

But

But for my country let my fate atone,
Be mine the vengeance, as the crime my own.

Merit distress'd, impartial Heav'n relieves:
Unwelcome life relenting Phæbus gives; 781
For not the vengeful pow'r, that glow'd with rage,
With such amazing virtue durft engage.
The clouds dispers'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 raise, And offer annual honours, fealls, and praise ; These folemn feasts propitious Phæbus please : These honours, still renew'd, his ancient wrath appease.

789 But say, illustrious guest, (adjoin'd the King), What name you bear, from what high race you

fpring? The noble Tydeus ftands confess'd, and known Our neighbour prince, and heir of Calydon.

780

Pallidus Inachiis qui defuper imminet Argis,
Dum morior, depelle globum. Fors æqua merentes
Refpicit, ardentem, tenuit reverentia cædis
Latoiden, triftemque viro fubmiflus honorem
Largitur vitæ, nostro mala nubila celo
Diffugiunt. at tu ftupefacti a limine Phabi
Exoratus abis, inde hrc stata facra quotannis
Solemnes recolunt epulæ, Phobeiaque placat
Templa novatus honos; has forte invifitis aras.
Vos quæ progenies ? quanquam Calydonius Oeneus
Et Parthaoniæ (dudum fi certus ad aures
Clamor iit) tibi jura domus; tu pande quis Argos
Advenias? quando hæc variis fermonibus hora eft.
Vol. II,
D

Relate

791

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 sadly thus at length replies: Before these altars how ihall 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 !

801 Yet if propitious to a wretch unknown, You seek to share in forrows not your own; Know then from Cadmus I derive my race, Jocasta's son, and Thebes my native place. 805 To whom the King (who felt his gen’rous breast Touch'd with concern for his unhappy guest) Replies :---- Ah why forbears the son to name His wretched father known too well by fame? Faine, that delights around the world to stray, Scorns not to take our Argos in her way.

811 Ev’n those who dwell where suns at distance roll, In northern wilds, and freeze beneath the pole;

Dejecit moestos extemplo Ismenius heros In terram vultus, taciteque ad Tydea læfum Obliquare oculos. tum longa filentia movit; Non super hos divum tibi fum quærendus honores Unde genus, quæ terra mihi: quis defluat ordo Sanguinis antiqui, piget inter facra fateri.

802 Sed fi præcipitant miserum cognofcere cutæ, Cadmus origo patrum, tellus Mavortia 'Thebæ, Et genitrix Jocasta mihi. Tum motus Adrastus Hofpitiis agnovit enim quid nota recondis ? Scimus, ait; nec fic averfum fama Mycenis 810 Volvit iter, regnum, et furias, oculofque pudentes Novit, et Arctois fi quis de solibus horre;

And

}

And those who tread the burning Lybian lands,
The faithless Syrtes, and the moving sands; 815
Who view the western fea's extremeit bounds,
Or drink of Ganges in their eastern grounds;
All these the woes of Oedipus have known,
Your fates, your furies, avd your

haunted town. If on the sons the parents crimes descend,

820
What prince from those his lineage can defend?
Be this thy comfort, that 'tis thine tefface
With virtuous acts thy ancestor's disgrace,
And be thyself the honour of thy race.
But see! the stars begin to steal away,

825
And shine more faintly at approaching day;
Now
pour the wine ; and in

your

tuneful lays Once more resound the great Apollo's praise.

Of father Phoebus! whether Lycia's coaft,
And frowy mountains, thy brighit presence boast;
Whether to sweet Caftalia thou repair,

831
And bathe in filver dews thy yellow hair ;
Quique bibit Gangen, aut nigrum occafibus intrat
Oceanum, et fi quos incerto littore Syrtes 815
Deftituunt : pe perge queri, casusque priorum
Annumerare tibi. noftro quoque fanguine multum
Erravit pietas, nec culpa nepotibus obitat. 820
Tu modo diffimilis rebus mereare fecundis
Excusare tuos. fed jam temone fupino
Languet Hyperborez glacialis portitor ursz. 825
Fundite vina focis, fervatoremque parentum
Latoiden yotis iterumque iterumque canamus.

Phoebe parens, seu te Lycæ Pataræa nivofis
Exercent dumeta jugis, feu rore pudico 830
Caftaliæ flavos amor eft tibi mergere crines;
Seu Trojam Thymbraeus habes, ubi fama volentem

:

846

Or pleas’d to find fair Delos float no more,
Delight in Cynthus, and the shady shore;
Or chuse thy seat in Ilion's proud abodes,

835
The shining structures rais'd by lab’ring gods :
By thee the bow and mortal shafts are born;
Eternal charms thy blooming youth adorn:
Skill'd in the laws of secret fate above,
And the dark counsels of almighty Jove,
'Tis thine the feeds of future war to know,
The change of sceptres, and impending woe;
When direful meteors spread thro' glowing air
Long trails of light, and thake their blazing hair,
Thy rage the Phrygian felt, who durft aspire 845
T'excel the music of thy heav'nly lyre;
Thy shafts aveng'd lewd Tityus' guilty flame,
Th’immortal victim of thy mother's fame;
Thy hand slew Python, and the dame who lost ,
Her num'rous offspring for a fatal boast. 859

a

Ingratis Phrygios humeris fubiiffe molares :
Seu juvat Ægæum feriens Latonius umbra
Cynthus, et asliduam pelago non quærere Delon:
Tela tibi, longeque feros lentandus in hoftes 836
Arcus, et atherii dono ceffere parentes
Æternum florere genas. tu doctus iniquas
Parcarum prænofle manus, fatumque quod ultra eft,
Et summo placitura Jovi. quis letifer annus, 841
Bella quibus populis, mutent quæ fceptra cometæ.
'Tu Phryga submittis citharæ, tu matris honori
Terrigenam Tityon Stygiis extendis arenis. 846
Te viridis Python, Thebanaque mater ovantem,
Horruit in pharetris, ultrix tibi torva Megara