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THE

FIRST BOOK

O F

STATIUS

HIS

THE BA I S.

Tranflated in the Year M DCC 11.

OEDIPUS King of Thebes, having by mistake slain his father Laïus, and married his mother Jocasta, put out his own eyes, and refigned the realm to his fons, Eteocles and Polynices. Being neglected by them, he makes his prayer to the fury Tisiphone, to fow debate betwixt the brothers. They agree at laft to reign fingly each a year by turns, and the firft lot is obtained by Eteocles. Jupiter, in a council of the Gods, declares his refolution of punishing the Thebans, and Argives alfo, by means of a marriage betwixt Polynices and one of the daughters of Adraftus King of Argos. Juno oppofes, but to no effect; and Mercury is fent on a meffage to the Shades, to the ghoft of Laïus, who is to appear to Eteocles, and provoke him to break the agreement. Polynices in the mean time departs from Thebes by night, is overtaken by a ftorm, and arrives at Argos; where he meets with Tydeus, who had fled from Calydon, having killed his brother. Adraftus entertains them, having received an oracle from Apollo, that his daughters fhould be married to a Boar and a Lion, which he understands to be meant of these strangers, by whom the hides of those beafts were worn, and who arrived at the time when he kept an annual feast in honour of that God. The rife of this folemnity he relates to his guests, the loves of Phoebus and Pfamathe, and the itory of Chorcebus. He enquires, and is made acquainted with their defcent and quality. The facrifice is renewed, and the book concludes with a Hymn to Apollo.

The Tranflator hopes he needs not apologise for his choice of this piece, which was made almoft in his Childhood. But, finding the Verfion better than he expected, he gave it fome Correction a few years after

wards.

THE

FIRST BOOK

ST

F

OF

ATI U S

HIS

THE BAIS.

RATERNAL rage, the guilty Thebes alarms,
The alternate reign destroy'd by impious arms,

Demand our fong; a facred fury fires

My ravish'd breast, and all the Muse inspires.
O Goddess, say, fhall I deduce my rhymes
From the dire nation in its early times,
Europa's rape, Agenor's ftern decree,

And Cadmus fearching round the spacious fea?
How with the serpent's teeth he sow'd the foil,
And reap'd an iron harvest of his toil?

F

RATERNAS acies, alternaque regna profanis
Decertata odiis, fontefque evolvere Thebas,
Pierius menti calor incidit. Unde jubetis
Ire, Deae? gentisne canam primordia dirae ?
Sidonios raptus, et inexorabile pactum

Legis Agenoreae ? fcrutantemque aequora Cadinum ?
Longo retro feries, trepidum fi Martis operti
Agricolam infandis condentem praelia fulcis

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Or how from joining ftones the city fprung,
While to his harp divine Amphion sung?
Or fhall I Juno's hate to Thebes refound,
Whofe fatal rage th' unhappy Monarch found?
The fire against the fon his arrows drew,
O'er the wide fields the furious mother flew,
And while her arms a fecond hope contain,
Sprung from the rocks, and plung'd into the main.
But waive whate'er to Cadmus may belong,

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20

And fix, O Mufe! the barrier of thy fong
At Oedipus-from his difafters trace
The long confufions of his guilty race :
Nor yet attempt to stretch thy bolder wing,
And mighty Cæfar's conquering eagles fing;
How twice he tam'd proud Ifter's rapid flood,
While Dacian mountains ftream'd with barbarous blood;
Twice taught the Rhine beneath his laws to roll,
And stretch'd his empire to the frozen Pole;

Expediam, penitufque fequar quo carmine muris
Jufferit Amphion Tyrios accedere montes :
Unde graves irae cognata in moenia Baccho,
Quod faevae Junonis opus; cui fumpferit arcum
Infelix Athamas, cur non expaverit ingens
Ionium, focio cafura Palaemone mater.

Atque adeo jam nunc gemitus, et prospera Cadmi
Praeteriiffe finam; limes mihi carminis efto
Oedipodae confufa domus ; quando Itala nondum
Signa, nec Arctoos aufim fperare triumphos,
Bifque jugo Rhenum, bis adactum legibus Iftrum,

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Or

20

Or long before, with early valour, strove

In youthful arms t' affert the cause of Jove.

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And Thou, great Heir of all thy father's fame,
Increase of glory to the Latian name!

O blefs thy Rome with an eternal reign,

Nor let defiring worlds entreat in vain.

What though the stars contract their heavenly space, 35
And croud their fhining ranks to yield thee place;
Though all the skies, ambitious of thy fway,
Conspire to court thee from our world away;
Though Phoebus longs to mix his rays with thine,
And in thy glories more ferenely shine;
Though Jove himself no less content would be
To part his throne, and share his heaven with thee;
Yet ftay, great Cæfar! and vouchsafe to reign

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O'er the wide earth, and o'er the watery main;

Refign

Et conjurato dejectos vertice Dacos:

Aut defenfa prius vix pubefcentibus annis
Bella Jovis. Tuque o Latiae decus addite famae,
Quem nova maturi fubeuntem exorfa parentis
Aeternum fibi Roma cupit: licet arctior omnes
Limes agat ftellas, et te plaga lucida coeli
Pleïadum, Boreaeque, et hiulci fulminis expers
Sollicitet; licet ignipedum frænator equorum
Ipfe tuis alte radiantem crinibus arcum
Imprimat, aut magni cedat tibi Jupiter aequa
Parte poli; mañeas hominum contentus habenis,

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