OVID'S METAMORPHOSES. T BOOK II. THE STORY OF PHAETON. HE fun's bright palace, on high columns rais'd, With burnish'd gold and flaming jewels blaz'd; The folding gates diffus'd a filver light, And with a milder gleam refresh'd the fight; On earth a different landskip courts the eyes, Here Here Phaeton, ftill gaining on th' afcent, To his fufpected father's palace went, Till preffing forward through the bright abode, He faw at diftance the illuftrious God: He faw at distance, or the dazzling light Had flash'd too strongly on his aking fight. The God fits high, exalted on a throne Of blazing gems, with purple garments on; The hours in order rang'd on either hand, And days, and months, and years, and ages, ftand. Here fpring appears with flowery chaplets bound; Here fummer in her wheaten garland crown'd; Here autumn the rich troden grapes befmear; And hoary winter fhivers in the rear. Phœbus beheld the youth from off his throne; That eye, which looks on all, was fix'd on one. He faw the boy's confufion in his face, Surpriz'd at all the wonders of the place; And cries aloud, "What wants my fon? For know 66 My fon thou art, and I must call thee fo." "Light of the world," the trembling youth replies, "Illuftrious parent! fince you don't despise "The parent's name, fome certain token give, "That I may Clymenè's proud boast believe, "Nor longer under falfe reproaches grieve." The tender Sire was touch'd with what he said, And flung the blaze of glories from his head, And bid the youth advance: "My son (faid he) "Come to thy father's arms! for Clymenè "Has told thee true; a parent's name I own, "And deem thee worthy to be call'd my fon. "As "As a fure proof, make fome request, and I, "There is not one of all the Gods that dares "Tethys Tethys herself has fear'd to see me driven "Down headlong from the precipice of heaven. "Befides, confider what impetuous force "Turns stars and planets in a different course : "I steer against their motions; nor am I "Borne back by all the current of the sky. "But how could you refift the orbs that roll "In adverse whirls, and ftem the rapid pole? "But you perhaps may hope for pleafing woods, "And ftately domes, and cities fill'd with Gods; "While through a thousand fnares your progrefs lies, "Where forms of starry monsters stock the skies : "For, fhould you hit the doubtful way aright, "The Bull with ftooping horns ftands oppofite; "Next him the bright Hæmonian Bow is ftrung; "And next, the Lion's grinning visage hung: "The Scorpion's claws here clasp a wide extent, "And here the Crab's in leffer clasps are bent. "Nor would you find it easy to compose "The mettled fteeds, when from their noftrils flows "The fcorching fire, that in their entrails glows. "Ev'n I their head-strong fury scarce restrain, "When they grow warm and reftiff to the rein. "Let not my fon a fatal gift require, "But, O! in time, recal your rash desire-; "You ask a gift that may your parent tell, "Let thefe my fears your parentage reveal; "And learn a father from a father's care; "Look on my face; or, if my heart lay bare, "Could you but look, you 'd read the father there. "Choofs Choose out a gift from feas, or earth, or skies, "For open to your wish all nature lies, "Only decline this one unequal task, "For 'tis a mischief, not a gift, you ask; "You ask a real mischief, Phaeton : "Nay hang not thus about my neck, my fon : "I grant your wish, and Styx has heard my voice, "Choose what you will, but make a wifer choice." Thus did the God th' unwary youth advise ; But he ftill longs to travel through the skies. When the fond father (for in vain he pleads) At length to the Vulcanian chariot leads. A golden axle did the work uphold, Gold was the beam, the wheels were orb'd with gold. The youth with fecret joy the work surveys; And the moon fhining with a blunter horn, Then |