With that my husband in a fury rofe,

And down he settled me with hearty blows.
I groan'd, and lay extended on my fide;

Oh! thou haft flain me for my

wealth (Icry'd) 420

take my last embrace--

He wept, kind foul! and stoop'd to kiss my face. I took him fuch a box as turn'd him blue,

Then figh'd and cry'd, Adieu, my dear, adieu! But after many a a hearty struggle past,

I condescended to be pleas'd at last.

Soon as he faid, My miftrefs and my wife,
Do what you lift, the term of all
your life:
I took to heart the merits of the cause,

425

And flood content to rule by wholesome laws; 430 Receiv'd the reins of abfolute command,

}

With all the government of house and land,
And empire o'er his tongue, and o'er his hand.
As for the volume that revil'd the dames,
'Twas torn to fragments, and condemn'd to flames.

434

Now heav'n on all my husbands gone, bestow Pleasures above, for tortures felt below: That reft they wish'd for, grant them in the grave, And bless those fouls my conduct help'd to fave!

ARGUMENT.

ÉDIPUS King of Thebes having by mistake flain his father Laius, and marry'd his mother Jocafta; put out his own eyes, and refign'd the realm to his fons, Eteocles and Polynices. Being neglected by them, he makes his prayer to the fury Tifiphone, to fow debate betwixt the brothers. They agree at last to reign fingly, each a year by turns, and the first lot is obtained by Eteocles. Jupiter, in a council of the Gods, declares his refolution of punishing the Thebans, and Argives also, 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 fhades, to the ghost of Laius, 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 kill'd his brother. Adraftus entertains them, having receiv'd an oracle from Apollo that his daughters fhould be marry'd to a Boar and a Lion, which he understands to be meant of thefe ftrangers by whom the hides of those beafts were worn, and who arriv'd 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 story of Choroebus. He enquires, and is made acquainted with their defcent and quality: The facrifice is renew'd, and the book concludes with a Hymn to Apollo.

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