Willing I come, unknowing how to fear;
Nor shalt thou, Phoebus, find a fuppliant 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, fo 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 compaffion find;
If fuch inclemency in heav'n can dwell,
Yet why muft unoffending Argos feel
The vengeance due to this unlucky fteel?
On me, on me, let all thy fury fall,
Nor err from me, fince I deferve it all ;
Unless our defert cities please thy fight,
Our fun'ral flames reflect a grateful light.
Discharge thy shafts, this ready bofom rend,
And to the fhades a ghoft triumphant fend;
Phoebe, tuum mortale nefas; quem nubibus artis
Et fquallente die, nigra quem tabe finistri 761
Quæris, inique poli. quod fi monftra effera magnis
Cara adeo Superis, jacturaque vilior orbis, 766
Mors hominum, et fævo tanta inclementia cœlo eft;
Quid meruere Argi? me, me, divum optime, folum
Objeciffe caput fatis præftabit. 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
my country let my fate atone,
Be mine the vengeance, as the crime my own. Merit diftrefs'd, impartial Heav'n relieves : Unwelcome life relenting Phoebus gives; 781 For not the vengeful pow'r, that glow'd with rage, 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,
And offer annual honours, feafts, and praife;
Thefe folemn feafts propitious Phoebus please:
These honours, ftill renew'd, his ancient wrath
appeafe.
789 But fay, illuftrious gueft, (adjoin'd the King), What name you bear, from what high race you fpring?
The noble Tydeus ftands confefs'd, and known Our neighbour prince, and heir of Calydon.
Pallidus Inachiis qui defuper imminet Argis,
Dum morior, depelle globum. Fors æqua merentes
Refpicit. ardentem, tenuit reverentia cædis
Latoiden, triftemque viro fubmiffus honorem
Largitur vitæ, noftro mala nubila colo
Diffugiunt. at tu ftupefacti a limine Phœbi
Exoratus abis. inde hxc ftata 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.
Relate
Relate your fortunes, while the friendly night
And filent hours to various talk invite.
The Theban bends on earth his gloomy eyes, Confus'd, and fadly thus at length replies : Before thefe 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,
You feek to fhare in forrows not your own;
Know then from Cadmus I derive my race,
Jocafta's fon, 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 fon to name
His wretched father known too well by fame?
Fame, that delights around the world to ftray,
Scorns not to take our Argos in her way.
8.11 Ev'n those who dwell where funs at diftance roll, In northern wilds, and freeze beneath the pole;
Dejecit moeftos extemplo Ifmenius heros In terram vultus, taciteque ad Tydea læfum Obliquare oculos. tum longa filentia movit ; Non fuper hos divum tibi fum quærendus honores Unde genus, quæ terra mihi: quis defluat ordo Sanguinis antiqui, piget inter facra fateri.
Sed fi præcipitant miferum cognofcere curæ, Cadmus origo patrum, tellus Mavortia Thebæ, Et genitrix Jocafta mihi. Tum motus Adraftus Hofpitiis (agnovit enim) quid nota recondis? Scimus, ait; nec fic averfum fama Mycenis S10 Volvit iter, regnum, et furias, oculofque pudentes Novit, et Arêtois fi quis de folibus horre;
And those who tread the burning Lybian lands,
The faithlefs Syrtes, and the moving fands; 815.
Who view the western fea's extremeit bounds,
Or drink of Ganges in their eaftern grounds;
All these the woes of Oedipus have known,
Your fates, your furies, and your haunted town.
If on the fons the parents crimes defcend,
What prince from those his lineage can defend?
Be this thy comfort, that 'tis thine t' efface
With virtuous acts thy ancestor's difgrace,
And be thyself the honour of thy race.
But fee! the ftars begin to fteal away,
And shine more faintly at approaching day;
Now pour the wine; and in your tuneful lays
Once more refound the great Apollo's praife.
Of father Phoebus! whether Lycia's coaft, And fnowy mountains, thy bright 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, cafufque priorum
Annumerare tibi. noftro quoque fanguine multum
Erravit pietas, nec culpa nepotibus obitat.
Tu modo diffimilis rebus mereare fecundis
Excufare tuos. fed jam temone fupino
Languet Hyperboreæ glacialis portitor urfe. 825
Fundite vina focis, fervatoremque parentum
Latoiden votis iterumque iterumque canamus.
Phoebe parens, feu te Lyco Pataræa nivofis
Exercent dumeta jugis, feu rore pudico
Caftaliæ flavos amor eft tibi mergere crines;
Seu Trojam Thymbraeus habes, ubi fama volentem
Or pleas'd to find fair Delos float no more,
Delight in Cynthus, and the fhady fhore;
Or chufe thy feat in Ilion's proud abodes,
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 fecret fate above,
And the dark counfels of almighty Jove,
'Tis thine the feeds of future war to know,
The change of sceptres, and impending woe;
When direful meteors fpread thro' glowing air
Long trails of light, and flake their blazing hair,
Thy rage the Phrygian felt, who durft aspire 845
T' excel the mufic of thy heav'nly lyre;
Thy fhafts aveng'd lewd Tityus' guilty flame,
Th' immortal victim of thy mother's fame;
Thy hand flew Python, and the dame who loft.
Her num'rous offspring for a fatal boaft.
Ingratis Phrygios humeris fubiiffe molares:
Seu juvat Agæum feriens Latonius umbra
Cynthus, et affiduam pelago non quærere Delon:
Tela tibi, longeque feros lentandus in hoftes 836
Arcus, et ætherii dono ceffere parentes
Æternum florere genas. tu doctus iniquas
Parcarum prænoffe manus, fatumque quod ultra eft,
Et fummo placitura Jovi. quis letifer annus, 841
Bella quibus populis, mutent quæ fceptra cometæ.
Tu Phryga fubmittis citharæ. tu matris honori
Terrigenam Tity on Stygiis extendis arenis. 846
Te viridis Python, Thebanaque mater ovantem,
Horruit in pharetris. ultrix tibi torva Megæra
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