Supine he lies! the filent waters ftand,
And no kind billow wafts the dead to land!
WHEN rofy-finger'd morn had ting'd the clouds,
Around their Monarch-mouse the nation crouds,
Slow rofe the fovereign, heav'd his anxious breast,
And thus the council, fill'd with rage, addrest:
For loft Plycarpax much my soul endures,
*T is mine the private grief, the public yours.
Three warlike fons adorn'd my nuptial bed,
Three fons, alas, before their father dead!
· Our eldest perish'd by the ravening cat,
As near my court the prince unheedful fat.
Our next, an engine fraught with danger drew,
The portal gap'd, the bait was hung in view,
Dire arts affift the trap, the fates decoy,
And men unpitying kill'd my gallant boy!
The laft, his country's hope, his parent's pride,
Plung'd in the lake by Phyfignathus, dy'd;
Roufe all to war, my friends! avenge the deed;
And bleed that monarch, and his nation bleed.
His words in every breaft-infpir'd alarms,
And careful Mars fupply'd their hoft with arms.
In verdant hulls defpoil'd of all their beans,
The bufkin'd warriors stalk'd along the plains:
Quills aptly bound their bracing corfelet made,
Fac'd with the plunder of a cat they flay'd:
The lamp's round bofs affords them ample shield;
Large shells of nuts their covering helmet yield;
And o'er the region, with reflected rays,
Tall groves of needles for their lances blaze,
Dreadful in arms the marching Mice appear;
The wondering Frogs perceive the tumult near,
Forfake the waters, thickening from a ring,
And ask, and hearken, whence the noises fpring.
When near the croud, disclos'd to public view,
The valiant chief Embafichytros drew :
The facred herald's fceptre grac'd his hand,
And thus his word exprefs'd his king's command:
Ye Frogs! the Mice with vengeance fir'd, advance,
And deck'd in armour shake the fhining lance:
Their hapless prince by Phyfignathus flain,
Extends incumbent on the watery plain.
Then arm your hoft, the doubtful battle try;
Lead forth thofe Frogs that have the foul to die.
The chief retires, the croud the challenge hear,
And proudly fwelling yet perplex'd appear:
Much they refent, yet much their monarch blame,
Who, rifing, fpoke to clear his tainted fame :
O friends, I never forc'd the Moufe to death,
Nor faw the gasping of his latest breath.
He, vain of youth, our art of swimming try'd,
And, venturous, in the lake the wanton dy'd,
To vengeance now by falfe appearance led,
They point their anger at my guiltless head,
But
wage the rifing war by deep device,
And turn its fury on the crafty Mice,
Your king directs the way; my thoughts, elate
With hopes of conqueft, form defigns of fate.
Where high the banks their vedant furface heave,
And the fteep fides confine the fleeping wave,
There, near the margin, clad in armour bright,
Suftain the first impetuous fhocks of fight:
Then, where the dancing feather joins the creft,
Let each brave Frog his obvious Mouse arreft;
Each, ftrongly grafping, headlong plunge a foc,
Till countless circles whirl the lake below;
Down fink the Mice in yielding waters drown'd;
Loud flash the waters; and the fhores refound:
The Frogs triumphant tread the conquer'd plain,
And raise their glorious trophies of the flain.
He spake no more, his prudent fcheme imparts
Redoubling ardour to the boldeft hearts.
Green was the fuit his arming heroes chofe,
Around their legs the greaves of mallows close;
Green were the beets about their fhoulders laid,
And green
the colewort, which the target made.
Form'd of the vary'd fhells the waters yield,
Their gloffy helmets gliften'd o'er the fields:
And tapering fea-reeds for the polish'd fpear,
With upright order pierc'd the ambient air.
Thus drefs'd for war, they take th' appointed height,
Poize the long arms, and urge the promis'd fight.
But now, where Jove's irradiate spires arise,
With ftars furrounded in ætherial fkies,
(A folemn council call'd) the brazen gates
Unbar; the Gods affume their golden feats:
The fire fuperior leans, and points to show
What wondrous combats mortals wage below:
How. ftrong, how large, the numerous heroes ftride,-
What length of lance they shake with warlike pride!
What eager fire, their rapid march reveals!
So the fierce Centaurs ravag'd o'er the dales;
And fo confirm'd, the daring Titans rofe,
Heap'd hills on hills, and bid the Gods be foes.
This feen, the power his facred vifage reárs,
He cafts a pitying fmile on worldly cares,
And asks what heavenly guardians take the list,
Or who the Mice, or who the Frogs affift?
Then thus to Pallas: If my daughter's mind-
Have join'd the Mice, why ftays she still behind;
Drawn forth by favory fteams they wind their way,
And fure attendance round thine altar pay,
Where while the victims gratify their tafte,
They fport to please the Goddess of the feast.
Thus fpake the Ruler of the spacious skies.
But thus, refolv'd, the blue-ey'd Maid replies:
In vain, my father! all their dangers plead,
To fuch-thy Pallas never grants her aid.
My flowery wreaths they petulantly spoil,
And rob my crystal lamps of feeding oil.
(Ills following ills!) but what affli&s me more,
My veil that idle race profanely tore.
The web was curious, wrought with art divine;
Relentless wretches! all the work was mine!
Along the loom the purple warp I spread,
Caft the light fhoot, and croft the filver thread;
In this their teeth a thoufand breaches tear,
The thousand breaches fkilful hands repair,
For which, vile earthly dunns thy daughter grieve
(The Gods, that ufe no coin, have none to give.
And learning's Goddefs never lefs can owe,
Neglected learning gains no wealth below).
Nor let the Frogs to win my fuccour fue,
Thofe clamorous fools have loft my favour too.
For late, when all the conflict ceas'd at night,
When my ftretch'd finews work'd with eager fight,
When, spent with glorious toil, I left the field,
And funk for flumber on my fwelling fhield;
Lo from the deep, repelling fweet repose,
With noify croakings half the nation rofe:
Devoid of reft, with aching brows I lay,
Till cocks proclaim'd the crimfon dawn of day.
Let all, like me, from either hoft forbear,
Nor tempt the flying furies of the fpear;
Let heavenly blood (or what for blood may flow)
Adorn the conqueft of a meaner foe.
Some daring Moufe may meet the wondrous odds,
Though Gods oppofe, and brave the wounded Gods.
O'er gilded clouds reclin'd, the danger view,
And be the wars of mortal fcenes for you.
So mov'd the blue-ey'd Queen; her words perfuade, Great Jove affented, and the reft obey'd.
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