The transformation of Cycnus into a Swan.
CYCNUS beheld the nymphs transform'd; ally'd
To their dead brother on the mortal fide,
In friendship and affection nearer bound,
He left the cities and the realms he own'd,
Thro' pathlefs fields and lonely fhores to range,
And woods, made thicker by the fifters' change.
Whilft here, within the difmal gloom, alone,
The melancholy monarch made his moan,
His voice was leffen'd, as he try'd to speak,
And iffu'd thro' a long extended neck;
His hair transforms to down, his fingers meet
In skinny films, and shape his oary feet;
From both his fides the wings and feathers break,
And from his mouth proceeds a blunted beak;
All Cycnus now into a Swan was turn'd,
Who ftill rememb'ring how his kinfman burn'd,
To folitary pools and lakes retires,
And loves the waters as oppos'd to fires.
Mean-while Apollo in a gloomy shade
(The native luftre of his brows decay'd)
Indulging forrow, fickens at the fight
Of his own funshine, and abhors the light;
The hidden griefs that in his bofom rife
Sadden his looks, and over-caft his eyes,
As when fome duíky orb obftructs his ray,
And fullies, in a dim eclipfe, the day.
Now fecretly with inward griefs he pin'd, 470 Now warm resentments to his grief he join’d, And now renounc'd his office to mankind.
"Ere fince the birth of Time," said he, "I've borne "A long ungrateful toil without return;
"Let now fome other manage, if he dare,
"The fiery steeds, and mount the burning car;
"Or if none elfe, let Jove his fortune try,
"And learn to lay his murd'ring thunder by;
"Then will he own, perhaps, but own too late,
"My fon deferv'd not fo fevere a fate."
The gods stand round him as he mourns, and pray
He would refume the conduct of the day,
Nor let the world be loft in endless night;
Jove, too, himself, defcending from his height,
Excufes what had happen'd, and entreats,
Majestically mixing pray'rs and threats.
Prevail'd upon at length, again he took
The harness'd steeds, that still will horror fhook,
And plies 'em with the lash, and whips 'em on,
And as he whips upbraids 'em with his fon.
The day was fettled in its course, and Jove
Walk'd the wide circuit of the heav'ns above,
To fearch if any cracks or flaws were made;
But all was fafe: the earth he then furvey'd,
And caft an eye on every diff'rent coast,
And every land, but on Arcadia most :
Her fields he cloth'd, and cheer'd her blafted face
With running fountains and with springing grass:
No tracks of heav'n's deftructive fire remain,
The fields and woods revive, and Nature fimilés again.
But as the god walk'd to and fro the earth, 501
And rais'd the plants, and gave the spring its birth,
By chance a fair Arcadian nymph he view'd,
And felt the lovely charmer in his blood.
The nymph nor fpun nor drefs'd with artful pride;"
Her veft was gather'd up, her hair was ty'd ; 5c6
Now in her hand a flender spear she bore,
Now a light quiver on her thoulders wore ;
To chafte Diana from her youth inclin'd,
The sprightly warriors of the wood she join'd: 510
Diana too the gentle huntress lov'd,
Nor was there one of all the nymphs that rov'd
O'er Mænalus, amid the maiden throng,
More favour'd once; but favour lasts not long.
The fun now fhone in all its strength, and drove
The heated virgin panting to a grove ; .
The grove around a grateful fhadow caft;
She dropp'd her arrows, and her bow. unbrac'd;
She flung herself on the cool graffy bed,
And on the painted quiver rais'd her head.
Jove faw the charming huntress unprepar'd,
Stretch'd on the verdant turf, without a guard.
Here I am fafe," he cries," from Juno's eye,
"Or fhould my jealous queen the theft defery,
Begone!" the goddess cries with ftern difdain, "Begone! nor dare the hallow'd ftream to ftain." She fled, for ever banish'd from the train. 585
This Juno heard, who long had watch'd her time To punish the detefted rival's crime: The time was come; for, to enrage her more, A lovely boy the teeming rival bore.
The goddess caít a furious look, and cry'd, 590 "It is enough; I'm fully fatisfy'd:
"This boy fhall fland a living mark, to prove "My husband's bafenefs and the ftrumpet's love. "But vengeance shall awake; thofe guilty charms "That drew the Thunderer from Juno's arms, 595 "No longer fhall their wonted force retain,
"Nor please the god, nor make the mortal vain."
This faid, her hand within her hair fhe wound,
Swung her to earth, and dragg'd her on the ground:
The proftrate wretch lifts up her arms in prayer; 6c0
Her arms grow fhaggy, and deform'd with hair;
Her nails are sharpen'd into pointed claws,
Her hands bear half her weight, and turn to paws;
Her lips, that once could tempt a god, begin
To grow distorted in an ugly grin ;
And, left the fupplicating brute might reach
The ears of Jove, fhe was depriv'd of speech:
Her furly voice thro' a hoarfe paffage came
In favage founds; her mind was still the fame:
The furry monfter fix'd her eyes above,
And heav'd her new unwieldy paws to Jove,
And begg'd his aid with inward groans; and tho'
She could not call him false, she thought him fo.
How did fhe fear to lodge in woods alone,
And haunt the fields and meadows once her own! 615
How often would the deep-mouth'd dogs pursue,
Whilft from her hounds the frighted huntress flew!
How did she fear her fellow brutes, and fhun
The shaggy bear, tho' now herself was one!
How from the fight of rugged wolves retire,
Altho' the grim Lycaon was her fire!
But now her fon had fifteen fummers told,
Fierce at the chase, and in the forest bold,
When, as he beat the woods in quest of prey,
He chanc'd to roufe his mother where the lay. 625
She knew her fon, and kept him in her fight,
And fondly gaz'd: the boy was in a fright,
And aim'd a pointed arrow at her breast,
And would have flain his mother in the beaft;
But Jove forbade, and snatch'd 'em thro' the air 630
In whirlwinds up to heav'n, and fix'd 'em there,
Where the new conftellations nightly rise,
And add a luftre to the northern skies.
When Juno faw the rival in her height, Spangled with stars and circled round with light, 635She fought old Ocean in his deep abodes,
And Tethys, both rever'd among the gods.
They ask what brings her there?" Ne'er afk," fays fhe, "What brings me here; heav'n is no place for me,
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