Some with vast beams the fqualid corpfe engage,
And weary all the wild efforts of rage.

The birds obfcene, that nightly flock'd to tafte,
With hollow fcreeches fled the dire repast;
And ravenous dogs, allur'd by fcented blood,
And ftarving wolves ran howling to the wood.
But, fir'd with rage, from cleft Parnaffus' brow
Avenging Phoebus bent his deadly bow,
And hiffing flew the feather'd fates below:
A night of fultry clouds involv'd around

The towers, the fields, and the devoted ground:
And now a thousand lives together fled,

Death with his fcythe cut off the fatal thread,
And a whole province in his triumph led.

740

735

}

745}

Magnaque poft lacrymas etiamnum gaudia pallent.
Hi trabibus duris, folatia vana dolori,
Proterere exanimes artus, afprofque molares
Deculcare genis; nequit iram explere poteftas.
Illam et nocturno circum ftridore volantes
Impaftae fugiftis aves, rabidamque canum vim,
Oraque ficca ferunt trepidorum inhiâffe luporum.

Saevior in miferos fatis ultricis ademptae
Delius infurgit, fummaque biverticis umbra
Parnaffi refidens, arcu crudelis iniquo

Pestifera arma jacit, campofque, et celfa Cyclopum
Tecta fuperjecto nebularum incendit amictu.
Labuntur dulces animae: Mors fila fororum

Enfe metit, captamque tenens fert manibus urbem.

But

735

740

But Phoebus, afk'd why noxious fires appear,
And raging Sirius blasts the fickly year;
Demands their lives by whom his monster fell,
And dooms a dreadful facrifice to hell.

Bleft be thy duft, and let eternal fame
Attend thy Manes, and preferve thy name,
Undaunted hero! who, divinely brave,
In fuch a caufe difdain'd thy life to fave;
But view'd the shrine with a fuperior look,
And its upbraided Godhead thus bespoke :
With piety, the foul's fecureft guard,
And confcious virtue, ftill its own reward,
Willing I come, unknowing how to fear;
Nor fhalt thou, Phoebus, find a suppliant here.
Thy monster's death to me was ow'd alone,
And tis a deed too glorious to disown.

750

755

760

Behold

Quaerenti quae caufa duci, quis ab aethere laevus
Ignis, et in totum regnaret Sirius annum!
Idem autor Pæan rurfus jubet ire cruento
Inferias monftro juvenes, qui caedi potiti.

Fortunate animi, longumque in faecula digne
Promcriture diem! non tu pia degener arma
Occulis, aut certae trepidas occurrere morti.
Cominus ora ferens, Cyrrhaei in limine templi
Conftitit, et facras ita vocibus afperat iras :

Non miffus, Thymbraee, tuos fupplexve penates Advenio mea me pietas, et confcia virtus

:

Has egere vias. ego fum qui caede fubegi,

Phoebe, tuum mortale nefas; quem nubibus atris,

750

755

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 compassion find;
If fuch inclemency in Heaven can dwell,
Yet why muft unoffending Argos feel
The vengeance due to this unlucky steel?
On me, on me, let all thy fury fall,
Nor err from me, fince I deserve it all :
Unless our defert cities please thy fight,
Or funeral flames reflect a grateful light.
Discharge thy shafts, this ready bofom rend,
And to the fhades a ghoft triumphant fend;

Et fquallente die, nigra quem tabe finiftri
Quaeris, inique, poli. quod fi monftra effera magnis
Cara adeo Superis, jacturaque vilior orbis,
766
Mors hominum, et faevo tanta inclementia coelo eft ;
Quid meruere Argi? me, me, divûm optime, folum
Objeciffe caput fatis praeftabit, an illud
Lene magis cordi, quod desolata domorum
Tecta vides? ignique datis cultoribus omnis
Lucet ager? fed quid fando tua tela manufque
Demoror! expectant matres, fupremaque fundunt
Vota mihi. fatis est: merui, ne parcere velles.
Proinde move pharetras, arcufque intende fonoros,
Infignemque animam leto demitte: fed illum

776

But for my country let my fate atone,

Be mine the vengeance, as the crime my own.
Merit diftrefs'd, impartial Heaven relieves
Unwelcome life relenting Phœbus gives ;

:

780

For not the vengeful power, that glow'd with rage,
With fuch amazing virtue durft engage.

The clouds difpers'd, Apollo's wrath expir'd,

And from the wondering God th' unwilling youth retir'd.

Thence we these altars in his temple raise,

785

And offer annual honours, feafts, and praise;
Those folemn feafts propitious Phoebus please:
These honours, still renew'd, his ancient wrath appease.
But fay, illuftrious guest! (adjoin'd the King)
What name you bear, from what high race you spring?

790

Pallidus Inachiis qui defuper imminet Argis,

The

780

Dum morior, depelle globum. Fors aequa merentes
Refpicit. ardentem tenuit reverentia caedis
Latoïdem, triftemque viro fummiffus honorem
Largitur vitae. noftro mala nubila coelo
Diffugiunt; at tu ftupefacti a limine Phoebi
Exoratus abis. inde haec ftata facra quotannis
Solennes recolunt epulae, Phoebeiaque placat
Templa novatus honos. has forte invifitis aras.
Vos quae progenies? quanquam Calydonius Oeneus,
Et Parthaoniae (dudum fi certus ad aures
Clamor iit) tibi jura domûs: tu pande quis Argos
Advenias? quando haec variis fermonibus hora eft.
VOL. I.
Y

791

The noble Tydeus stands confess'd, and known
Our neighbour Prince, and heir of Calydon.
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 these altars how fhall I proclaim

(Oh generous prince) my nation, or my name,
Or through what veins our ancient blood has roll'd?
Let the fad tale for ever reft untold!

Yet if, propitious to a wretch unknown,

You seek to fhare in forrows not your own;
Know then, from Cadmus I derive my race,
Jocafta's fon, and Thebes my native place.
To whom the King (who felt his generous breaft
Touch'd with concern for his unhappy guest)
Replies:-Ah why forbears the fon to name
His wretched father, known too well by fame?

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805

Fame,

Dejecit moestos extemplo Ifmenius heros
In terram vultus, taciteque ad Tydea laefum
Obliquare oculos. tum longa filentia movit :
Non super hos divûm tibi fum quarerendus honores
Unde genus, quae terra mihi : quis defluat ordo
Sanguinis antiqui, piget inter facra fateri.
Sed fi praecipitant miferum cognofcere curae,
Cadmus origo patrum, tellus Mavortia Thebae,
Et genetrix Jocasta mihi. tum motus Adrastus
Hofpitiis (agnovit enim) quid nota recondis?

805