And teach them to reform and bless mankind.
All policy but hers are falfe and rotten;
All valour, not conducted by her precepts,
Is a destroying fury fent from hell,
To plague unhappy man, and ruin nations.
$83. Scipio refloring the captive Princess to be Royal Lover.
WHAT with admiration
[virgin, Struck every heart was this:-A noble Confpicuous far o'er all the captive dames, Was mark'd the gen'ral prize. She wept and biufh'd,
Young, freth, and blooming like the morn. Aneye,
As when the blue fky trembles through a cloud
Of pureft white. A fecret charm combin'd
Her features, and infus'd enchantment thro' them;
Her fhape was harmony.-But cloquence
Beneath her beauty fails, which feem'd on purpofe
By nature lavish'd on her, that mankind'
Might fee the virtue of a hero tried
Almoft beyond the stretch of human force.
Soft as the pats'd along, with down-caft eyes,
Where gentle forrows fwell'd, and now and then
Dropt o'er her modeft cheek a trickling tear,
The Roman legions languih'd, and hard war
Felt more than pity. Ev'n their chief himself,
As on his high tribunal rais'd he fat,
$84. The Bleffings of Peace.
Beautcous peace!
-0 Sweet union of a state! what else but thou Gives fafety, ftrength, and glory to a people! I bow, Lord Conftable, beneath the fnow Of many years; yet in my breast revives A youthful flame. Methinks, I fee again Thofe gentle days renew'd, that bless'd our isle, Ere by this wafeful fury of divifion, Worfe than our Etna's moft destructive fires, It defolated funk. I fee our plains Unbounded waving with the gifts of harvest; Our feas with commerce throng'd, our busy ports With cheerful toil. Our Enna blooms afresh; Afreth the fweets of thymy Hybla blow. Our nymphs and fhepherds, fporting in each vale, Infpire new fong, and wake the pastoral reed.
Unfeen, that rules th' illimitable world, That guides its motions, from the brightest star To the leaft duft of this fin-tainted mould;
Turn'd from the dangerous fight, and chiding afk'd While man, who madly deems himself the lord
His officers, if by this gift they meant
To cloud his virtue in its very dawn.
She, queftion'd of her birth, in trembling accents,
With tears and bluthes broken, told her tale.
But when he found her royally defcended,
Of her old captive parents the fole joy;
And that a haplefs Celtiberian prince,
Her lover and belov'd, forgot his chains,
His loft dominions, and for her alone
Wept out his tender foul; fudden the heart
Of this young conq'ring, loving, godlike Roman
Felt all the great divinity of virtue.
His wishing youth stood check'd, his tempting pow'r
Reftrain'd by kind humanity.-At once
He for her parents and her lover call'd.
The various fcene imagine how his troops
Look'd dubious on, and wonder'd what he meant;
While ftretch'd below the trembling fuppliants lay,
Rack'd by a thoufand mingling paffions, fear,
Hope, jealoufy, difdain, fuomillion, grief,
Anxiety, and love, in every fhape;
To thefe as different fentinents fucceeded,
As mixt emotions; when the man divine
Thus the dread filence to the lover broke:
"We both are young, both charm'd. The right
"Has put thy beauteous mistress in my pow'r; "With whom I could in the moft facred ties "Live out a happy life: but know that Romans "Their hearts, as well as enemies, can conquer. "Then take her to thy foul; and with her take "Thy liberty and kingdom. In return
Of all, is nought but weakness and dependance. This faced truth, by fure experience taught, Thou must have learnt, when wandering all alone, Each bird, each infect, flitting thro' the sky, Was more fufficient for itfelf, than thou.
The object I could first distinctly view,
Was tall, ftraight trees, which on the water flew :
Wings on their fides inftead of leaves did grow,
Which gather'd all the breath thewinds could blow;
And at their roots grew floating palaces,
Whofe out-blow'd bellies cut the yielding feas
Monte-
And the whole city feems like one vast meadow
Set all with flow'rs, as a clear heaven with stars.
Nay, as I've heard, ere he the city enter'd,
Your fubjects in'd the way for many furlongs;
The very trees bore men and as our God,
When from the portal of the east he dawns,
Beholds a thoufand birds upon the boughs;
To welcome him with all their warbling throats,
And prune their feathers in his golden beams;
So did your fubjects, in their gaudy trim,
Upon the pendant branches fpeak his praise.
Mothers, who cover'd all the banks bencath,
Did rob the crying infants of the breast,
Pointing Ziphares out, to make them smile;
And climbing boys ftood on their fathers fhoulders,
Anfwering their fhouting fires with tender cries,
To make the concert up of general joy.
EXTRACTS from Tranflations of HOMER and TASSO; from SPENSER, MILTON, &c. together with Extracts from MILTON's fmaller Works, Odes, Sonnets, &c.
POPE'S HOMER'S ILIAD, § I. Embaffy of Ulyffes, Phonix, and Ajax, to Achilles, to folicit Achilles's reconciliation.Picture of the Simplicity and Temperance of ancient Times.
AND now arriv'd, where, on the fandy bay
The Myrmidonian tents and vessels lay; Amus'd at cafe the godlike man they found Pleas'd with the folemn harp's harmonious found (The well-wrought harp from conquer'd Thabe Of polish'd filver was its coftly frame); [came, With this he foothes his angry foul, and fings Th'immortal deeds of heroes and of kings. Patroclus only of the royal train, Plac'd in his tent, attends the lofty strain; Full oppofite he fate, and liften'd long, In filence waiting till he ceas'd the fong. Unfeen the Grecian embaffy proceeds To his high tent; the great Ulyffes leads, Achilles ftarting, as the chiefs he fpied, Leap'd from his feat, and laid the harp afide. With like furprife arofe Menetius' fon; Pelides grafp'd their hands, and thus begun : Princes all, hail! whatever brought you here, Or ftrong neceflity, or urgent fear; Welcome, tho' Greeks! for not as foes ye came; To me more dear than all that bear the name.
With that, the chiefs beneath his roof he led, And plac'd in feats with purple carpets spread. Then thus-Patroclus, crown a larger bowl, Mix purer wine, and open ev'ry foul.
Of all the warriors yonder hoft can fend, Thy friend most honours these, and these thy friend.
He faid, Patroclus o'er the blazing fire Heaps in a brazen vafe three chines entire: The brazen vafe Automedon fuftains, Which fleth of porket, fheep, and goat contains: Achilles at the genial feaft prefides, The parts transfixes, and with skill divides. Meanwhile Patroclus fweats the fire to raise; The tent is brighten'd with the rifing blaze: Then, when the languid flames at length fubfide, He ftrows a bed of glowing embers wide; Above the coals the fmoking fragments turns, And fprinkles facred falt from lifted urns; With bread the glitt ring canifters they load, Which round the board Menetius' fon bestow'd; Himself, oppos'd t' Ulyffes full in fight, Each portion parts, and orders ev'ry rite. The first fat off rings, to th' immortals due, Amidft the greedy flames Patroclus threw ; Then each, indulging in the focial feaft, His thirst and hunger foberly reprefs'd. That done, to Phonix Ajax gave the fign, ̧ Not unperceiv'd; Ulyffes crown'd with wine The foaming bowl, and inftant thus began, His fpeech addreifing to the godlike man:
Health to Achilles ! happy are thy guests! Not thofe more honour'd whom Atrides feafts: Tho' gen'rous plenty crown thy loaded boards, That Agamemnon's regal tent affords:
But greater cares fit heavy on our fouls,
Not eas'd by banquets, or by flowing bowls.
What fcenes of flaughter in yon fields appear!
The dead we mourn, and for the living fear;
Greece on the brink of fate all doubtful stands,
And owns no help but from thy faving hands;
Troy and her aids for ready vengeance call :
Their threat'ning tents already thade our wall:
Hear how with fhouts their conqueft they proclaim,
And point at every fhip their vengeful flame!
For them the father of the Gods declares,
Theirs are his omens, and his thunder theirs.
See, full of Jove, avenging Hector rife!
See! heaven and earth the raging chief defies,
What fury in his breaft, what lightning in his
eyes!
He waits but for the morn to fink in flame
The fhips, the Greeks, and all the Grecian name.
Heavens! how my country's woes diftract my mind,
Left fate accomplish all his rage defign'd.
And must we, Gods! our heads inglorious lay
In Trojan duft, and this the fatal day?
Return, Achilles! O return, tho' late,
Thefe inftant fhall be thine; and if the pow'rs
Give to our arms proud Ilion's hoftile tow'rs,
Then fhalt thou ftore (when Greece the fpoil di-
-vides)
With gold and brafs thy loaded navy's fides.
Befides full twenty nymphs of Trojan race
With copious love thall crown thy warm embrace,
Such as thyfelf fhall choofe; whe yield to none,
Or yield to Helion's heavenly charms alone.
Yet hear me, further:-When our wars are o'er,
If fafe we land on Argos' fruitful shore,
There fhalt thou live his fon, his honours fhare,
And with Oreftes' felf divide his care.
Yet more--three daughters in his court are bred,
And each well worthy of a royal bed;
Laodice and Iphigenia fair,
And bright Chryfothemis with golden hair:
Her fhalt thou wed whom molt thy eyes approve
He afks no prefents, no reward for love:
Himfelf will give the dow'r; fo vast a store,
As never father gave a child before.
Seven ample cities shall confefs thy fway,
Thee Enope, and Phere thee obey,
To fave thy Greeks, and ftop the courfe of fate. Cardamyle with ample turrets crown'd,
If in that heart or grief or courage lies,
Rife to redeem; ah, yet to conquer rife!
The day may come, when, all our warriors flain,
That heart thall melt, that courage rise in vain.
Regard in time, O prince divinely brave!
Thofe wholetome counfels which thy father gave.
When Peleas in his aged arns embrac'd
His parting fon, thefe accents were his laft:
My child with strength, with glory, and success,
Thy arms may Juno and Minerva blefs!
Truft that to Heaven: but thou thy cares engage
To calm thy paffions, and fubduc thy rage:
From gentler manners let thy glory grow;
And fhun contention, the fure fource of woe;
That young and old may in thy praife combine,
The virtues of humanity be thine.
This now defpis'd advice thy father gave:
Ah! check thy anger, and be truly brave.
If thou wilt yield to great Atrides' pray'rs,
Gifts worthy thee his royal hand prepares;
If not-but hear me, while I number o'er
The proffer'd prefents, and exhauftlefs ftore.
Ten weighty talents of the pureft gold,
And twice ten vafes of refulgent mould;
Seven facred tripods, whofe unfullied frame
Yet knows no office, nor has felt the flame;
Twelve fteeds, unmatch'd in fleetnefs and in force,
And ftill victorious in the dufty courfe
(Rich were the man whofe ample stores exceed
The prizes purchas'd by their winged speed);
Seven lovely captives of the Lefbian line,
And facred Pedafus, for vines renown'd;
Epea fair, the pastures Hira yields,
And rich Antheia with her flow'ry fields:
The whole extent to Pylos' fandy plain
Along the verdant margin of the main.
There heifers graze, and lab'ring oxen toil;
Bold are the men, and gen'rous is the foil.
There fhalt thou reign with pow'r and juftice
crown'd,
Skill'd in each art, unmatch'd in form divine,
The fame he chofe for more than vulgar charms,
When Lefbos funk beneath thy conq'ring arms.
All thefe, to buy thy friendship, shall be paid,
And, join'd with thefe, the long-contefted maid;
With all her charms, Brifeis he'll refign,'
And folemn fwear thofe charms were only thine;
Untouch'd the ftay'd, uninjur'd the removes,
Pure from his arms, and guiltless of his loves.
And rule the tributary realms around.
Such are the proffers which this day we bring;
Such the repentance of a fuppliant king.
But if all this, relentless, thou difdain,
If honour and if int'reft plead in vain,
Yet fome redress to fuppliant Greece afford,
And be amongit her guardian gods ador'd.
If no regard thy fuff ring country claim,
Hear thy own glory, and the voice of fame:
For now that chief, whofe unrefifted ire
Made nations tremble, and whole hefts retire,
Proud Hector now th' unequal fight demands,
And only triumphs to deferve thy hands.
Then thus the goddefs-born :-Ulyffes, hear
A faithful fpeech, that knows nor art nor fear:
What in my fecret soul is understood,
My tongue fhall utter, and my deeds make good.
Let Greece then know, my purpose I retain,
Nor with new treaties vex my peace in vain.
Who dares think one thing and another tell,
My heart detefts him as the gates of hell.
Then thus in fhort my fix'd refolves attend,
Which nor Atrides nor his Greeks can bend:
Long toils, long perils, in their cause I bore,
But now th' unfruitful glories charm no more.
Fight or not fight, a like reward we claim,
The wretch and hero find their prize the fame:
Alike regretted in the duft he hes,
Who yields ignobly, or who bravely dies.
Of all my dangers, all my glorious pains,
A life of labours, lo! what fruit remains?
As the bold bird her helplefs young attends, From danger guards them, and from want defends;
In fearch of prey the wings the fpacious air,
And with th' untafted food fupplies her care :
For thanklefs Greece fuch hardships have I brav'd,
Her wives, her infants, by my labour fav'd;
Long teepless nights in heavy arms I ftood,
And fweat laborious days in duft and blood. ▼
I fack'd twelve ample cities on the main,
And twelve lay smoking on the Trojan plain.
Then at Atrides' haughty feet were laid
The wealth I gather'd, and the spoils I made.
Your mighty monarch thefe in peace poffeft;
Some few my foldiers had, himself the reft.
Some prefent too to ev'ry prince was paid,
And ev'ry prince enjoys the gift he made.
I only muft refund, of all his train:
She what pre-eminence our merits gain!
My fpoil alone his greedy foul delights;
My fpoufe alone muft blefs bis luftful nights:
The woman, let him (as he may) enjoy;
But what's the quarrel then of Greece to Troy?
What to thefe fhores th'affeinbled nations draws,
What calls for vengeance, but a woman's caufe?
Are fair endowments and a beauteous face
Felov'd by none but thofe of Atreus' race?
The wife whom choice and paffion both approve,
Sure ev'ry wife and worthy man will love.
Nor did my fair-one lefs diftinction claim;
Slave as the was, my foul ador'd the dame.
Wrong'd in my love, all proffers I difdain;
Deceiv'd for once, I trust not kings again.
Ye have my anfwer-what remains to do,
Your king, Ulyffes, may confult with you.
What needs he the defence this arm can make ?
Has he not walls no human force can fhake?
Has he not fenc'd his guarded navy round
With piles, with ramparts, and a trench pro-
found?
And will not thefe (the wonders he has done)
Repel the rage of Priam's fingle fon?
There was a time ('twas when for Greece I
fought)
When Hector's prowefs no fuch wonders wrought;
He kept the verge of Troy, nor dar'd to wait
Achilles' fury at the Scæan gate;
He tried it once, and fcarce was fav'd by fate.
But now thofe ancient enmities are o'er;
To-morrow we the fav'ring gods implore;
Then fhall you fee our parting veffels crown'd,
And hear with oars the Hellefpont refound.
The third day hence fhall Pthia greet our fails,
If mighty Neptune fend propitious gales;
Pthia to her Achilles fhall restore
The wealth he left for this detefted fhore:
Thither the fpoils of this long war fhall pass,
The ruddy gold, the fteel, and fhining brafs;
My beauteous captives thither I'll convey,
And all that refts of my unravifh'd prey.
One only valued gift your tyrant gave,
And that refum'd; the fair Lyrneffian flave.
Then tell him, loud, that all the Greeks may hear,
And learn to fcorn the wretch they bafely fear
(For, arm'd in impudence, mankind he braves,
And meditates new cheats on all his flaves;
Tho', fhameless as he is, to face these eyes
Is what he dares not; if he dares, he dies);
Tell him, all terms, all commerce I decline,
Nor fhare his council, nor his battle join:
Nor fhare his council, nor his battle juin :" }
No-let the ftupid prince whom Jove deprives
Of fenfe and juftice, run where phrenzy drives;
His gifts are hateful: kings of fuch a kind
Stand but as flaves before a noble mind.
Not tho' he proffer'd all himself poffefs'd,
And all his rapine could from others wrest;
Not all the golden tides of wealth that crown
The many-peopled Orchomenian town ;
Not all proud Thebes' unrivall'd walls contain,
The world's great emprefs on th' Ægyptian plain
(That spreads her conquefts o'er a thousand states,
And pours her heroes thro' a hundred gates;
Two hundred horfemen, and two hundred cars,
From each wide portal iffuing to the wars);
Tho' bribes were heap'd on bribes, in number
Than duft in fields, or fands along the fhore;
Should all thefe offers for my friendship call,
'Tis he that offers, and I fcorn them all.
Atrides' daughter never shall be led
(An ill-match'd confort) to Achilles' bed;
Like golden Venus tho' the charm'd the heart,
And vied with Pallas in the works of art.
Some greater Greek let thofe high nuptials grace
I hate alliance with a tyrant's race.
If Heaven restore me to my realms with life,
The rev'rend Peleus fhall elect my wife;
Theffalian nymphs there are, of form divine,
And kings that fue to mix their blood with mine.
Bleft in kind love, my years fhall glide away,
Content with juft hereditary fway;
There, deaf for ever to the martial ftrife,
Enjoy the dear prerogative of life.
Life is not to be bought with heaps of gold
Not all Apollo's Pythian treasures hold,
Or Troy once held, in peace and pride of fway,
Can bribe the poor poffeffion of a day!
Loft herds and treasures we by arms regain,
And steeds unrivall'd on the dusty plain :
But from our lips the vital fpirit Aed,
Returns no more to wake the filent dead.
My fates long fince by Thetis were disclos'd,
And each alternate, life or fame, propos'd:
Here if I ftay, before the Trojan town,
Short is my date, but deathless my renown:
If I return, I quit immortal praise
For years on years, and long-extended days.
Convinc'd, tho' late, I find my fond mistake,
And warn the Greeks the wifer choice to make:
To quit thefe fhores, their native feats enjoy,
Nor hope the fall of Heaven-defended Troy.
Jove's arm difplay'd alerts her from the skies;
Her hearts are ftrengthen'd, and her glories rife.
Go then, to Greece report our fix'd defign;
Bid all your counfels, all your armies, join;
Let all your forces, all your arts, confpire
To fave the hips, the troops, the chiefs from fire.
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