of day. Thus in a trice a judge of beauty grown In ev'ry exercise of all admir'd, Than for his brutal folly known before. love? And lik’d an error of the better hand; The Nav'ring cudden, propp'd upon his staff, Galesus he disown'd, asd chose to bear fair. to wed a foreign tpouse : Sigh'd to herself the fair unhappy maid, design. The secret ship with cholen friends he stor’d; With ease his fuit was granted by his fire, Sent out the hostile ship and beautcous bride. To Rhodes the rival bark directly fteer'd, His body thus adorn'd, he next defign’d When Cymon sudden at her back appear'd, With lib'ral arts to cultivate his mind: And stopp'd her flight; then, standing on his prow, In haughty terms he thus defied the foe : Or strike your fails at summons, or prepare But 2 3 } } But Cymon soon his crooked grapples cast, Not more aghast the proud archangel fell, Now curs'd the more, the more he had been Fierce was the fight; but, haft’ning to his prey, bleft; By force the furious lover freed his way : More anxious for her danger than his own, Himself alone dispers'd the Rhodian crew, Death he defies, but would be lost alone. The weak disdain'd, the valiant overthrew. Sad Iphigene to womanish complaints Cheap conquest for his following friends remain'd; Adds pious prayers, and wearies all the saints He reap'd the field, and they but only glean’d.' Ev’n if the could, her love the would repent ; His victory confess'd, the foes retreat, But, since the cannot, dreads the punishment : And cast the weapons at the victor's feer, Her forfeit faith, and Pasimond betray'd, Whom thus he cheer'd: 0 Rhodian youth, 1 Are ever present, and her crime upbraid. fought She blames herself, nor blames her lover less, For love alone, nor other booty soughe: Augments her anger as her fears increase; Your lives are safe; your vefsel I refign; From her own back the burden wonld remove, Yours be your own, restoring what is mine : And lays the load on his ungovern'd love, In Iphigene I claim my rightful due, Which interposing durst, in Hcaven's despite, Robb’d by my rival, and detain'd by you. Invade and violate another's right: Your Pasimond a lawless bargain drove, The pow'rs incens'd awhile deterr'd bis pain, The parent could not sell the daughter's love; And made him master of his vows in vain : Or, if he could, my love dildains the laws, But soon they punish'd his presumptuous pride; And, like a king, by conquest gains his cause : That for his daring enterprise she died, Where arms take place, all other pleas are vain; Who rather not relifted than complied. Love taught me force, and force shall love maintain; Then, impotent of mind, with alter'd sense You, what by strength you could not kecp, release, She hugg'd ih' offender, and forgave th' offence, And at an easy ransom buy your peace. Sex to the last: meantime, with fails declind, Fear on the conquer'd fide soon fign'd th'accord, The wand'ring vessel drove before the wind : And Iphigene to Cymon was reford : Toss'd and retols'd, aloft, and then below, While to his arms the blushing bride he touk, Norport they teck,nor certain course they know, To seeming sadness the compos'd her look ; But every moment wait the coming blow. As if by force subjected to his will, Thus blindly driven, by breaking day they view'd Tho' pleas'd dissembling, and a woman ftill. The lands before them, and their fears renew di And (for the wept) he wip'd her falling tears, The land was welcome, but the tempest bore And pray'd her to dismiss her empty fears; The threaten’d ship against a rocky ihore. For yours I am, he said, and have deferu'd A winding bay was near; to this they bent, Your love much better whom so long I serv'd, And just escap'd ; their force already spent : Than he to whom your formal father tied Secure from ttorms, and panting from the sea, Your vows, and sold a flave, not sent a bride. The land unknown at leisure they survey; Thus while he spoke, he leiz'd the willing prey, And law (but loon their fickly fight withdrew) As Paris bore the Spartan (poufe away. The rising tow'rs of Rhodes at distant view ; Faintly she scream'd, and ev'n her eyes confcfs’d|And curs'd the hottile shore of Palimond, She rather would be thought, than was, distress’d. Sav'd from the feas, and thipwreck'd on the Who now exults but Cymon in his mind? ground. Vain hopes and empty jovs of human kind, The frighted sailors tried their strength in vain Proud of the present, to the future blind! To turn the fieru, and rempt the storiny main ; Secure of fate, while Cymon ploughs the fea, But the ftiff wind withstood the lab'ring oar, And stcers to Candy with bisconquer'd prey, And forc'd them forward on the faral thore ! Scarce the third glass of measur'd hours was run, The crooked keel now bites the Rhodian firand, When, like a fiery ineteor, funk the fun, And the ship ir cor'd constrains the crew to land.' The promise of a storm; the thifting gales Yet stiil they might be safe, because unknown; Forlake by fits, and 6ll, the fayging fails; But, as ill fortune feldom comes alone, Hoarse murmurs of the main from far were heard, The vessel they dismiis'd was driven before, And night came on, not by degrees prepar'u, Already shelter'd on their native thore ; But all at once; at once the winds arite, Known cachi, they know, but each with changa The thunders roll, the forky lightning flies. of cheer ; In vain the master issues out commands, The vanquish'd fide exults, the victors fear; In vain the trembling failors ply their hands : Not them but theirs, made pris'ners ere they fight, The tempest unforcicen prevents their care, Despairing conqueft, and depriv'd of flight. And from the first they labour in despair. The country rings around with loud alarms, The giddy thip, betwixt the winds and tides, And raw in fields the rude militia swarms; Forc'd back, and forwards, in a circle rides, Mouths without hands, maintain'd at vast ex. Stunn’dwith the diff'rent blows; then shoots amain, pence, Till, counterbuti'd, she stops, and liveps again. In peace a charge, in war a wcak defence: Stout } } } Stout once a month they march, a blust'ring band;| Both sides he weigh’d; but, after much debate, Began in inurder, to conclude in rape : An impious act with undeserv'd success; Deep in a dungeon was the captive cast, Resolv'd on force, his wit the prætor bent Th'examplepleas'd; the cause and crime the same; Her secret soul to Cymon was inclin’d, The lefs he had to lose, the less he car'd, reward. Yet prove our merit first, nor blindly give fow'd ; found They suffer'd you to lose the prize you gain'd, Lysimachus, oppress'd with mortal grief, Be but yourself, the care to me retign, But yet not his; to-morrow is behind, As much declar'd as Palimond is thine; Our } 24 Our task perform'd, we next prepare for flight; When, like the harpies rushing through the hall, Shriek out for aid, confufion fills the place. But late is all defence, and succour vain ; Or lead to fecond rape, for well thou know'st the Tne rape is made, the ravithers remain; way. Tiro sturdy slaves were orly line before Said Cymon, overjoy'd, Do thou propose To bear the purchas'd prize in safery to the shore: The means to fight, and only shew the foes : The troop retires, the lovers close the rear, For from the first, when love had fir'd my mind, With forward faces not confefling fear; Refolu'd I left the care of life behind. Backward they move, but fcorntheir pace to mend; To this the bold Lysimachus replied: Then feck ibe stairs, and with flow hatte descendo Let beaven be neuter, and the sword decide ; Fierce Pafimond, their pallage to prevent, The fpcutals are prepar'd, already play Thrust full on Cymon's back in his descent; The minftrels, and provoke the tardy day : The blade return'd unbath'd, and to the hanBy this the brides are wak'd, their grooms are dle bent. dress'd; Stout Cymon soon remounts, and cleft in two All Rhodes is summon'd to the nuptial feast, His rival's head with one descending blow; All but myself, the sole unbidden gueft. And as the next in rank Ormiida ftood, Unbidden though I am, I will be there ; Heturn’d the point; the sword, inur'd to blood, And, join'd by thee, intend to joy the fair. Bor'd his unguarded breaft, which pour'da Now hear the reft; when day resigns the light, purple flood. And cheerful torches gild the jolly night, With vow'd revenge, the gath'ring crowd pursues, Be ready at my call; my chosen few The ravithers turn head, the fight renews; With arms administer's shall aid thy crew. The hall is heap'd with corps; the sprinkled gore Then, ent'ring unexpected, will we seize Bcímears the walls, and ficats the marble Boor, Our dettin'd prey, from men dissolv'd in case, Dispers’d at length the drunken tquadron flies, By wine disabled, unprepar’d for fight ; The victors to their vefielbear tie prize; (cries. And, haftening to the feas, suborn our flight: The seas are ours, for I command the fort; Thecrew with merry shouts their anchors veigh, A ship well-mann'd expects us in the port. Then ply their oars, and bruth the buxom fea, If they, or if their friends, the prize contest, While troops of gather'd Rhodians crowd the Death thall attend the man who dares resist. key. It pleas’d: the prisoner to his hold retir’d; What should the people do when left alone! His troop with equal emulation fir’d, [quir’d. The governor and government are gone : Allfix'd to fight, and all their wonted work re- The public wealth to foreign parts convey'd; The sun arole; the streets were throngid around, Some troops disbanded, and the rest unpaid. The palace open'd, and the posts were crown'd. Rhodes is the lov’reign of the sea no more ; The double bridegroom at the door attends Their thips unigg'd, and spent their naval ftore; Th' expected spouse, and entertains the friends : They neither could defend, nor can pursue, They meet, they lead to church, the priests invoke But grinn’d their teeth, and cast a helpless view: The pou’rs, and feed the flames with fragrant In vain with darts a distant war they try, smoke. Short, and more thort, the millive weapons fiy. This done, they fcast, and at the close of night Meanwhile the ravíthers their crimes enjoy, By kindled torches vary their delight; And flying frils and fivceping oars employ : Thele lead the lively darce, and those the The cliffs of Rhodes in little fpace are loft ; brimming bowls invite. Jove's itle they lecki, ror Jove denies his coast. Now at th' appointed place ard hour assign'd In safety landed on the Candian shore, With fouls refolv'd the ravishers were joind; With genrous wines their spirits they restore ; Three bands are form'd; the fift is sent before There Cyrron with his Rhodian friends refides, To favour the retreat, and guard the shore ; Both court and wed at once the willing brides. The second at the palace gate is plac'd, A war ensues, the Cretans own their cause, And up the lofty fairs afcend the last; Stiff to defend their hospitable laws; A peaceful rrcop they feem with thining vests, Both paitics lose by turns, and neither wills, Bur coats of mail boicath secure their breasts. Till peace propounded by a truce begins. Dauniefs they enter, Cymon at their head, The kindred of the flain forgive the deed, And find the feast renew'd, the table spread; But a thort exile must for thow proceed; Sweet voices, mix'd with inftrumental sounds, The term expir’d, from Candia they remove; Ascend the vaulted roof, the vaulted roof rebounds. And happy each at home enjoys his love. } a a } } } To Chaffis' pleasing plains he took his way, § 33. Theodore and Honoria. There pitch d his tents, and there resolv'd to stay. The spring was in the prime; the neighbour- ing grove The chief, and most renown'd, Ravenna stands, Music unbought, that minifter'd delight pence From public buriness, yet with equal charge; Thewindswithin the quiv'ring branchesplay'd, [Atrove Urcouth and savage, as the cruel fair. W'caried, at length, and wanting remedy, The day already half his race had run, And suinmond him to due repaft at noon, Whilelist’ning tothe murm’ring leaves he stood, Was dumb; a rising earthquake rock'd the ground; And his ears tingled, and his colour fled; Seem'd ihreaten'd, tho' unseen to mortal eye. A thicket close beside the grove there food With briers and brambles choak’d, and dwarhila His friends beheld, and pity'd him in vain, wood; near, Hard you may think it was to give consent, Stripp'd of her clothes, and ev'n those parts re- veal’d, With large expence, and with a pompous train, Which modest nature keeps from fight conceal'd. Provided as to visit France and Spain, Her face, her hands, her naked limbs were torn, Or for some distant voyage o'er the main. With palling thro' the brakes, and prickly thorn; But love had clipp'd his wings, and cut him fhoit, Two mattitts gaunt and grim her fight pursued, Conño'd within the purlieus of the court. And oft their fasten’d fangs in blood embru’d: Three miles he went, nor farther could retreat; Oft they came up, and pinch'd her tender side; His travels ended at his country-seat: Mercy, o mercy Heaven! The ran, and cry'd ; When } } 1 ! |