Page images
PDF
EPUB

Se tulit extremum Belus, quo nequior Alter
Non cecidit; folo fceleris malefanus amore
Qui fcelus expeteret: non Illi fana, nec aræ
Fumabant: Sed quis fanis, quis notior aris,
Elidum exemplo feu vis, feu dira libido
Templa DEI violet? Quin vana palatia Regum
Ipfe colit, luxuque urbes vitiifque folutas,
Clamor ubi infanus, rixæ, indomitique tumultus,
Per celfas refonant arces: terrifque tenebras
Nox fimul intulerit, cæci fine more vagantur
Beliades, vino inflati luxuque protervo.

Noctem illam Gibea Sodomeaque mœnia testor,
Hofpitii tutata fidem cum traderet ipfas
Janua Matronas, ftupra ut pejora caveret.
Viribus Hi primique loco. Percurrere longum eft
Cætera quæ latè clarefcunt Numina, magnofque
Ioniæ numerare Deos, quos prisca colebat
Japeti foboles, Colo & Tellure minores

Belial came laft, than whom a Spirit more lewd
Fell not from Heaven, or more gross to love
Vice for it felf: To him no Temple ftood,
Or Altar fmoak'd; yet who more oft than He
In Temples, and at Altars, when the Priest
Turns Atheist; as did Eli's Sons, who fill'd
With luft and violence the house of GoD?
In Courts and Palaces he also reigns,
And in luxurious Cities, where the noise
Of riot afcends above their loftiest Tow'rs,

And injury, and outrage: and when Night
Darkens the Streets, then wander forth the Sons
Of Belial, flown with infolence and wine:
Witness the Streets of Sodom; and that night
In Gibeah, when the hospitable door
Expos'd a Matron, to avoid worse rape.

These were the prime in order, and in might;
The reft were long to tell, tho' far renown'd,
Th' Ionian Gods, of Javan's Iffue held
Gods, yet confefs'd later than Heav'n and Earth,

Faffa

Faffa palàm atque illâ jactans ab origine natos.
Primus ibi Titan vaftâ cum prole; fed Olli
Junior abripuit Saturnus regna, fuoque

A Jove mox ipfe expulfus, quem Rhea rebellem
Progeniem peperit: fic fceptra invafit & arces
Jupiter. Idæis Hæc Numina fcilicet oris
Nota priùs tandem tenuere nivalia Olympi
Culmina, nec mediis cœlum fublimius auris.
Pars etiam juga Delphorum faltus-ve facratos
Dodones coluere, aut Graie littora terræ.
Quofque alios fecum Divos trans Adria longè
Æquora decedens regnis Saturnus ademptis
Hefperios tulit in campos & Celtica rura.

Hi turmis glomerati omnes, Aliique coibant
Innumeri, mæsto dejecti lumina vultu :
Visa fubinde tamen levis inter nubila fpargi
Lætitia, ut fperare Ducem meliora videbant,
Nec fefe tantâ penitùs periisse ruinâ.

Their boafted Parents; Titan, (Heav'n's first-born,)
With his enormous brood, and birthright seiz'd
By younger Saturn: He from mightier Jove,
(His own and Rhea's Son) like measure found;
So Jove ufurping reign'd: These first in Crete,
And Ida known, thence on the fnowy top
Of cold Olympus rul'd the middle air,
Their highest Heav'n; or on the Delphian Cliff,
Or in Dodona, and thro' all the bounds

Of Doric Land; or who with Saturn old
Fled over Adria to th' Hefperian Fields,
And o'er the Celtic roam'd the utinoft Isles.

All these and more came flocking, but with looks
Down-caft and damp; yet fuch wherein appear'd
Obfcure fome glimpse of joy, to have found their
Chief

Not in despair, to have found themselves not loft
In lofs it felf; which on his count'nance cast

Nec

Nec minùs ingenti dubius color ora pererrat

Ductori; faftum at folitum, mora nulla, refumens,
Excelfafque crepans voces Simulator Honesti
Mendaci fluit eloquio, & languentia corda
Erigit, inspiratque animos, abigitque timores.
Deinde jubet, fimul altifonans lituique tubæque
Bellicus infremuit Clangor, Regale levari
Vexillum: hos fibi procerus pofcebat honores
Signifer Azazal: rutilæ circundata virgæ
Explicuit, latéque ardentem evolvere scenam
Imperii figna alta dedit: velut aere fummo
Stella facem ducens longo micat ignea tractu,
Sic fublatum altè fpatiosâ vefte per auras
Vexillum immenfum patuit, radiante Seraphum
Picta trophæa finu & ftellata Infignia pandens.
Jamque tuba exultat flatu; fonat ære canoro
Martia Vox; tum verò altum dant Agmina juncta
Clamorem, concuffa Erebi quo concava, & imæ

Like doubtful hue: but he his wonted pride
Soon recollecting, with high words, that bore
Semblance of worth, not fubftance, gently rais'd
Their fainting courage, and difpell'd their fears.
Then ftrait commands that at the warlike found
Of Trumpets loud, and Clarions, be uprear'd
His mighty Standard: that proud honour claim'd
Azazel as his right, a Cherub tall;

Who forthwith from the glittering staff unfurl'd

Th' Imperial Enfign; which full high advanc'd
Shone like a Meteor ftreaming to the Wind,
With Gems and Golden Luftre rich imblaz'd,
Seraphic Arms and Trophies; all the while
Sonorous metal blowing Martial Sounds:
At which the universal Hoft up fent

A fhout that tore Hell's Concave, and beyond
Frighted the Reign of Chaos and old Night.
All in a moment thro' the gloom were seen

Ipfa Chaús Noctifque antiquæ exterrita regna.
Continuò decies fpectantur Mille per umbras
Attolli bellorum Infignia, multiplicefque
Undatim jactare faces; unà horrida Silva
Haftarum exfurgit, fcutis diro ordine Scuta,
Et galeæ galeis confertæ. It protinùs æquis
Agminibus condensa Phalanx; dum plurima buxo
Tibia multifori, & modulamine fistula lento
Molle fonans, greffufque regit fingitque canendo.
Carmine non alio bellantes Dorica Mufa

Impulit Heroas, quos non furor egit inamis,
Sed vis firma Animi, fed Virtus ardua, lethi
Indignata metum turpifque ignara repulsæ.

Nec tamen haud poterant blandâ dulcedine Cantus
Triftitiam fedare, & fternere leniter atros
Curarum fluctus, gelidos arcere timores,

Atque Homines Superofque modis mollire canoris.
His intenta filent, & procedentia lentis

Ten thousand Banners rife into the Air,
With orient Colours waving: with them rose
A Foreft huge of Spears; and thronging Helms
Appear'd, and ferried Shields in thick array,
Of depth immeafurable: anon they move
In perfect Phalanx, to the Dorian mood

Of Flutes, and foft Recorders; fuch as rais'd
To height of nobleft temper Heroes old
Arming to Battle; and instead of rage

Deliberate valour breath'd, firm, and unmov'd
With dread of death to flight, or foul retreat;
Nor wanting pow'r to mitigate and fwage,
With folemn touches, troubled thoughts, and chase
Anguifh, and doubt, and fear, and forrow, and

pain,

From mortal or immortal minds. Thus they
Breathing united force with fixed thought
Mov'd on in filence to foft Pipes, that charm'd

Paffibus

Paffibus ardorem unanimem fimul omnia fpirant

Agmina; difficiles ambusto in littore greffus

Lenibant numeri.

Tum vaftâ fronte Cohortes

Explicite medio fe, formidabile visu !
Extendunt latè campo radiantibus armis,
Ceu bellis affuetæ Acies; clypeifque minaces
Erectifque hastis magni mandata tyranni
Expectant. Media Ille fagaci lumine velox
Agmina pervadit; florentes ære catervas
Directis rite ordinibus, celfiffima Divûm
Corpora, fpirantesque videt cœleftia vultus.
Ut numeros tandem recolit, Cor inde feroci
Distentum faftu tumet, immenfifque fuperbit
Viribus. Humano neque enim confluxit ab ortu
Bellica Vis, Huic quæ poffet collata videri
Pygmæas fuperare manus gruibufque popellum
Infeftum; Phlegræ quanquam immaniffima Proles
Addantur populis, qui bella fub Ilio alto

Their painful steps o'er the burnt foil: and now
Advanc'd in view, they stand, a horrid Front
Of dreadful length and dazling Arms, in guise
Of Warriors old with order'd Spear and Shield,
Awaiting what command their mighty Chief
Had to impofe: He thro' the armed Files
Darts his experienc'd eye, and foon traverfe
The whole Battalion views, their order due,
Their vifages and ftature as of Gods;

Their number laft he fums. And now his heart
Diftends with pride, and hard'ning in his ftrength
Glories for never fince created Man
Met fuch imbodied force, as nam'd with these
Could merit more than that small Infantry
Warr'd on by Cranes; tho' all the Giant brood
Of Phlegra with th' Heroic Race were join'd,
That fought at Thebes and Ilium, on each fide
Mix'd with auxiliar Gods; and what refounds

Geffere,

« PreviousContinue »