To juftice liable, as law requir'd;

For when his office ceas'd, his pow'r expir'd:
While pow'r remain'd, the means were in his hand,
By force to feize, and then forfake the land.
Betwixt extremes he knew not how to move,
A flave to fame, but more a flave to love;
Reftraining others, yet himself not free,
Made impotent by pow'r, debas'd by dignity.
Both fides he weigh'd; but, after much debate,
The man prevail'd above the magistrate.
Love never fails to master what he finds,
But works a diff'rent way in diff'rent minds,
The fool enlightens, and the wife he blinds.
This youth, propofing to poffefs and 'scape,
Began in murder, to conclude in rape :

Unprais'd my me, tho' Heav'n fometimes may blefs
An impious act with undeferv'd fuccefs;
The great, it seems, are privileg'd, alone,
To punish all injuftice but their own.
But here I ftop, not daring to proceed,
Yet blush to flatter an unrighteous deed,
For crimes are but permitted, not decreed.
Refolv'd on force, his wit the prætor bent,
To find the means that might fecure th' event;
Not long he labour'd, for his lucky thought,
In captive Cymon found the friend he fought:
Th' example pleas'd; the cause and crime the fame,
An injur'd lover, and a ravish'd dame.

How much he durft, he knew by what he dar'd,
The less he had to lose, the less he car'd

To manage loathfome life, when love was the reward.
This ponder'd well, and fix'd on his intent,
In depth of night he for the pris'ner fent;
In fecret fent, the publick view to fhun,
Then with a fober smile he thus begun.
Ꭰ .

}

}

}

• The

The pow'rs above, who bounteously bestow
Their gifts and graces on mankind below,
Yet prove our merit first, nor blindly give
To fuch as are not worthy to receive;

For valour and for virtue they provide

• Their due reward, but firft they must be try'd: Thefe fruitful feeds within your mind they fow'd, 'Twas yours to improve the talent they beftow'd; They gave you to be born of noble kind, ·,

They gave you love to lighten up your mind,

And purge the groffer parts; they gave you care

• To please, and courage to deferve the fair.

Thus far they try'd you, and by proof they found The grain intrufted in a grateful ground:

But ftill the great experiment remain'd,

They fuffer'd you to lose the prize you gain'd;

That you might learn the gift was theirs alone, • And when reftor'd, to them the bleffing own. • Reftor'd it foon will be; the means prepar'd, The difficulty smooth'd, the danger fhar'd: • Be but yourself; the care to me refign, • Then Iphigene is yours, Caffandra mine. • Your rival Pafimond purfues your life, Impatient to revenge his ravish'd wife, But yet not his; to-morrow is behind, And love our fortunes in one band has join'd: • Two brothers are our foes, Ormifda mine As much declar'd as Pafimond is thine. To-morrow muft their common vows be ty'd; With love to friend, and fortune for our guide, Let both refolve to die, or each redeem a bride.

Right have I none, nor haft thou much to plead; 'Tis force, when done, must juftify the deed:

Our task perform'd, we next prepare for flight,
And let the lofers talk in vain of right;

}

• We

We with the fair will fail before the wind,

• If they are griev'd, I leave the laws behind.

Speak thy refolves: if now thy courage droop,

Despair in prison, and abandon hope;

But if thou dar'ft in arms thy love regain,

(For liberty without thy love were vain)

• Then fecond my design to feize the prey,

⚫ Or lead to fecond rape, for well thou know'ft the way.' Said Cymon, overjoy'd, Do thou propose

The means to fight, and only fhew the foes;
For from the firft, when love had fir'd

my mind,

Refolv'd I left the care of life behind.'
To this the bold Lyfimachus reply'd,
Let Heav'n be neuter, and the fword decide;
The spousals are prepar'd, already play

The minstrels, and provoke the tardy day:

By this the brides are wak'd, their grooms are drefs'd,

All Rhodes is fummon'd to the nuptial feaft;

All but myself, the fole unbidden gueft!

• Unbidden tho' I am, I will be there;

And, join'd by thee, intend to joy the fair.

Now hear the reft: when day refigns the light, • And chearful torches gild the jolly night, • Be ready at my call; my chofen few, With arms administer'd shall aid thy crew. Then ent'ring unexpected will we seize Our deftin'd prey, from men diffolv'd in case;

By wine difabled, unprepar'd for fight;
And haft'ning to the feas, fuborn our flight:
The feas are ours, for I command the fort;
A ship wel! mann'd expects us in the port;
If they, or if their friends, the prize conteft,
• Death shall attend the man who dares refift.'
It pleas'd-the pris'ner to his hold retir'd,

His troop, with emulation fir'd,

All fix'd to fight, their wonted work requir'd.

D 2

}

The

The fun arofe, the ftreets were throng'd around,
The palace open'd, and the pofts were crown'd:
The double bridegroom at the door attends
Th' expected spouse, and entertains the friends.
They meet, they lead to church; the priests invoke
The pow'rs, and feed the flames with fragrant smoke:
This done, they feaft; and, at the close of night
By kindled torches vary their delight;

These lead the lively dance, and those the brimming bowls invite..
Now, at th' appointed place and hour affign'd,

With fouls refolv'd, the ravishers were join'd.
Three bands are form'd: the first is fent before,
To favour the retreat, and guard the shore;
The second at the palace-gate is plac'd;
And up the lofty ftairs afcend the laft.
A peaceful troop they feem, with shining vests,
But coats of mail beneath fecure their breafts.

Dauntless they enter, Cymon at their head,
And find the feast renew'd, the table spread:
Sweet voices, mix'd with inftrumental founds,
Afcend the vaulted roof, the vaulted roof rebounds.
When, like the harpies, rufhing thro' the hall,
The fudden troop appears, the tables fall,
Their fmoaking load is on the pavement thrown,
Each ravisher prepares to feize his own;
The brides, invaded with a rude embrace,
Shriek out for aid, confufion fills the place:
Quick to redeem the prey their plighted lords
Advance, the palace gleams with fhining fwords.
But late is all defence, and fuccour vain;
The rape is made, the ravishers remain.
Two fturdy flaves were only fent before
To bear the purchas'd prize in safety to the shore,
The troop retires, the lovers close the rear,
With forward faces not confeffing fear:

Backward

Backward they move, but fcorn their pace to mend;
Then feek the ftairs, and with flow hafte descend.
Fierce Pafimond, their paffage to prevent,
Thruft full on Cymon's back in his defcent,

The blade return'd unbath'd, and to the handle bent.
Stout Cymon foon remounts, and cleft in two
His rival's head with one defcending blow:
And as the next in rank Ormisda stood,

He turn'd the point; the fword, inur'd to blood

Bor'd his unguarded breaft, which pour'd a purple flood,
With vow'd revenge the gath'ring crowd pursues,
The ravishers turn head, the fight renews:
The hall is heap'd with corps, the sprinkled gore
Befmears the walls, and floats the marble floor.
Difpers'd at length the drunken squadron flies,
The victors to the veffel bear the prize,

And hear behind loud groans, and lamentable cries.
The crew with merry shouts their anchors weigh,
Then ply their oars, and brush the buxom fea,
While troops of gather'd Rhodians croud the quay.
What should the people do, when left alone?
The governor and government are gone.
The publick wealth to foreign parts convey'd;
Some troops disbanded, and the reft unpaid.
Rhodes is the fov'reign of the fea no more;
Their fhips unrigg'd, and spent their naval ftore,
They neither could defend, nor can purfue,
But grind their teeth, and cast a helpless view:
In vain with darts a diftant war they try,
Short, and more fhort, the miffile weapons fly.
Meanwhile the ravishers their crimes enjoy,
And flying fails, and fweeping oars employ;
The cliffs of Rhodes in little space are loft,
Jove's ifle they seek, nor Jove denies his coaft,
In fafety landed on the Candian fhore,
With gen'rous wines their spirits they restore;