Full oft I drain'd the spicy nut-brown bowl; 215 A liqu'rish mouth must have a lech'rous tail; As all true gamesters by experience know. But oh, good Gods! whene'er a thought I cast My fourth dear spouse was not exceeding true; 220 225 230 But I so dress'd and danc'd, and drank, and din'd, And view'd a friend, with eyes so very kind, As stung his heart, and made his marrow fry, 235 With burning rage and frantic jealousy. His soul, I hope, enjoys eternal glory, Oft, when his shoe the most severely wrung, 242 How sore I gall'd him, only heav'n could know, 245 250 So bless the good man's soul, I say no more. Now for my fifth lov'd Lord, the last and best; (Kind heav'n afford him everlasting rest) Full hearty was his love, and I can shew, 255 Yet, with a knack, my heart he could have won, Free gifts we scorn, and love what costs us pains: 260 Let men avoid us, and on them we leap; A glutted market makes provision cheap. In pure good will I took this jovial spark, Of Oxford he, a most egregious clerk. 265 A trusty gossip, one dame Alison. It so befel, in holy time of Lent, 270 275 280 285 At Sermons too I shone in scarlet gay, The wasting moth ne'er spoil'd my best array; The cause was this, I wore it ev'ry day. 'Twas when fresh May her early blossoms yields, 29༠ That he, and only he, should serve my turn. 295 We straight struck hands, the bargain was agreed; I still have shifts against a time of need: I vow'd, I scarce could sleep since first I knew him 300 And durst be sworn he had bewitch'd me to him; And dreams foretell, as learned men have shown: } 305 Thus day by day, and month by month we past; It pleas'd the Lord to take my spouse at last. I tore my gown, I soil'd my locks with dust, 310 315 He wept, kind soul! and stoop'd to kiss my face; I condescended to be pleas'd at last. And stood content to rule by wholesome laws; 425 430 435 THE FIRST BOOK OF STATIUS HIS THEBAIS. Translated in the Year 1703. [The First Book of the Thebais of Statius was published in 1712, in Lintot's Miscellany. Pope had tried his hand at translating part of Statius before he was twelve years of age; and his efforts were revised by his early friend Henry Cromwell, so mysteriously described by Gay in Alexander Pope his safe return from Troy as 'honest hatless Cromwell, with red breeches.'-P. Papinius Statius, born at Naples about 50 A.D. was the most popular poet of the Flavian epoch, and besides his epics, the Thebais (in 12 books) and the Achilleis (in 2), wrote the Sylva (5 books of occasional pieces). Of his Thebais, said to have been founded on the Greek poem by Antimachus, a criticism will be found in Merivale's Romans under the Empire, chap. LXIV., where it is designated as perhaps the most perfect in form and arrangement of ancient epics, but confused in its general effect from want of breadth and largeness of treatment.] ARGUMENT. EDIPUS King of Thebes having by mistake slain his father Laius, and marry'd his mother Jocasta, put out his own eyes, and resign'd the realm to his sons Eteocles and Polynices. Being neglected by them, he makes his prayer to the fury Tisiphone, to sow debate betwixt the brothers. They agree at last to reign singly, each a year by turns, and the first lot is obtain'd by Eteocles. Jupiter, in a council of the Gods, declares his resolution of punishing the Thebans, and Argives also by means of a marriage betwixt Polynices and one of the daughters of Adrastus King of Argos. Juno opposes, but to no effect; and Mercury is sent on a message And Venus sets ere Mercury can rise. It chanc'd my husband, on a winter's night, But what most pleas'd him was the Cretan dame, 370 375 380 385 390 395 For better fruit did never orchard bear. "Where grows this plant" (reply'd the friend) "oh where? Give me some slip of this most blissful tree, And in my garden planted shall it be." Then how two wives their lord's destruction prove 400 Frantic at night, and in the morning dead. The nimble juice soon seiz'd his giddy head, That for her husband mix'd a pois'nous draught, Thro' hatred one, and one thro' too much love; 405 And some have hammer'd nails into their brain, How some with swords their sleeping lords have slain, All this he read, and read with great devotion. And some have drench'd them with a deadly potion; Long time I heard, and swell'd and blush'd, and frown'd' 410 But when no end of these vile tales I found, "Oh! thou hast slain me for my wealth" (I cry'd) 415 420 He wept, kind soul! and stoop'd to kiss my face; I condescended to be pleas'd at last. 425 430 435 THE FIRST BOOK OF STATIUS HIS THEBAIS. Translated in the Year 1703. [The First Book of the Thebais of Statius was published in 1712, in Lintot's Miscellany. Pope had tried his hand at translating part of Statius before he was twelve years of age; and his efforts were revised by his early friend Henry Cromwell, so mysteriously described by Gay in Alexander Pope his safe return from Troy as 'honest hatless Cromwell, with red breeches.'-P. Papinius Statius, born at Naples about 50 A.D. was the most popular poet of the Flavian epoch, and besides his epics, the Thebais (in 12 books) and the Achilleis (in 2), wrote the Sylva (5 books of occasional pieces). Of his Thebais, said to have been founded on the Greek poem by Antimachus, a criticism will be found in Merivale's Romans under the Empire, chap. LXIV., where it is designated as perhaps the most perfect in form and arrangement of ancient epics, but confused in its general effect from want of breadth and largeness of treatment.] ARGUMENT. EDIPUS King of Thebes having by mistake slain his father Laius, and marry'd his mother Jocasta, put out his own eyes, and resign'd the realm to his sons Eteocles and Polynices. Being neglected by them, he makes his prayer to the fury Tisiphone, to sow debate betwixt the brothers. They agree at last to reign singly, each a year by turns, and the first lot is obtain'd by Eteocles. Jupiter, in a council of the Gods, declares his resolution of punishing the Thebans, and Argives also by means of a marriage betwixt Polynices and one of the daughters of Adrastus King of Argos. Juno opposes, but to no effect; and Mercury is sent on a message |