Have pity on my pains; nor thofe unknown
To Mars, which, when a lover, were his own.
Venus, the public care of all above,
Thy ftubborn heart has foften'd into love :
Now by her blandifhments and pow'rful charms,
When yielded the lay curling in thy arms,
Ev'n by thy fhame, if fhame it may be call'd,
When Vulcan had thee in his net enthrall'd;
O envied ignominy, fweet difgrace,
When ev'ry God that faw thee wifh'd thy place!
By thofe dear pleasures, aid my arms in fight,
And make me conquer in my patron's right:
For I am young, a novice in the trade,
The fool of love, unpractis'd to perfuade,
And want the foothing arts that catch the fair;
But, caught myself, lie ftruggling in the fnare:
And the I love, or laughs at all my pain,
Or knows her worth too well, and pays me with

difdain.

For fure I am, unless I win in arms,

To ftand excluded from Emilia's charms:
Nor can my ftrength avail, unless by thee
Endued by force, I gain the victory;
Then for the fire which warm'd thygen'rous heart,
Pity thy fubject's pains and equal finart.
So be the morrow's fweat and labour mine,
The palm and honour of the conqueft thine:
Then fhall the war, and stern debate, and strife
Immortal, be the bufinefs of my life;
And in thy fane, the dufty fpoils among, [hung;
High on the burnish'd roof my banner fhall be
Rank'd with my champion's buckler, and below,
With arms revers'd, th'achievements of my foe:
And while thefe limbs the vital fpirit feeds,
While day to night, and night to day fucceeds,
Thy fmoking altar fhall be fat with food
Of incenfe, and the grateful fteam of blood;
Burnt off'rings morn and evening fhall be thine,
And fires eternal in thy temple fhine.
The bush of yellow beard, this length of hair,
Which from my birth inviolate I bear,
Guiltlefs of fteel, and from the razor free,
Shall fall a plenteous crop, referv'd for thee;
So may my arms with victory be bleft:
I ask no more; let fate difpofe the rest.

The champion ceas'd; there follow'd in the clofe
A hollow groan: a murmuring wind arofe;
The rings of iron, that on the doors were hung,
Sent out a jarring found, and harshly rung:
The bolted gates flew open at the blaft;
The form rush'd in, and Arcite stood aghaft:
The flames were blown afide, yet fhone they
bright,

Fann'd by the wind, and gave a ruffled light.
Then from the ground a scent began to rife,
Sweet-fmelling as accepted facrifice:

This omen pleas'd, and as the flames afpire
With odorous incenfe Arcite heaps the fire:
Nor wanted hymns to Mars, or heathen charms:
At length the nodding ftatue clafh'd his arms,
And with a fullen found and feeble cry
Half funk, and half pronounc'd, the word of
victory.

For this, with foul devout, he thank'd the God;
And, of fuccefs fecure, return'd to his abode.

Thefe vows thus granted rais'd a strife above
Betwixt the God of War and Queen of Love.
She granting first had right of time to plead;
But he had granted too, nor would recede.
Jove was for Venus; but he fear'd his wife,
And feem'd unwilling to decide the ftrife;
Till Saturn from his leaden throne arose,
And found a way the diff 'rence to compofe:
Though fparing of his grace, to mischief bent,
He feldom does a good with good intent.
Wayward, but wile; by long experience taught,
To please both parties, for ill ends, he fought:
For this advantage age from youth has won,
As not to be outridden, though outrun.
By fortune he was now to Venus trin'd,
And with ftern Mars in Capricorn was join'd:
Of him difpofing in his own abode,

He footh'd the Goddess, while he gull'd the God:
Ceafe, daughter, to complain, and stint the ftrife;
Thy Palamon fhall have his promis'd wife:
And Mars, the lord of conqueft, in the fight
With palm and laurel fhall adorn his knight.
Wide is my courfe, nor turn I to my place,
Till length of time, and move with tardy pace.
Man feels me, when I prefs th' ethereal plains;
My hand is heavy, and the wound remains.
Mine is the fhipwreck, in a wat'ry fign;
And, in an earthy, the dark dungeon mine.
Cold fhivering agues, melancholy care,
And bitter blafting winds, and poifon'd air,
Are mine, and wilful death, refulting from
defpair.

The throtling quinfey 'tis my ftar appoints,
And rheumatifms afcend to rack the joints:
When churls rebel against their native prince,
I arm their hands and furnish the pretence;
And, houfing in the lion's hateful fign,
Bought fenates and deferting troops are mine.
Mine is the privy pois'ning; I command
Unkindly feafons, and ungrateful land.
By me king's palaces are push'd to ground,
And miners crush'd beneath their mines are found.
'Twas I flew Sampfon, when the pillar'd hall
Fell down, and crush'd the many with the fall.
My looking is the fire of peftilence,
That fweeps at once the people and the prince.
Now weep no more, but trust thy grandfire's art,
Mars fhall be pleas'd, and thou perform thy part.
'Tis ill, though diff'rent your complexions are,
The family of Heaven for men should war.
Th' expedient pleas'd, where neither loft his
right;

Mars had the day, and Venus had the night.
The management they left to Chronos' care;
Now turn we to th' effect, and fing the war.

In Athens all was pleafure, mirth, and play,
All proper to the fpring, and fprightly May:
Which ev'ry foul infpir'd with fuch delight,
'Twas jefting all the day, and love at night.
Heaven fmil'd, and gladded was the heart of man;
And Venus had the world as when it first began.
At length in fleep their bodies they compofe,
And dreamt the future fight, and early rofe.

Now fearce the dawning day began to fpring, As at a fignal given the streets with clamour, ring. U

} |

At once the crowd arofe; confus'd and high
Even from the Heaven was heard a fhouting cry;
For Mars was early up, and rous'd the fky.
The Gods came downward to behold the wars,
Sharp'ning their fights,and leaning from their stars.
The neighing of the gen'rous horse was heard,
For battle by the bufy groom prepar'd,
Ruftling of harnefs, rattling of the fhield,
Clattering of armour furbish'd for the field.
Crowds to the caftle mounted up the street,
Batt'ring the pavement with their courfers feet:
The greedy fight might there devour the gold
Of glittering arms, too dazzling to behold:
And polish'd steel that caft the view afide,
And crefted morions, with their plumy pride.
Knights, with a long retinue of their 'fquires,
In gaudy liveries march, and quaint attires.
One lac'd the helm, another held the lance:
A third the fhining-buckler did advance.
The courfer paw'd the ground with reftiefs feet,
And frorting foam'd, and champ'd the golden bit.
The finiths and armourers on palfreys ride,
Files in their hands, and hammers attheir fide,
And nails for loofen'd fpears, and thongs for
thields provide.

The yeomen guard the streets in feemly bands; And clowns come crowding on, with cudgels in their hands.

The trumpets, next the gate, in order plac'd, Attend the figa to found the martial blaft; The palace-yard is fill'd with floating tides, And the last comers bear the former to the fides. The throng is in the midk: the common crew Shut out, the hall admits the better few; In knots they ftand, or in a rank they walk, Serious in afpect, earnest in their talk : Factious, and favouring this er t' other fide, As their ftrong fancy or weak reafon guide: Their wagers back their wishes; numbers hold · With the fair fieckied king, and beard of gold: So vigorous are his eyes, fuch rays they caft, So prominent his eagle's beak is plac'd. But mot their looks on the black monarch bend, His rifing mufcles and his brawn commend; His double-biting axe and beamy fpear, Each afking a gigantic force to rear. All poke as partial favour mov'd the mind; And, fafe themfelves, at others coft divin'd.

Wak'd by the cries, th' Athenian chief arofe, The knightly forms of combat to difpofe; And patling thro' th' obfequious guards, he fat Confpicucus on a throne, fublime in state; There for the two contending knights he fent: Arm'd cap-a-pec, with rev'rence low they bent. He finil'd on both, and with fuperior look Alike their offer'd adoration took. The people prefs on every fide, to fee Their awful prince, and hear his high decree. Then figning to their heralds with his hand, They gave his orders from their lofty ftand. Silence is thrice enjoin'd; then thus aloud The king at arms befpeaks the knights lift'ning crowd.

and

Our fov'reign lord has ponder'd in his mind The means to fpare the blood of gentle kind;

And of his grace, and inborn clemency,
He modifies his firft fevere decree;
The keener edge of battle to rebate,
The troops for honour fighting, not for hate.
He wills not death fhould terminate their ftrife;
And wounds, if wounds enfue, be short of life:
But iffues, ere the fight, his dread command,
That flings afar, and poniards hand to hand,
Be banish'd from the field; that none fhall darę
With fhorten'd fword to ftab in closer war;
But in fair combat fight with manly ftrength,
Nor push with biting point, but strike at length.
The tourney is allow'd but one career
Of the tough afh, with the fharp-grinded spear;
But knights unhors'd may rife from off the plain,
And fight on foot their honour to regain;
Nor, if at mifchief taken, on the ground
Be flain, but prifoners to the pillar bound,
At either barrier plac'd; nor, captives madę,
Be freed, or arm'd anew the fight invade.
The chief of either fide, bereft of life,
Or yielded to his foe, concludes the ftrife.
Thus dooms the lord: now valiant knights and
young

Fight each his fill with fwords and maces long.
The herald ends: the vaulted firmament
With loud acclaims and vast applause is rent:
Heaven guard a prince fo gracious and fo good,
So juft, and yet to provident of blood!
This was the gen'ral cry. The trumpets found,
And warlike fymphony is heard around.
The marching troops thro' Athens take their way,
The great carl-marshal orders their array.
The fair from high the paffing pomp behold;
A rain of flow'rs is from the windows roll'd.
The cafements are with golden tissue spread,
And horfes hoofs, for earth, on filken tapestry
tread :

The king goes midmoft, and the rivals ride
In equal rank, and close his either fide.
Next after thefe there rode the royal wife,
With Emily, the caufe and the reward of strife.
The following cavalcade, by three and three,
Proceed by titles marshall'd in degree.
Thus thro' the fouthern gate they take their way,
And at the lift arriv'd ere prime of day.
There, parting from the king, the chiefs divide,
And, wheeling eaft and weft, before their many

ride.

Th' Athenian monarch mounts his throne on high,
And after him the queen and Emily :

Next thefe the kindred of the crown are grac'd
With nearer feats, and lords by ladies plac'd.
Scarce were they feated, when with clamours loud
In rush'd at once a rude promifcuous crowd:
The guards, and then each other overbear,
And in a moment throng the spacious theatre.
Now chang'd the jarring noife to whispers low,
As winds forfaking feas more foftly blow;
When at the western gate, on which the car
Is plac'd aloft, that bears the God of war,
Proud Arcite ent'ring arin'd before his train,
Stops at the barrier, and divides the plain.
Red was his banner, and display'd abroad
The bloody colours of his patron God.

At

At that felf moment enters Palamon
The gate of Venus, and the rifing-fun;
Way'd by the wanton winds, his banner flies,
All maiden white, and fhares the people's eyes.
From east to west, look all the world around,
Two troops fo match'd were never to be found :
Such bodies built for ftrength, of equal age,
In ftature fiz'd; fo proud an equipage:
The niceft eye could no diftinétion make
Where lay th' advantage, or what fide to take.
Thus rang'd, the herald for the laft proclaims
A filence, while they anfwer'd to their names :
For fo the king decreed, to fhun the care, [war.
The fraud of mufters false, the common bane of
The tale was juft, and then the gates were clos'd,
And chief to chief, and troop to troop oppos'd.
The heralds laft retir'd, and loudly cried,
The fortune of the field be fairly tried.

At this, the challenger with fierce defy
His trumpet founds, the challeng'd makes reply:
With clangour rings the field, refounds the
vaulted sky.

Their vizors clos'd, their lances in the reft,
Or at the helmet pointed, or the craft;
They vanish from the barrier, fpecd the race,
And fpurring fee decrease the middle space.
A cloud of smoke envelops either host,
And all at once the combatants are loft:
Darkling they join adverfe, and fhock unfeen,
Courfers with coursers justling, men with men :
As lab'ring in eclipfe, awhile they ftay,
Till the next blaft of wind reftores the day.
They look anew: the beauteous form of tight
Is chang'd, and war appears a grizly fight.
Two troops in fair array one moment fhew'd,
The next, a field with fallen bodies ftrew'd:
Not half the number in their feats are found;
But men and steeds lie grov'ling on the ground.
The points of fpears are ftuck within the fhield,
The fteeds without their riders fcour the field.
The knights unhors'd on foot renew the fight;
The glitt'ring faulchions caft a gleaming light :
Hauberks and helms are hew'd with many a wound:
Out fpins the streaming blood,and dyes the ground.
The mighty maces with fuch hafte defcend,
They break the bones, and make the folid ar-

mour bend.

This thrufts amid the throng with furious force;
Down goes, at once, the horfeman and the horse:
That courfer stumbles on the fallen fteed,
And flound'ring throws the rider o'er his head.
One rolls along, a foot-ball to his foes;
One with a broken truncheon deals his blows.
This halting, this disabled with his wound,
In triumph led, is to the pillar bound;
Where by the king's award he must abide :
There goes a captive led on t' other fide.
By fits they ceafe; and, leaning on the lance,
Take breath awhile, and to new fight advance.
Full oft the rivals met, and neither spar'd
His utmost force, and each forgot to ward.
The head of this was to the faddle bent,
The other backward to the crupper fent :
Both were by turns unhors'd; the jealous blows
Fall thick and heavy, when on foot they clofe.

So deep their faulchions bite, that ev'ry ftroke Pierc'd to the quick; and equal wounds they gave and took.

Borne får afunder by the tides of men,
Like adamant and feel they meet again.

So when a tiger fucks the bullock's blood,
A famifh'd lion iffuing from the wood
Roars lordly fierce, and challenges the food.
Each claims poffeffion, neither will obey,
But both their paws are faften'd on the prey;
They bite, they tear; and while in vain they strive,
The fwains come arm'd between, and both to dif
tance drive.

At length, as fate foredoom'd, and all things tend
By couple of time to their appointed end,
So when the fun to weft was far declin'd,
And both afresh in mortal battle join'd,
The ftrong Emetrius came in Arçite's aid,
And Palamon with odds was overlaid:
For, turning fhort, he ftruck with all his might
Full on the helmet of th' unwary knight.
Deep was the wound; he stagger'd with the blow,
And turn'd him to his unexpected foe;
Whom with fuch force he ftruck, he fell'd him
down,

And cleft the circle of his golden crown.
But Arcite's men, who now prevail'd in fight,
Twice ten at once furround the fingle knight :
O'erpow'r'd at length,they force him to the ground
Unyielded as he was, and to the pillar bound;
And king Lycurgus, while he fought in vain
His friend to free, was tumbled on the plain.

Who now laments but Palamon, compell'd
No more to try the fortune of the field!
And, worse than death, to view with hateful eyes
His rival's conqueft, and renounce the prize!

The royal judge on his tribunal plac'd, Who had beheld the fight from firft to last, Bade ceafe the war; pronouncing from on high, Arcite of Thebes had won the beauteous Emily. The found of trumpets to the voice replied, And round the royal lifts the heralds cried, Arcite of Thebes has won the beauteous bride.

The people rend the skies with vast applause; ! All own the chief, when fortune owns the cause. Arcite is own'd ev'n by the gods above, And conq'ring Mars infults the Queen of Love. So laugh'd he, when the rightful Titan fail'd, And Jove's ufurping arms in heaven prevail'd. Laugh'd all the pow'rs who favour tyranny; And all the ftanding army of the sky. But Venus with dejected eyes appears, And weeping on the lifts diftill'd her tears; Her will refus'd, which grieves a woman moft, And, in her champion foil'd, the caufe of Love is Till Saturn faid, Fair daughter, now be still, [loft. The bluft'ring fool has fatisfied his will; His boon is given; his knight has gain'd the day But loft the prize; th' arrears are yet to pay. Thy hour is come, and mine the care fhall be To pleafe thy knight, and fet thy promife free. Now while the heralds run the lifts around, And Arcite, Arcite, heaven and earth refound; A miracle (nor lefs it could be call'd) Their joy with unexpected forrow pall'd.

The

The victor knight had laid his helm afide,
Part for his cafe, the greater part for pride:
Bare-headed, popularly low he bow'd,
And paid the falutations of the crowd.
Then fpurring at full fpeed, ran headlong on
Where Thefeus fat on his imperial throne;
Furious he drove, and upward caft his eye,
Where, next the queen, was plac'd his Emily;
Then paffing to the faddle-bow he bent:
A fweet regard the gracious virgin lent.
(For woman, to the brave an caly prey,
Still follow fortune where the leads the way.)
Just then from earth sprung out a flathing fire,
By Pluto fent, at Saturn's bad defire:
The ftartling fteed was feiz'd with fudden fright,
And, bounding, o'er the pommel caft the knight:
Forward he flew, and, pitching on his head,
He quiver'd with his feet, and lay for dead.
Black was his count'nance in a little space;
For all the blood was gather'd in his face.
Help was at hand: they rear'd him from the ground,
And from his cumbrous arms his limbs unbound;
Then lanc'd a vein, and watch'd returning breath;
It came, but clogg'd with symptoms of his death.
The faddle-bow the noble parts had preft,
All bruis'd and mortified his manly breast.
Him ftill entranc'd, and in a litter laid,
They bore from field, and to his bed convey'd.
At length he wak'd, and, with a feeble cry,
The word he first pronounc'd was Emily.
Meantime the king, though inwardly he
mourn'd,

In pomp triumphant to the town return'd,
Attended by the chiefs who fought the field
(Now friendly mix'd, and in one troop compell'd),
Compos'd his looks to counterfeited cheer,
And bade them not for Arcite's life to fear.
But that which gladded all the warrior-train,
Though moft were forely wounded, none were
flain.

The furgcons foon defpoil'd them of their arms, And fome with falves they cure, and fome with charms;

Foment the bruifes, and the pains affuage,
And heal their inwardhurtswith fov'reigndraughts
The king in perfon vifits all around; [of fage.
Comforts the fick, congratulates the found;
Honours the princely chiefs, rewards the reft,
And holds for thrice three days a royal feast.
None was difgrac'd; for failing is no fhame,
And cowardice alone is lofs of fame.

The vent'rous knight is from the faddle thrown;
But, 'tis the fault of fortune, not his own.
If crowns and palms the conquering fide adorn,
The victor under better stars was born:
The brave man feeks not popular applause,
Nor overpow'r'd with arms deferts his caufe;
Untham'd, tho' foil'd, he does the best he can;
Force is of brutes, but honour is of man.
Thus Thefeus fmil'd on all with equal grace,
And each was fet according to his place.
With cafe were reconcil'd the diff'ring parts,
For envy never dwells in noble hearts.
At length they took their leave, the time expir'd;
Well pleas'd, and to their fevral homes retir'd.

Meanwhile the health of Arcite ftill impairs ; From bad proceeds to worse, and mocks the leeches

cares ;

Swoln is his breaft; his inward pains increase;
All means are us'd, and all without fuccefs.
The clotted blood lies heavy on his heart,
Corrupts, and there remains in fpite of art:
Nor breathing veins, nor cupping, will prevail;
All outward remedies and inward fail:
The mold of nature's fabric is deftroy'd;
Her veffels difcompos'd, her virtue void :
The bellows of his lungs begin to fwell:
All out of frame is ev'ry fecret cell,
Nor can the good receive, nor bad expel.
Thofe breathing organs thus within opprefs'd,
With venom foon diftend the finews of his breast.
Nought profits him to fave abandon'd life,
Nor vomits upward aid, nor downward laxative.
The midmoft region batter'd and destroy'd,
When nature cannot work, th' effect of art is void.
For phyfic can but mend our crazy state,
Patch an old building, not a new create.
Arcite is doom'd to die in all his pride,
Muft leave his youth, and yield his beauteous
bride,

Gain'd hardly, against right, and unenjoy'd.
When 'twas declar'd all hope of life was paft,
Confcience (that all of phyfic works the laft)
Caus'd him to fend for Emily in hafte.
With her, at his defire, came Palamon;
Then on his pillow rais'd, he thus begun :
No language can exprefs the fmallest part
Of what I feel, and fuffer in my heart,
For you, whom beft I love and value moft;
But to your fervice I bequeath my ghoft;
Which from this mortal body when untied,
Unfeen, unheard, thall hover at your fide;
Nor fright you waking, nor your sleep offend,
But wait officious, and your fteps attend.
How I have lov'd, excufe my falt ring tongue,
My fpirits feeble, and my pains are strong:
This I may fay, I only grieve to die,
Because I fofe my charming Emily:
To die, when Heaven had put you in my pow'r,
Fate could not choose a more malicious hour!
What greater curfe could envious fortune give,
Than juft to die when I began to live!
Vain men, how vanithing a blifs we crave,
Now warm in love, now with'ring in the grave!
Never, O never more to fee the fun!
Still dark, in a damp vault, and still alone!
This fate is common; but I lose my breath,
Near blits, and yet not blefs'd before my death.
Farewel; but take me dying in your arms,
'Tis all I can enjoy of all your charms:
This hand I cannot but in death refign;
Ah! could I live but while I live 'tis mine.
I feel my end approach, and thus embrac'd,
Am pleas'd to die; but hear me fpeak my last ›
Ah my fweet foe, for you, and you alone,
I broke my faith with injur'd Palamon,
But love the fenfe of right and wrong confounds,
Strong love and proud ambition have no bounds.
And much I doubt, should Heaven my life prolong,
I should return to justify my wrong.