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PASSION OF DIDO FOR ENEAS,

HAVING at large declar'd Jove's embaffy,
Cyllenius from neas ftraight doth fly;
He, loath to difobey the gods command,
Nor willing to forfake this pleasant land,
Afham'd the kind Eliza to deceive,
But more afraid to take a folemn leave,
He many ways his lab'ring thoughts revolves,
But fear o'ercoming fhame, at last resolves
(Inftructed by the god of Thieves *) to steal
Himfelf away, and his escape conceal.

He calls his captains, bids them rig the fleet,
That at the port they privately fhould meet,
And fome diffembled colour to project,
That Dido fhould not their defign suspect;
But all in vain he did his plot disguife;
No art a watchful lover can furprise.

She the first motion finds; love though most sure,
Yet always to itself feems unfecure.
That wicked fame which their first love proclaim'd
Foretells the end: the queen with rage inflam'd,
Thus greets him. "Thou diffembler! wouldst thou
Aly

"Out of my arms by stealth perfidiously?
"Could not the hand I plighted, nor the love,
"Nor thee the fate of dying Dido, move?
"And in the depth of winter, in the night,
"Dark as thy black designs, to take thy flight,
"To plough the raging feas to coafts unknown,
The kingdom thou pretend it to not thine own!
"Were Troy reftor'd thou should miftruft a wind
Falfe as thy vows, and as thy heart unkind.

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"By thee, no more my husband, but my gueft, Betray'd to mifchiefs, of which death's the leaf." With fixed looks he stands, and in his breaft, By Jove's command, his ftruggling care fuppref "Great Queen! your favours and deferts fo great, "Though numberlefs, I never shall forget; "No time, until myself I have forgot, "Out of my heart Eliza's name fhall blot: "But my unwilling flight the gods enforce, "And that muft justify our fad divorce. "Since I must you forfake, would Fate permit "To my defires I might my fortune fit,

Troy to her ancient splendour I would raife, "And where I first began would end my days. "But fince the Lycian Lots and Delphic god "Have deftin'd Italy for our abode; "Since you proud Carthage (fied from Tyre) erjoy, "Why should not Latium us receive from Troy! "As for my fon, my father's angry ghoft, "Tells me his hopes by my delays are croft, "And mighty Jove's ambafiador appear'd "With the fame meffage, whom faw and heare; "We both are griev'd when you or I complain, "But much the more when all complaints are vain! "I call to witnefs all the gods, and thy "Beloved head, the coaft of Italy

Against my will I feek."

While thus he speaks, the rolls her sparkling eyes Surveys him round, and thus incens'd replies: "Thy mother was no goddess, nor thy stock "From Dardanus, but in fome horrid rock,

Fly'st thou from me! By thefe dear drops of " Perfidious wretch! rough Caucasus thee bred,

brine

"I thee adjure, by that right hand of thine,
"By our efpoufals, by our marriage-bed,
"If all my kindefs aught have merited;
"If ever I ftood fair in thy eftecm,
"From ruin me and my loft house redeem.

Cannot my pray'rs a free acceptance find?
"Nor my tears foften an obdurate mind?
"My fame of chastity, by which the skies
"I reach'd before, by thee extinguish'd dies.
"Into my borders now farbas falls,

"And my revengeful brother scales my walls; "The wild Numidians will advantage take; "For thee both Tyre and Carthage me forjake. Hadft thou before thy flight but left with me A young Æneas, who, refembling thee, Might in my fight have fported, I had then Not wholly lof, nor quite deferted bean;

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"And with their milk Hyrcanian tigers fed. "Diffimulation I shall now forget, "And my referves of rage in order fet, "Could all my pray'rs and foft entreaties force Sighs from his breast, or from his look remors. "Where fhall I first complain? can mighty Jove "Or Juno fuch impieties approve? "The juft Aftræa fure is fled to hell, "Nor more in earth nor heav'n itself will dwel “Oh, Faith! him on my coafts by temposts caft, "Receiving madly, on my throne I plac'd: "His men from famine and his fleet from fire "I refcu'd: now the Lycian Lots confpire "With Phabus; now Jove's envoy through the a Brings difmal tidings, as if fuch low care "Could reach their thoughts, or their repofe Liftur!! "Thou art a falfe impoftor and a fourir.

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"Go, go, pursue thy kingdom through the main, "I hope, if Heav'n her justice still retain, "Thou shalt be wreck'd, or caff upon fome rock, "Where thou the name of Dido fhalt invoke : "I'll follow thee in fun'ral flames: when dead "My ghost shall thee attend at board and bed: "And when the gods on thee their vengeance fhew, "That welcome news fhall comfort me below."

This faying, from his hated fight she fled, Conducted by her damfels to her bed: Yet reftlefs fhe arole, and looking out, Beholds the fleet, and hears the feamen fhout When great Æneas pafs'd before the guard, To make a view how all things were prepar'd. Ah cruel Love! to what doft thou enforce Poor mortal breasts! again the hath recourse To tears and pray'rs, again the feels the smart Of a fresh wound from his tyrannic dart. That she no ways nor means may leave untry'd, Thus to her fifter the herfelf apply'd: "Dear fifter! my refentment had not been "So moving, if this fate I had foreseen; "Therefore to me this last kind office do; "Thou haft fome int'reft in our feornful foe; "He trufts to thee the counfels of his mind, "Thou his foft hours and free access canft find: Tell him I fent not to the Ilian coaft "My fleet to aid the Greeks; his father's ghoft "I never did disturb; afk him to lend "To this the laft rcqueft that I fhall fend, "A gentle ear; I wish that he may find "A happy paffage and a profp'rous wind: "That contract I not plead which he betray'd, "Nor that his promis'd conqueft be delay'd; "All that I afk is but a fhort reprieve, "Till I forget to love, and learn to grieve: "Some panfe and respite only I require, "Till with my tears I fhall have quench'd my fire. "If thy addrefs can but obtain one day "Or two, my death that service shall repay." Thus the entreats; fuch meffages with tears Condoling Anne to him, and from him, bears: But him no pray'rs, no arguments, can move; The Fates refift; his ears are ftopp'd by Jove. As when fierce northern blastsfrom th' Alpsdefcend, From his firm roots with struggling gufts to rend An aged sturdy oak, the rattling found [ground Grows loud, with leaves and fcatter'd arms the Is overlaid, yet he flands fix'd; as high As his proud head is rais'd towards the sky, So low t'wards hell his roots defcend. With pray'rs And tears the hero thus affail'd, great cares He fmothers in his breaft, yet keeps his poft, All their addreffes and their labour loft. Then the deceives her fifter with a smile : "Anne, in the inner court erect a pile; "Thereon his arms and once-lov'd portrait lay: Thither our fatal-marriage bed convey; "All curfed monuments of him with fire "We must abolish, (fo the gods require.") She gives her credit for no worfe effect Than from Sichæus' death fhe did fufpect, And her commands obeys.

Aurora now had left Tithonus' bed,

And o'er the world her blushing rays did spread.

The queen beheld, as foon as day appear'd, The navy under fail, the haven clear'd: Thrice with her hand her naked breast she knocks, And from her forehead tears her golden locks. "O Jove!" fhe cry'd," and shall he thus delude “Me and my realm? why is he not pursu’d? "Arm, arm,” ine cry'd," and let our Tyrians board "With ours his fleet, and carry fire and fword; "Leave nothing unattempted to destroy "That perjur'd race, then let us die with joy. "What if th' event of war uncertain were ? "Nor death nor danger can the defp'rate fear. "But, oh, too late! this thing I fhould have done "When first I plac'd the traitor on my throne. "Behold the faith of him who fav'd from fire "His honour'd houfcbold gods! his aged fire "His pious fhoulders from Troy's flames did bear. Why did I not his carcafe piece-meal tear, "And caft it in the fea? why not destroy "All his companions, and beloved boy "Afcanius? and his tender limbs have dreft, "And made the father on the fon to feaft?' "Thou Sun! whose luftre all things here below "Surveys, and Juno! confcious of my woe, "Revengeful Furies! and Queen Hecate! "Receive and grant my pray'r! if he the fea "Muft needs efcape, and reach th' Aufonian land, "If Jove decree it, Jove's decree must stand. "When landed, may he be with arms oppreft "By his rebelling people, be diftreft

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Kingdom nor life, and find his funeral

"I' th' fands, when he before his day fhall fall "And ye, oh Tyrians! with immortal hate "Pursue this race; this fervice dedicate "To my deplored afbes: let there be "Twixt us and them no league nor amity.

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May from my bones a new Achilles rise "That fhall infeft the Trojan colonies "With fire, and fword, and famine, when at length "Time to our great attempts contributes strength; "Our feas, our fhores, our armies, theirs oppofe, "And may our children be for ever foes." A ghaftly paleness death's approach portends, Then trembling the the fatal pile afcends. Viewing the Trojan relics, the unfheath'd Eneas' fword, not for that ufe bequeath'; Then on the guilty bed fhe gently lays Herfelf, and foftly thus lamenting prays; "Dear relics! whilft that Gods and Fates give leave, "Free me from care, and my glad foul receive. "That date which Fortune gave I now must end, "And to the shades a noble ghost descend. "Sichæus' blood, by his faife brother spilt, "I have reveng'd, and a proud city built. "Happy, alas! too happy, I had liv'd, "Had not the Trojan on my coaft arriv'd. "But fhall I die without revenge? yet die Thus, thus with joy to thy Sichæus fly.

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"My confcious foe my fun'ral fire fhall view "From fea, and may that omen him purfue!" Her fainting hand let fall the fword befmear'd With blood, and then the mortal wound appear'd. Through all the court the fright and clamours rife, Which the whole city fills with fears and cries As loud as if her Carthage or old lyrc The foe had enter'd, and had fet on fire. Amazed Anne with speed afcends the stairs, And in her arms her dying fifter rears: "Did you for this yourself and me beguile? "For fuch an end did I erect this pile? "Did you fo much despise me, in this fate Myfelf with you not to affociate?

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"Yourself and me, alas! this fatal wound "The fenate and the people doth confound.

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"I'll wash her wound with tears, and at her deat
My lips from her's fhall draw her parting breath.”
Then with her veft the wound the wipes and dries;
Then with her arm the Queen attempts to tile,
But her strength failing, fails into a fwoon,
Life's laft efforts yet ftriving with her wound:
Thrice on her bed the turns, with wand'ring light
Seeking, the groans when the beholds the light.
Then Juno, pitying her difaftrous fate,
Sends Iris down her pangs to mitigate.
(Since if we fall before th' appointed day
Nature and death continue long their fray.)
Iris defcends; "This fatal lock (says she)
"To Pluto i bequeath, and set thee free;"
Then clips her hair: cold numbness straight bereaves
Her corpfe of fenfe, and th' air her foul receives.

SARPEDON's SPEECH TO GLAUCUS.

IN THE TWELFTH BOOK OF HOMER.

THUS to Glancus fpake

Divine Sarpedon, fince he did not find
Others as great in place as great in mind.
Above the reft why is our pomp, our pow'r,
Our flocks, our herds, and our poffeffions more?
Why all the tributes land and fea affords,
Heap'd in great chargers,load our sumptuous boards?
Our cheerful guefts carouse the sparkling tears
Of the rich grape, whilft mufic charms their cars.
Why, as we pafs, do thofe on Xanthus' fhore
As gods behold us, and as gods adore?
But that, as well in danger as degree,

We stand the first; that when our Licians fee
Our brave examples, they admiring say,
Behold our gallant leaders! thele are they

Deferve the greatness, and unenvy'd stand,
Since what they act tranfcends what they command.
Could the declining of this fate (oh, friend!)
Our date to immortality extend?

Or if death fought not them who feek not death
Would I advance? or fhould my vainer breath
With such a glorious folly thee infpire?
But fince with Fortune Nature doth confpire,
Since age, disease, or fome lefs noble end,
Though not lefs certain, doth our days attend;
Since 'tis decreed, and to this period lead
A thousand ways, the nobleft path we'll tread,
And bravely on till they, or we, or all,
A common facrifice to honour fall.

EPIGRAM FROM MARTIAL.

PR'YTHEE die and fet me free,

Or elfe be

Kind, and brisk, and gay, like me :

I pretend not to the wife ones,
To the grave, to the grave,
Or the precife ones.

"Tis not checks, nor lips, nor eyes,
That 1 prize,

Quick conceits, or sharp replies ;
If wise thou wilt appear and knowing.
Repartee, repartee

To what I'm doing,

Pr'ythee why the room fo dark?
Not a spark

Left to light me to the mark:

I love daylight and a candle,
And to fee, and to fee

As well as handle.

Why fo many bolts and locks,

Coats and fmocks,

And those drawers, with a pox?

I could wish, could Nature make it,
Nakedness, nakedness

Itfelf were naked.

But if a miftrefs I must have
Wife and grave,

Let her fo herself behave;
All the day long Sufan civil,
Pap by night, pap by night,
Or fuch a devil.

CATO MAJO R.

TO THE READER.

Though I dare not compare my copy with the original, yet you will find it mentioned here how much fruits are improved by grafling; and here, by graffing verfe upon profe, fome of these feverer arguments may receive a mild and more pleasant tafte.

I CAN neither call this piece Tully's nor my own, being much altered from the original, not only by the change of the ftyle, but by addition and fubtraction. I believe you will be better pleafed to receive it, as I did, at the firft fight; for to me Cicero did not fo much appear to write as Cato to fpeak; and, to do right to my author, I believe no Cato fays (in another place) of himself, that he character of any perfon was ever better drawn to learned to speak Greek between the feventieth and the life than this. Therefore neither confider Ci-eightieth year of his age; beginning that fo late, cero nor me, but Cato himfelf, who being then raised from the dead to speak the language of that age and place, neither the diftance of place or time makes it lefs poffibie to raife him now to fpeak ours.

he may not yet be too old to learn English, being now but between his feventeenth and eighteenth hundred year. For thefe reafons I fhall leave to this piece no other name than what the author gave it, of Cato Major.

PREFACE.

THAT learned critic, the younger Scaliger, comparing the two great orators, fays, that nothing can be taken from Demofthenes, nor added to Tully; and if there be any fault in the last, it is the refumption or dwelling too long upon his arguments: for which reafon, having intended to tranflate this piece into profe, (where tranflation ought to be ftrict) finding the matter very proper for verfe, I took the liberty to leave out what was only neceffary to that age and place, and to take or add what was proper to this prefent age and occafion, by laying his fenfe closer, and in fewer words, according to the ftyle and ear of thefe times. The three first parts I dedicate to my old friends, to bake off thofe melancholy reflections which the

fenfe of age, infirmity, and death, may give them. The last part I think neceffary for the conviction of thofe many who believe not, or at least mind not, the immortality of the foul, of which the icripture fpeaks only pofitively as a lawgiver, with an ipfe dixit; but it may be, they neither believe that, (from which they either make doubts or fport) nor thofe whose business it is to interpret it, fuppofing they do it only for their own ends: but if a Heathen philofopher bring fuch arguments from reason, Nature, and fecond caufes, which none of our Atheiftical fophifters can confute, if they may ftand convinced that there is an immortality of the foul, I hope they will fo weigh the confequences as neither to talk nor live as if there was no fuch thing.

CATO MAJOR OF OLD AGE.

CATO, SCIPIO, LÆLIUS:

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Tnoves all the actions of your life are crown'd
With wildom, nothing makes them more renow'n'd
Than that those years, which others think extreme,
Nor to yourself nor us uneafy feem,
Under which weight moft like the old giants groan,
When Etna on their backs by Jove was thrown.
CATO. What you urge, Scipio, from right reafon
All parts of Age feem burthenfome to thofe [flows;
Who virtue's and true wisdom's happiness
Cannot difcern; but they who thofe poffefs,
In what's impos'd by Nature find no grief,
Of which our age is (next our death) the chief,
Which though all equally defire t' obtain,
Yet when they have obtain'd it, they complain :
Such our conftancies and follies are,
We fay it fteals upon us unaware.
Our want of reas'ning thefe falfe measures makes;
Youth runs to Age, as childhood youth o'ertakes.
How much more grievous would our lives appear
To reach th' eighth hundred than the eightieth
Of what in that long space of time hath past [year ?
To foolish Age will to remembrance laft.
My Age's conduct when you seem t' admire,
(Which that it may deferve 1 much defire)
'Tis my first rule on Nature, as my guide
Appointed by the gods, I have rely'd;
And Nature, which all acts of life designs,
Not, like ill poets, in the last declines:
But fome one part must be the last of all,
Which, like ripe fruits, muft either rot or fall;
And this from Nature must be gently borne,
Elfe her (as giants did the gods) we fcorn.

LEL. But, Sir, 'tis Scipio's and my defire,
Since to long life we gladly would afpire,
That from your grave inftructions we might hear
How we, like you, may this great burthen bear.
CAT. This I refolv'd before, but now shall do
With great delight, fince 'tis requir'd by you.

LEL. If to yourself it will not tedious prove,

Nothing in us a greater joy can move,
Your long our fhort experience may conduct.
That as old travellers the young inftruct,

CAT. 'Tis true, (as the old proverb doth relate)
Two confuls, (who in years my equals were)
Equals with equals often congregate.
When fenators, lamenting I did hear
That Age from them had all their pleasures torn,
And them their former fuppliants now scorn.
They what is not to be accus'd accufe;
Not others but themselves their Age abuse;
Elfe this might me concern, and all my friends,
Whofe cheerful Age with honour youth attends
Joy'd that from pleafure's flav'ry they are free,
And all refpects due to their age they fee
In its true colours; this complaint appears
The ill effect of manners, not of years;
For on their life no grievous burthen lies
Who are well-natur'd, temperate, and wife;
But an inhuman and ill-temper'd mind
Not an cafy part in life can find.

bears,

LEL. This I believe; yet others may dispute Their Age (as yours) can never bear fuch fruit Of honour, wealth, and pow'r, to make them Not ev'ry one fuch happiness can meet. [fweet; CAT. Some weight your argument, my Lalias, But not fo much as at firft fight appears. This anfwer by Themiftocles was made, (When a Seriphian thus did him upbraid, "You thofe great honours to your country owe, "Not to your felf)"—" Had I at Seripho† "Been born, fuch honour I had never seen, "Nor you, if an Athenian you had been." So Age, cloath'd in indecent poverty, To the most prudent cannot cafy be; But to a fool the greater his cftate The more uneafy is his Age's weight.

* Caius Salinator, Spurius Albinus,
An ifle to which condemned men were braithed.

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