AGAMEMNON.

I am a King.

STERTINIUS.

My Questions I restrain,

A mean Plebeian born.

AGAMEMNON.

What I ordain

Is juft. Whoe'er thinks otherwise is free
To utter what he thinks, uncheck'd by me.

STERTINIUS.

28 Greatest of Kings! may your victorious Sails From conquer'd Troy return with profperousGales! May I then ask and make Replies?

29 Why does great Ajax rot, to Worms a Prey? That Chief with whom, in Strength and Valour,

none

Of all your Hoft could vie, but Peleus' Son!

The Guardian of the Greeks, the Dread of Troy!
30 That Priam and his People may with Joy
See him unbury'd lie, who, ere he died,
So many Trojan Youths a Tomb deny'd?

AGAMEMNON.

31 A thousand Sheep he flew, with Frenzy wild, And them, Ulyffes and th' Atride styl'd,

STERTINIUS.

And when at Aulis, Agamemnon, you
Your blooming Daughter to the Altar drew,
To bleed, Barbarian! in a Heifer's Stead,
And scatter'd Meal, well falted, on her Head,
Had you your Senfes ?

AGAMEMNON.

Why not?

STERTINIUS.

Then explain,

Why, in your Judgment, Ajax feems infane? Though with his Sword a Flock of Sheep he kill'd, 32 His Wife's or Infant's Blood he never spill'd; And though he made your Curfes wide refound, He did not Teucer nor Ulyffes wound.

AGAMEMNON.

To loose our lingering Fleet from Aulis' Bay, Heaven's Wrath, with Blood, 'twas prudent to

allay.

STERTINIUS.

What, Madman! with your own?

AGAMEMNON.

And yet not mad.

Yes, with my own,

STERTINIUS.

33 Whene'er on Reafon's Throne

Blind Paffion fits, confounding Right and Wrong, We rank that Man amidst the frantic Throng:

Infane or paffionate, except in Name,

Are both alike; th' Effect is juft the fame.

When Sheep he flew, was Ajax thought infane, And can your Senfes, when for 34 Titles vain Such Crimes you dare commit, be deem'd entire? Is that Heart pure, which feeds Ambition's Fire? 35 Should any Man a darling Lamb, where'er He travels, with him in his Litter bear, Endow her like a Daughter, with the Pride Of Dress adorn her, various Slaves provide, Call her his Child, his Dear, and with her Charms Prepare to blefs a worthy Husband's Arms, 36 His Fortune to his Friends, more fane of Mind, Would by the Prætor's Edict be affign'd.

And is the Wretch who flays, by harsh Decree, His Daughter for a Lamb, from Madness free? You dare not this aver. Such Folly, join'd With Vice, argues Infanity of Mind.

37 The wicked all are mad. His Head, who burns
For Glory's Charms, blood-stain'd Bellona turns,
While Nomentanus I indict, attend!
For all are mad who fo profufely spend.
His Father died: He in his Coffers found
A thousand Talents, and proclaim'd around,
That Taylors, Cooks, Perfumers, Huntsmen, all
Who in the Tufcan Street kept Shop or Stall,
Fishmongers, Poulterers, Panders, at the Gate
Of his high Palace should next Morning wait.

They

They all obey'd. The Pander first address'd
Th' expecting Heir: Whatever is poffefs'd
By me, or any here, fhall be your own,

To-day, to-morrow; let your Will be known!' Mark how the Youth, benevolent, reply'd! "You through Lucanian Snows, O Huntsman, ride 'Booted all Night, a Boar for me to gain; "In wintry Storms, you, Sailor, drag the Main, To catch me Fish: While me no Cares annoy, Such boundless Wealth unworthy to enjoy. Then take, my Friends, and ease me of my Load; (This faid, on each a Million* he bestow'd)

And thrice that Sum be his, who, when I fend, Will, though at Midnight, bid his Bride attend!' 38 Efopus' Son in Vinegar a Pearl

Diffolv'd, which from her Ear a favourite Girl
Moft bounteously had giv'n, and, drinking, cry'd,
See! down my Throat a thousand Pieces glide!'
He could not have been reckon'd more infane,
If he at once had thrown it in the Main.

Arrius' two Sons, in Folly as in Birth
Exactly pair'd, the verieft Twins on Earth,
Eat coftly Nightingales: Shall Praise or Blame
Be theirs? Shall Chalk or Charcoal mark their

Name ? [grey, Say, fhould a reverend Sire, whose Locks are Delight to build fmall Cottages of Clay ;

Viz. of Sefterces.

Should

Should he with harness'd Mice a Waggon draw,
Bestride a Cane, or play with Boys at Taw,
We ftrait should fay he doats. But should we prove
All this lefs childish than the Freaks of Love,
And that to whimper for a Jilt, or Toy,
Alike is Madness in the Man and Boy;
Would you, I fay, then quit that foppish Drefs,
By which at your Diftemper all may guess,
Your Cloak fo little, your Cravat so fine,
And Ruff, like 39 Polemon, who, when in Wine,
Ent'ring by Chance the philofophic Schools,
He heard the Sage declaim on Virtue's Rules,
Became a Convert to his temperate Lore,
And from his Head, abafl'd, the Garland tore?
A proffer'd Apple, fee! the peevish Child
Rejects; but if deny'd him, he is wild.
Such is th' excluded Lover, on the Stage;
Now in a Fit of Fondnefs, now of Rage,
40 Debating whether he shall ftrait return,
Or his inconftant Fair for ever spurn:
Determin'd, though no Summons he receive,
To go, her hated Door he cannot leave ;
• Shall I not now, when fhe invites me, go?
• Or fhall I end at once this Weight of Woe?
She thrust me out, fhe calls me back again :
Should the intreat, I to return difdain.'
To this the Slave, far wifer, thus replies:
• In vain we reason, and in vain advise,

• Where