OEDIPUS King of Thebes, having by mistake slain his father Laïus, and married his mother Jocafta, put out his own eyes, and refigned the realm to his fons, Eteocles and Polynices. Being neglected by them, he makes his prayer to the fury Tifiphone, to fow debate betwixt the brothers. They agree at last to reign fingly each a year by turns, and the first lot is obtained by Eteocles. Jupiter, in a council of the Gods, declares his refolution of punishing the Thebans, and Argives alfo, by means of a marriage betwixt Polynices and one of the daughters of Adraftus King of Argos. Juno opposes, but to no effect; and Mercury is fent on a meffage to the Shades, to the ghoft of Laïus, who is to appear to Eteocles, and provoke him to break the agreement. Polynices in the mean time departs from Thebes by night, is overtaken by a ftorm, and arrives at Argos; where he meets with Tydeus, who had fled from Calydon, having killed his brother. Adraftus entertains them, having received an oracle from Apollo, that his daughters fhould be married to a Boar and a Lion, which he understands to be meant of these strangers, by whom the hides of thofe beafts were worn, and who arrived at the time when he kept an annual feast in honour of that God. The rife of this folemnity he relates to his guests, the loves of Phoebus and Pfamathe, and the ftory of Chorobus. He enquires, and is made acquainted with their defcent and quality. The facrifice is renewed, and the book concludes with a Hymn to Apollo.
The Tranflator hopes he needs not apologise for his choice of this piece, which was made almost in his Childhood. But, finding the Verfion better than he expected, he gave it fome Correction a few years after
RATERNAL rage, the guilty Thebes alarms, The alternate reign destroy'd by impious arms, Demand our fong; a facred fury fires
My ravish'd breaft, and all the Muse inspires. O Goddess, say, fhall I deduce my rhymes From the dire nation in its early times, Europa's rape, Agenor's ftern decree,
And Cadmus fearching round the spacious fea? How with the serpent's teeth he fow'd the foil, And reap'd an iron harvest of his toil?
RATERNAS acies, alternaque regna profanis Decertata odiis, fontefque evolvere Thebas, Pierius menti calor incidit. Unde jubetis Ire, Deae? gentifne canam primordia dirae ? Sidonios raptus, et inexorabile pactum
Legis Agenoreae ? fcrutantemque aequora Cadmum ? Longo retro feries, trepidum fi Martis operti Agricolam infandis condentem praelia fulcis VOL. I.
Or how from joining stones the city sprung, While to his harp divine Amphion fung? Or fhall I Juno's hate to Thebes refound, Whofe fatal rage th' unhappy Monarch found? The fire against the son his arrows drew, O'er the wide fields the furious mother flew, And while her arms a fecond hope contain, Sprung from the rocks, and plung'd into the main. But waive whate'er to Cadmus may belong, And fix, O Mufe! the barrier of thy song At Oedipus-from his difafters trace The long confufions of his guilty race : Nor yet attempt to stretch thy bolder wing, And mighty Cæfar's conquering eagles fing; How twice he tam'd proud Ifter's rapid flood,
While Dacian mountains ftream'd with barbarous blood; Twice taught the Rhine beneath his laws to roll, And stretch'd his empire to the frozen Pole;
Expediam, penitufque fequar quo carmine muris Jufferit Amphion Tyrios accedere montes : Unde graves irae cognata in moenia Baccho, Quod faevae Junonis opus; cui fumpferit arcum Infelix Athamas, cur non expaverit ingens Ionium, focio cafura Palaemone mater. Atque adeo jam nunc gemitus, et profpera Cadmi Praeteriiffe finam; limes mihi carminis efto Oedipodae confufa domus ; quando Itala nondum Signa, nec Arctoos aufim fperare triumphos, Efque jugo Rhenum, bis adaftum legibus Iftrum,
Or long before, with early valour, ftrove
In youthful arms t' affert the cause of Jove.
And Thou, great Heir of all thy father's fame, Increase of glory to the Latian name!
O blefs thy Rome with an eternal reign,
Nor let defiring worlds entreat in vain.
What though the stars contract their heavenly space, 35 And croud their fhining ranks to yield thee place; Though all the skies, ambitious of thy sway, Conspire to court thee from our world away; Though Phoebus longs to mix his rays with thine, And in thy glories more ferenely shine; Though Jove himself no lefs content would be To part his throne, and share his heaven with thee; Yet ftay, great Cæfar! and vouchsafe to reign
Oer the wide earth, and o'er the watery main;
Et conjurato dejectos vertice Dacos:
Aut defenfa prius vix pubefcentibus annis Bella Jovis. Tuque o Latiae decus addite famae, Quem nova maturi fubeuntem exorfa parentis Aeternum fibi Roma cupit: licet arctior omnes Limes agat ftellas, et te plaga lucida coeli Pleïadum, Boreaeque, et hiulci fulminis expers Sollicitet; licet ignipedum frænator equorum Ipfe tuis alte radiantem crinibus arcum Imprimat, aut magni cedat tibi Jupiter aequa Parte poli; maneas hominum contentus habenis,
Refign to Jove his empire of the skies,
And people heaven with Roman deities.
The time will come, when a diviner flame Shall warm my breaft to fing of Cæfar's fame: Meanwhile permit, that my preluding Muse In Theban wars an humbler theme may chuse: Of furious hate furviving death, the fings, A fatal throne to two contending Kings, And funeral flames, that parting wide in air Exprefs the difcord of the fouls they bear:
Of towns difpeopled, and the wandering ghosts Of Kings unbury'd in the wafted coafts;
When Dirce's fountain blush'd with Grecian blood, And Thetis, near Ifmenos' fwelling flood, With dread beheld the rolling furges sweep, In heaps, his flaughter'd sons into the deep. What Hero, Clio! wilt thou first relate? The rage of Tydeus, or the Prophet's fate?
Undarum terraeque potens, et sidera dones. Tempus erit, cum Pierio tua fortior oestro Facta canam nunc tendo chelyn. fatis arma referre Aonia, et geminis fceptrum exitiale tyrannis, Nec furiis poft fata modum, flammafque rebelles Seditione rogi, tumulifque carentia regum Funera, et egeftas alternis mortibus urbes ; Caerula cum rubuit Lernaeo fanguine Dirce, Et Thetis arentes affuetum ftringere ripas, Horruit ingenti venientem Ifmenon acervo.
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