Which by the fpurning heels difpers'd around
The bed, befprinkles and bedews the ground.
Then Lamyrus with Lamus, and the young
Serranus, who with gaming did prolong
The night oppreft with wine and flumber lay
The beauteous Youth, and dreamt of lucky Play;
More lucky, had it been protracted till the day.
The famifh'd Lion thus with hunger bold,.
O'er-leaps the fences of the nightly fold,
The peaceful Flock devours, and tears, and draws;
Wrapt up in filent fear, they lie and pant beneath
Nor with lefs rage Euryalus imploys
[his paws.
The vengeful Sword, nor fewer foes destroys;
But on th' ignoble Crowd his fury flew;
Which Fadus, Hebefus, and Rhatus flew,
With Abaris: in fleep the reft did fall;
But Rhatus waking, and observing all,
Behind a mighty Jar he flunk for fear;
The harp edg'd Iron found and reach'd him there:
Full as he rose he plung'd it in his fide;
The cruel Sword return'd in crimson dy'd.
The wound a blended stream of wine and blood
Pours out; the purple Soul comes floating in the flood.
Now where Meffapus quarter'd they arrive;
The fires were fainting there, and just alive;
The warlike Horses ty'd in order fed;
Nifus the difcipline obferv'd, and said,
Our eagerness of blood may both betray:
Behold the doubtful glimmering of the day,
Foe to these nightly thefts: No more, my friend,
Here let our glutted Execution end;
A Lane through flaughter'd Bodies we have made :
The bold Euryalus, though loath, obey'd:
Rich Arms and Arras which they fcatter'd find,
And Plate, a precious load they leave behind.
Yet fond of gaudy Spoils, the Boy would ftay
To make the proud Caparifons his prey,
Which deck'd a neighb'ring Steed. ----
Nor did his Eyes lefs longingly behold
The Girdle ftudded o'er with Nails of Gold,
Which Rhamnes wore: This Present long ago.
On Remulus did Cadicus beftow,
And abfent join'd in hofpitable Ties.
He dying to his Heir bequeath'd the prize:
'Till by the conquering Rutuli oppreft
He fell, and they the glorious gift poffeft.
These gaudy spoils Euryalus now bears;
And vainly on his brawny Shoulders wears:
Meffapus Helm he found amongst the dead,
Garnish'd with plumes, and fitted to his head.
They leave the Gamp and take the safest road
Mean time a Squadron of their foes abroad,
Three hundred Horfe with Bucklers arm'd, they spy'd, '
Whom Volfcens by the King's command did guide:
To Turnus these were from the City fent,
And to perform their Meffage fought his Tent.
Approaching near their utmoft lines they draw;
When bending tow'rds the left, their Captain faw
The faithful pair; for through the doubtful shade
His glitt'ring Helm Euryalus betray'd;
On which the Moon with full reflection play'd.
'Tis not for nought (cry'd Volfcens from the crowd)
These Men go there; then rais'd his voice aloud:
Stand, ftand! why thus in Arms? And whither bent?
From whence, to whom, and on what errand fent?
Silent they make away; and hafte their flight
To neighb'ring Woods; and truft themselves to night.
The speedy horsemen spur their Steeds, to get
'Twixt them and home; and every path befet,
And all the windings of the well known Wood;
Black was the Brake, and thick with Oak it stood,
With Fern all horrid, and perplexing Thorn,
Where tracks of Bears had scarce a paffage worn.
The darkness of the fhades, his heavy prey,
And fear, mif-led the younger from his way:
But Nifus hit the turns with happier hafte,
Who now,
unknowing, had the danger paft,
And Alban Lakes from Alba's name fo call'd;
Where King Latinus then his Oxen ftall'd.
'Till turning at the length he stood his ground,
And vainly caft his longing eyes around
For his loft friend!
Ah! wretch, he cry'd, where have I left behind,
Where fhall I hope th' unhappy Youth to find!
Or what way take! Again he ventures back,
And treads the Mazes of his former track,
Thro' the wild wood: at last he hears the Noise
Of trampling Horfes, and the riders voice.
The Sound approach'd, and suddenly he view'd
His Foes inclofing, and his Friend purfu'd,
Forelaid, and taken, while he ftrove in vain
The Covert of the neighb'ring Wood to gain.
What fhould he next attempt, what arms employ
With fruitless force to free the Gaptive Boy!
Or tempt unequal numbers with the Sword;
And die by him whom living he ador❜d?
Refolv'd on death his dreadful Spear he shook,
And cafting to the Moon a mournful look,
Fair Queen, said he, who dost in woods delight,
And Grace of Stars, the Goddess of the Night ;
Be prefent, and direct my Dart aright.
If e'er my pious Father for my fake,
Did on thy Altars grateful offerings make,
Or I increas'd them with fuccessful toils;
And hung thy Sacred Roof with favage Spoils,
Through the brown fhadows guide my flying Spear
To reach this Troop: Then poizing from his ear
The quiv'ring Weapon with full force he threw ;
Through the divided fhades the deadly Javelin flew ;
Oh Sulmo's back it splits: the double dart
Drove deeper onward, and transfixt his heart.
He ftaggers round, his eye-balls rowl in death;
And with fhort Sobbs, he gafps away his breath,
AH ftand amaz'd; a fecond Javelin flies
From his stretch'dasm, and hiffes through the Skies :
The Lance through Tagus Temples forc'd its way; And in his brain-pan warmly buried lay.
Fierce Volfcens foams with rage; and gazing round, Defcry'd no Author of the fatal wound,
Nor where to fix revenge: But thou, he cries,
Shalt pay for both; and at the Pris'ner flies,
With his drawn Sword: Then, ftruck with deep de-
The fatal fight the Lover could not bear;
But from his Covert rufht in open view;
And fent his voice before him as he flew ;
Me, me, employ your Sword on me alone:
The crime confefs'd; the fact was all my own.
He neither could nor durft, the guiltless Youth,
Ye Moon and Stars bear witness to the Truth;
His only fault, if that be to offend,
Was too much loving his unhappy friend.
Too late, alas, he speaks;
The Sword, which unrelenting fury guides,
Driv'n with full force had pierc'd his tender fides;
Down fell the beauteous Youth, the gaping wound
Gush'd out a Crimson stream and ftain'd the ground;
His nodding neck reclines on his white breaft,
Like a fair Flow'i, in furrow'd Fields oppreft,
By the keen Share: or Poppy on the plain,
Whofe heavy head is overcharg'd with rain.
Difdain, despair, and deadly vengeance vow'd,
Drove Nifus headlong on the Hoftile Crowd;
Volfcens he feeks, at him alone he bends;
Born back, and push'd by his furrounding friends,
He ftill prefs'd on; and kept him fill in fight;
Then whirl'd aloft his Sword with all his might';
Th' unerring Weapon flew; and wing'd with death,
Enter'd his gaping Mouth, and ftop'd his breath,
Dying he flew and stagg'ring on the plain,
Sought for the Body of his Lover flain:
Then quietly on his dear Breaft he fell;
Content in death to be reveng'd fo well,
O happy pair! for if my verfe can give
Eternity; your fame shall ever live:
Fix'd as the Capitol's Foundation lies,
And spread where-e'er the Roman Eagle flies..
Theocrit. Idyllium the 18th.
The Epithalamium of HELEN and
MENELAU S.
welve Spartan Virgins, noble, young, and fair, With Violet wreaths adorn'd their flowing hair;
And to the pompous Palace did resort,
Where Menelaus kept his Royal Court.
There hand in hand a comely Quire they led;
To fing a bleffing to his Nuptial Bed,
With curious Needles wrought, and painted
flowers bespread.
Jove's beauteous Daughter now his Bride must be,
And Jove himself was lefs a God than he:
For this their artful hands inftruct the Lute to found,
Their feet affift their hands, and juftly beat the ground.
This was their fong: Why happy Bridegroom, why
E'er yet the Stars are kindled in the Sky,
E'er twilight fhades, or Evening dews are fhed,
Why doft thou fteal fo foon away to Bed!
Has Somnus brush'd thy Eye-lids with his Rod,
Or do thy Legs refufe to bear their Load,
With flowing bowls of a more generous God?
If gentle flumber on thy Temples creep,
(But naughty Man thou doft not mean to fleep)
Betake thee to thy Bed thou drowzy Drone,
Sleep by thy felf, and leave thy Bride alone:
Go, leave her with her Maiden Mates to play
At fports more harmlefs, 'till the break of day:
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