years: Enipeus turbulent, Amphrisos tame; But Inachus, who, in his Cave, alone, And, no where finding, rather fear'd her slain. Her, just returning from her Father's Soo Is unconfin'd, who rules the Seas and Land; And mingling force with Love, enjoy'd the full delight. Mean time the Jealous Juno, from on high, Survey'd the fruitful Fields of Arcady; 821 And wonder'd that the mist shou'd over-run The face of Day-light, and obscure the Sun. No Nat'ral cause she found, from Brooks, or Bogs, Or marshy Lowlands, to produce the Fogs: Suspecting now the worst, Or I, she said, Ev'n Juno did unwilling pleasure take 840 813-15 The editors go astray here. It is clear from Ovid that the edition of 1693 is right except Jove had beheld, with a desiring look ; for a printer's comma after Pastures and a semiAnd, Oh fair Daughter of the Flood, he colon for a comma after Chace. The editors sed, Worthy alone of Jove's Imperial Bed, 771 pleasing] The editors give pleasant have been misled into a series of false stops and wrong connexions which destroy the sense of the passage. 815 Lyrnæan] The editors correct to Lyrcæan 828 Or] or 1693. Of what fair Herd, and from what Pedigree? | Affrighted with the Noise, she look'd around, The God, half caught, was forc'd upon a lye; And seem'd t' inquire the Author of the And said she sprung from Earth; she took the word, And begg'd the beauteous Ileyfar of her Lord. What should he do? 'twas equal shame to Or to relinquish, or betray his Love: And stronger love had sure at length prevail'd, 850 But some faint hope remain'd, his jealous Queen Had not the Mistress through the Heyfar seen. The cautious Goddess, of her Gift possest, Yet harbour'd anxious thoughts within her breast; As she who knew the falshood of her Jove, And justly fear'd some new relapse of Love Which to prevent, and to secure her care, To trusty Argus she commits the Fair. The head of Argus (as with Stars the Skies) Was compass'd round, and wore an hundred eyes. 860 But two by turns their Lids in Slumber) steep; The rest on duty still their station keep; Nor cou'd the total Constellation sleep. Thus, ever present, to his eyes and mind, Iis Charge was still before him, tho' behind. In Fields he suffer'd her to feed by Day, But when the setting Sun to Night gave way, The Captive Cow he summon'd with a call, And drove her back, and ty'd her to the Stall. On Leaves of Trees and bitter Herbs she fed, Heav'n was her Canopy, bare Earth her 871 Bed; sound. Once on the Banks where often she had play'd, 880 (Her Father's Banks) she came, and there survey'd Her alter'd Visage, and her branching head; And, starting, from her self she wou'd have fled. Her fellow Nymphs, familiar to her eyes, And lick'd his Palms, and cast a pitcous look; And in the language of her eyes, she spoke. She wou'd have told her name, and ask't relief, But wanting words, in tears she tells her grief. Which, with her foot she makes him understand; And prints the name of Io in the Sand. Ah wretched me! her mournful Father cry'd ; She, with a sigh, to wretched me reply'd : About her Milk-white neck his arms he threw ; 901 And wept, and then these tender words ensue. And art thou she, whom I have sought around The World, and have at length so sadly found? So found is worse than lost: with mutual words Thou answer'st not, no voice thy tongue affords: But sighs are deeply drawn from out thy breast; And speech deny'd, by lowing is express'd. Unknowing I, prepar'd thy Bridal Bed; With empty Hopes of happy Issue fed. 910 But now the Husband of a Herd must be Thy Mate, and bell'wing Sons thy Progeny. Oh, were I mortal, Death might bring relief! But now my God-head but extends my grief; Prolongs my Woes, of which no end I see, And makes me curse my Immortality. More had he said, but fearful of her stay, The Starry Guardian drove his Charge away, To some fresh Pasture; on a hilly height He sate himself, and kept her still in sight. The Eyes of Argus transform'd into a Peacock's Train. Now Jove no longer cou'd her suff'rings bear: 921 But call'd in haste his airy Messenger, He holds the Virtue of the Snaky Wand. The liquid Air his moving Pinions wound, And, in the moment, shoot him on the ground. 930 Before he came in sight, the crafty God That Sleep-procuring Wand wise Hermes took, But made it seem to sight, a Shepherd's Hook. With this he did a Herd of Goats controul; Which by the way he met, and slily stole. Clad like a Country Swain, he Pip'd, and Sung; And playing drove his jolly Troop along. With pleasure, Argus the Musician heeds; But wonders much at those new vocal Reeds. 940 And, Whosoe're thou art, my Friend, said he, Up hither drive thy Goats,and play by me: This Hill has browz for them, and shade for thee. The God, who was with case induc'd to climb, Began Discourse to pass away the time; And still, betwixt, his Tuneful Pipe he plyes; And watch'd his Hour, to close the Keeper's Eyes. Descending from Lycaus, Pan admires A Crown of l'ine upon his Head he wore ; There by the River stopt, and, tyr'd before, Relief from water Nymphs her Pray'rs implore. Now while the Lustful God, with speedy) And breath'd a mournful Air, unhear'd She sigh'd, she wept, she low'd; 'twas all before ; 980 she cou'd; That much surprizing Pan, yet pleas'd hin more. Admiring this new Musick, Thou, he sed, are: Unequal in their length, and wax'd with Care, They still retain the Name of his Ungrateful Fair. While Hermes pip'd, and sung, and told his tale, The Keeper's winking Eyes began to fail, 990 And drowsie slumber on the lids to creep; Till all the Watchman was, at length, asleep. Then soon the God his Voice and Song supprest; And with his pow'rful Rod confirm'd his rest: Without delay his crooked Faulchion drew, And at one fatal stroak the Keeper slew. Down from the Rock, fell the dissever'd head, Opening its Eyes in Death, and falling bled; And mark'd the passage with a crimson trail: Thus Argus lies in pieces, cold and pale; And all his hundred Eyes, with all their light, 1001 Are clos'd at once in one perpetual night. These Juno takes, that they no more may fail, And spreads them in her Peacock's gaudy tail. to roam: Impatient to revenge her injur'd Bed, She wreaks her Anger on her Rival's head; With furies frights her from her Native Home, And drives her gadding, round the World 1008 Nor ceas'd her madness and her flight, before She touch'd the limits of the Pharian Shore. At length, arriving on the Banks of Nile, Weary'd with length of ways, and worn with toil, She laid her down: and, leaning on her Invok'd the Cause of all her Miseries: 982 Thou] thou 1693. And with Unkindness seem'd to tax the God. Last, with an humble Pray'r, she begg'd Repose, Or Death at least to finish all her Woes. 1020 Jove heard her Vows, and with a flatt'ring look, In her behalf, to jealous Juno spoke. 1031 But shame repress'd his Rage: the daunted Youth Soon seeks his Mother, and inquires the truth: Mother, said he, this Infamy was thrown To hear an open Slander is a Curse: To right my Honour,and redeem your own. He said, and saying cast his arms about Iler Neck, and begg'd her to resolve the Doubt. 1070 'Tis hard to judge if Climene were mov'd More by his Pray'r, whom she so dearly lov'd, Or more with fury fir'd, to find her Name Traduc'd, and made the sport of common Fame. She stretch'd her Arms to Heav'n, and fix'd her Eyes On that fair Planet, that adorns the Skies; Now by those Beams, said she, whose holy Fires Consume my Breast, and kindle my desires ; By him who sees us both, and chears our sight, By him the publick Minister of light, 1080 1089 And eager, for the Journey soon prepar'd. Ile longs the World beneath him to survey; To guide the Chariot; and to give the day: From Meroe's burning Sands he bends his course, Nor less in India feels his Father's force; His Travel urging, till he came in sight, And saw the Palace by the Purple light. MELEAGER AND ATALANTA, OUT OF THE EIGHTH BOOK OF OVID'S METAMORPHOSES. CONNEXION TO THE FORMER STORY. Ovid, having told how Theseus had freed Athens from the Tribute of Children, (which was impos'd on them by Minos, King of Creta) by killing the Minotaur, here makes a Digression to the Story of Meleager and Atalanta, which is one of the most inartificial Connexions in all the Metamorphoses: For he only says, that Theseusobtain'd such Honour from that Combate, that all Greece had recourse to him in their Necessities; and, amongst others, Calydon, though the Heroe of that Country, Prince Meleager, was then living. MELEAGER AND ATALANTA. The text from the original edition of 1700 except for the variants noted. There are several mistakes in the editions. The form 'clottered' is undoubtedly Dryden's. FROM him, the Caledonians sought Relief; near: Of Cynthia's Wrath th' avenging Minister. In 288 it would seem that the original text is wrongly printed. Warton gives 'Brother's Ghosts,' which is absurd. |