Of what fair Herd, and from what Pedigree? The God, half caught, was forc'd upon a lye; And said she sprung from Earth; she took the word, And begg'd the beauteous Heyfar 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; On Leaves of Trees and bitter Herbs she fed, Bed; (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 her Neck offers to their stroking Hands. Her Father gave her Grass; the Grass she took; And lick'd his Palms, and cast a piteous 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 871 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, 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. 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 ease 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 Lycæus, Pan admires A Crown of Pine 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) 1 980 And breath'd a mournful Air, unhear'd She sigh'd, she wept, she low'd; 'twas all before; she cou'd; That much surprizing Pan, yet pleas'd him | And with Unkindness seem'd to tax the God. Last, with an humble Pray'r, she begg'd Repose, 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. 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. He cast his Arms about her Neck, and sed: 1031 A Goddess now through all th' Egyptian State; And serv'd by Priests, who in white Linnen wait. Her son was Epaphus, at length believ'd The Son of Jove, and as a God receiv'd: With Sacrifice ador'd, and publick Pray'rs, He common Temples with his Mother shares. Equal in years, and Rival in Renown With Epaphus, the youthful Phaeton, Like Honour claims, and boasts his Sire the Sun. His haughty Looks, and his assuming Air And hast usurp'd thy boasted Pedigree. 1036 the] Most editors, with characteristic disregard for euphony, wrongly give her 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 Her 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. He 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; 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 Theseus obtain'à 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. Mean time the Virgin-Huntress was not slow T'expel the Shaft from her contracted Bow: Beneath his Ear the fastned Arrow stood, And from the Wound appear'd the trickling Blood. She blush'd for Joy: But Meleagros rais'd His voice with loud Applause, and the fair Archer prais'd. He was the first to see, and first to show His Friends the Marks of the successful Blow. Nor shall thy Valour want the Praises due, He said; a vertuous Envy seiz'd the Crew. They shout; the Shouting animates their Hearts, 161 And all at once employ their thronging Darts: But out of Order thrown, in Air they joyn; And flourishes his double-biting Ax: Her Aid, Diana can her Beast defend. Thus boasted he; then stretch'd, on Tiptoe stood, Secure to make his empty Promise good. But the more wary Beast prevents the Blow, And upward rips the Groin of his audacious Foe. Ancæus falls; his Bowels from the Wound Rush out, and clotter'd Blood distains the Ground. Perithous, no small Portion of the War, Press'd on, and shook his Lance; To whom from far 180 Thus Theseus cry'd: O stay, my better Part, My more than Mistress; of my Heart, the Heart. The Strong may fight aloof: Anceus try'd His Force too near, and by presuming dy'd: He said, and while he spake his Javelin threw, Hissing in Air th' unerring Weapon flew ; 178 clotter'd] The editors wrongly give clotted But on an Arm of Oak, that stood betwixt The Marks-man and the Mark, his Lance he fixt. Once more bold Jason threw, but fail'd to wound The Boar,and slew an undeserving Hound; And through the Dog the Dart was nail'd to Ground. 191 Two Spears from Meleager's Hand were sent, With equal Force, but various in th' Event: The first was fix'd in Earth, the second stood On the Boars bristled Back, and deeply drank his Blood. Now while the tortur'd Salvage turns around, And flings about his Foam, impatient of the Wound, The Wounds great Author close at Hand provokes His Rage, and plyes him with redoubled Strokes ; Wheels as he wheels; and with his pointed Dart 200 Explores the nearest Passage to his Heart. Quick, and more quick he spins in giddy Gires, Then falls, and in much Foam his Soul expires. This Act with Shouts Heav'n high the friendly Band Applaud, and strain in theirs the Victour Hand. Then all approach the Slain with vast Surprize, Admire on what a Breadth of Earth he lies ; And scarce secure, reach out their Spears afar, And blood their Points, to prove their Partnership of War. But he, the conqu'ring Chief, his Foot impress'd 210 On the strong Neck of that destructive Beast; And gazing on the Nymph with ardent Accept, said he, fair Nonacrine, my Prize, 205 Victour] The editors wrongly give victor's |