HE faid, and for her loft Galanthis fighs,
When the fair Confort of her fon replies:
Since you a fervant's ravish'd form bemoan,
And kindly figh for forrows not your own;
Let me (if tears and grief permit) relate
A nearer woe, a fifter's stranger fate.
No Nymph of all Oechalia could compare
For beauteous form with Dryope the fair,
Her tender mother's only hope and pride,
(Myfelf the offspring of a second bride)
This Nymph compress'd by him who rules the day,
Whom Delphi and the Delian ifle obey,
IXIT: et, admonitu veteris commota miniftrae,
Ingemuit; quam fic nurus eft adfata dolentem:
Te tamen, o genitrix, alienae fanguine veftro
Rapta movet facies. quid fi tibi mira fororis
Fata meae referam? quanquam lacrymaeque dolorque
Impediunt, prohibentque loqui. fuit unica matri
(Me pater ex alia genuit) notiffima formâ
Then wild with anguish to her fire fhe flies,
Demands the fentence, and contented dies.
But, touch'd with forrow for the dead too late,
The raging God prepares t' avenge her fate.
He fends a monster, horrible and fell,
Begot by furies in the depths of hell.
The peft a virgin's face and bofom bears;
High on a crown a rifing snake appears,
Guards her black front, and hiffes in her hairs:
About the realm fhe walks her dreadful round,
When Night with fable wings o'erfpreads the ground,
Devours young babes before their parents eyes,
And feeds and thrives on public miferies,
But generous rage the bold Chorobus warms,
Chorcebus, fam'd for virtue, as for arms;
Some few like him, inspir'd with martial flame,
Thought a fhort life well loft for endless fame.
Occurrit confeffa patri. nec motus, at atro
Imperat, infandum! cupientem occumbere leto.
Sero memor thalami, moeftae folatia morti,
Phoebe, paras. menftrum infandis Acheronte fub imo
Conceptum Eumenidum thalamis, cui virginis ora
Pectoraque, aeternum ftridens a vertice furgit
Ft ferrugineam frontem difcriminat anguis :
Haec tam dira lues nocturno fquallida paffu
Illabi thalamis, animafque a ftirpe recentes
Abripere altricum gremiis, morfùque cruento
Deveici, et multum patrio pinguefcere lustu.
Haud tulit armorum praeftans animique Choroebus;
Seque ultro le&tis juvenum, qui robore primi
Thefe, where two ways in equal parts divide,
The direful monster from afar defcry'd;
Two bleeding babes depending at her fide,
Whose panting vitals, warm with life, fhe draws,
And in their hearts embrues her cruel claws.
The youths furround her with extended fpears;
But brave Chorobus in the front appears,
Deep in her breast he plung'd his fhining sword,
And hell's dire monfter back to hell reftor'd.
Th' Inachians view the flain with vaft furprize,
Her twifting volumes, and her rolling eyes,
Her spotted breaft, and gaping womb embru'd
With livid poison, and our childrens blood.
The croud in stupid wonder fix'd appear,
Pale ev'n in joy, nor yet forget to fear.
Famam pofthabita faciles extendere vita,
Obtulit. illa novos ibat populata penates
Portarum in bivio. lateri duo corpora parvûm
Dependent, et jam unca manus vitalibus haeret,
Ferratique ungues tenero fub corde tepefcunt.
Obvius huic latus omne virùm stipante coronâ,
It juvenis, ferrumque ingens fub pectore diro
Condidit; atque imas animae mucrone corufco
Scrutatus latebras, tandem fua monftra profundo
Reddit habere Jovi. juvat ire, et vifere juxta
Liventes in morte oculos, uterique nefandam
Proluviem, et craffo fquallentia pectora tabo,
Qua noftrae cecidere animae. ftupet Inacha pubes, 730
Behold him here, for whom, fo many days,
Impervious clouds conceal'd thy fullen rays;
For whom, as Man no longer claim'd thy care,
Such numbers fell by peftilential air!
But if th' abandon'd race of human kind
From Gods above no more compaffion find;
If such inclemency in Heaven can dwell,
Yet why muft unoffending Argos feel
The vengeance due to this unlucky steel ?
On me, on me, let all thy fury fall,
Nor err from me, fince I deferve it all:
Unless our defert cities please thy fight,
Or funeral flames reflect a grateful light.
Difcharge thy fhafts, this ready bofom rend,
And to the fhades a ghost triumphant fend;
Et fquallente die, nigra quem tabe sinistri
Quaeris, inique, poli. quod fi monstra effera magnis
Cara adeo Superis, jacturaque vilior orbis,
766
Mors hominum, et faevo tanta inclementia coelo eft;
Quid meruere Argi? me, me, divûm optime, folum
Objeciffe caput fatis praeftabit, an illud
Lene magis cordi, quod desolata domorum
Tecta vides? ignique datis cultoribus omnis
Lucet ager? fed quid fando tua tela manufque
Demoror! expectant matres, fupremaque fundunt
Vota mihi. fatis eft: merui, ne parcere velles.
Proinde move pharetras, arcufque intende fonoros,
Infignemque animam leto demitte: fed illum
But for my country let my fate atone,
Be mine the vengeance, as the crime my own.
Merit diftrefs'd, impartial Heaven relieves :
Unwelcome life relenting Phoebus gives;
For not the vengeful power, that glow'd with rage,
With fuch amazing virtue durft engage.
The clouds difpers'd, Apollo's wrath expir'd,
And from the wondering God th' unwilling youth retir'd.
Thence we these altars in his temple raise,
And offer annual honours, feasts, and praise;
Those folemn feafts propitious Phoebus please :
These honours, still renew'd, his ancient wrath appeafe.
But fay, illuftrious guest! (adjoin'd the King)
What name you bear, from what high race you spring?
Pallidus Inachiis qui defuper imminet Argis,
Dum morior, depelle globum. Fors aequa merentes
Refpicit. ardentem tenuit reverentia caedis
Latoïdem, tristemque viro fummiffus honorem
Largitur vitae. noftro mala nubila coelo
Diffugiunt; at tu ftupefacti a limine Phoebi
Exoratus abis. inde haec stata facra quotannis
Solennes recolunt epulae, Phoebeiaque placat
Templa novatus honos. has forte invifitis aras.
Vos quae progenies? quanquam Calydonius Oeneus,
Et Parthaoniae (dudum fi certus ad aures
Clamor iit) tibi jura domûs: tu pande quis Argos
Advenias quando haec variis fermonibus hora est.
VOL. I.
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