Ed more, but, fhunning all delay, Bu, or enter'd Athens on his way: Sales fitter and his queen behind, Atis royal banner in the wind: Varaa argent field the god of war
a triumphant on his iron car: this word, and fhield, and whole attire; Atsittegodhead feem'd to glow with fire: ground glitter'd where the standard flew, then grafs was dy'd to fanguine hue. is pointed lance his pennon bore Eight, the conquer'd Minotaur; Trik hout around with gen'rous rage, hat victory their own presage.
their ardour, inly pleas'd to fee of the flow'r of Grecian chivalry. ay be march'd, and all th' enfuing night; the city with returning light. cefs of the war I need not tell, Thefeus conquer'd, and how Creon fell; how by ftorm the walls were won, the victor fack'd and burn'd tfie town; to the ladies he restored again Codes of their lords in battle flain; with what ancient rites they were interr'd: thefe to fitter times fhall be deferr'd. the widows' tears, their woeful cries, bowling at their husbands' obfequies; Thefeus at these fun'rals did affift,
But in the tow'r, and never to be loos'd, The woeful captive kinsmen are inclos'd.
Thus year by year they pafs, and day by day, Till once, 'twas on the morn of cheerful May, The young Emilia, fairer to be feen Than the fair lily on the flow'ry green, More fresh than May herself in bloffoms new, For with the rofy colour ftrove her hue, Wak'd, as her cuftom was, before the day To do th' obfervance due to sprightly May: For fprightly May commands our youth to keep The vigils of her night, and breaks their fluggard fleep;
Each gentle breaft with kindly warmth she moves; Infpires new flames, revives extinguish'd loves. In this remembrance Emily ere day Arofe, and drefs'd herself in rich array; Fresh as the month, and as the morning fair, Adown her fhoulders fell her length of hair: A ribband did the braided treffes bind, The reft was loose, and wanton'd in the wind: Aurora had but newly chas'd the night, And purpled o'er the sky with blushing light, When to the garden walk fhe took her way, To fport and trip along in cool of day, And offer maiden vows in honour of the May.
At ev'ry turn fhe made a little stand, And thrust among the thorns her lily hand To draw the rofe; and ev'ry rofe fhe drew, Ahshatgiftsthemourningdamesdifmifs'd. She shook the stalk, and brush'd away the dew.
when the victor chief had Creon flain, quer'd Thebes, he pitch'd upon the plain * nighty camp, and, when the day return'd, atry waited, and the hamlets burn'd; the pillagers to rapine bred, controul to ftrip and spoil the dead. in a heap of flain, among the rest, ful knights they found, beneath a load preft
Then party-colour'd flow'rs of white and red She wove, to make a garland for her head: This done, the fung and carol'd out fo clear, That men and angels might rejoice to hear: Ev'n wond'ring Philomel forgot to fing; And learn'd from her to welcome-in the fpring The tow'r, of which before was mention made, Within whofe keep the captive knights were laid,
ater'd foes, whom first to death they sent, Built of a large extent and ftrong withal, phies of the ftrength, a bloodymonument, Was one partition of the palace wall: Star, and both of royal blood they feem'd, The garden was inclos'd within the fquare, nimen to the crown the heralds deem'd: Where young Emilia took the morning air. y in equal arms they fought for fame: words, their fhields, their furcouts, were the fame.
each other laid, they prefs'd the grouud, mandy bofoms pierc'd with many a grizzly Wound;
l alive, nor wholly dead, they were, me faint figns of feeble life appear: andring breath was on the wing to part, was the pulfe, and hardly heav'd the heart, two were fifter's fons; and Arcite one, aham'd in fields, with valiant Palamon. thefe their coftly arms the fpoilers rent;
iy both convey'd to Thefeus' tent: t to his city fent as pris'ners of the war, nknown of Creon's line,andcur'd with care, les of fanfom, and condemn'd to lie durance, doom'd a ling`ring death to die.
It happen'd Palamon, the pris'ner knight, Reitlefs for woe, arofe before the light, And, with his jailor's leave, defir'd to breathe An air more wholefome than the damps beneath. This granted, to the tow'r he took his way, Cheer'd with the promife of a glorious day: Then caft a languishing regard around, And faw with hateful eyes the temples crown'd With golden fpires, and all the hoftile ground. He figh'd, and turn'd his eyes, because he knew 'Twas but a larger gaol he had in view: Then look'd below, and from the caftle's height Beheld a nearer and more pleafing fight: The garden, which before he had not seen, In fpring's new liv'ry clad of white and green. Fresh flow'rs in wide parterres, and thady walks between.
Thas done, he march'd awaywithwarlike found, He stood, reflecting on his country's lois; And to his Athens turn'd with laurels crown'd, Himself an object of the public corn, Were happy long he liv'd, much lov'd and And often wish'd he never had been born.
This view'd, but not enjoy'd, with arms acros
At laft, for fo his deftiny requir'd, With walking giddy, and with thinking tir'd, He through a little window caft his fight, Though thick of bars, that gave a fcanty light: But even that glimm`ring ferv'd him to defcry Th' inevitable charms of Emily. [finart, Scarce had he feen, but feiz'd with fudden Stung to the quick, he felt it at his heart; Struck blind with overpow'ring light he stood, Then started back amaz'd, and cried aloud. Young Arcite heard ; and up he ranwith hafte, To help his friend, aud in his arms embrac'd; And alk'd him why he look'd fo deadly wan, And whence and how his change of cheer bean? Or who had done th' offence? But if, faid he, Your grief alone is hard captivity, For love of heaven, with patience undergo A curelefs ill, fince rate will have it fo So ftood our horofcope in chains to lie, And Saturn in the dungeon of the sky, Or other baleful afpect, rul'd our birth, When all the friendly ftars were under earth; Whate'er betides, by detiny 'tis done; And better bear, like men, than vainly feck to Nor of my bonds, faid Palamon again, thun. Nor of unhappy planets, I complain: But when my mortal anguith caus'd my cry, That moment I was hurt through either eye; Pierc'd with a random shaft, I faint away, And perifh with infenfible decay:
A glance of fome new goddels gave the wound, Whom, like A&teon, unaware I found. Look how the walks along yon fhady space, Not Juno moves with more majestic grace; And all the Cyprian queen is in her face. If thou art Venus (for thy charms confefs That face was form'd in heaven, or art thou lefs; Difguis'd in habit, undifguis'd in fhape) O help us captives from our chains to 'fcape; But if our doom be pafs'd in bonds to lie For life, and in a loathfome dungeon die. Then be thy wrath appeas'd with our difgrace, And fhew compaffion to the Theban race, Opprefs'd by tyrant pow'r! While yet he spoke, Arcite on Emily had fix'd his look; The fatal dart a ready paffage found, And deep within his heart infix'd the wound: So that if Palamon were wounded fore, Arcite was hurt as much as he, or more: Then from his inmoft foul he figh'd, and faid, The beauty I beheld has ftruck me dead: Unknowingly the ftrikes, and kills by chance; Poison is in her eyes, and death in ev'ry glance. O, I must ask; nor afk alone, but move Her mind to mercy, or muft die for love.
Thus Arcite and thus Palamon replies (Fager his tone, and ardent were his eyes): Speak it thou in earnest, or in jefting vain? Jefting, faid Arcite, fuits but ill with pain. It fuits far worse (faid Palamon again, Andbenthis brows), with men who honourweigh, Their faith to break, their friend hip to betray;
But wort with thee of noble lineage born, My kintman, and in arms my brother fworn.
Have we not plighted each our holy oath, That one thould be the common good of b One foul thould both infpire, and neither p His fellow's hindrance in puriuit of love? To this before the gods we gave our hands And nothing but our death can break the b This binds thee, then, to further my delig As I am bound by vow to further thine: Nor canit, nor dar'i thou, traitor, on the p Approach my honour, or thine own mainta Since thou art of my council, and the frien Whofe faith I truft, and on whose care depe And would't thou court my lady's love,whi Much rather than release would choose to di But thou, falfe Arcite, never shalt obtain Thy bad pretence I told thee first my pair For first my love began ere thine was born Thou, as my counfel and my brother fworr Art bound t' affiit my eldership of right, Or jultly to be deem'd a perjur'd knight.
Thus Palamon; but Arcite with difdain, In haughty language, thus replied again: Forfworn thyself; the traitor's odious name I first return, and then difprove thy claim. If love be paffion, and that paflion nurs'd With trong defires, I lov'd the lady first, Canit thou pretend defire, whom zeal inflar To worthip, and a pow`r celeftial nam'd? Thine was devotion to the bleft above; 1 faw the woman, and defir'd her love; Firit own'd may paflion, and to thee commer Th' important fecret, as my chofen friend. Suppofe (which yet I grant not) thy defire A moment elder than my rival fire: Can chance of feeing first thy title prove? And know if thou not, no law is made for lov Law is to things which to free choice relate; Love is not in our choice, but in our fate; Laws are but potitive; love's pow'r we fee Is nature's fanction, and her first decree. Each day we break the bond of human laws For love, and vindicate the common cause. Laws for defence of civil rights are plac'd; Love throws the fences down, and make. gen'ral wafte:
Maids, widows, wives,withoutdiftin&tionfall The fweepin; deluge, Love,comes on, and cover If then the laws of friendship I tranfgrefs, I keep the greater, while I break the lets; And both are madalike,fince neither can poffefs. Both hopeless to be ranfom'd, never more To fee the fun, but as he patles o'er.
Like Afop's hounds contending for the bond Each pleaded right, and would be lord alone; The fruitless fight continued all the day; A cur came by, and fnatch'd the prize away As courtiers therefore juftle for a grant, [want And when theybreak their friendship plead the So thou, if fortune will thy fuit advance, Love on, nor envy me my equal chance: For I muft love, and am refolv'd to try My fate, or, failing in th' adventure, die. Greatwas theirftrife, which hourly was renew'd Till each with mortal hate his rival view'd:
A when it more, nor walking hand in hand, ronny met they made a furly ftand;
ke angry lions as they pais'd, tritev'ry look might be their laft. Fodat length, Pirithous came t'attend * Theleus, his familiar friend; wtedy infancy began,
es chuidhood ripen'd into man. Tas of the war; and lov'd fo well, died, as ancient ftories tell, && deem him went to hell.
my tale; to welcome home ather is Pirithous come: mes was known in arms long fince, by this young Theffalian prince. E gratify his friend and guelt, at our Arcite's freedom his request, berty the captive knight, hard conditions I recite: fer Arcite fhould be found he compuls of Athenian ground,
night, or on whate'er pretence, bould pay the forfeit of th' offence. Farhous for his friend agreed,
protaife was the pris'ner freed. dan penuve hence he takes his way, water; for his life must pay.
Dat Arcite mourns his bitter fate, Adar purchase, and repents too late? el gain'd, he faid, in prifon pent, change my bonds for banishment? did from her fight, I fuffer more than I felt in bonds before; her prefence,and condemn'd to love; e freedom, and unthank`d reprieve! not but where Emily abides; ethe's abient all is hell befides. day of birth was that accurs'd, d my friendship to Pirithous firft; known that Prince, I ftill had been ge, and had ftill Emilia feen:
I never can her grace deferve, ance enough to fee and ferve. a, my kinfman and my friend, more happy fates thy love attend! adventure, thine the victory; try fortune turn'd the dice for thee: at angel's face mayft feed thine eyes, -ao-but blitsful paradife! <y leeft that fun of beauty thine, *t at least in love's extremeft line. in abfence, love's eternal night, ca tell but, fince thou haft her fight, amely, young, and valiant knight, (various pow'r) may ceafe to frown, Tome ways unknown thy withes crown? the most forlorn of human kind, Pcan hope, nor remedy can find; ond to drag my loathfome life in care, y reward, mult end it in despair. water, air, and earth, and force of fates governs all, and Heaven that all creates, t, or nature's hand, can eale my grief; ng but death, the wretch's last relief :
Then farewell youth, and all the joys that dwell With youth and life, and life itself farewell.
But why, alas! do mortal men in vain Of fortune, fate, or providence complain? God gives us what he knows our wants require, And better things than thofe which we defire. Some pray for riches, riches they obtain; But,watch'd byrobbers, for theirwealth are flain: Some pray from prifon to be freed; and come, When guilty of their vows, to fall at home; Murder'd by thofe they trufted with their life, A favour'd fervant, or a bofom wife. Such dear-bought bleffings happen ev'ry day, Because we know not for what things to pray. Like drunken fots about the street we roam: Well knows the fot he has a certain home; Yet knows not how to find th' uncertain place, And blunders on, and itaggers ev'ry pace, Thus all feek happinefs, but few can find: For far the greater part of men are blind. This is my cafe, who thought our utmost good Was in one word of freedom understood: The fatal blefling came: from prifon free, ftarve abroad, and lofe the fight of Emily. Thus Arcite but if Arcite thus deplore His fuff 'rings, Palamon yet fuffers more. For when he knew his rival freed and gone, He fwellswithwrath, he makes outrageous moan: He frets,he fumes,he ftares,he ftamps the ground; The hollow tow'r with clamours rings around: With briny tears he bath'd his fetter'd feet, And dropp'd all o'er with agony of fweat. Alas! he cried, I wretch in prifon pine, Too happy rival, while the fruit is thine: Thou livit at large, thou draw ft thy native air, Pleas'd with thy freedom, proud of my defpair & Thou may'ft, fince thou haft youth and courage A fweet behaviour, and a folid mind, [join'd, Affemble ours and all the Theban race, To vindicate on Athens thy difgrace; And after, by fome treaty made, poflefs Fair Emily, the pledge of lafting peace. So thine thall be the beauteous prize, while I Muft languish in defpair, in prifon die. Thus all th' advantage of the ftrife is thine; I hyportiondouble joys,and doubleforrowsmine. The rage of Jealousy then fir'd his foul, And his face kindled like a burning coal: Now cold Deipair, fucceeding in her stead, To livid palenefs turns the glowing red. His blood, fcarce liquid, creeps within his veins, Like water which the freezing wind constrains. Then thus he faid: Eternal Deities, Who rule the world with abiolute decrees, And write whatever time fall bring to pafs, With pens of adamant, on plates of brats; What, is the race of human kind your care Beyond what all his fellow-creatures are? He with the reft is liable to pain; And like the fheep, his brother-beast, is slain. Cold, hunger, prifons, ills without a cure, All thefe he muft, and guiltlefs oft, endure; Or does your juftice, pow'r, or prefcience fail When the good fuffer, and the bad prevail?
What worse to wretched virtue could befal, If fate, or giddy fortune, govern'd all ? Nay, worse than other beaits is our citate: Them to pursue their pleasures you create; We, bound by harder laws, muft curb our will, And your commands, not our defires fulfil; Then when the creature is unjustly flain, Yet after death at leaft he feels no pain: But man, in life furcharg'd with woe before, Not freed when dead, is doom'd to fuffer more. A ferpent fhoots his fting at unaware; An ambush'd thief forelays a traveller: The man lies murder'd; while the thief and fnake, One gains the thickets, and one thrids the brake. This let divines decide; but well I know, Juft or unjust, I have my share of woe; Through Saturn seated in a luckless place, And Juno's wrath, that perfecutes my race; Or Mars and Venus, in a quartil, move My pangs of jealoufy for Arcite's love.
Let Palamon opprefs'd in bondage mourn, While to his exil'd rival we return. By this, the fun, declining from his height, The day had fhorten'd, to prolong the night: The lengthen'd night gave length of mifery Both to the captive lover and the free; For Palamon in endless prifon mourns, And Arcite forfeits life if he returns: The banish'd never hopes his love to fee, Nor hopes the captive lord his liberty. 'Tis hard to fay who fuffers greater pains: One fees his love, but cannot break his chains; One free, and all his motions uncontroul 'd, Beholds whate'er he would, but what he would behold.
Judge as you pleafe, for I will hafte to tell What fortune to the banish'd knight befel. When Arcite was to Thebes return'd again, The lofs of her he lov'd renew'd his pain; What could be worse, than never more to fee His life, his foul, his charming Emily? He rav'd with all the madness of despair, He roar'd, he beat his breast, he tore his hair. Dry forrow in his stupid eyes appears; For, wanting nourishment, he wanted tears: His eye-balls in their hollow fockets fink; Bereft of fleep, he loaths his meat and drink. He withers at his heart, and looks as wan As the pale spectre of a murder'd man: That pale turns yellow, and his face receives The faded hue of faplefs boxen leaves : In folitary groves he makes his moan, Walks early out, and ever is alone: Nor, mix'd in mirth, in youthful pleasures shares, But fighs when fongs and inftruments he hears. His fpirits are fo low, his voice is drown'd, He hears as from afar, or in a fwoon, Like the deaf murmurs of a distant found: Uncomb'd his locks, and fqualid his attire, Unlike the trim of love and gay defire: But full of mufeful mopings, which prefage The lofs of reafon, and conclude in rage. This when he had endur'd a year and more, Now wholly thang'd from what he was before,
It happen'd once, that, flumb'ring as he He dream'd (his dream began at break o That Hermes o'er his head in air appea And with foft words his drooping fpirits His hat, adorn'd with wings, disclos'd t And in his hand he bore the fleep-compell Such as he feem'd, when, at his fire's co On Argus' head he laid the fnaky wind Arife, he faid, to conqu'ring Athens ge There fate appoints an end to all thy w The fright awaken'd Arcite with a flar Against his bofom bounc'd his heaving But foon he said, with scarce-recover'd And thither will I go to meet my death Sure to be flain; but death is my defire, Since in Emilia's fight I fhall expire. By chance he fpied a mirror while he fp And gazing there, beheld his alter'd loo Wond'ring he faw his fatures and his h Somuchwerechang'd, that scarcehimself A fudden thought then starting in his n Since I in Arcite cannot Arci e find, The world may fearch in vain with all the But never penetrate through this difgui Thanks to the change which grief and i In low eftate I may fecurely live, And fee, unknown, my miftrefs day by He faid; and cloath'd ́himself in coa fe A lab'ring hind in fhew; then forth he And to th' Athenian tow'rs his journey One 'fquire attended in the fame difguil Made confcious of his master's enterpri Arriv'd at Athens, foon he came to cou Unknown, unqueftion'd, in that thick r Proff 'ring for hire his fervice at the gate To drudge, draw water, and to run or w
So far befel him, that for little gain He ferv'd at firft Emilia's chamberlain; And, watchful all advantages to fpy, Was ftill at hand, and in his mafter's eye And as his bones were big, and finews f Refus'd no toil that could to flaves belon But from deep wells with engines water And us'd his noble hands the wood to he He pafs'd a year at least attending thus On Emily, and call'd Philoftratus. But never was there man of his degree So much efteem'd, so well belov`d as he. So gentle of condition was he known, That thro' the court his courtefy was blo All think him worthy of a greater place, And recommend him to the royal grace; That, exercis'd within a higher fphere, His virtues more confpicuous might appe Thus by the gen'ral voice was Arcite pra And by great Thefeus to high favour rais Among his menial servants first enroll', And largely entertain'd with fums of gold Befides what fecretly from Thebes was fent Of his own income, and his annual rent: Thiswellemploy'd,hepurchas'd friends and But cautiously conceal'd from whence it Thus for three years he liv'd with large inc In arms of honour, and efteem in peace i
To The perfon he was ever near; | Ales, for his virtues, held him dear.
TE Arcite lives in blifs, the story turns Een bere eis Palaraon in prifon mourns. years immur'd, the captive knight chains, and scarcely feen the light: trilove at once he bore:
d him much, his paffion more: tape his fetters to remove, Sto be free from love.
e fixth revolving year was run, in the Twins receiv'd the fun, ***dance, or forceful destiny,
As thou fhalt guide my wand'ring feet to find The fragrant greens I feek, my brows to bind. His vows addrefs'd, within the grove he
Till fate, or fortune, near the place convey'd His tteps where fecret Palamon was laid. Full little thought of him the gentle knight, Who flying death had there conceal'd his flight, In brakes and brambles hid, and fhunning mor- tal fight;
And lefs he knew him for his hated foe, But fear'd him as a man he did not know. But as it has been said of ancient years, That fields are full of eyes, and woods have ears; For this the wife are ever on their guard; For unforeseen, they fay, is unprepar'd. Uncautious Arcite thought himleif alone, And less than all fufpected Palamon, Who lift'ning heard him, while he search'd the And loudly fung his roundelay of love; (grove, But on the fudden ftopp'd, and filent ftood, As lovers often mufe, and chauge their mood; Now high as heaven, and then as low as hell; Now up, now down, as buckets in a well; For Venus, like her day, will change her cheer, And feldom thall we fee a Friday clear. Thus, Arcite, having fung, with alter'd hue Sunk on the ground, and from his bofom drew A defp rate figh, accufing Heaven and Fate, And angry Juno's unrelenting hate. Curs'd be the day when first I did appear! Let it be blotted from the calendar, [year, Left it pollute the month, and poifon all the Still will the jealous Queen pursue our race? Cadmus is dead, the Theban city was: Yet ceafes not her hate; for all who come From Cadmus are involv'd in Cadmus' doom. I fuffer for my blood: unjuft decree! That punishes another's crime on me. In mean eftate I ferve my mortal foe, The man who caus'd my country's overthrow. This is not all; for Juno, to my shame, Has forc'd me to forfake my former name; Arcite I was, Philoftratus I am.
sin caufes firft whate'er fhall be, 32 friend, one moonless night, on from prifon took his flight: bev'rage be prepar'd before and honey, mix'd with added store to his keeper this he brought, w'd unaware the fleepy draught, diecure till morn, his fenfes bound and in long oblivion drown'd. ** the night, and careful Palamon e next covert ere the rifing fun. read foreft near the city lay, *th lengthen' ftrides he took his way le could not fly, and fear'd the day). paruit, he meant to thun the light, an fhadows of the friendly night night favour his intended flight. is country come, his next defign te Theban race in arms to join, Thefeus, till he loft his life, beauteous Emily to wife. is thoughts the ling ring day beguile, Parcite let us turn our style; ream'd how nigh he was to care, fortune caught him in the fare. lark, the mercager of day, fer long the morning grey; the fun arofe with beams to bright, -horizon laugh'd to feethe joyous fight; stepid rays the role renews, I hat fide of heaven is all my enemy; tooping leaves,and dries the dews; Mars ruin'd Thebes, his mother ruin'd me. Are left his bed, refolv'd to pay Of all the royal race remains but one to the month of merry May : Befides my fell, th' unhappy Palamon, fiery fleed betimes he rode, Whom Thefeus holds in bonds, and will not free; Tay prints the turf on which he trod: Without a crime, except his kin to me. fem'd, and, prancing o'er the plains, Yet thefe, and all the reft, I could endure; ly to the grove his horfe's reins, But Love's a malady without a cure; ve I nam'd before; and, lighted there, Fierce Love has pierc'd me with his fiery dart ; garland fought to crown his hair;He fires within, and hiffes at my heart. d his face againit the rising day, Your eyes, fair Emily, my fate purfue; ad his voice to welcome in the May. I fuffer for the reft, I die for you.
etmonth, the groves green liveries Of fuch a Goddefs no time leaves record, rt, the fairest of the year: [wear; Who burn'd the temple where the was ador'd: Se the Graces lead the dancing hours, And let it burn, I never will complain; Aare's ready pencil paints the fow'rs: Pleas'd with my fuff'rings, if you knew my pain. Pay fort reign is paft, the feverish fun At this a fickly qualm his heart affail 'd, opic fears, and moves more flowlyon: His ears ring inward, and his fenfes fail'd. y tender blooms fear no blight, No word mils'd Palamon of all he spoke, with venom'd teeth thy tendrils bite, But foon to deadly pale he chang'd his look:
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