Page images
PDF
EPUB

The ready nymphs receive the crying child, And wash him in the tears the parent plant

diftill'd.

370

They fwath'd him with their scarfs; beneath him

fpread

The ground with herbs; with rofes rais'd his head.

376

The lovely babe was born with every grace:
Ev'n envy must have prais'd fo fair a face :
Such was his form, as painters, when they show
Their utmost art, on naked loves bestow:
And that their arms no difference might betray,
Give him a bow, or his from Cupid take away.
Time glides along, with undiscover'd haste,
The future but a length behind the paft: 380
So fwift are years: the babe, whom just before
His grandfire got, and whom his fifter bore;
The drop, the thing which late the tree inclos'd,
And late the yawning bark to life expos'd;
A babe, a boy, a beauteous youth appears; 385
And lovelier than himself at riper years.
Now to the queen of love he gave defires,
And, with her pains, reveng'd his mother's fires.

CEYX AND ALCYONE,

OUT OF THE TENTH BOOK OF

OVID'S METAMORPHOSES.

CONNECTION OF THIS FABLE WITH THE FORMER.

Ceyx, the fon of Lucifer (the morning ftar) and king of Trachin, in Theffaly, was married to Alcyone, daughter to Eolus, god of the winds. Both the husband and the wife loved each other with an entire affection. Dadalion, the elder brother of Ceyx, whom he fucceeded, having been turned into a falcon by Apollo, and Chione, Dadalion's daughter, flain by Diana, Ceyx prepares a fhip to fail to Claros, there to confult the oracle of Apollo, and (as Ovid feems to intimate) to enquire how the anger of the gods might be atoned.

THESE prodigies affect the pious prince, But, more perplex'd with those that happen'd fince,

He purposes to feek the Clarian god,

Avoiding Delphos, his more fam'd abode ; Since Phlegian robbers made unfafe the road.)

Yet could not he from her he lov'd fo well, 6
The fatal voyage, he refolv'd, conceal :
But when she saw her lord prepar'd to part,
A deadly cold ran fhivering to her heart:
Her faded cheeks are chang'd to boxen hue, 10
And in her eyes the tears are ever new:
She thrice effay'd to fpeak; her accents hung,
And faltring dy'd unfinish'd on her tongue,
Or vanish'd into fighs: with long delay
Her voice return'd; and found the wonted

way.

Tell me, my lord, fhe faid, what fault un

known

Thy once belov'd Alcyone has done?
Whither, ah whither is thy kindness gone!
Can Ceyx then sustain to leave his wife,

15

25

And unconcern'd forfake the sweets of life? 20
What can thy mind to this long journey move,
Or need'ft thou abfence to renew thy love?
Yet, if thou goeft by land, though grief poffefs
My foul even then, my fears will be the lefs.
But ah! be warn'd to shun the watry way,
The face is frightful of the ftormy fea.
For late I faw a-drift disjointed planks,
And empty tombs erected on the banks.
Nor let falfe hopes to truft betray thy mind,
Because my fire in caves conftrains the wind, 30
Can with a breath a clamorous rage appease,
They fear his whiftle, and forfake the feas;

Not fo, for, once indulg'd, they fweep the main,
Deaf to the call, or, hearing, hear in vain ;
But bent on mifchief bear the waves before, 35
And not content with feas infult the fhore;
When ocean, air, and earth, at once engage,
And rooted forefts fly before their rage:
At once the clafhing clouds to battle move,
And lightnings run across the fields above: 40
I know them well, and mark'd their rude com-

port,

46

While yet a child, within my father's court:
In times of tempeft they command alone,
And he but fits precarious on the throne:
The more I know, the more my fears augment,
And fears are oft prophetic of the event.
But if not fears, or reafons will prevail,
If fate has fix'd thee obftinate to fail,
Go not without thy wife, but let me bear
My part of danger with an equal share,
And prefent fuffer what I only fear:
Then o'er the bounding billows fhall we fly,
Secure to live together, or to die.

50

}

Thefe reafons mov'd her ftarlike husband's heart,

But ftill he held his purpose to depart:
For as he lov'd her equal to his life,
He would not to the feas expofe his wife;
Nor could be wrought his voyage to refrain,
But fought by arguments to footh her pain;

55

« PreviousContinue »