Her legs were buskin'd, and the left before;
In act to fhoot, a filver bow fhe bore,
And at her back a painted quiver wore.
She trod a wering moon, that foon would wane,
And drinking borrow'd light, be fill'd again :
With downcaft eyes, as feeming to survey
The dark dominions, her alternate sway.
Before her ftood a woman in her throes,
And call'd Lucina's aid, her burden to disclose.
All the painter drew with such command,

That Nature snatch'd the pencil from his hand,

} |

Afham'd and angry that his art could feign
And mend the tortures of a mother's pain.
Thefeus beheld the fanes of every God,
And thought his mighty coft was well bestow'd.
So princes now their poets should regard;
But few can write, and fewer can reward.

The theatre thus rais'd, the lifts inclos'd,
And all with vast magnificence difpos'd,
We leave the monarch pleas'd, and hafte to bring
The knights to combat, and their arms to fing.

He look'd a lion with a gloomy stare,
And o'er his eye-brows hung his matted hair:
Big-bon'd, and large of limbs, with finews ftrong,
Broad-fhoulder'd, and his arms were round and
long.

Four milk-white bulls (the Thracian use of old)
Were yok'd to draw his car of burnish'd gold.
Upright he ftood, and bore aloft his shield,
Confpicuous from afar, and overlook'd the field.
His furcoat was a bear-fkin on his back;
His hair hung long behind, and gloffy raven black.
His ample forehead bore a coronet

With fparkling diamonds and with rubies fet:
Ten brace, and more, of greyhounds, fnowy fair,"
And tall as ftags, ran loofe, and cours'd around

To match this monarch, with ftrong Arcite came
Emetrius king of Inde, a mighty name,
On a bay courfer, goodly to behold

[gold.

[fun,

The trappings of his horfe adorn'd with barbarous
Not Mars beftrode a fteed with greater grace;
His furcoat o'er his arms was cloth of Thrace,
Adorn'd with pearls, all orient, round, and great;
His faddle was of gold, with emerald fet.
His fhoulders large a mantle did attire,
With rubies thick, and sparkling as the fire:
His amber-colour'd locks in ringlets run,
With graceful negligence, and fhone against the
His nofe was aquiline, his eyes were blue,
Ruddy his lips, and fresh and fair his hue:
Some fprinkled freckles on his face were seen,
Whose dufk fet off the whitenefs of the fkin:
His awful prefence did the crowd furprize,
Nor durft the rafh fpectator meet his eyes,
Eyes that confefs'd him born for kingly fway,
So fierce, they flash'd intolerable day.

His age in nature's youthful prime appear'd,
And just began to bloom his yellow beard.
Whene'er he spoke, his voice was heard around,
Loud as a trumpet, with a filver found,

A laurel wreath'd his temples, fresh and green; And myrtle fprigs, the marks of love, were mix'd between.

Upon his fift he bore, for his delight,
An eagle well reclaim'd, and lily white.

His hundred knights attend him to the war.
All arm'd for battle; fave their heads were bare.
Words and devices blaz'd on every fhield,
And pleafing was the terror of the field.
For kings, and dukes, and barons, you might fee,
Like fparkling ftars, though different in degree,
All for th' increase of arms, and love of chivalry.
Before the king tame leopards led the way,
And troops of lions innocently play.

So Bacchus through the conquer'd Indies rode, And beafts in gambols frisk'd before the honeft god.

In this array the war of either fide Through Athens pafs'd with military pride.

prife;

Soft amorous fighs, and filent love of eyes.
The rivals call my Mufe another way,
To fing their vigils for th' enfuing day.
'Twas ebbing darknefs, paft the noon of night:
And phospher, on the confines of the light,
Promis'd the fun, c'er day began to fpring;
The tuneful lark already ftretch'd her wing,
And, flickering on her neft, made short effays
to fing.

When wakeful Palamon, preventing day,
Took, to the royal lifts, his carly way,

To Venus at her fane, in her own house, to

'Tis thine, whate'er is pleafant, good, or fair:
All nature is thy province, life thy care:
Thou mad'ft the world, and doft the world(
repair.

Thou gladder of the mount of Cytheron,
Increase of Jove, companion of the fun;
If e'er Adonis touch'd thy tender heart,
Have pity, Goddefs, for thou know'ft the fmart.
Alas! I have not words to tell my grief;
To vent my forrow, would be fome relief;
Light fufferings give us leifure to complain;
We groan, but cannot speak, in greater pain.
O Goddess, tell thyfelf what I would fay,
Thou know'ft it, and I feel too much to pray.
So grant my fuit, as I enforce my might;
In love to be thy champion, and thy knight;
A fervant to thy sex, a flave to thee,
A foe profeft to barren chastity.

Nor afk I fame or honour of the field,
Nor choose I more to vanquish than to yield :
In my divine @milia make me blest,
Let fate, or partial chance, dispose the rest:
Find thou the manner, and the means prepare;
Poffeffion, more than conqueft, is my care.
Mars is the warrior's god; in him it lies,
On whom he favours to confer the prize;
With smiling aspect you ferenely move

In your fifth orb, and rule the realm of love.
The fates but only spin the coarfer clue,
The fineft of the wool is left for you.
Spare me but one small portion of the twine,
And let the fifters cut below your line :
The rest among the rubbish may they sweep,
Or add it to the yarn of fome old mifer's heap.
Eat, if you this ambitious prayer deny,
(A wish, I grant, beyond mortality,)

Then let me fink beneath proud Arcite's armış,
And, I once dead, let him possess her charms.
Thus ended he; then, with observance due,
The facred incense on her altar threw :

The curling smoke mounts heavy from the fires;
At length it catches flame, and in a blaze expires;
At once the gracious Goddess gave the fign,
Her ftatue fhook, and trembled all the fhrine:
Pleas'd Palamon the tardy omen took :

Fr, fince the flames purfued the trailing smoke,
He knew his boon was granted; but the day
To distance driven, and joy adjourn'd with long
delay.

Now morn with rofy light had streak'd the sky.
Up rofe the fun, and up rofe Emily;
Addrefs'd her early steps to Cynthia's fane,
In ftate attended by her maiden train,
Who bore the vefts that holy rites require,
Incense, and odorous gums, and cover'd fire.
The plenteous horns with pleasant mead they

crown,

Nor wanted aught befides in honour of the moon. Now while the temple (moak'd with hallow'd fteam,

They wash the virgin in a living stream;
The fecret ceremonies I conceal,
Uncouth, perhaps unlawful, to reveal :
but fuch they were as Pagan ufe requir'd,
Perform'd by women when the men retir'd,
Whofe eyes profane their chafte mysterious rites
Might turn to Scandal, or obfcene delights.
Well-meaners think no harm; but for the reft,
Things facred they pervert, and filence is the best.
Her fhining hair, uncomb'd, was loosely spread,
A crown of maftlefs oak adorn'd her head:
When to the fhrine approach'd, the spotless maid
Had kindling fires on either altar laid
(The rites were fuch as were observ'd of old,
By Statius in his Theban ftory told).
Then kneeling with her hands acrofs her breast,
Thus lowly the preferr'd her chafte request.

O Goddefs, haunter of the woodland green,
To whom both heaven and earth and feas are feen;
Queen of the nether skies, where half the year
Thy filver beams defcend, and light the gloomy

sphere;

Goddess of maids, and confcious of our hearts, So keep me from the vengeance of thy darts, Which Niobe's devoted iffue felt,

When hiffing through the skies the feather'd deaths were dealt;

As I defire to live a virgin life,

Nor know the name of mother or of wife.
Thy votress from my tender years I am,

And love, like thee, the woods and fylvan game. Like death, thou know'ft, I loath the nuptialstate,

And man, the tyrant of our fex, I hate,
A lowly fervant, but a lofty mate:
Where love is duty on the female fide;
On their's mere fenfual guft, and fought with
furly pride,

Now by the triple fhape, as thou art feen
In heaven, earth, hell, and every where a queen,
Grant this my first defire; let difcord cease,
And make betwixt the rivals lasting peace:
Quench their hot fire, or far from me remove
The flame, and turn it on some other love:
Or, if my frowning ftars have fo decreed,
That one must be rejected, one fucceed,
Make him my lord, within whose faithful breast
Is fix'd my image, and who loves me best.
But, oh! ev'n that avert! I choose it not,
But take it as the leaft unhappy lot.
A maid I am, and of thy virgin train ;
Oh, let me ftill that spotless name retain !
Frequent the forefts, thy chafte will obey,
And only make the beafts of chace my prey!

The flames afcend on either altar clear, While thus the blamelefs maid addrefs'd her prayer.

When lo! the burning fire that fhone fo bright,
Flew off, all fudden, with extinguish'd light,
And left one altar dark, a little space;
Which turn'd felf-kindled, and renew'd the blaze;
The other victor-flame a moment ftood,
Then fell, and lifeless left th' extinguifh'd wood;
For ever loft, th' irrevocable light

For fook the blackening coals, and funk to night: At either end it whistled as it flew,

And as the brands were green, fo dropp'd the dew;

Infected as it fell with fweat of fanguine hue.

The maid from that ill omen turn'd her eyes, And with loud fhrieks and clamours rent the skies, Nor knew what fignify'd the boding sign, But found the powers difpleas'd, and fear'd the wrath divine.

Then fhook the facred fhrine, and fudden light Sprung through the vaulted roof, and made the temple bright.

The power, behold! the power in glory shone, By her bent bow and her keen arrows known; The reft, a huntress iffuing from the wood, Reclining on her cornel fpear the ftood. Then gracious thus began: Dismiss thy fear, And Heaven's unchang'd decrees attentive hear: More powerful Gods have torn thee from my fide,

Unwilling to refign, and doom'd a bride a

The two contending knights are weigh'd above; One Mars protects, and one the Queen of Love: But which the man, is in the Thunderer's breaft; This he pronounc'd, 'tis he who loves thee beft. The fire that once extinct reviv'd again, Forefhews the love allotted to remain :

Farewell! fhe faid, and vanish'd from the place; The fheaf of arrows fhook, and rattled in the case. Aghaft at this, the royal virgin flood,

Difclaim'd, and now no more a fifter of the wood:

But to the parting Goddess thus fhe pray'd;
Propitious ftill be prefent to my aid,

Nor quite abandon your once favour'd maid.
Then fighing the return'd; but fmil'd betwixt,
With hopes and fears, and joys with forrows mixt.

The next returning planetary hour

Of Mars, who fhar'd the heptarchy of power,
His steps bold Arcite to the temple bent,
T'adore with Pagan rites the power armipotent :
Then proftrate, low before his altar lay,

And rais'd his manly voice, and thus began to pray:

Strong God of Arms, whofe iron fceptre sways
The freezing North, and Hyperborean seas,
And Scythian colds, and Thracia's winter coaft,
Where ftand thy fteeds, and thou art honour'd
moft :

There moft; but every where thy power is known,
The fortune of the fight is all thy own:
Terror is thine, and wild amazement, flung
From out thy chariot, withers ev'n the strong:
And difarray and shameful rout ensue,
And force is added to the fainting crew.
Acknowledg'd as thou art, accept my prayer,
If aught I have atchiev'd deserve thy care:
If to my utmost power with fword and fhield
1 dar'd the death, unknowing how to yield,
And, falling in my rank, ftill kept the field:
Then let my arms prevail, by thee sustain'd,
That Emily by conqueft may be gain'd.
Have pity on my pains; nor those unknown
To Mars, which, when a lover, were his own.
Venus, the public care of all above,
Thy ftubborn heart has foftned into love :
Now by her blandifhments and powerful charms,
When yielded fhe lay curling in thy arms,
Ev'n by thy shame, if fhame it may be call'd,
When Vulcan had thee in his net inthrall'd;
O envy'd ignominy, fweet difgrace,
When every God that faw thee wifh'd thy place!
By thofe dear pleasures, aid my arms in fight,
And make me conquer in my patron's right:
For I am young, a novice in the trade,
The fool of love, unpractis'd to persuade:
And want the foothing arts that catch the fair,
But, caught myself, lie ftruggling in the fnare:
And the I love, or laughs at all my pain,

Or knows her worth too well; and pays me with difdain.

For fure I am, unless I win in arms,
To ftand excluded from Emilia's charms:
Nor can my strength avail, unless by thee
Endued by force, I gain the victory;

Then for the fire which warm'd thy generous heart,

Pity thy fubject's pains, and equal smart.
So be the morrow's fweat and labour mine,
The palm and honour of the conquest thine:
Then fhall the war, and stern debate, and strife
Immortal, be the business of my life;
And in thy fane, the dusty spoils among,
High on the burnish'd roof, my banner shall be
hung:

Rank'd with my champion's bucklers, and below,
With arms revers'd, th' atchievements of my for:
And while thefe limbs the vital spirit feeds,
While day to night, and night to day fucceeds,
Thy fmoking altar shall be fat with food
Of incenfe, and the grateful steam of blood;
Burnt-offerings morn and evening fhall be thine:
And fires eternal in thy temple fhine.
The bush of yellow beard, this length of hair,
Which from my birth inviolate I bear,
Guiltlefs of feel, and from the razor free,
Shall fall a plenteous crop, referv'd for thee.
So may my arms with victory be blest,
I ask no more; let fate difpofe the rest.

The champion ceas'd; there follow'd in the
clofe

A hollow groan: a murmuring wind arofe;
The rings of iron, that on the doors were hung,
Sent out a jarring found, and harshly rung:
The bolted gates flew open at the blast,
The ftorm rush'd in, and Arcite stood aghaft:
The flames were blown afide, yet thone they
bright,

Fann'd by the wind, and gave a ruffled light.

Then from the ground a fcent began to rife, Sweet-fmelling as accepted facrifice: This omen pleas'd, and as the flames afpire With odorous incenfe Arcite heaps the fire: Nor wanted hymns to Mars, or heathen charms: At length the nodding statue clash'd his arms, And with a fullen found and fechle cry,' Half sunk, and half pronounc'd, the word of victory.

For this, with foul devout, he thank'd the God, And, of success fecure, return'd to his abode.

These vows thus granted, rais'd a strife above, Betwixt the God of War, and Queen of Love. She granting first, had right of time to plead; But he had granted too, nor would recede. Jove was for Venus; but he fear'd his wife, And feem'd unwilling to decide the strife; Till Saturn from his leaden throne arofe, And found a way the difference to compose: Though fparing of his grace, to mischief bent, He feldom does a good with good intent. Wayward, but wife; by long experience taught To please both parties, for ill ends, he fought: For this advantage age from youth has won, As not to be outridden, though outrun. By fortune he was now to Venus trin'd, And with ftern Mars in Capricorn was join'd: Of him difpofing in his own abode,

He footh'd the Goddefs, while he gull'd the

God: