Crofs'd by her friends, by her not disapprov'd,
Nor yet preferr'd, or like Ormifda lov'd:

So ftood th' affair: fome little hope remain'd,
That should his rival chance to lofe, he gain'd.

Mean time young Pafimond his marriage prefs'd,
Ordain'd the nuptial day, prepar'd the feaft;
And frugally refolv'd (the charge to shun,
Which would be double fhould he wed alone)
To join his brother's bridal with his own.
Lyfimachus, opprefs'd with mortal grief,
Receiv'd the news, and study'd quick relief:
The fatal day approach'd; if force were us'd,
The magiftrate his public truft abus'd;
To juftice liable, as law requir'd;

For when his office ceas'd, his pow'r expir'd:
While pow'r remain'd, the means were in his hand
By force to feize, and then forfake the land:
Betwixt extremes he knew not how to move,
A flave to fame, but more a flave to love:
Reitraining others, yet himself not free,
Made impotent by pow'r, debas'd by dignity.
Both fides he weigh'd: but after much debate,
The man prevail'd above the magistrate.

Love never fails to mafter what he finds,
But works a diff'rent way in diff'rent minds,
The fool enlightens, and the wife he blinds.

may

This youth propofing to poffefs and scape,
Began in murder, to conclude in rape :
Unprais'd by me, tho heav'n fometimes
An impious act with undeferv'd fuccefs:
The great it seems are privileg'd alone
To punish all injustice but their own.
But here I ftop, not daring to proceed,
Yet blush to flatter an unrighteous deed:
For crimes are but permitted, not decreed.

blefs

Refolv'd on force, his wit the prætor bent, To find the means that might fecure th' event; Nor long he labor'd, for his lucky thought In captive Cymon found the friend he fought; Th' example pleas'd: the caufe and crime the fame;

An injur'd lover, and a ravifh'd dame.

How much he durft he knew by what he dar'd,]
The lefs he had to lofe, the lefs he car'd,
To manage loathfome life when love was the
reward.

This ponder'd well, and fix'd on his intent,
In depth of night he for the pris'ner fent;
In fecret fent the public view to fhun,
Then with a fober fimile he thus begun.
The pow'rs above, who bounteously bestow
Their gifts and graces on mankind below,

Yet

prove our merit first, nor blindly give To fuch as are not worthy to receive:

For valor and for virtue they provide
Their due reward, but firft they must be try'd:
These fruitful feeds within your mind they fow'd;
'Twas yours t' improve the talent they bestow'd:
They gave you to be born of noble kind,

They gave you love to lighten up your mind,
And purge the groffer parts; they gave you care ·
To please, and courage to deferve the fair.

Thus far they try'd you, and by proof they found
The grain intrusted in a grateful ground:
But still the great experiment remain’d,
They fuffer'd you to lose the prize you gain'd;

That

you might learn the gift was theirs alone: And when reftor'd, to them the bleffing own. Reftor'd it foon will be; the means prepar'd, The difficulty smooth'd, the danger shar'd: Be but yourself, the care to me refign, Then Iphigene is yours, Caffandra mine. Your rival Pafimond purfues your life, Impatient to revenge his ravifh'd wife,

But

yet not his; to-morrow is behind,

And love our fortunes in one band has join'd:

Two brothers are our foes, Ormifda mine,
As much declar'd as Pafimond is thine:

To-morrow muft their common vows be tý'd: With love to friend, and fortune for our guide, Let both refolve to die, or each redeem a bride.)

Right I have none, nor haft thou much to plead,
'Tis force, when done, must justify the deed:
Our task perform'd, we next prepare for flight:
And let the lofers talk in vain of right:
We with the fair will fail before the wind,
If they are griev'd, I leave the laws behind.
Speak thy refolves: if now thy courage droop,
Despair in prison, and abandon hope;
But if thou dar'st in arms thy love regain,
(For liberty without thy love were vain :)
Then fecond my design to seize the prey,
Or lead to fecond rape, for well thou know'ft the way.
Said Cymon overjoy'd, do thou propose

The means to fight, and only fhew the foes:
For from the first, when love had fir'd my mind,
Refolv'd I left the care of life behind.
To this the bold Lyfimachus reply'd,
Let heav'n be neuter, and the fword decide;
The spousals are prepar'd, already play
The minftrils, and provoke the tardy day :
By this th❜brides are wak'd,their grooms are drefs'd;
All Rhodes is fummon'd to the nuptial feast,
All but myself the fole unbidden gueft.

Unbidden tho I am, I will be there,

And join'd by thee, intend to joy the fair.

Now hear the reft; when day resigns the light,
And chearful torches gild the jolly night,
Be ready at my call; my chofen few
With arms adminifter'd fhall aid thy crew.
Then entring unexpected will we seize

Our deftin'd
prey, from men diffolv'd in ease
By wine difabl'd, unprepar'd for fight:
And haft'ning to the feas, fuborn our flight :
The feas are ours, for I command the fort,
A fhip well man'd expects us in the port:
If they, or if their friends, the prize contest,
Death fhall attend the man who dares refist.

It pleas'd! the pris'ner to his hold retir'd,
His troop with equal emulation fir'd, [quir'd.
All fix'd to fight, and all their wonted work re-
The fun arofe; the streets were throng'd around,
The palace open'd, and the posts were crown'd.
The double bridegroom at the door attends
Th' expected spouse, and entertains the friends:
They meet, they lead to church, the priests invoke
The pow'rs, and feed the flameswith fragrant smoke.
This done, they feaft, and at the close of night]
kindl'd torches vary their delight, [bowls invite.
These lead the lively dance, and thofe the briming

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