On the strong neck of that destructive beast; And, gazing on the nymph with ardent eyes, Accept," said he, "fair Nonacrine, my prize;

And, tho' inferior, suffer me to join

My labors, and my part of praise, with thine: "

At this presents her with the tusky head And chine, with rising bristles roughly spread.

Glad, she receiv'd the gift; and seem'd to take

With double pleasure, for the giver's sake. The rest were seiz'd with sullen discontent, And a deaf murmur thro' the squadron went: All envied; but the Thestyan brethren show'd

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Within her soul; at last 't was rage alone; Which burning upwards in succession dries The tears that stood consid'ring in her eyes.

There lay a log unlighted on the hearth: When she was lab'ring in the throes of birth For th' unborn chief, the Fatal Sisters came, And rais'd it up, and toss'd it on the flame: Then on the rock a scanty measure place Of vital flax, and turn'd the wheel apace; And turning sung: "To this red brand and thee,

O newborn babe, we give an equal destiny:"

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So vanish'd out of view. The frighted dame Sprung hasty from her bed, and quench'd the flame:

The log, in secret lock'd, she kept with care; And that, while thus preserv'd, preserv'd

her heir.

with pain.

By steel her stubborn soul his mother freed, And punish'd on herself her impious deed.

Had I a hundred tongues, a wit so large As could their hundred offices discharge; Had Phoebus all his Helicon bestow'd, In all the streams inspiring all the god; Those tongues, that wit, those streams, that god in vain

Would offer to describe his sisters' pain. 380 They beat their breasts with many a bruising blow,

Till they turn❜d livid, and corrupt the snow. The corpse they cherish, while the corpse

remains,

And exercise and rub with fruitless pains; And when to fun'ral flames 't is borne away, They kiss the bed on which the body lay: And when those fun'ral flames no longer burn,

(The dust compos'd within a pious urn,) Ev'n in that urn their brother they confess, And hug it in their arms, and to their bosoms press.

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His tomb is rais'd; then, stretch'd along the ground,

Those living monuments his tomb surround: Ev'n to his name, inscrib'd, their tears they pay,

Till tears and kisses wear his name away.

But Cynthia now had all her fury spent, Not with less ruin than a race content: Excepting Gorge, perish'd all the seed,

20

As envying any else should share a part
Of what was his, and claiming all her heart.
At length, as public decency requir'd,
And all his vassals eagerly desir'd,
With mind averse, he rather underwent
His people's will than gave his own consent.
So was she torn as from a lover's side,
And made almost in his despite a bride.
Short were her marriage joys, for in the
prime

Of youth her lord expir'd before his time;
And, to her father's court in little space
Restor❜d anew, she held a higher place;
More lov'd, and more exalted into grace.
This princess, fresh and young, and fair and

When Guiscard next was in the circle

seen,

Where Sigismonda held the place of queen, A hollow cane within her hand she brought, But in the concave had enclos'd a note. With this she seem'd to play, and, as in sport,

80

Toss'd to her love, in presence of the court: "Take it," she said, "and when your needs require,

This little brand will serve to light your fire."

He took it with a bow, and soon divin'd The seeming toy was not for naught design'd;

But when retir'd, so long with curious eyes He view'd the present, that he found the prize.

Much was in little writ; and all convey'd With cautious care, for fear to be betray'd By some false confident, or fav'rite maid. The time, the place, the manner how to

Was now th' apartment of the royal dame;
The cavern, only to her father known,
By him was to his darling daughter shown.
Neglected long she let the secret rest,
Till love recall'd it to her lab'ring breast,
And hinted as the way by Heav'n design'd,
The teacher, by the means he taught, to
blind.

What will not women do, when need inspires
Their wit, or love their inclination fires!
Tho' jealousy of state th' invention found,
Yet love refin'd upon the former ground.
That way the tyrant had reserv'd, to fly 131
Pursuing hate, now serv'd to bring two
lovers nigh.

The dame, who long in vain had kept the key,

Bold by desire, explor'd the secret way; Now tried the stairs, and, wading thro' the night,

Search'd all the deep recess, and issued into light.

All this her letter had so well explain'd, Th' instructed youth might compass what remain❜d;

The cavern mouth alone was hard to find,
Because the path, disus'd, was out of mind:
But in what quarter of the copse it lay, 141
His eye by certain level could survey.
Yet (for the wood perplex'd with thorns he
knew)

A frock of leather o'er his limbs he drew; And thus provided, search'd the brake around,

Till the chok'd entry of the cave he found. Thus, all prepar'd, the promis'd hour arriv'd,

So long expected, and so well contriv'd: With love to friend, th' impatient lover went, Fenc'd from the thorns, and trod the deep descent.

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The conscious priest, who was suborn'd before,

Stood ready posted at the postern door; The maids in distant rooms were sent to rest, And nothing wanted but th' invited guest. He came, and knocking thrice, without delay,

The longing lady heard, and turn'd the key; At once invaded him with all her charms,

The cave was now become a common way; The wicket, often open'd, knew the key: Love rioted secure, and, long enjoy'd, Was ever eager, and was never cloy'd.

But as extremes are short, of ill and good, And tides at highest mark regorge the flood; So Fate, that could no more improve their joy,

Took a malicious pleasure to destroy.

Tancred, who fondly lov'd, and whose delight

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Was plac'd in his fair daughter's daily sight, Of custom, when his state affairs were done, Would pass his pleasing hours with her alone;

And, as a father's privilege allow'd, Without attendance of th' officious crowd.

It happen'd once, that when in heat of day He tried to sleep, as was his usual way, The balmy slumber fled his wakeful eyes, And forc'd him, in his own despite, to rise. Of sleep forsaken, to relieve his care, He sought the conversation of the fair; 200 But with her train of damsels she was gone,