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:
Restraining 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 master what he finds, But works a diff'rent way in diff'rent minds, The fool enlightens, and the wife he blinds. This youth propofing to poffefs and scape, Began in murder, to conclude in rape: Unprais'd by me, tho' heav'n fometimes may bless An impious act with undeferv'd fuccefs: The great it seems are privileg'd alone To punish all injuftice 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. Refolv'd on force, his wit the prætor bent, To find the means that might secure th' event; Nor long he labour'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.

1

How much he durft he knew by what he dar'd,
The lefs he had to lofe, the lefs he car'd,

Το 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 smile he thus begun.

VOL. III.

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The

The pow'rs above, who bounteously beftow
Their gifts and graces on mankind below,
Yet prove our merit first, nor blindly give
To fuch as are not worthy to receive :
For valour and for virtue they provide

Their due reward, but firft they must be try'd :
These fruitful feeds within your mind they sow'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 ftill the great experiment remain'd,
They fuffer'd you to lofe 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 fmooth'd, the danger fhar'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 ravish'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 must their common vows be ty'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:

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We

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,
Defpair in prison, and abandon hope;

But if thou dar'ft in arms thy love regain,
(For liberty without thy love were vain :)
Then fecond my defign to feize 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 sword decide;
The spousals are prepar'd, already play
The minstrels, 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 feaft,
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 refigns the light,
And chearful torches gild the jolly night,
Be ready at my call; my chofen few
With arms administer'd shall aid thy crew.
Then entring unexpected will we feize
Our deftin'd prey, from men diffolv'd in ease;
By wine disabl'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 conteft,
Death fhall attend the man who dares refift.

It pleas'd! the pris'ner to his hold retir'd, His troop with equal emulation fir'd,

All fix'd to fight, and all their wonted work requir'd.

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The fun arofe; the ftreets were throng'd around,
The palace open'd, and the pofts were crown'd.
The double bridegroom at the door attends

Th' expected fpoufe, and entertains the friends:
They meet, they lead to church, the priests invoke
The pow'rs, and feed the flames with fragrant fmoke.
This done, they feaft, and at the close of night
By kindled torches vary their delight,

[invite.
Thefe lead the lively dance, and thofe the briming bowls
Now, at th' appointed place and hour affign'd,
With fouls refolv'd the ravishers were join'd:
Three bands are form'd; the firft is fent before
To favour the retreat, and guard the fhore;
The fecond at the palace-gate is plac'd,
And up the lofty stairs afcend the last:
A peaceful troop they feem with fhining vefts,
But coats of mail beneath fecure their breafts.
Dauntless they enter, Cymon at their head,
And find the feaft renew'd, the table spread:
Sweet voices, mix'd with inftrumental founds,
Afcend the vaulted roof, the vaulted roof rebounds.
When like the harpies rushing thro' the hall
The fudden troop appears, the tables fall,
Their fmoaking load is on the pavement thrown ;
Each ravisher prepares to feize his own:
The brides, ́invaded with a rude embrace,
Shriek out for aid, confufion fills the place.
Quick to redeem the prey their plighted lords.
Advance, the palace gleams with fhining fwords.
But late is all defence, and fuccour vain ;
The rape is made, the ravishers remain:
Two sturdy flaves were only fent before

To bear the purchas'd prize in fafety to the fhore,
The troop retires, the lovers close the rear,
With forward faces not confeffing fear;

Backward they move, but scorn their pace to mend ;
Then feck the stairs, and with flow haste descend.

Fierce Pafimond, their paffage to prevent,
Thruft full on Cymon's back in his descent,
The blade return'd unbath'd, and to the handle bent.
Stout Cymon foon remounts, and cleft in two
His rival's head with one descending blow:
And as the next in rank Ormifda ftood,

He turn'd the point; the fword inur❜d to blood,
Bor'd his unguarded breast, which pour'da purple flood.
With vow'd revenge the gathering crowd pursues,
1 The ravishers turn head, the fight renews;

The hall is heap'd with corps; the fprinkled gore
Befmears the walls, and floats the marble floor.
Difpers'd at length the drunken fquadron flies,
The victors to their veffel bear the prize;

And hear behind loud groans, and lamentable cries.
The crew with merry shouts their anchors weigh,
Then ply their oars, and brush the buxom sea,
While troops of gather'd Rhodians crowd the key.
What fhould the people do when left alone?
The governor and government are gone.
The public wealth to foreign parts convey'd ;
Some troops difbanded, and the rest unpaid.
Rhodes is the fovereign of the sea no more;
Their fhips unrigg'd, and spent their naval ftore;
They neither could defend, nor can pursue,
But grind their teeth, and cast a helpless view:
In vain with darts a diftant war they try,
Short, and more fhort, the miffive weapons fly.
Mean while the ravishers their crimes enjoy,
And flying fails and fweeping oars employ :
The cliffs of Rhodes in little space are loft,
Jove's ifle they feck; nor Jove denies his coaft.
In fafety landed on the Candian shore,
With generous wines their spirits they restore:
There Cymon with his Rhodian friend refides,
Both court, and wed at once the willing brides.