Thus long in mutual Blifs they lay embrac'd,
And their firft Love continu'd to the laft:
One Sun-fhine was their Life; no Cloud between;
Nor ever was a kinder Couple seen.
And fo may all our Lives like theirs be led; Heav'n fend the Maids young Husbands, fresh in May Widows wed as often as they can,
And ever for the better change their Man.
And fome devouring Plague pursue their Lives,
Who will not well be govern'd by their Wives,
Pythagorean Philosophy.
From the Fifteenth Book of
OVID'S Metamorphoses.
The Fourteenth Book concludes with the Death and Deification of Romulus: The Fifteenth begins with the Election of Numa to the Crown of Rome. On this Occafion, Ovid, following the Opinion of fome Authors, makes Numa the Scholar of Pythagoras; and to have begun his Acquaintance with that Philofopher at Crotona, a Town in Italy; from thence he makes a Digression to the Moral and Natural Philofophy of Pythagoras: On both which our Author enlarges ; and which are the most learned and beautiful Parts of the whole Metamorphofes.
King is fought to guide the grow
One able to fupport the Publick >
And fill the Throne where Romu
Renown, which oft befpeaks the Publick Voice,
Had recommended Numa to their Choice:
A peaceful, pious Prince; who not content
To know the Sabine Rites, his Study bent
To cultivate his Mind: To learn the Laws
Of Nature, and explore their hidden Cause.
Urg'd by this Care, his Country he forfook,
And to Crotona thence his Journey took.
Arriv'd, he firft enquir'd the Founder's Name
Of this new Colony; and whence he came.
Then thus a Senior of the Place replies,
(Well read, and curious of Antiquities)
'Tis faid; Alcides hither took his way
From Spain, and drove along his conquer'd Prey; Then, leaving in the Fields his grazing Cows, He fought himself fome hofpitable House:
Good Croton entertain'd his Godlike Gueft;
While he repair'd his weary Limbs with Rest.
The Hero, thence departing, bless'd the Place;
And here, he said, in Time's revolving Race,
A rifing Town fhall take his Name from thee;
Revolving Time fulfill'd the Prophecy:
For Myfcelos, the justest Man on Earth,
Alemon's Son, at Argos had his Birth:
Him Hercules, arm'd with his Club of Oak,
O'ershadow'd in a Dream, and thus befpoke;
Go, leave thy Native Soil, and make Abode
Where Efaris rowls down his rapid Flood:
He faid; and Sleep forfook him, and the God.
Trembling he wak'd, and rofe with anxious Heart;
His Country Laws forbad him to depart:
What fhou'd he do? 'Twas Death to go away,
And the God menac'd if he dar'd to ftay:
All Day he doubted, and when Night came on,
Sleep, and the fame forewarning Dream, begun:
Once more the God flood threatning o'er his Head;
With added Curfes if he disobey'd. [convey,
Twice warn'd, he ftudy'd Flight; but wou'd
At once, his Perfon and his Wealth away:
Thus while he linger'd, his Defign was heard;
A speedy Process form'd, and Death declar'd.
Witness there needed none of his Offence,
Against himself the Wretch was Evidence:
Condemn'd, and destitute of human Aid,
To him, for whom he suffer'd, thus he pray'd.
O Pow'r who haft deferv'd in Heav'n a Throne
Not giv'n, but by thy Labours made thy own,
Pity thy Suppliant, and protect his Cause,
Whom thou haft made obnoxious to the Laws.
A Custom was of old, and still remains;
Which Life or Death by Suffrages ordains;
White Stones and Black within an Urn are caft,
The firft abfolve, but Fate is in the last.
The Judges to the common Urn bequeath
Their Votes, and drop the Sable Signs of Death;
TheBox receives all Black,but, pour'd from thence,
The Stones came candid forth: The Hue of Inno-
Thus Alemonides his Safety won,
[cence.
Preferv'd from Death by Alcumena's Son: Then to his Kinsman-God his Vows he pays, And cuts with profp'rous Gales th' Ionian Seas :
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