Sivut kuvina
PDF
ePub

This to prevent, fhe wak'd her fleepy crew,
And rifing hafty, took a short adieu.

Then Cymon firft his ruftic voice effay'd,
With proffer'd fervice to the parting maid
To fee her fafe; his hand the long deny'd,
But took at length, afham'd of fuch a guide:
So Cymon led her home, and leaving there,
No more would to his country clowns repair,
But fought his father's houfe, with better mind,
Refufing in the farm to be confin'd.

The father wonder'd at the fon's return,

And knew not whether to rejoice or mourn;
But doubtfully receiv'd, expecting ftill

To learn the fecret causes of his alter'd will.
Not was he long delay'd: the firft request
He made, was like his brothers to be drefs'd,
And as his birth requir'd, above the rest.

With ease his fuit was granted by his fire,
Distinguishing his heir by rich attire:
His body thus adorn'd, he next defign'd
With lib'ral arts to cultivate his mind:
He fought a tutor of his own accord,
And study'd leffons he before, abhorr❜d.

}

Thus the man-child advanc'd, and learn'd fo faft,

That in fhort time his equals he furpa's'd;

[blocks in formation]

His brutal manners from his breast exil'd,
His mien he fashion'd, and his tongue he fil'd;
In ev'ry exercise of all admir'd,

He feem'd, nor only feem'd, but was infpir'd:
Infpir'd by love, whose business is to please;
He rode, he fenc'd, he mov'd with graceful eafe,
More fam'd for fenfe, for courtly carriage more,
Than for his brutal folly known before.

What then of alter'd Cymon fhall we say,
But that the fire which choak'd in ashes lay,
A load too heavy for his foul to move,

Was upward blown below,and brush'd away by love.
Love made an active progress thro his mind,
The dufky parts he 'clear'd, the grofs refin❜d,
The drowsy wak'd; and as he went imprefs'd
The Maker's image on the human breast.
Thus was the man amended by defire,

And tho he lov'd perhaps with too much fire,
His father all his faults with reafon fcan'd,

And lik'd an error of the better hand
;

Excus'd th' excefs of paffion in his mind,
By flames too fierce, perhaps too much refin❜d :
So Cymon, fince his fire indulg'd his will,
Impetuous lov'd, and would be Cymon ftill;
Galefus he difown'd, and chofe to bear

The name of fool confirm'd, and bishop'd by the fair.

To Cipfeus by his friends his fuit he mov'd,
Cipfeus the father of the fair he lov'd:
But he was pre-engag'd by former ties,
While Cymon was endeavouring to be wife:
And Iphigene, oblig'd by former vows,
Had giv'n her faith to wed a foreign spouse:
Her fire and fhe to Rhodian Pafimond,
Though both repenting, were by promise bound,
Nor could retract; and thus, as fate decreed,
Tho better lov'd, he spoke too late to speed.
The doom was paft, the ship already fent
Did all his tardy diligence prevent:
Sigh'd to herself the fair unhappy maid,
While stormy Cymon thus in fecret faid:
The time is come for Iphigene to find
The miracle she wrought upon my mind:
Her charms have made me man, her ravish'd love
In rank fhall place me with the bless'd above.
For mine by love, by force the fhall be mine,
Or death, if force should fail, fhall finish my
defign.

Refolv'd he faid; and rigg'd with speedy care
A veffel strong, and well equipp'd for war.
The secret ship with chofen friends he ftor'd;
And bent to die, or conquer, went aboard.

Ambush'd he lay behind the Cyprian shore,
Waiting the fail that all his wishes bore;
Nor long expected, for the following tide
Sent out the hostile ship and beauteous bride.

To Rhodes the rival bark directly fteer'd,
When Cymon fudden at her back' appear'd,
And stopp'd her flight: then standing on his prow
In haughty terms he thus defy'd the foe;
Or ftrike your fails at fummons, or prepare
To prove the last extremities of war.

Thus warn'd, the Rhodians for the fight provide;] Already were the veffels fide by fide,

These obftinate to fave, and those to seize the

bride.

But Cymon foon his crooked grapples cast,
Which with tenacious hold his foes embrac'd,
And, arm'd with fword and fhield, amid the
prefs he pafs'd.

Fierce was the fight, but haft'ning to his prey,
By force the furious lover freed his way:
Himself alone difpers'd the Rhodian crew,
The weak difdain'd, the valiant overthrew ;
Cheap conqueft for his following friends remain'd,
He reap'd the field, and they but only glean'd.
His victory confefs'd, the foes retreat,

And caft their weapons at the victor's feet.

Whom thus he chear'd: ORhodian youth, I fought
For love alone, nor other booty fought:
Your lives are fafe; your veffel I refign,
Yours be your own, reftoring what is mine:
In Iphigene I claim my rightful due,
Robb'd by my rival, and detain'd by you:
Your Pafimond a lawless bargain drove,
The parent could not fell the daughter's love;
Or if he cou'd, my love difdains the laws,
And like a king by conqueft gains his cause :
Where arms take place, all other pleas are vain,
Love taught me force, and force fhall love main-

tain.

You, what by strength you could not keep, release, And at an easy ranfom buy your peace.

Fear on the conquer'd fide foon fign'd th' accord, And Iphigene to Cymon was reftor'd : While to his arms the blushing bride he took ; To feeming fadnefs fhe compos'd her look; As if by force fubjected to his will,

Tho pleas'd, diffembling, and a woman still. And, for he wept, he wip'd her falling tears, And pray'd her to dismiss her empty fears ; For yours I am, he faid, and have deferv'd, Your love much better whom so long I serv'd,

« EdellinenJatka »