And in thy fane, the dusty spoils among,

High on the burnish'd roof, my banner fhall be hung:
Rank'd with my champion's bucklers, and below,
With arms revers'd, th' atchievements of my foe :
And while these limbs the vital fpirit feeds,
While day to night, and night to day fucceeds,
Thy smoking altar fhall be fat with food
Of incenfe, and the grateful team of blood;
Burnt-offerings morn and evening fhall be thine
And fires eternal in thy temple fhine.

The bush of yellow beard, this length of hair,
Which from my birth inviolate I bear,
Guiltless of steel, and from the razor free,
Shall fall a plenteous crop, referv'd for thee.
So may my arms with victory be bleft,
I ask no more; let fate difpofe the rest.

The champion ceas'd; there follow'd in the clofe A hollow groan: a murmuring wind arofe; The rings of iron, that on the doors were hung, Sent out a jarring found, and harshly rung: The bolted gates flew open at the blast, The storm rush'd in, and Arcite stood aghast : The flames were blown aside, yet fhone they bright, Fann'd by the wind, and gave a ruffled light.

Then from the ground a scent began to rise,
Sweet-fmelling as accepted facrifice:

This omen pleas'd, and as the flames afpire
With odorous incenfe Arcite heaps the fire:
Nor wanted hymns to Mars, or heathen charms :
At length the nodding statue clash'd his arms,

And

And with a fullen found and feeble cry,

Half funk, and half pronounc'd, the word of victory.
For this, with foul devout, he thank'd the God,
And, of fuccefs fecure, return'd to his abode.

These vows thus granted, rais'd a ftrife above,
Betwixt the God of War, and Queen of Love.
She granting first, had right of time to plead ;
But he had granted too, nor would recede.
Jove was for Venus; but he fear'd his wife,
And feem'd unwilling to decide the strife;
Till Saturn from his leaden throne arose,
And found a way the difference to compose:
Though sparing of his grace, to mischief bent,
He seldom does a good with good intent.
Wayward, but wife; by long experience taught
To please both parties, for ill ends, he fought:
For this advantage age from youth has won,
As not to be outridden, though outrun.
By fortune he was now to Venus trin'd,
And with ftern Mars in Capricorn was join'd:
Of him difpofing in his own abode,

He footh'd the Goddess, while he gull'd the God:
Ceafe, daughter, to complain, and stint the strife;
Thy Palamon fhall have his promis'd wife :
And Mars, the lord of conqueft, in the fight
With palm and laurel shall adorn his knight.
Wide is my course, nor turn I to my place,
Till length of time, and move with tardy pace.
Man feels me, when I prefs th' etherial plains,
My hand is heavy, and the wound remains.

Mine is the shipwreck, in a watery fign;
And in an earthy, the dark dungeon mine.
Cold fhivering agues, melancholy care,
And bitter blafting winds, and poifon'd air,
Are mine, and wilful death, refulting from defpair.
The throtling quinfey 'tis my ftar appoints,
And rheumatifms afcend to rack the joints :
When churls rebel against their native prince,
I arm their hands, and furnish the pretence;
And, housing in the lion's hateful fign,
Bought fenates and deserting troops are mine.
Mine is the privy poisoning; I command
Unkindly feasons, and ungrateful land.

By me king's palaces are push'd to ground,
And miners crush'd beneath their mines are found.
'Twas I flew Samfon, when the pillar'd hall
Fell down, and crush'd the many with the fall.
My looking is the fire of peftilence,

That sweeps at once the people and the prince.
Now weep no more, but trust thy grandfire's art,
Mars fhall be pleas'd, and thou perform thy part.
'Tis ill, though different your complexions are,
The family of Heaven for men should war.
Th' expedient pleas'd, where neither lost his right;
Mars had the day, and Venus had the night.
The management they left to Chronos' care;
Now turn we to th' effect, and fing the war.

In Athens all was pleasure, mirth, and play,
All proper to the fpring, and fprightly May:
VOL. III.

I

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Which

Which every foul infpir'd with fuch delight,
'Twas jefting all the day, and love at night.
Heaven finil'd, and gladded was the heart of man;
And Venus had the world as when it first began.
At length in fleep their bodies they compose,
And dreamt the future fight, and early rofe.

Now fcarce the dawning day began to spring,
As at a fignal given, the streets with clamours ring:
At once the crowd arose; confus'd and high
Ev'n from the heaven was heard a shouting cry;
For Mars was early up, and rous'd the sky.
The Gods came downward to behold the wars,
Sharpening their fights, and leaning from their stars.
The neighing of the generous horfe was heard,
For battle by the bufy groom prepar'd,
Rufiling of harnefs, rattling of the fhield,
Clattering of armour, furbish'd for the field.
Crowds to the caftle mounted up the street,
Battering the pavement with their courfers' feet:
The greedy fight might there devour the gold
Of glittering arms, too dazzling to behold:
And polish'd fteel that caft the view afide,
And crefted morions, with their plumy pride.
Knights, with a long retinue of their squires,
In gaudy liveries march, and quaint attires.
One lac'd the helm, another held the lance:
A third the fhining buckler did advance.

The courfer paw'd the ground with restless feet,
And fnorting foam'd, and champ'd the golden bit.

The smiths and armourers on palfreys ride,
Files in their hands, and hammers at their fide,
And nails for loofen'd spears, and thongs for shields
provide.

The yeomen guard the streets, in feemly bands;
And clowns come crowding on, with cudgels in their
hands.

The trumpets, next the gate, in order plac'd,
Attend the fign to found the martial blast;
The palace-yard is fill'd with floating tides,
And the laft comers bear the former to the fides.
The throng is in the midft: the common crew
Shut out, the hall admits the better few;
In knots they stand, or in a rank they walk,
Serious in afpect, earnest in their talk:
Factious, and favouring this or t' other fide,
As their strong fancy or weak reason guide:
Their wagers back their wishes; numbers hold
With the fair freckled king, and beard of gold:
So vigorous are his eyes, fuch rays they cast,
So prominent his eagle's beak is plac'd.

But most their looks on the black monarch bend,
His rising muscles and his brawn commend;
His double-biting axe and beamy spear,
Each asking a gigantic force to rear.

All spoke as partial favour mov'd the mind:
And, fafe themselves, at others' coft divin'd.
Wak'd by the cries, th' Athenian chief arose,
The knightly forms of combat to dispose;

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And