The fatal day approach'd: if force were us'd,
The magiftrate his public trust abus'd;
To juftice, liable as law requir'd;
or when his office ceas'd, his pow'r expir'd:
While pow'r remain'd; the means were in his hand
y force to seize, and then forfake the land:
etwixt extremes he knew not how to move,
flave to fame, but more a flave to love:
Leftraining 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 mafter what he finds,
but works a different way in different minds,
The fool enlightens, and the wife he blinds.
This youth proposing to poffefs, and seape,
Began in murder, to conclude in rape:
In prais'd by me, though heav'n fometime
An impious act with undeferv'd fuccefs:
The great, it seems, are priviledg'd alone
To punish all injustice 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 pretor bent,
To find the means that might fecure th' event;
Not long he labour'd, for his lucky thought
In captive Cymon found the friend he fought;
Th' example pleas'd: the cause and crime the fame;
An injur'd lover, and a ravish'd dame.
How much he durft he knew by what he dar'd,
The lefs he had to lofe, the lefs he car'd
To menage loathfome life when love was the reward.
This ponder'd well, and fix'd on his intent,
In depth of night he for the prisner fent;
In fecret fent, the public view to shun,
Then with a fober fmile he thus begun.
The pow'rs above, who bounteously bestow
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 first they must be try'd:
These fruitful feeds within your mind they fow'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 deserve the fair.
Thus far they try'd you, and by proof they found
The grain intrusted in a grateful ground:
But fill the great experiment remain'd,
They fuffer'd you to lose 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 shar❜d:
Be but yourself, the care to me refign,
Then Iphigene is yours, Caffandra mine,
Your rival Pafimond pursues 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; Ormisda mine,
As much declar'd, as Pasimond 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:
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,
Despair 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 design to feize the prey,
Or lead to second rape, for well thou know't the way.
Said Cymon overjoy'd, do thou propofe
The means to fight, and only shew 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 fword decide:
The spousals are prepar'd, already play
The minstrels, and provoke the tardy day :
By this the brides are wak'd, their grooms are drefs'd ;
All Rhodes is fummon'd to the nuptial feast,
All but myself the sole unbidden guest.
Unbidden though I am, I will be there,
And, join'd by thee, intend to joy the fair.
Now hear the reft; when day resigns the light,
And chearful torches gild the jolly night;
Be ready at my call, my chosen few
With arms administer'd shall aid thy crew.
Then entring unexpected will we feize
Our deftin'd prey, from men diffolv'd in case;
By wine difabl'd, unprepar'd for fight;
And haft'ning to the feas fuborn our flight:
The feas are ours, for I command the fort,
A ship 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.
The fun arofe; the streets were throng'd around,
The palace open'd, and the pafts were crown'd:
The double bridegroom at the door attends,
Th' expected spouse, and entertains the friends:
They meet, they lead to church; the priests invoke
The pow'rs, and feed the flames with fragrant smoke:
This done they feast, and at the close of night
By kindled torches vary their delight,
These lead the lively dance, and those the brimming bowls invite.
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 shore:
The second at the palace-gate is plac'd,
And up the lofty stairs afcend the last:
A peaceful troop they seem with fhining vefts,
But coats of mail beneath fecure their breasts.
Dauntless they enter, Cymon at their head, And find the feast 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 through the hall The fudden troop appears, the tables fall, Their fmoking load is on the pavement thrown; Each ravisher prepares to seize 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 shining swords.` But late is all defence; and fuccour vain, The rape is made, the ravishers remain: Two flurdy flaves were only fent before To bear the purchas'd prize in fafety to the shore. The troop retires, the lovers close the rear, With forward faces not confeffing fear:
Backward they move, but fcorn their pace to mend,
Then seek the stairs, and with flow hafte defcend.
Fierce Pafimond their paffage to prevent,
Thrust full on Cymon's back in his descent,
The blade return'd unbath'd, and to the handle bent:
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