THE SPEECHES OF AJAX AND ULYSSES: FROM THE THIRTEENTH BOOK OF OVID'S METAMORPHOSES*. THE chiefs were fet, the foldiers crown'd the field: To these the master of the fevenfold fhield The Metamorphofes (as well as the Fafti of Ovid) have preferved, it must be owned, many curious particulars of ancient hiftory, philofophy, and mythology. For Ovid was a great and learned antiquarian, which from the levity and fportiveness of fome of his poems, one would not suspect. An old French tranflator of Ovid, Thomas Vallois, called the Metamorphofes, the Bible of the poets; his work was printed at Paris, in black letter, 1523. The Abbè Banier published a magnificent edition in 4to. 4 vols. 1767, with hiftorical and mythological illustrations.Benferade made a kind of travestie of Ovid in Rondeaux, printed in 4to. with beautiful fculptures. The Abbè Bellegarde tranflated at the fame time Ovid's Metamorphofes, and the pious Thomas à Kempis. Perhaps he was ordered by his confeffor to undertake the latter work as an act of penance; as Dryden was ordered by his confeffor to write the Hind and Panther, as an expiation for having written the Spanish Friar. Dr. JOSEPH Warton, His boiling rage, he roll'd his 5 eyes around The fhore, and Grecian gallies hal'd a-ground. Then ftretching out his hands, O Jove, he cry'd, Muft then our caufe before the fleet be try'd? And dares Ulyffes for the prize contend, In fight of what he durft not once defend? 10 But bafely fled, that memorable day, When I from Hector's hands redeem'd the flaming prey. So much 'tis fafer at the noisy bar With words to flourish, than engage in war. But fuch an abject rival makes it lefs. you fee; 20 26 That gift, thofe honours, he but hop'd to gain, And who before, with Jafon, fent from Greece, In the first ship brought home the golden fleece: Great Telamon from Æacus derives His birth (the inquifitor of guilty lives 35 In fhades below; where Sifyphus, whose fon This thief is thought, rolls up the refilefs heavy stone,) 40 45 Juft Eacus the king of gods above 57 Better for us, at home he had remain'd, Nor Philoctetes had been left inclos'd In a bare ifle, to wants and pains expos'd, To find him food and clothing, muft employ Yet ftill he lives, and lives from treafon free, 75 Because he left Ulyffes' company: Poor Palamede might wish, fo void of aid Rather to have been left, than fo to death betray'd. 80 The coward bore the man immortal fpite, Accus'd him firft of treafon to the state; |