Some right you claim, fince naked to your eyes Three goddeffes difputed beauty's prize:
One offer'd valour, t'other crowns; but she Obtain'd her caufe, who, fmiling, promis'd me. But first I am not of belief fo light,
To think fuch nymphs would fhew you fuch a
Yet granting this, the other part is feign'd;
A bribe fo mean your fentence had not gain'd.
With partial eyes I should myself regard,
To think that Venus made me her reward:
I humbly am content with human praife; 125
A goddess's applause would envy raise.
But be it as you fay; for, 'tis confeft,
The men, who flatter higheft, please us beft.
That I fufpect it, ought not to displease ;
For miracles are not believ'd with eafe.
One joy I have, that I had Venus' voice;
A greater yet, that you confirm'd her choice;
That proffer'd laurels, promis'd fovereignty,
Juno and Pallas, you contemn'd for me.
Am I your empire then, and your renown? 135 What heart of rock, but must by this be won?
And yet bear witnefs, O you Powers above,
How rude I am in all the arts of love!
My hand is yet untaught to write to men :
This is th' effay of my unpractis'd pen.
Happy thofe nymphs, whom ufe has perfect
I think all crime, and tremble at a fhade.
E'en while I write, my fearful conscious eyes
Look often back, mifdoubting a furprize.
For now the rumour fpreads among the croud,
At court it whispers, but in town aloud.
Diffemble you, whate'er you hear 'em fay:
To leave off loving were your
better way; Yet if you will diffemble it, you may. Love fecretly the abfence of my lord
More freedom gives, but does not all afford :
Long is his journey, long will be his ftay;
Call'd by affairs of confequence away,
To go, or not, when unrefolv'd he ftood,
I bid him make what fwift return he could; 155
Then kiffing me, he said, I recommend
All to thy care, but moft my Trojan friend,
1 fmil'd at what he innocently faid,
And only answer'd, You fhall be obey❜d.
Propitious winds have born him far from hence,
But let not this fecure your confidence.
Absent he is, yet absent he commands:
You know the proverb, " Princes have long
hands,"
My fame's my burden for the more I'm prais'd,
A jufter ground of jealoufy is rais'd.
Were I lefs fair, I might have been more bleft:
Great beauty through great danger is poffeft.
To leave me here his venture was not hard,
Because he thought my virtue was my guard.
He fear'd my face, but trufted to my life,
The beauty doubted, but believ'd the wife.
You bid me ufe th' occafion while I can,
Put in our hands by the good eafy man.
I would, and yet I doubt, 'twixt love and fear ; One draws me from you, and one brings me
Our flames are mutual, and my husband's
The nights are long; I fear to lie alone.
One house contains us, and weak walls divide,
And you're too preffing to be long deny'd.
Let me not live, but ev'ry thing confpires
To join our loves, and yet my fear retires.
You court with words, when you fhould force
employ :
A rape is requifite to shame-fac'd joy.
Indulgent to the wrongs which we receive,
Our fex can fuffer what we dare not give. 185
What have I faid? for both of us 'twere beft,
Our kindling fire if each of us fuppreft.
The faith of ftrangers is too prone to change,
And, like themselves, their wand'ring paffions
range.
Hypfipile, and the fond Minonian maid,
Were both by trusting of their guests betray'd,
How can I doubt that other men deceive,
When you yourself did fair Œnone leave?
But left I should upbraid your treachery,
You make a merit of that crime to me.
Yet grant you were to faithful love inclin'd,
Your weary Trojans wait but for a wind.
Should you prevail; while I affign the night,
Your fails are hoifted, and you take your flight:
Some bawling mariner our love destroys,
And breaks afunder our unfinish'd joys.
But I with you may leave the Spartan port,
To view the Trojan wealth and Priam's court:
Shown while I fee, I fhall expofe my fame,
And fill a foreign country with my fhame. 205
In Afia what reception fhall I find?
And what difhonor leave in Greece behind?
What will your brothers, Priam, Hecuba,
And what will all your modeft matrons say?
E'en you, when on this action you reflect,
My future conduct juftly may fufpect;
And whate'er ftranger lands upon your coaft,
Conclude me, by your own example, loft.
I from your rage a ftrumpet's name shall hear,
While you forget what part in it you bear. 215
You, my crime's author, will my crime upbraid:
Deep under ground, oh, let me first be laid!
You boast the pomp and plenty of your land,
And promise all shall be at my command:
Your Trojan wealth, believe me, I defpife; 220
My own poor native land has dearer ties.
Should I be injur'd on your Phrygian fhore,
What help of kindred could I there implore?.
Medea was by Jafon's flatt'ry won :
I may, like her, believe, and be undone.
Plain honeft hearts, like mine, fufpect no cheat,
And love contributes to its own deceit.
The fhips, about whofe fides loud tempests roar, With gentle winds were wafted from the fhore. Your teeming mother dream'd a flaming brand, Sprung from her womb, confum'd the Trojan
To fecond this, old prophecies confpire,
That Ilium fhall be burnt with Grecian fire.
Both give me fear; nor is it much allay'd,
That Venus is oblig'd our loves to aid.
For they, who loft their caufe, revenge will take;
And for one friend two enemies you make.
Nor can I doubt, but, fhould I follow you,
The fword would foon our fatal crime purfue.
A wrong fo great my husband's rage would
roufe,
And my relations would his caufe efpouse. You boast your strength and courage; but, alas! Your words receive fmall credit from your face.
|