The lance purfu'd the voice without delay; At this the feed of Neptune; Goddess-born, So Mars is arm'd for glory, not for need. He faid, and threw: the trembling weapon pafs'd Tho' Cygnus then did no defence provide, Not otherwife th' impatient hero far'd, Before to farther fight he would advance, O whither is their ufual virtue fed! 13 I had it once; and the Lyrneffian wall, And Tenedos, confefs'd it in their fall. Thy ftreams, Caicus, roll'd a crimson flood; At him he lanc'd his spear, and pierc'd his breast : Then thus the hero; Neither can I blame At his left shoulder aim'd: nor entrance found; Headlong he leaps from off his lofty car, } This vain attempt the chief no longer bears; But round his hollow temples and his ears His buckler beats: the fon of Neptune, ftunn'd With these repeated buffets, quits his ground; A fickly sweat fucceeds, and shades of night; Inverted nature swims before his fight: Th' infulting victor preffes on the more, And treads the steps the vanquifh'd trod before, Nor reft, nor refpite gives. A ftone there lay Behind his trembling foe, and ftopp'd his way: Achilles took th' advantage which he found, O'er-turn'd, and push'd him backward on the ground. His buckler held him under, while he prefs'd, With both his knees above, his panting breast. Unlac'd his helm: about his chin the twist He try'd; and foon the ftrangled foul difmifs'd. With eager hafte he went to ftrip the dead; The vanquish'd body from his arms was fled. His fea-god fire, t' immortalize his fame, Had turn'd it to the bird that bears his name. 1 A truce fucceeds the labors of this day, And arms fufpended with a long delay. While Trojan walls are kept with watch and ward; The Greeks before their trenches mount the guard; The feast approach'd; when to the blue-ey'd maid His vows for Cygnus flain the victor paid, And a white heifer on her altar laid. The reeking entrails on the fire they threw; And to the Gods the grateful odour flew : Heav'n had its part in facrifice: the reft Was broil'd and roafted for the future feast, The chief invited guests were fet around : And hunger firft affuag'd, the bowls were crown'd, Which in deep draughts their cares and labors drown'd. The mellow harp did not their ears employ: And mute was all the warlike fymphony; Difcourfe, Difcourfe, the food of fouls, was their delight, has known, From fteel, and which could ev'n that fteel rebate: Tell, with that eloquence, fo much thy own, Yet not exhaufted, I remember more. Of Of all that arms atchiev'd, or peace defign'd, 'Twas in my fecond cent'ry, I furvey'd Young Cænis, then a fair Theffalian maid: Canis the bright was born to high command; A princess, and a native of thy land, Divine Achilles: every tongue proclaim'd Her beauty, and her eyes all hearts inflam'd. Peleus, thy fire, perhaps had fought her bed, Among the reft; but he had either led Thy mother then, or was by promise ty'd ; But the to him, and all, alike her love deny'd. It was her fortune once, to take her way Along the fandy margin of the fea The power of Ocean view'd her as she pass'd, And, lov'd as foon as seen, by force embrac❜d. So fame reports. Her virgin treasure feiz'd, And his new joys the ravisher fo pleas'd, That thus, tranfported, to the nymph he cry'd ; Afk what thou wilt, no pray'r fhall be deny'd. This alfo fame relates: the haughty fair, Who not the rape ev'n of a God could bear, This anfwer, proud, return'd: To mighty wrongs A mighty recompence, of right, belongs. Give me no more to fuffer such a shame; But change the woman, for a better name ; One gift for all: fhe faid; and while fhe spoke, A ftern, majeftic, manly tone fhe took. A man fhe was and as the Godhead fwore, To Cæneus turn'd, who Cænis was before. To this the lover adds, without request : No force of steel should violate his breast. Glad of the gift, the new-made warrior goes ; And arms among the Greeks, and longs for equal foes. VOL. IV. E Now |