The first libations to the Gods they pour:
And then with fongs indulge the genial hour.
Holy debauch? Till day to night they bring,
With hymns and peans to the bowyer king.
At fun-set to their fhip they make return,
And fnore fecure on decks, till rofy morn.
The skies with dawning day were purpled
Awak'd, with lab'ring oars they leave the shore : The Pow'r appeas'd, with winds fuffic'd the
The bellying canvas ftrutted with the gale;
The waves indignant roar with furly pride,
And prefs against the fides, and beaten off divide,
They cut the foamy way, with force impell'd
Superior, till the Trojan port they held:
Then hauling on the strand their gally moor,
And pitch their tents along the crooked shore,
Mean time the Goddess-born in fecret pin'd;
Nor visited the camp, nor in the council join'd,
But keeping clofe, his gnawing heart he fed
With hopes of vengeance on the tyrant's head;
And wish'd for bloody wars and mortal wounds,
And of the Greeks opprefs'd in fight to hear the
dying founds.
Now, when twelve days compleat had run their
The Gods bethought them of the cares belonging to their place.
Jove at their head ascending from the sea,
A fhoal of puny Pow'rs attend his way.
Then Thetis, not unmindful of her son,
Emerging from the deep, to beg her boon,
Purfu'd their track; and waken'd from his rest,
Before the fovereign stood a morning guest.
Him in the circle, but apart, fhe found:
The reft at awful distance stood around.
She bow'd, and ere fhe durft her fute begin,
One hand embrac'd his knees, one prop'd his
chin.
Then thus. If I, celeftial fire, in ought
Have ferv'd thy will, or gratify'd thy thought,
One glimpse of glory to my
iffue give;
Grac'd for the little time he has to live.
Dishonour'd by the king of men he stands:
His rightful prize is ravifh'd from his hands.
But thou, O father, in my fon's defence,
Affume thy pow'r, affert thy providence.
Let Troy prevail, till Greece th' affront has paid
With doubled honours; and redeem'd his aid.
She ceas'd, but the confid'ring God was
Till fhe, refolv'd to win, renew'd her fute:
Nor loos'd her hold, but forc'd him to reply,
Or grant me my petition, or deny:
Jove cannot fear: then tell me to my face
That I, of all the Gods, am leaft in grace.
This I can bear. The Cloud-compeller mourn'd,
And fighing firft, this answer he return'd.
Know'st thou what clamors will disturb my
reign,
What my stunn'd ears from Juno must sustain ? In council fhe gives licence to her tongue,
Loquacious, brawling, ever in the
wrong. And now she will my partial pow'r upbraid,
If, alienate from Greece, I give the Trojans aid.
But thou depart, and fhun her jealous fight,
The care be mine, to do Pelides right.
Go then, and on the faith of Jove rely:
When nodding to thy fute, he bows the fky.
This ratifies th' irrevocable doom:
The fign ordain'd, that what I will thall come:
The stamp of heav'n, and feal of fate. He faid,
And fhook the facred honours of his head.
With terror trembled heav'n's fubfiding hill:
And from his fhaken curls ambrofial dews diftil.
The Goddess goes exulting from his fight,
And feeks the feas profound; and leaves the realms of light.
He moves into his hall: the Pow'rs refort, Each from his houfe to fill the fovereign's court. Nor waiting fummons, nor expecting stood; But met with reverence, and receiv'd the God. He mounts the throne; and Juno took her place: But fullen discontent fate low'ring on her face. With jealous eyes, at diftance fhe had feen, Whisp'ring with Jove, the filver-footed Queen; Then, impotent of tongue (her filence broke) Thus turbulent in rattling tone fhe spoke.
Author of ills, and close contriver Jove, Which of thy dames, what prostitute of love, Has held thy ear fo long, and begg'd fo hard, For fome old fervice done, fome new reward? Apart you talk'd, for that's your special care, The confort never muft the council share. One gracious word is for a wife too much : Such is a marriage-vow, and Jove's own faith is fuch.
Then thus the Sire of Gods, and men below, What I have hidden, hope not thou to know. Ev'n Goddeffes are women: and no wife Has pow'r to regulate her husband's life:
Counsel she may; and I will give thy ear
The knowledge firft, of what is fit to hear.
What I tranfact with others, or alone,
Beware to learn; nor prefs too near the throne. To whom the Goddess with the charming
What haft thou faid, O tyrant of the skies!
When did I fearch the fecrets of thy reign,
Tho privileg'd to know, but privileg'd in vain?
But well thou do'ft, to hide from common fight
Thy close intrigues, too bad to bear the light.
Nor doubt I, but the filver-footed dame,
Tripping from fea, on fuch an errand came,
To grace her iffue, at the Grecians cost,
And for one peevish man destroy an host.
To whom the Thund'rer made this ftern]
My houshold curfe, my lawful plague, the spy
Of Jove's defigns, his other fquinting eye;
Why this vain prying, and for what avail?
Jove will be mafter ftill, and Juno fail.
Should thy fufpicious thoughts divine aright,
Thou but becom'ft more odious to my fight,
For this attempt: uneafy life to me,
Still watch'd, and importun'd, but worse for thee.
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