The Story of Niobe



6:210 Swift thro' the Phrygian towns the rumour flies,
6:211 And the strange news each female tongue employs:
6:212 Niobe, who before she married knew
6:213 The famous nymph, now found the story true;
6:214 Yet, unreclaim'd by poor Arachne's fate,
6:215 Vainly above the Gods assum'd a state.
6:216 Her husband's fame, their family's descent,
6:217 Their pow'r, and rich dominion's wide extent,
6:218 Might well have justify'd a decent pride;
6:219 But not on these alone the dame rely'd.
6:220 Her lovely progeny, that far excell'd,
6:221 The mother's heart with vain ambition swell'd:
6:222 The happiest mother not unjustly styl'd,
6:223 Had no conceited thoughts her tow'ring fancy fill'd.

6:224 For once a prophetess with zeal inspir'd,
6:225 Their slow neglect to warm devotion fir'd;
6:226 Thro' ev'ry street of Thebes who ran possess'd,
6:227 And thus in accents wild her charge express'd:
6:228 Haste, haste, ye Theban matrons, and adore,
6:229 With hallow'd rites, Latona's mighty pow'r;
6:230 And, to the heav'nly twins that from her spring,
6:231 With laurel crown'd, your smoaking incense bring.
6:232 Strait the great summons ev'ry dame obey'd,
6:233 And due submission to the Goddess paid:
6:234 Graceful, with laurel chaplets dress'd, they came,
6:235 And offer'd incense in the sacred flame.

6:236 Mean-while, surrounded with a courtly guard,
6:237 The royal Niobe in state appear'd;
6:238 Attir'd in robes embroider'd o'er with gold,
6:239 And mad with rage, yet lovely to behold:
6:240 Her comely tresses, trembling as she stood,
6:241 Down her fine neck with easy motion flow'd;
6:242 Then, darting round a proud disdainful look,
6:243 In haughty tone her hasty passion broke,
6:244 And thus began: What madness this, to court
6:245 A Goddess, founded meerly on report?
6:246 Dare ye a poor pretended Pow'r invoke,
6:247 While yet no altars to my godhead smoke?
6:248 Mine, whose immediate lineage stands confess'd
6:249 From Tantalus, the only mortal guest
6:250 That e'er the Gods admitted to their feast.
6:251 A sister of the Pleiads gave me birth;
6:252 And Atlas, mightiest mountain upon Earth,
6:253 Who bears the globe of all the stars above,
6:254 My grandsire was, and Atlas sprung from Jove.
6:255 The Theban towns my majesty adore,
6:256 And neighb'ring Phrygia trembles at my pow'r:
6:257 Rais'd by my husband's lute, with turrets crown'd,
6:258 Our lofty city stands secur'd around.
6:259 Within my court, where-e'er I turn my eyes,
6:260 Unbounded treasures to my prospect rise:
6:261 With these my face I modestly may name,
6:262 As not unworthy of so high a claim;
6:263 Seven are my daughters, of a form divine,
6:264 With seven fair sons, an indefective line.
6:265 Go, fools! consider this; and ask the cause
6:266 From which my pride its strong presumption draws;
6:267 Consider this; and then prefer to me
6:268 Caeus the Titan's vagrant progeny;
6:269 To whom, in travel, the whole spacious Earth
6:270 No room afforded for her spurious birth.
6:271 Not the least part in Earth, in Heav'n, or seas,
6:272 Would grant your out-law'd Goddess any ease:
6:273 'Till pitying hers, from his own wand'ring case,
6:274 Delos, the floating island, gave a place.
6:275 There she a mother was, of two at most;
6:276 Only the seventh part of what I boast.
6:277 My joys all are beyond suspicion fix'd;
6:278 With no pollutions of misfortune mix'd;
6:279 Safe on the Basis of my pow'r I stand,
6:280 Above the reach of Fortune's fickle hand.
6:281 Lessen she may my inexhausted store,
6:282 And much destroy, yet still must leave me more.
6:283 Suppose it possible that some may dye
6:284 Of this my num'rous lovely progeny;
6:285 Still with Latona I might safely vye.
6:286 Who, by her scanty breed, scarce fit to name,
6:287 But just escapes the childless woman's shame.
6:288 Go then, with speed your laurel'd heads uncrown,
6:289 And leave the silly farce you have begun.

6:290 The tim'rous throng their sacred rites forbore,
6:291 And from their heads the verdant laurel tore;
6:292 Their haughty queen they with regret obey'd,
6:293 And still in gentle murmurs softly pray'd.

6:294 High, on the top of Cynthus' shady mount,
6:295 With grief the Goddess saw the base affront;
6:296 And, the abuse revolving in her breast,
6:297 The mother her twin-offspring thus addrest.

6:298 Lo I, my children, who with comfort knew
6:299 Your God-like birth, and thence my glory drew;
6:300 And thence have claim'd precedency of place
6:301 From all but Juno of the heav'nly race,
6:302 Must now despair, and languish in disgrace.
6:303 My godhead question'd, and all rites divine,
6:304 Unless you succour, banish'd from my shrine.
6:305 Nay more, the imp of Tantalus has flung
6:306 Reflections with her vile paternal tongue;
6:307 Has dar'd prefer her mortal breed to mine,
6:308 And call'd me childless; which, just fate, may she repine!

6:309 When to urge more the Goddess was prepar'd,
6:310 Phoebus in haste replies, Too much we've heard,
6:311 And ev'ry moment's lost, while vengeance is defer'd.
6:312 Diana spoke the same. Then both enshroud
6:313 Their heav'nly bodies in a sable cloud;
6:314 And to the Theban tow'rs descending light,
6:315 Thro' the soft yielding air direct their flight.

6:316 Without the wall there lies a champian ground
6:317 With even surface, far extending round,
6:318 Beaten and level'd, while it daily feels
6:319 The trampling horse, and chariot's grinding wheels.
6:320 Part of proud Niobe's young rival breed,
6:321 Practising there to ride the manag'd steed,
6:322 Their bridles boss'd with gold, were mounted high
6:323 On stately furniture of Tyrian dye.
6:324 Of these, Ismenos, who by birth had been
6:325 The first fair issue of the fruitful queen,
6:326 Just as he drew the rein to guide his horse,
6:327 Around the compass of the circling course,
6:328 Sigh'd deeply, and the pangs of smart express'd,
6:329 While the shaft stuck, engor'd within his breast:
6:330 And, the reins dropping from his dying hand,
6:331 He sunk quite down, and tumbled on the sand.
6:332 Sipylus next the rattling quiver heard,
6:333 And with full speed for his escape prepar'd;
6:334 As when the pilot from the black'ning skies
6:335 A gath'ring storm of wintry rain descries,
6:336 His sails unfurl'd, and crowded all with wind,
6:337 He strives to leave the threat'ning cloud behind:
6:338 So fled the youth; but an unerring dart
6:339 O'ertook him, quick discharg'd, and sped with art;
6:340 Fix'd in his neck behind, it trembling stood,
6:341 And at his throat display'd the point besmear'd with blood
6:342 Prone, as his posture was, he tumbled o'er,
6:343 And bath'd his courser's mane with steaming gore.
6:344 Next at young Phaedimus they took their aim,
6:345 And Tantalus who bore his grandsire's name:
6:346 These, when their other exercise was done,
6:347 To try the wrestler's oily sport begun;
6:348 And, straining ev'ry nerve, their skill express'd
6:349 In closest grapple, joining breast to breast:
6:350 When from the bending bow an arrow sent,
6:351 Joyn'd as they were, thro' both their bodies went:
6:352 Both groan'd, and writhing both their limbs with pain,
6:353 They fell together bleeding on the plain;
6:354 Then both their languid eye-balls faintly roul,
6:355 And thus together breathe away their soul.
6:356 With grief Alphenor saw their doleful plight,
6:357 And smote his breast, and sicken'd at the sight;
6:358 Then to their succour ran with eager haste,
6:359 And, fondly griev'd, their stiff'ning limbs embrac'd;
6:360 But in the action falls: a thrilling dart,
6:361 By Phoebus guided, pierc'd him to the heart.
6:362 This, as they drew it forth, his midriff tore,
6:363 Its barbed point the fleshy fragments bore,
6:364 And let the soul gush out in streams of purple gore.
6:365 But Damasichthon, by a double wound,
6:366 Beardless, and young, lay gasping on the ground.
6:367 Fix'd in his sinewy ham, the steely point
6:368 Stuck thro' his knee, and pierc'd the nervous joint:
6:369 And, as he stoop'd to tug the painful dart,
6:370 Another struck him in a vital part;
6:371 Shot thro' his wezon, by the wing it hung.
6:372 The life-blood forc'd it out, and darting upward sprung,
6:373 Ilioneus, the last, with terror stands,
6:374 Lifting in pray'r his unavailing hands;
6:375 And, ignorant from whom his griefs arise,
6:376 Spare me, o all ye heav'nly Pow'rs, he cries:
6:377 Phoebus was touch'd too late, the sounding bow
6:378 Had sent the shaft, and struck the fatal blow;
6:379 Which yet but gently gor'd his tender side,
6:380 So by a slight and easy wound he dy'd.

6:381 Swift to the mother's ears the rumour came,
6:382 And doleful sighs the heavy news proclaim;
6:383 With anger and surprize inflam'd by turns,
6:384 In furious rage her haughty stomach burns:
6:385 First she disputes th' effects of heav'nly pow'r,
6:386 Then at their daring boldness wonders more;
6:387 For poor Amphion with sore grief distrest,
6:388 Hoping to sooth his cares by endless rest,
6:389 Had sheath'd a dagger in his wretched breast.
6:390 And she, who toss'd her high disdainful head,
6:391 When thro' the streets in solemn pomp she led
6:392 The throng that from Latona's altar fled,
6:393 Assuming state beyond the proudest queen;
6:394 Was now the miserablest object seen.
6:395 Prostrate among the clay-cold dead she fell,
6:396 And kiss'd an undistinguish'd last farewel.
6:397 Then her pale arms advancing to the skies,
6:398 Cruel Latona! triumph now, she cries.
6:399 My grieving soul in bitter anguish drench,
6:400 And with my woes your thirsty passion quench;
6:401 Feast your black malice at a price thus dear,
6:402 While the sore pangs of sev'n such deaths I bear.
6:403 Triumph, too cruel rival, and display
6:404 Your conqu'ring standard; for you've won the day.
6:405 Yet I'll excel; for yet, tho' sev'n are slain,
6:406 Superior still in number I remain.
6:407 Scarce had she spoke; the bow-string's twanging sound
6:408 Was heard, and dealt fresh terrors all around;
6:409 Which all, but Niobe alone, confound.
6:410 Stunn'd, and obdurate by her load of grief,
6:411 Insensible she sits, nor hopes relief.

6:412 Before the fun'ral biers, all weeping sad,
6:413 Her daughters stood, in vests of sable clad,
6:414 When one, surpriz'd, and stung with sudden smart,
6:415 In vain attempts to draw the sticking dart:
6:416 But to grim death her blooming youth resigns,
6:417 And o'er her brother's corpse her dying head reclines.
6:418 This, to asswage her mother's anguish tries,
6:419 And, silenc'd in the pious action, dies;
6:420 Shot by a secret arrow, wing'd with death,
6:421 Her fault'ring lips but only gasp'd for breath.
6:422 One, on her dying sister, breathes her last;
6:423 Vainly in flight another's hopes are plac'd:
6:424 This hiding, from her fate a shelter seeks;
6:425 That trembling stands, and fills the air with shrieks.
6:426 And all in vain; for now all six had found
6:427 Their way to death, each by a diff'rent wound.
6:428 The last, with eager care the mother veil'd,
6:429 Behind her spreading mantle close conceal'd,
6:430 And with her body guarded, as a shield.
6:431 Only for this, this youngest, I implore,
6:432 Grant me this one request, I ask no more;
6:433 O grant me this! she passionately cries:
6:434 But while she speaks, the destin'd virgin dies.