The Death of Pelias



7:448 Thus far obliging love employ'd her art,
7:449 But now revenge must act a tragick part;

7:450 Medea feigns a mortal quarrel bred
7:451 Betwixt her, and the partner of her bed;
7:452 On this pretence to Pelias' court she flies,
7:453 Who languishing with age and sickness lies:
7:454 His guiltless daughters, with inveigling wiles,
7:455 And well dissembled friendship, she beguiles:
7:456 The strange achievements of her art she tells,
7:457 With Aeson's cure, and long on that she dwells,
7:458 'Till them to firm perswasion she has won,
7:459 The same for their old father may be done:
7:460 For him they court her to employ her skill,
7:461 And put upon the cure what price she will.
7:462 At first she's mute, and with a grave pretence
7:463 Of difficulty, holds 'em in suspense;
7:464 Then promises, and bids 'em, from the fold
7:465 Chuse out a ram, the most infirm and old;
7:466 That so by fact their doubts may be remov'd,
7:467 And first on him the operation prov'd.

7:468 A wreath-horn'd ram is brought, so far o'er-grown
7:469 With years, his age was to that age unknown
7:470 Of sense too dull the piercing point to feel,
7:471 And scarce sufficient blood to stain the steel.
7:472 His carcass she into a cauldron threw,
7:473 With drugs whose vital qualities she knew;
7:474 His limbs grow less, he casts his horns, and years,
7:475 And tender bleatings strike their wond'ring ears.
7:476 Then instantly leaps forth a frisking lamb,
7:477 That seeks (too young to graze) a suckling dam.
7:478 The sisters, thus confirm'd with the success,
7:479 Her promise with renew'd entreaty press;
7:480 To countenance the cheat, three nights and days
7:481 Before experiment th' inchantress stays;
7:482 Then into limpid water, from the springs,
7:483 Weeds, and ingredients of no force she flings;
7:484 With antique ceremonies for pretence
7:485 And rambling rhymes without a word of sense.

7:486 Mean-while the king with all his guards lay bound
7:487 In magick sleep, scarce that of death so sound;
7:488 The daughters now are by the sorc'ress led
7:489 Into his chamber, and surround his bed.
7:490 Your father's health's concern'd, and can ye stay?
7:491 Unnat'ral nymphs, why this unkind delay?
7:492 Unsheath your swords, dismiss his lifeless blood,
7:493 And I'll recruit it with a vital flood:
7:494 Your father's life and health is in your hand,
7:495 And can ye thus like idle gazers stand?
7:496 Unless you are of common sense bereft,
7:497 If yet one spark of piety is left,
7:498 Dispatch a father's cure, and disengage
7:499 The monarch from his toilsome load of age:
7:500 Come-drench your weapons in his putrid gore;
7:501 'Tis charity to wound, when wounding will restore.

7:502 Thus urg'd, the poor deluded maids proceed,
7:503 Betray'd by zeal, to an inhumane deed,
7:504 And, in compassion, make a father bleed.
7:505 Yes, she who had the kindest, tend'rest heart,
7:506 Is foremost to perform the bloody part.

7:507 Yet, tho' to act the butchery betray'd,
7:508 They could not bear to see the wounds they made;
7:509 With looks averted, backward they advance,
7:510 Then strike, and stab, and leave the blows to chance.

7:511 Waking in consternation, he essays
7:512 (Weltring in blood) his feeble arms to raise:
7:513 Environ'd with so many swords-From whence
7:514 This barb'rous usage? what is my offence?
7:515 What fatal fury, what infernal charm,
7:516 'Gainst a kind father does his daughters arm?

7:517 Hearing his voice, as thunder-struck they stopt,
7:518 Their resolution, and their weapons dropt:
7:519 Medea then the mortal blow bestows,
7:520 And that perform'd, the tragick scene to close,
7:521 His corpse into the boiling cauldron throws.

7:522 Then, dreading the revenge that must ensue,
7:523 High mounted on her dragon-coach she flew;
7:524 And in her stately progress thro' the skies,
7:525 Beneath her shady Pelion first she spies,
7:526 With Othrys, that above the clouds did rise;
7:527 With skilful Chiron's cave, and neighb'ring ground,
7:528 For old Cerambus' strange escape renown'd,
7:529 By nymphs deliver'd, when the world was drown'd;
7:530 Who him with unexpected wings supply'd,
7:531 When delug'd hills a safe retreat deny'd.
7:532 Aeolian Pitane on her left hand
7:533 She saw, and there the statu'd dragon stand;
7:534 With Ida's grove, where Bacchus, to disguise
7:535 His son's bold theft, and to secure the prize,
7:536 Made the stoln steer a stag to represent;
7:537 Cocytus' father's sandy monument;
7:538 And fields that held the murder'd sire's remains,
7:539 Where howling Moera frights the startled plains.
7:540 Euryphilus' high town, with tow'rs defac'd
7:541 By Hercules, and matrons more disgrac'd
7:542 With sprouting horns, in signal punishment,
7:543 From Juno, or resenting Venus sent.
7:544 Then Rhodes, which Phoebus did so dearly prize,
7:545 And Jove no less severely did chastize;
7:546 For he the wizard native's pois'ning sight,
7:547 That us'd the farmer's hopeful crops to blight,
7:548 In rage o'erwhelm'd with everlasting night.
7:549 Cartheia's ancient walls come next in view,
7:550 Where once the sire almost a statue grew
7:551 With wonder, which a strange event did move,
7:552 His daughter turn'd into a turtle-dove.
7:553 Then Hyrie's lake, and Tempe's field o'er-ran,
7:554 Fam'd for the boy who there became a swan;
7:555 For there enamour'd Phyllius, like a slave,
7:556 Perform'd what tasks his paramour would crave.
7:557 For presents he had mountain-vultures caught,
7:558 And from the desart a tame lion brought;
7:559 Then a wild bull commanded to subdue,
7:560 The conquer'd savage by the horns he drew;
7:561 But, mock'd so oft, the treatment he disdains,
7:562 And from the craving boy this prize detains.
7:563 Then thus in choler the resenting lad:
7:564 Won't you deliver him?-You'll wish you had:
7:565 Nor sooner said, but, in a peevish mood,
7:566 Leapt from the precipice on which he stood:
7:567 The standers-by were struck with fresh surprize,
7:568 Instead of falling, to behold him rise
7:569 A snowy swan, and soaring to the skies.

7:570 But dearly the rash prank his mother cost,
7:571 Who ignorantly gave her son for lost;
7:572 For his misfortune wept, 'till she became
7:573 A lake, and still renown'd with Hyrie's name.

7:574 Thence to Latona's isle, where once were seen,
7:575 Transform'd to birds, a monarch, and his queen.
7:576 Far off she saw how old Cephisus mourn'd
7:577 His son, into a seele by Phoebus turn'd;
7:578 And where, astonish'd at a stranger sight,
7:579 Eumelus gaz'd on his wing'd daughter's flight.

7:580 Aetolian Pleuron she did next survey,
7:581 Where sons a mother's murder did essay,
7:582 But sudden plumes the matron bore away.
7:583 On her right hand, Cyllene, a fair soil,
7:584 Fair, 'till Menephron there the beauteous hill
7:585 Attempted with foul incest to defile.

7:586 Her harness'd dragons now direct she drives
7:587 For Corinth, and at Corinth she arrives;
7:588 Where, if what old tradition tells, be true,
7:589 In former ages men from mushrooms grew.

7:590 But here Medea finds her bed supply'd,
7:591 During her absence, by another bride;
7:592 And hopeless to recover her lost game,
7:593 She sets both bride and palace in a flame.
7:594 Nor could a rival's death her wrath asswage,
7:595 Nor stopt at Creon's family her rage,
7:596 She murders her own infants, in despight
7:597 To faithless Jason, and in Jason's sight;
7:598 Yet e'er his sword could reach her, up she springs,
7:599 Securely mounted on her dragon's wings.