The Story of Aegeus
7:600 From hence to Athens she directs her flight,
7:601 Where Phineus, so renown'd for
doing right;
7:602 Where Periphas, and Polyphemon's
neece,
7:603 Soaring with sudden plumes amaz'd
the towns of Greece.
7:604 Here Aegeus so engaging she addrest,
7:605 That first he treats her like
a royal guest;
7:606 Then takes the sorc'ress for
his wedded wife;
7:607 The only blemish of his prudent
life.
7:608 Mean-while his son, from actions of renown,
7:609 Arrives at court, but to his
sire unknown.
7:610 Medea, to dispatch a dang'rous
heir
7:611 (She knew him), did a pois'nous
draught prepare;
7:612 Drawn from a drug, was long reserv'd
in store
7:613 For desp'rate uses, from the
Scythian shore;
7:614 That from the Echydnaean monster's
jaws
7:615 Deriv'd its origin, and this
the cause.
7:616 Thro' a dark cave a craggy passage lies,
7:617 To ours, ascending from the nether
skies;
7:618 Thro' which, by strength of hand,
Alcides drew
7:619 Chain'd Cerberus, who lagg'd,
and restive grew,
7:620 With his blear'd eyes our brighter
day to view.
7:621 Thrice he repeated his enormous
yell,
7:622 With which he scares the ghosts,
and startles Hell;
7:623 At last outragious (tho' compell'd
to yield)
7:624 He sheds his foam in fury on
the field,-
7:625 Which, with its own, and rankness
of the ground,
7:626 Produc'd a weed, by sorcerers
renown'd,
7:627 The strongest constitution to
confound;
7:628 Call'd Aconite, because it can
unlock
7:629 All bars, and force its passage
thro' a rock.
7:630 The pious father, by her wheedles won,
7:631 Presents this deadly potion to
his son;
7:632 Who, with the same assurance
takes the cup,
7:633 And to the monarch's health had
drank it up,
7:634 But in the very instant he apply'd
7:635 The goblet to his lips, old Aegeus
spy'd
7:636 The iv'ry hilted sword that grac'd
his side.
7:637 That certain signal of his son
he knew,
7:638 And snatcht the bowl away; the
sword he drew,
7:639 Resolv'd, for such a son's endanger'd
life,
7:640 To sacrifice the most perfidious
wife.
7:641 Revenge is swift, but her more
active charms
7:642 A whirlwind rais'd, that snatch'd
her from his arms.
7:643 While conjur'd clouds their baffled
sense surprize,
7:644 She vanishes from their deluded
eyes,
7:645 And thro' the hurricane triumphant
flies.
7:646 The gen'rous king, altho' o'er-joy'd to find
7:647 His son was safe, yet bearing
still in mind
7:648 The mischief by his treach'rous
queen design'd;
7:649 The horrour of the deed, and
then how near
7:650 The danger drew, he stands congeal'd
with fear.
7:651 But soon that fear into devotion
turns,
7:652 With grateful incense ev'ry altar
burns;
7:653 Proud victims, and unconscious
of their fate,
7:654 Stalk to the temple, there to
die in state.
7:655 In Athens never had a day been
found
7:656 For mirth, like that grand festival,
renown'd.
7:657 Promiscuously the peers, and
people dine,
7:658 Promiscuously their thankful
voices join,
7:659 In songs of wit, sublim'd by
spritely wine.
7:660 To list'ning spheres their joint
applause they raise,
7:661 And thus resound their matchless
Theseus' praise.
7:662 Great Theseus! Thee the Marathonian plain
7:663 Admires, and wears with pride
the noble stain
7:664 Of the dire monster's blood,
by valiant Theseus slain.
7:665 That now Cromyon's swains in
safety sow,
7:666 And reap their fertile field,
to thee they owe.
7:667 By thee th' infested Epidaurian
coast
7:668 Was clear'd, and now can a free
commerce boast.
7:669 The traveller his journey can
pursue,
7:670 With pleasure the late dreadful
valley view,
7:671 And cry, Here Theseus the grand
robber slew.
7:672 Cephysus' cries to his rescu'd
shore,
7:673 The merciless Procrustes is no
more.
7:674 In peace, Eleusis, Ceres' rites
renew,
7:675 Since Theseus' sword the fierce
Cercyon slew.
7:676 By him the tort'rer Sinis was
destroy'd,
7:677 Of strength (but strength to
barb'rous use employ'd)
7:678 That tops of tallest pines to
Earth could bend,
7:679 And thus in pieces wretched captives
rend.
7:680 Inhuman Scyron now has breath'd
his last,
7:681 And now Alcatho's roads securely
past;
7:682 By Theseus slain, and thrown
into the deep:
7:683 But Earth nor Sea his scatter'd
bones wou'd keep,
7:684 Which, after floating long, a
rock became,
7:685 Still infamous with Scyron's
hated name.
7:686 When Fame to count thy acts and
years proceeds,
7:687 Thy years appear but cyphers
to thy deeds.
7:688 For thee, brave youth, as for
our common-wealth,
7:689 We pray; and drink, in yours,
the publick health.
7:690 Your praise the senate, and plebeians
sing,
7:691 With your lov'd name the court,
and cottage ring.
7:692 You make our shepherds and our
sailors glad,
7:693 And not a house in this vast
city's sad.
7:694 But mortal bliss will never come sincere,
7:695 Pleasure may lead, but grief
brings up the rear;
7:696 While for his sons' arrival,
rev'ling joy
7:697 Aegeus, and all his subjects
does employ;
7:698 While they for only costly feasts
prepare,
7:699 His neighb'ring monarch, Minos,
threatens war:
7:700 Weak in land-forces, nor by sea
more strong,
7:701 But pow'rful in a deep resented
wrong
7:702 For a son's murder, arm'd with
pious rage;
7:703 Yet prudently before he would
engage,
7:704 To raise auxiliaries resolv'd
to sail,
7:705 And with the pow'rful princes
to prevail.
7:706 First Anaphe, then proud Astypalaea gains,
7:707 By presents that, and this by
threats obtains:
7:708 Low Mycone, Cymolus, chalky soil,
7:709 Tall Cythnos, Scyros, flat Seriphos'
isle;
7:710 Paros, with marble cliffs afar
display'd;
7:711 Impregnable Sithonia; yet betray'd
7:712 To a weak foe by a gold-admiring
maid,
7:713 Who, chang'd into a daw of sable
hue,
7:714 Still hoards up gold, and hides
it from the view.
7:715 But as these islands chearfully combine,
7:716 Others refuse t' embark in his
design.
7:717 Now leftward with an easy sail
he bore,
7:718 And prosp'rous passage to Oenopia's
shore;
7:719 Oenopia once, but now Aegina
call'd,
7:720 And with his royal mother's name
install'd
7:721 By Aeacus, under whose reign
did spring
7:722 The Myrmidons, and now their
reigning king.
7:723 Down to the port, amidst the rabble, run
7:724 The princes of the blood; with
Telamon,
7:725 Peleus the next, and Phocus the
third son:
7:726 Then Aeacus, altho' opprest with
years,
7:727 To ask the cause of their approach
appears.
7:728 That question does the Gnossian's
grief renew,
7:729 And sighs from his afflicted
bosom drew;
7:730 Yet after a short solemn respite
made,
7:731 The ruler of the hundred cities
said:
7:732 Assist our arms, rais'd for a murder'd son,
7:733 In this religious war no risque
you'll run:
7:734 Revenge the dead-for who refuse
to give
7:735 Rest to their urns, unworthy
are to live.
7:736 What you request, thus Aeacus replies,
7:737 Not I, but truth and common faith
denies;
7:738 Athens and we have long been
sworn allies:
7:739 Our leagues are fix'd, confed'rate
are our pow'rs,
7:740 And who declare themselves their
foes, are ours.
7:741 Minos rejoins, Your league shall dearly cost
7:742 (Yet, mindful how much safer
'twas to boast,
7:743 Than there to waste his forces,
and his fame,
7:744 Before in field with his grand
foe he came),
7:745 Parts without blows-nor long
had left the shore,
7:746 E're into port another navy bore,
7:747 With Cephalus, and all his jolly
crew;
7:748 Th' Aeacides their old acquaintance
knew:
7:749 The princes bid him welcome,
and in state
7:750 Conduct the heroe to their palace
gate;
7:751 Who entr'ring, seem'd the charming
mein to wear,
7:752 As when in youth he paid his
visit there.
7:753 In his right hand an olive-branch
he holds,
7:754 And, salutation past, the chief unfolds
7:755 His embassy from the Athenian
state,
7:756 Their mutual friendship, leagues
of ancient date;
7:757 Their common danger, ev'ry thing
cou'd wake
7:758 Concern, and his address successful
make:
7:759 Strength'ning his plea with all
the charms of sense,
7:760 And those, with all the charms
of eloquence.
7:761 Then thus the king: Like suitors do you stand
7:762 For that assistance which you
may command?
7:763 Athenians, all our listed forces
use
7:764 (They're such as no bold service
will refuse);
7:765 And when y' ave drawn them off,
the Gods be prais'd,
7:766 Fresh legions can within our
isle be rais'd:
7:767 So stock'd with people, that
we can prepare
7:768 Both for domestick, and for distant
war,
7:769 Ours, or our friends' insulters
to chastize.
7:770 Long may ye flourish thus, the prince replies.
7:771 Strange transport seiz'd me as
I pass'd along,
7:772 To meet so many troops, and all
so young,
7:773 As if your army did of twins
consist;
7:774 Yet amongst them my late acquaintance
miss'd:
7:775 Ev'n all that to your palace
did resort,
7:776 When first you entertain'd me
at your court;
7:777 And cannot guess the cause from
whence cou'd spring
7:778 So vast a change-Then thus the
sighing king:
7:779 Illustrious guest, to my strange tale attend,
7:780 Of sad beginning, but a joyful
end:
7:781 The whole to a vast history wou'd
swell,
7:782 I shall but half, and that confus'dly,
tell.
7:783 That race whom so deserv'dly
you admir'd,
7:784 Are all into their silent tombs
retir'd:
7:785 They fell; and falling, how they
shook my state,
7:786 Thought may conceive, but words
can ne'er relate.