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.