The Story of Medea and Jason



7:1 The Argonauts now stemm'd the foaming tide,
7:2 And to Arcadia's shore their course apply'd;
7:3 Where sightless Phineus spent his age in grief,
7:4 But Boreas' sons engage in his relief;
7:5 And those unwelcome guests, the odious race
7:6 Of Harpyes, from the monarch's table chase.
7:7 With Jason then they greater toils sustain,
7:8 And Phasis' slimy banks at last they gain,
7:9 Here boldly they demand the golden prize
7:10 Of Scythia's king, who sternly thus replies:
7:11 That mighty labours they must first o'ercome,
7:12 Or sail their Argo thence unfreighted home.
7:13 Meanwhile Medea, seiz'd with fierce desire,
7:14 By reason strives to quench the raging fire;
7:15 But strives in vain!-Some God (she said) withstands,
7:16 And reason's baffl'd council countermands.
7:17 What unseen Pow'r does this disorder move?
7:18 'Tis love,-at least 'tis like, what men call love.
7:19 Else wherefore shou'd the king's commands appear
7:20 To me too hard?-But so indeed they are.
7:21 Why shou'd I for a stranger fear, lest he
7:22 Shou'd perish, whom I did but lately see?
7:23 His death, or safety, what are they to me?
7:24 Wretch, from thy virgin-breast this flame expel,
7:25 And soon-Oh cou'd I, all wou'd then be well!
7:26 But love, resistless love, my soul invades;
7:27 Discretion this, affection that perswades.
7:28 I see the right, and I approve it too,
7:29 Condemn the wrong-and yet the wrong pursue.
7:30 Why, royal maid, shou'dst thou desire to wed
7:31 A wanderer, and court a foreign bed?
7:32 Thy native land, tho' barb'rous, can present
7:33 A bridegroom worth a royal bride's content:
7:34 And whether this advent'rer lives, or dies,
7:35 In Fate, and Fortune's fickle pleasure lies.
7:36 Yet may be live! for to the Pow'rs above,
7:37 A virgin, led by no impulse of love,
7:38 So just a suit may, for the guiltless, move.
7:39 Whom wou'd not Jason's valour, youth and blood
7:40 Invite? or cou'd these merits be withstood,
7:41 At least his charming person must encline
7:42 The hardest heart-I'm sure 'tis so with mine!
7:43 Yet, if I help him not, the flaming breath
7:44 Of bulls, and earth-born foes, must be his death.
7:45 Or, should he through these dangers force his way,
7:46 At last he must be made the dragon's prey.
7:47 If no remorse for such distress I feel,
7:48 I am a tigress, and my breast is steel.
7:49 Why do I scruple then to see him slain,
7:50 And with the tragick scene my eyes prophane?
7:51 My magick's art employ, not to asswage
7:52 The Salvages, but to enflame their rage?
7:53 His earth-born foes to fiercer fury move,
7:54 And accessary to his murder prove?
7:55 The Gods forbid-But pray'rs are idle breath,
7:56 When action only can prevent his death.
7:57 Shall I betray my father, and the state,
7:58 To intercept a rambling hero's fate;
7:59 Who may sail off next hour, and sav'd from harms
7:60 By my assistance, bless another's arms?
7:61 Whilst I, not only of my hopes bereft,
7:62 But to unpity'd punishment am left.
7:63 If he is false, let the ingrateful bleed!
7:64 But no such symptom in his looks I read.
7:65 Nature wou'd ne'er have lavish'd so much grace
7:66 Upon his person, if his soul were base.
7:67 Besides, he first shall plight his faith, and swear
7:68 By all the Gods; what therefore can'st thou fear?
7:69 Medea haste, from danger set him free,
7:70 Jason shall thy eternal debtor be.
7:71 And thou, his queen, with sov'raign state enstall'd,
7:72 By Graecian dames the Kind Preserver call'd.
7:73 Hence idle dreams, by love-sick fancy bred!
7:74 Wilt thou, Medea, by vain wishes led,
7:75 To sister, brother, father bid adieu?
7:76 Forsake thy country's Gods, and country too?
7:77 My father's harsh, my brother but a child,
7:78 My sister rivals me, my country's wild;
7:79 And for its Gods, the greatest of 'em all
7:80 Inspires my breast, and I obey his call.
7:81 That great endearments I forsake, is true,
7:82 But greater far the hopes that I pursue:
7:83 The pride of having sav'd the youths of Greece
7:84 (Each life more precious than our golden fleece);
7:85 A nobler soil by me shall be possest,
7:86 I shall see towns with arts and manners blest;
7:87 And, what I prize above the world beside,
7:88 Enjoy my Jason-and when once his bride,
7:89 Be more than mortal, and to Gods ally'd.
7:90 They talk of hazards I must first sustain,
7:91 Of floating islands justling in the main;
7:92 Our tender barque expos'd to dreadful shocks
7:93 Of fierce Charybdis' gulf, and Scylla's rocks,
7:94 Where breaking waves in whirling eddies rowl,
7:95 And rav'nous dogs that in deep caverns howl:
7:96 Amidst these terrors, while I lye possest
7:97 Of him I love, and lean on Jason's breast,
7:98 In tempests unconcern'd I will appear,
7:99 Or, only for my husband's safety fear.
7:100 Didst thou say husband?-canst thou so deceive
7:101 Thy self, fond maid, and thy own cheat believe?
7:102 In vain thou striv'st to varnish o'er thy shame,
7:103 And grace thy guilt with wedlock's sacred name.
7:104 Pull off the coz'ning masque, and oh! in time
7:105 Discover and avoid the fatal crime.
7:106 She ceas'd-the Graces now, with kind surprize,
7:107 And virtue's lovely train, before her eyes
7:108 Present themselves, and vanquish'd Cupid flies.

7:109 She then retires to Hecate's shrine, that stood
7:110 Far in the covert of a shady wood:
7:111 She finds the fury of her flames asswag'd,
7:112 But, seeing Jason there, again they rag'd.
7:113 Blushes, and paleness did by turns invade
7:114 Her tender cheeks, and secret grief betray'd.
7:115 As fire, that sleeping under ashes lyes,
7:116 Fresh-blown, and rous'd, does up in blazes rise,
7:117 So flam'd the virgin's breast-
7:118 New kindled by her lover's sparkling eyes.
7:119 For chance, that day, had with uncommon grace
7:120 Adorn'd the lovely youth, and through his face
7:121 Display'd an air so pleasing as might charm
7:122 A Goddess, and a Vestal's bosom warm.
7:123 Her ravish'd eyes survey him o'er and o'er,
7:124 As some gay wonder never seen before;
7:125 Transported to the skies she seems to be,
7:126 And thinks she gazes on a deity.
7:127 But when he spoke, and prest her trembling hand,
7:128 And did with tender words her aid demand,
7:129 With vows, and oaths to make her soon his bride,
7:130 She wept a flood of tears, and thus reply'd:
7:131 I see my error, yet to ruin move,
7:132 Nor owe my fate to ignorance, but love:
7:133 Your life I'll guard, and only crave of you
7:134 To swear once more-and to your oath be true.
7:135 He swears by Hecate he would all fulfil,
7:136 And by her grandfather's prophetick skill,
7:137 By ev'ry thing that doubting love cou'd press,
7:138 His present danger, and desir'd success.
7:139 She credits him, and kindly does produce
7:140 Enchanted herbs, and teaches him their use:
7:141 Their mystick names, and virtues he admires,
7:142 And with his booty joyfully retires.