Some, for the bath capacious caldrons boil.-
Each for his lord was busied in some toil.

Thro' the clear air unseen, relentless love

Came, like the fly, that mads the youthful drove. 380
Thro' valley, and thro' flood, it drives them wild,
Scourge of the herd, the Breeze by rustics stil'd.
Behind a column at the porch he stands,

And bends th' unerring bow with cruel hands.
A shaft untried he from the quiver drew,
Parent of pangs, that bosom never knew.-
With footsteps light, the threshold then he past;
And round and round his wily glances cast.-
By Jason screen'd, he now contracts his size,
And to the nerve th' indented shaft applies.
He draws the feather'd mischief to the head;
Home to Medea's heart the shaft is sped.--
Delirious trances all her pow'rs subdue.
Back, from the lofty dome, that urchin flew,
A laugh malign his cruel mischief show'd.
Deep in the virgin's breast his arrow glow'd.
Like

pent up fires it rag'd; and from that flanie,
At Jason darted, ardent flashes came.
While soft oblivion o'er the spirit flows;
With fainting throbs her bosom sunk, and rose.
Sensations new the melting spirit fill'd;
Thro' all her veins delightful anguish thrill'd.

As when the toiling matron's frugal hand,
Has heap'd the fuel round the smother'd brand.
From works of wool her scanty means are drawn;
Her wakeful toil anticipates the dawn;

And stores the hearth, with lurking seeds of light,
That industry may steal an hour from night.
With gradual waste the fire in secret preys;
The billet moulders, as it feeds the blaze;
Thus love, pernicious love, consum'd the maid,
A fire unseen, that on the bosom prey'd.-

390

400

• 410

The various hue tumultuous passion speaks,

And pale and red alternate, seise the cheeks.

420

Now had th' attendants spread the festive board; And lenient baths the weary limbs restor❜d.— When food and wine had chear'd th' expanding breast. The king his grandsons mildly thus addrest.— "Say, gentle offspring of my daughter's love, "To Phryxus, honour'd all my guests above; "What to these walls returns you?-choice? or force? "Say, did misfortune interrupt your course?— "Might counsels built on past experience sway, "Ne'er had your bark essay'd the weary way. "The space immense before your eyes I plac'd; "For, every shore, and distant gulf I trac❜d.— "Borne in the chariot, at my father's* side, "O'er many a clime I past; in circuit wide; "What time from Colchos, to Hesperia's shore, "The God of light my sister Circé bore. "Our wand'rings ended on the Tuscan strand. "There, yet she dwells, far from the Colchian land. "But, why should tales of other times detain?— "'Th' occurrence of the present hour explain. "Why, from the vessel ye are present here? "And who these men, that in your train Before his brothers Argus quick replies, While prudent fears for Jason's ship arise. In language mild he cloath'd his prudent thought, For riper years had more experience taught. 440 "Our ship asunder torn, by wind and wave; "Sole hope of refuge from the wat❜ry grave, "One precious plank, with anxious grasp, we keep; "That isle of Mars receiv'd us from the deep,

uppear?"

Buoy'd o'er the billows, by celestial care, "When shades of midnight blacken'd our despair.

* Phebus

430

450

"—No more we found the birds of Mars; erewhile,
"Brooding they harbour'd, in the desert isle;
"But, ere we came, they fled their favorite land,
"Chac'd by the prowess of a stranger band.
"That band for us, in pity, Jove detain❜d.
"They gave us garments, and with food sustain'd.
"A tyrant's jealousy, this youth expell'd,
"Who all the race of Eolus excell'd.
"With boundless wealth endow'd, and regal sway,
"His haughty mandate none may disobey.
"He bids him wander, destin'd to remove,
"A curse, impending from the wrath of Jove.
"Hopeless alike, to disobey or speed,
"And only sure the tyrant's hate to feed,
"He comes, enjoin'd to purge away the stain,
"Deriv❜d from Phryxus on th' Æolian train.
"His efforts failing, they are doom'd to know
"Inflictions dire, intolerable woe.

"Nor cease their pangs, ere his return to Greece,
"Means of atonement, wafts the golden fleece.
"Minerva's skill the stately ship supplied;
"Not like those barks, that Colchian pilots guide;
"Not like the bark our evil genius gave,

66

460

470

Sport of the winds, and scorn of every wave; "But, firm and tall, compact with timbers vast, "To ride the billows, and to dare the blast. "Alike contriv'd, with swelling oars, to fly, “And bending oars, that nervous rowers ply; "She bears collected all the prime and boast, "Of youthful heroes, from the Grecian coast."Far have they wander'd to the Colchian plain, "Thro' many a city, many a stormy main."If generous thoughts the precious fleece may yield"No force they meditate, no listed field."Supreme in all things shall thy pleasure sway; "And ample gifts for the possession pay.

480

"Their timely aid may quell the warlike kind, "Sauromata, that bear a rebel mind.

490

"Wouldst thou be told, from whence his lineage flows? "The race heroic shall my tongue disclose.— "This chief, whose cause convokes the brave and young, “Is son of Æson, and from Cretheus sprung, "The gallant Jason.-If we credit fame; "A common lineage, with the chief we claim. "Gretheus and Athamas the vital fire "Deriv'd from Æolus, a common sire; "Phryxus from Athamas.-His parent bright, "Augeas honours in the source of light; "And Telamon, allied to pow'rs above, "Thro' glorious Eacus, descends from Jove."The hero's followers all, of strain divine, "From deities deduce th' illustrious line.". As Argus ended, indignation fill'd

501

The monarch's soul; and storms of passion thrill'd. Reproach and fury all the band engage; His grandsons chief attract the burst of rage. For them he censur'd, as the guilty cause, That hateful visit from the strangers draws. Beneath his brows, his eye-balls darted fire."Hence, from my sight, ye caitiff brood retire. "Back, with your fables, and your wiles, to Greece; "Nor wait the fruits of Phryxus, and his fleece,

"Bitter to you. Not for the fleece ye come.→→→

"My sceptre ye would seise; and regal dome.- 510 "My table ye have touch'd, with genial rite; "Or direful thanks intrusion should requite; "Tear out your tongues, and lop your arms away; "And send you forth a pageant of dismay; "A timely check, to wild attempts and lies; "A just reward of monstrous blasphemies." He spake infuriate-high disdain impell'd The son of Eacus; his bosom swell'd,

520

530

With indignation; and he had repaid
Reproaches with reproach; but Jason stay'd
The war of words; and mildly thus addrest
The haughty king." Eetes, calm thy breast.
"Let not our armament thy fears engage;
"Or fill thy bosom with tumultuous rage.—
"Not ours the motive, painted by thy fear.
"No hostile purpose to thy realm we bear.
"What man would traverse such a tract of main,
"To spoil, with hand unjust, a stranger's reign?-
"But, plac'd by Jove beneath a tyrant's sway,
"His cruel mandate I, perforce, obey.-
"Indulge our wishes. Thro' the Grecian land,
"Thy name and honour shall immortal stand.
"Nor shall the favour meet a thankless race.
"Our warlike service shall repay the grace.
"Whether the proud Sauromata must bend;
"Or other tribes the shock of arms attend.”.
Thus, Jason, with persuasive language, wrought.
While doubtful fluctuates the tyrant's thought.
Now, bent, with sudden onset to destroy;
And, now, their strength in trials to employ.
With him revolving, the last thought prevails.
"Why, strangers, (he replied) these long details?
"If ye, indeed, a line celestial boast;

"And, as our equals, seek the Colchian coast.-
"Lo-to your wish I grant the fleece of gold.-
"From valiant men, I nothing can withhold.
"Bear it to him, the despot of your land,
"Whoe'er he is, that rules the Grecian band.

"But, prov'd in trial, I demand to see

540

"The daring man, who vies in force with me.- 550

"Now, to the test; and let experience show,

"What tasks of peril I can undergo.

"Two bulls upon the plains of Mars I tame,

"With brazen hoofs, and mouth exhaling flame,