"My pray'rs and influence in your cause to prove, "With Heav'n to speed me, and parental love.".

The favouring Gods display'd a sign, from high. Chac'd by a falcon, thro' the liquid sky, With downward flight, a dove to Fason prest; And sought for shelter in the hero's breast.Swift on the vane alights his cruel foe.Prophetic Mopsus mark'd them, from below; And, conscious of the future, thus reveal'd The sacred truths, in mystic signs conceal'd. "I read the favour, of the pow'rs divine. "The Gods benevolent have sent this sign. "With soothing words, and each persuasive art, Essay, to bend the royal virgin's heart; "Secure to speed, if Phineus truly told; "That means of safety Venus should unfold. "The bird of love, her harbinger, we see, "Preserv'd from danger, to our leader flee. "A joyful prescience fills th' expanded breast, "Of toils successful, and of glorious rest."But first propitiate beauty's queen, with pray'r. "Then, to perform what Argus bids prepare."

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He ceas'd-the heroes their assent exprest. The words of Phineus dwelt in every breast.Idas alone, of all the warriors, rose.———— In accents loud th' indignant spirit flows."Did women, then, embark to lend their aid; "And must our vows, at beauty's shrine be paid? 760 "Must we, forgetful of the well-fought field, "Our childish thought to doves and falcons yield? "Perdition catch you! be your arms resign'd! "With words subdue the weak unwarlike kind.”He ended, frowning, while, in murmurs low, A numerous train disapprobation show. He sate indignant; answer none return'dTill Jason's mind with deep resentment burn'd,

To meet th' injurious charge he rous'd his thought; And utter'd accents by th' occasion taught.

"If such the pleasure of the general train; "No more let Argus at the ship remain. "Moor we the vessel, boldly from the land."Longer concealment would disgrace our band. "No more, in marshes hid, the combat shun."Bold and determin'd on the danger run.".

770

He ceas'd.-And Argus, at the word, recalls
His steps; and hastens to the city walls.-
They weigh'd their anchors; at the chief's command;
And urg'd, with oars, their vessel to the land.

Without the palace gate, accustom❜d seat
Of council, round their king the Colchians meet.
The savage king, insuperable snares,

And mortal anguish, for the Greek prepares.
Soon as the bulls th' ill-fated man should slay,
That rashly dares the dangerous task essay;
With wood, collected from the mountains gloom,
The ship and Greeks he purpos'd to consume.
A dire example, of impressive fear,

To bid the future visitant forbear.

board;

“ Æolian Phryxus, when these shores he gain'd.
"No free reception, at my hand obtain❜d,
"Gentlest of guests, with piety adorn'd.
"Yet, had my palace gates a stranger scorn'd;
"With earnest pray'rs, he vainly had implor'd
"Place in my household, station at my
"Had not the son of Maia, from above,
"Reveal'd the pleasure of almighty Jove.
"And shall these pirates, that invade
my states,
"Elude the vengeance, that presumption waits?—
"Miscreants, that meditate by force and spoil,
"To seise the produce of another's toil!
"With wild excursion, 'thro' the seas they roam,

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"To vex the peasant, and his peaceful home.”,

The sons of Phryxus, too, his wrathful mood, Condemn'd to wash away their crime in blood.-"Returning thus, with an unhallow'd train, "Ye come, he cried, to shake my peaceful reign. "Ye come, to spy the secrets of the land.

"Ye come, to wrest the sceptre, from my hand.
"Irreverent wretches!-but, your deeds accord, 811
"With revelations of my father's word,

"Th' all-seeing sun.He taught me to beware
"The home-bred treason-the domestic snare.
"That voice prophetic such a fear imprest,
" I yielded frankly to your wild request;
Pleas'd, that the mandates of your dying sire
"Should with the safety of my house conspire.
"To distant climes ye purpos'd, then, to go;
"And rid my palace of th' intestine foe,

"Sole cause of fear.

"No terrors.

820

-For, from my daughters rise -They no treason will devise.. "My child, Abyrtus, will not bear a part, "In any scheme, to rend a father's heart."Chalciope, my child, thy sons appear "Sole cause of danger; only source of fear."Guard well the vessel.-Vengeance on my train, "If single miscreant 'scape the destin'd pain!"

Argus return'd the while his mother sought;
And to his aim with various speeches wrought;
Intent Medea's powerful aid to prove;
No new expedient, to parental love.

But, decent sense of shame her tongue withheld;
And fear restrain'd, while tenderness impell'd.
Scarce dares she, to the virgin's ear confide
Requests, from common rule so strangely wide;
Matter so dangerous, should the maid comply;
So doubly dangerous, should the maid deny.
Well might she fear her father's savage mind.
Well might she fear some impious task behind.

830

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While on her couch she sunk, in trance profound, Medea's sorrows soft oblivion drown'd. Yet, fearful visions hover'd round her head, Illusive forms, of mournful fancy bred.The stranger seem'd, that trial to sustain, Mov'd by no wish, the wond'rous fleece to gain; But love and she the daring aim supplied; He sought Medea, for his virgin bride.Greece he had left, at beauty's powerful call, And love allur'd him, to her father's hall. The fiery bulls she then appear'd to tame, And yoke, uninjur'd by their breath of flame.. Her parents, then, their promises denied. The labour finish'd, they withheld the bride. Between her father and the strangers rose A fierce debate. The warfare to compose, The maid was call'd, as umpire of the strife; And soon the daughter yielded to the wife. Her kindred for that stranger thus resign'd, What indignation fill'd each parent's mind!Vast was their anguish, loud and shrill their criesScar'd at the din, the virgin's slumber flies.Pale, from the couch she sprang, in wild amaze, And round the chamber cast a vacant gaze.

She pants. Her bosom palpitates, with dread.
Thought is absorpt; and recollection fled.

"What forms of terror, miserable maid,

"With feeble voice, she cried, thy sleep invade? "Some dire misfortunes have these heroes brought. "With anxious doubts this stranger fills

860

my thought. "Far let him fly, and wed some Grecian fair. 871

"My parents, and my virtue claim my care.-
"But why with cruelty my bosom steel?-
"A sister's anguish why refuse to fecl?-
"Maternal terrors for her sons arise-

"Wilt thou, relentless, mark her tears and cries?—

"Think, savage as thou art, 'tis thine, to save,
"Or doom her children to th' untimely grave.
"Oh nature no,―thy sacred ties shall bind;
"In grief thine energies support the mind.”.

880

In wild disorder from the couch she flew,
Unfolded wide the chamber door she threw..
Unshod, and disarray'd, in eager haste,
To seek her sister, she the threshold past.
By conscious shame, and timid awe restrain❜d,
Long time, before the portal she remain’d.
Fearful of ent'ring, to and fro she pac'd;
Now, forward rush'd, and now her steps retrac'd;
Her trembling steps, uncertain where they stray'd.-
Her gait, the conflict in her soul betray'd.
Impetuous love, with wild desire impell'd,
And bashful fear and modesty withheld.
Impassion'd, now, her sister's door she sought;
Her chamber, now, with deep despondence fraught.
Thrice she proceeds; and thrice her foot recalls;
Then, prone upon her couch distracted falls.

As the young bride laments her blooming spouse,
Lord of her bosom, object of her vows;
In love united, and the hallow'd bands,
Knit by fraternal and parental hands;
She flies the soothings of th' attendant train,
She hides the fond expressions of her pain.
With grief, at once, and virgin shame opprest,
Her tears fall lonely, on th' enamour'd breast;
When fates relentless the dear youth remove;
Untried the joys, the tender thefts of love;
From every tongue, that might impart relief,
She dreads a censure on her amorous grief;
In avarice of anguish hoards her care,

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And eyes the widow'd couch, in mute despair; 910 Thus mourn'd Medea; thus, the cause supprest,

That bath'd her eyes, and heav'd her throbbing breast.

H