-Amid this conflict of desire and shame, Her thoughts were center'd, on their future fate. Not inattentive to the maiden's tale, She finds strange tumults in her breast prevail. 920 While doubt and wonder in her bosom wrought; Her hasty steps Medea's chamber sought. Sunk on her couch th' afflicted maid she found, Tearing her cheeks, in floods of sorrow drown'd."Why do thy tears-Medea-sister, flow? "What fatal cause has plung'd thy soul in woe?"Does angry Heav'n thy feverish veins inflame? 931 "Do seeds of malady pervade thy frame?"Hast thou for me, and for my sons forlorn, "The deep reproaches of our father borne? "Oh would to Heav'n, that I, and mine might filee, "And never more the roof parental see! "For ever fly this city, and this shore, "And never hear the name of Colchos more!". Medea heard, suffus'd with crimson dye, Eager to speak; yet shame forbade reply. 940 Now, on her tongue the floating accents stray; Now, lost within her bosom, fade away.Her beauteous lips in act to speak appear; But, thence no murmurs reach th' attentive ear.. Long time she paus'd-and then, replied, with art, That mighty love can teach the simplest heart."Thy sons my fond solicitude employ; "Lest them my father with his guests destroy.- "When brief repose upon my senses crept; "The mind was wakeful, tho' the body slept. 950 "Terrific visions rose, a ghastly train.- "Ye pow'rs of mercy make the portents vain! Spare my lov'd sister such a cruel doom! "Preserve her offspring from th' untimely tomb!" "Such visions oft are present to my mind; "My sister, I conjure thee, at this hour; ་་ By thy lov'd self, and every blessed pow'r; "By joys, and griefs, maternal ties impart, 960' "Ties, that full soon may haply bind thy heart; "Let not my childrens' dire untimely end "Tortare my sight, my bleeding bosom rend. 970 "I will not leave you, offspring of my love."For good, or ill, one destiny we prove, "And should we perish.-An avenging shade "I rise, to vex thy rest, unfeeling maid.”. Tears coursing tears, in floods, each other chac❜d. Her sister's knees, impassion'd she embrac❜d. Her glowing face within her bosom kept, As lock'd within each others arms they wept. As thus they join'd their grief, with mournful cries, Thro' all the dome the lamentation 'flies. 980 Medea first resum'd the plaintive strain."Ill-fated sister, what relief from pain?"With imprecations why my aid demand?Why name the Stygian pow'rs, tremendous band? "Oh, did the safety of thy sons depend 990 "By Heav'n above, and earth below, I swear, “Earth, awful mother of the powers divine, "My wish, my aid, my choicest skill are thine. "Tho' things scarce possible thy tongue should ask; "Ne'er shall this hand be wanting to the task." She ceas'd-and thus Chalciopè replies."Might not thy skill some stratagem devise, "Some art; if, yielding to the stranger's pray'r, "To brave the fury of our sire we dare; "To bear him thro' the conflict safe and free; "And snatch from death my gentle sons and me? "Our being on the youth's success depends. "Within, my Argus thy resolve attends. "To me deputed he from Jason came. 1000 "Thine aid, thro' me, the Grecian heroes claim." • Shall every thought, and every toil employ.- "If object or connexion claim a part, "More dear, more inward, in Medea's heart, 1010 "Than thou, and thine!-the brothers of my love, "Thy sons, by nature, fond affection move. "And I thy love, in double right, demand, “Sister, at once, and daughter of thy hand.— "A playmate with thy children have I 66 grown; Thy cares parental, from my childhood known. "Oft would thine arms, so has our mother told, My weak and helpless infancy enfold. 1020 "Go then.-Let silence veil my promis'd aid; "With potent drugs prepar'd, and magic charms, "To save th' adventurous youth from fiery harms." With joy her sister heard, with joy convey'd Hopes to her children, of the promis'd aid. Medea, now, in solitude remain'd; And shame and fear, once more, th' ascendant gain'd.-"What-for a stranger, in such tasks engage! 1031 1040 Impious-for him defy a father's rage!"Now, night o'er earth her ample veil display'd; And sailors, from the deep, the stars survey'd, Orion, and the greater bear; that guide The nightly path of vessels, thro' the tide. Sleep on the weary trav❜lers' senses crept. Ev'n in the tow'r the careful warder slept. Subdued by rest the mother ceas'd to mourn Her darling infants, clos'd within their urn. The busy hum of crouded streets was still; And still the watch-dog's larum loud and shrill. The queen of darkness trod her awful round; Her ears untroubled, by a vagrant sound. Medea's couch refus'd the soft controul; For love and Jason agoniz'd her soul.The bulls, that breathe intolerable fire, Forebodings mortal to her love inspire. The plain of Mars in dismal prospect lies. In fancy there the youthful hero dies. 1050 Distracting thought!-She feels the fluttering heart, With feverish throbbings, in her bosom dart.As when, from cauldron, or capacious vase, The trembling lymph reflects the solar face; Uncertain glancing round some chamber walls, Now here, now there, the darted radiance falls; The dazling species plays incessant round, Glows in each nerve; and wastes the weary frame. Again, she hopes, that reason force may give, 1060 1070 Amid this conflict, mournful sounds exprest The painful tumults, of th' enamour'd breast."Ah wretch, what end, what respite canst thou find; "While choice of evil presses on the mind?"My thoughts are error, doubt, confusion all; "Certain in love alone, a wretched thrall."Oh had the shafts of virgin Dian fled; "And early join'd me to the silent dead!"Then, had I slept in peace, nor seen this band, "For my perdition, reach the Colchian land. "Nor seen, Chalciopè, in evil day, - 1080 "Thy sons, for Greece, th' adventurous sail display."These strangers' steps some God, some fury led; "To tear this heart, with agonizing dread."But let him perish-if the fates ordain "That direful exit, on the martial plain."How might I 'scape a parent's watchful eye? "Or how my philtres, and my charms apply? 1090 |