"Else he must perish.-Pity mov'd my heart,
"Join'd to the treasures, which he can impart.
"My word is pledg'd obedient to their will;
"And Jason comes the treaty to fulfil.—
"In secret here the treasure he divides;

"And takes the philtre, that my skill provides,
"The strongest spell, that magic can prepare.
"Let all retire; and all his bounty share.".

She ended—and her mandates all pursue. Argus apart the son of Eson drew,

1280

Warn'd by his brethren, that when dawn should break, The fane of Hecate the maid would seek:

Onward he led him o'er the spacious plain,

And Mopsus join'd them, of prophetic strain,
Who trac'd events, with prescient ear, and sight,
In voice of birds, and in foreboding flight.-
That hour, might none, amid the sons of Jove,
Amid the progeny of gods above,

In youthful beauty, and endowments rare,
With Jason, deck'd by Juno's hand compare.-
Around his face ethereal radiance play'd;
And every gesture manly grace display'd.
A glad amazement his companions felt.
Such beamy charms on every feature dwelt.
The son of Ampycus with pleasure glows,
And fairest omens of the future rose.-

Beside the path, that to the temple tends,
A poplar, with funereal leaf, ascends:
A station meet, where clust'ring rooks abound,
Whose ceaseless cawing fills the air around.-
One of the number claps her sable wings,
And thus the will of royal Juno sings.
"Poor shallow prophet, ignorant alone,
"Of what to striplings and to girls is known!

* Mopsus.

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"Ah fool unheeding, amorous parleys need
"Nor babling witnesses, nor jealous heed.-
"Go-go thou novice, in affairs of love,
"A vile incumbrance from thy friend remove.
"What?-will the soft and timid maid explain,
"Her tender thoughts, before a numerous train?-
"Oh no, their presence checks the fond desire,
"The sweet unfoldings of the mutual fire.
"Hence, hence, thou harbinger of ill remove.
"Go simple novice in affairs of love.-
"On thee may never Cytherea smile;

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"Or young delights thy gloomy cares beguile.". Thus she reproachful.-Mopsus gently smil❜d; Her mission own'd; and spake in accents mild. 1320 "-Alone, O Jason, to the fane repair."There shalt thou find a virgin young and fair. "Bland smiles, and kind reception shall be thine; "For Venus will her heart to love incline. "From her, assistance shall thy toils await."So Phineus has reveal'd the will of fate. "With Argus, here I shall remain apart,

Expecting thy return, with anxious heart.-
"Thou singly haste, and urge the royal maid,
"In hours of danger to bestow her aid.'
His prudent words their approbation find;
While thoughts congenial fill Medea's mind.
Ah wretched maid, nor song nor sport had pow'r,
To fix attention, in the sportive hour.

Sport seem'd impertinent, and harsh the strain,
Thro' music's varied soul pursued in vain;
The varied melodies displease alike,
No chord composure to the soul can strike.
Scarce can her train allure the wand'ring eye;
To diff'rent objects thought and wishes fly.
Absent she sate, in meditation drown'd,
And gaz'd on all the distant pathways round;

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Intent, with eager eyes, and head reclin'd.

At sound of trampling foot, or sighs of wind,
The flutt'ring heart seem'd wing'd to leave her breast;
And painful throbs the glowing breath supprest.

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He comes-the subject of her fond alarmsHe comes, in all the majesty of charms. With footsteps light, exulting o'er the plain, And bright as Sirius rising from the main; All beauteous from the briny surge he springs, But death and mourning to the fold he brings; Such fatal splendour Jason's charms impart, Joy to the sight, but sorrow to the heart: Sad interview, from thee, the maid shall know A direful tissue, of reproach and woe. Her hurried heart within her bosom flies; A sudden darkness veils her swimming eyes. Her burning cheek the deepest blush suffus'd; Her trembling knees to bear her frame refus'd. 1360 To fly, or to proceed, vain, vain her toil; Her feet beneath are rooted to the soil.Now, quickly vanish'd all th' attendant train. Silent the hero and the maid remain.

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No limb they mov'd; but, in astonish'd mood,
With gaze delighted, near each other stood.
Nor sounds nor gestures animation show.
Like oaks or firs, that on the mountains grow,
Whose peaceful heads all motionless arise,
While not a breeze is stirring in the skies;
But, when the tempests agitate the steep,
They wave, they bellow, as the whirlwinds sweep;
Thus, stood the youthful pair, ordain'd to prove
A mighty change, beneath the storms of love;
Ordain'd that flowing eloquence to find,
That passion dictates to th' enamour'd mind.

The wily youth perceiv'd the heav'n-born flame;
And gently, thus, he spar'd the virgin's shame.

1380

"Why, beauteous maiden, in this lonely place,
"Why gaze astonish'd on a stranger's face?-
"Think me not, like the common youthful crowd,
"In thoughts capricious, and in boasting loud.
"Why shouldst thou fear me?-in my native land,
"In ease and affluence of the heedless band,
"Not mine the mood, to wake a virgin's fear.
"Safe slept her secret, in my faithful ear.
"Oh blush no more.-Whate'er thou wilt, request:
"Repose thy feelings, on a feeling breast.
66 My fairest speak.—With mutual hearts we meet.
"No rash presumption fear; no foul deceit.-
"In this most awful place, where fraudful mind,
"And thoughts unhallow'd no reception find,
"Speak uncontroll'd.-Nor let soft speech evade
"The flattering promise, to thy sister made.
"The drugs of soothing pow'r -This aid I claim,
"By sacred Hecate, most awful name;

"By soft attraction of the gentle ties,
"When pleading kindred to the soul applies;
"By Jove, the friend of strangers, who delights,
"In deed benevolent, and social rites.-
"A twofold title to thine aid I bear,

"At once, a suppliant, and a stranger here.-
"By perils compass'd, for thine aid I bend,
"Sole hope, in those dire conflicts, that impend.
"We, in return, whate'er the fates allow,
"Or strangers can in climes remote bestow,
"Will
pay; the tribute of our thanks and praise,
"And gratitude her monuments shall raise.
"Their labours ended, our heroic throngs
"Shall celebrate thy praise, in martial songs.
"The Grecian fair thy merits shall rehearse,
"In strain symphonious, or in measur❜d verse;
"Our wives and virgins, who with sorrow pale,
"Their absent loves along the shores bewail.

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“Grateful to thee th' exulting train shall prove, "Peace to their hearts, protection to their love. "Thus, Ariadne, on the Cretan shore, "Daughter of Minos, aid to Theseus bore."Pasiphae fill'd her veins, with heav'nly fire, "Deriv'd from Phebus, her immortal sire. "Tho' Minos purpos'd to destroy the train; "His daughter's pity made that purpose vain. "To share the safety, that her counsels gave, "She join❜d their wand'rings o'er the distant wave. "Dear to the Gods above, her garland bright* "Adorns the glitt'ring canopy of night. "Rank'd with the beauteous host of heav'nly signs, "Her crown the pledge of fame immortal shines. "So, should my friends to thee their safety owe, "Th' admiring Gods their favour will bestow. "We read the means, in that expressive face, "The fair deportment, and the beaming grace. "There, our fond hopes the bright assurance find, "Of soft persuasion, and the prudent mind.”.

1430

Thus, dropt the dews of flattery from his tongue.
With nectar'd smiles, her eyes she downward flung.
Then, fill'd with soft confusion, by his praise,
Her eyes she ventur❜d on the youth to raise.
The virgin wish'd, but tried in vain to speak;
Such throng'd ideas for expression seek.
A thousand thoughts at once her fancy strike,
Alike important all, and apt alike.

Forth from her fragrant bosom, then she drew
The potent charm, instinct with magic dew.
She plac'd it in the youth's delighted hand.-
And, had he pleas'd her being to demand;
Her life, her soul, in that consenting hour,
Of amorous yielding, had confest his pow'r.→

* The constellation called Ariadne's Crown.

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