His form, his soothing speeches so delight,
Full gladly had she linger'd there till night.
More cautious he, with watchful thought, and eye,
Late, and reluctant urg'd the nymph to fly.
"The day advances.-To thy mother's arms,
"Awhile, my fairest, I resign thy charms;
"Lest ev'ning shades our intercourse surprize;
"Or stranger mark it, with unfriendly eyes,
"In happier moments of th' expansive heart,
"Hereafter we may meet, no more to part.'

1630

1640

The lovers thus in fond expressions vied.
The feelings all their eloquence supplied.
And amorous doubt essay'd, with jealous art,
To search the secret of the heart of heart.-
The youth, his vessel and companions sought,
Fire in his eye, and rapture in his thought.-
Medea sought her train along the land,
And soon to meet her came th' assembled band.
But all unconscious, as the
drew near,
groupe
Her thoughts were rapt above the starry sphere.
With limbs spontaneous, the bright car she gains;
And takes the polish'd whip, and flowing reins.
She lash'd the mules; with eager course they flew;
And soon the stately city rose in view.

Chalciope her sister now addrest,

With all the mother labʼring in her breast.
Her sons awake the mingled hope and fear.
Much she demands, and much expects to hear.-
In vain. Her words nor thought nor organ find.
Grief and confusion fill Medea's mind.-

She hears not-speaks not-such a trance possest
The troubled soul, and every sense opprest.

Down on an humble seat, beside her bed,

1650

She sunk; and lean'd oblique her languid head 1660 Propt on her left hand, like a drooping flow'r;

While from her eyes distils the briny show'r.

A gloomy cloud o'ercasts her thoughtful brow;
And self-upbraidings on the spirit flow.

A calmer moment, and a deeper heed,
In all its horrors view the promis'd deed.-----
His two attendants youthful Jason finds
Awaiting his return, with anxious minds.-
He join'd their steps, and hasten'd, to explain
Th' eventful tidings, to th' assembled train.
Th' assembled train, as near the ship he drew,
With glad surprise their gallant leader view.
Idas alone, from all the train apart,
In secret bitterness consum'd his heart;
Nor pleasure from the common gladness felt,
For pride and envy in his spirit dwelt.

1670

1680

Now, night came on, and shades and silence brought. And calm repose the youthful warriors sought. But, when Aurora bade the day-spring flame, Two from the number haste the seed to claim. Bold Telamon of Mars the darling went, And, who from Hermes drew his proud descent, Ethalides.-Nor was their journey vain; For from the king the dragon's teeth they gain, Insidious gift. He sternly bade them take The fatal teeth, of that Aonian snake, Whom ancient Cadmus in Ogygia slew; When, fair Europa ravish'd from his view, His sister, by their mournful sire's* command, O'er many a deep he sought, and many a land. 1690 Before his face the fabled heifer went, Guide of his way, by prescient Phebus sent. At Thebes, beneath his hand the serpent fell; With poison arm'd he kept th' Aretian well. Pallas, who stoop'd the monster's teeth to save, The spoil to Cadmus and Æetes gave.

Agenor.-See the notes on this

passage, vol. 2.

His portion Cadmus sow'd in Theban fields;
And warriors arm'd the breathing furrow yields.
Contentious brood, they bath'd in kindred gore;
And only they surviv'd, whom Cadmus bore,
As denizons, his rising walls to fill;-
The parent field its earth-born children till.
The seed Eetes to their hands consign'd,
With readiness that spoke the rancorous mind.
Tho' to the yoke the fiery steers should bend,
The toil, he trusts, will in their ruin end.

1700

Beneath th' horizon now the sun declin❜d,
His course where Ethiopian summits bind.
Night yok'd her sable steeds.-Along the sand,
Stretch'd near their cables, slept th' heroic band. 1710
But Jason slumber from his eyes repell'd;

And fix'd on Heav'n his anxious looks he held.
Resplendent 'mid the starry host from far,

The bear of Helicè had turn'd her star.

No noise was heard, along the watʼry scene;
Nor breeze nor cloud deform'd the blue serene.
'Twas now the time. With silent stealthy pace,
The son of Eson sought a lonely place.
He bore each requisite for solemn rite,

With care collected, ere th' approach of night. 1720
Part, in the fold and dairy Argus sought;
A female lamb and tepid milk he brought.--
The rest the ship supplied.-The hero found,
Far from the beaten path, a space of ground,
With streams irriguous springing fresh and clear.
He bath'd his tender limbs with pious fear,

In the pure lymph; and o'er his shoulders threw
A robe from Lemnos brought of sable hue,
Gift of Hypsipile, design'd to prove,

A sad memorial of ill-fated love.

A cubit, then, in depth a trench he made,
And wood for sacrifice in order laid.

1730

1740

The victim bleeds, extended on the pyre,
And all the hallow'd pile receives the fire.
As o'er the flames the mix'd libation falls,
On Brimo Hecaté the votary calls.
"Tremendous pow'r, assist my future toil.".
"With backward steps he slowly trod the soil.
From deep recesses, awful pow'r, she heard;
And rising, at the potent call appear'd.
Envenom'd snakes with oaken boughs entwin'd,
Terrific wreath, her awful temples bind.
A mighty glare of torches flamed around;
And dogs of hell were heard, with piercing sound.
The meadows trembled, as she mov'd along;
The Naiads wail'd, the lakes and rills among.
Loud shriek'd the nymphs, that in the marshes lave,
Where Amarantian Phasis seeks the wave.
Amaze and fear the soul of Jason felt;
Yet, in his thoughts Medea's warning dwelt.
With firm resolve he backward trod the plain;
Nor turn'd him, ere he reach'd the social train.
When morn began, fair daughter of the spring,
Her beams on snowy Caucasus to fling;
Eetes rose; and clad his giant frame,

In ponderous arms; a gift from Mars they came.
When sunk Phlegrean Mimas bath'd in gore,
His bloody spoils th' immortal victor tore.
The golden helmet grac'd the monarch's head;
A fourfold cone its bright effulgence shed,
From far refulgent, like that orb of day,
When, bath'd in ocean, he renews his ray.
A vast expansive shield his left hand holds,

1750

1760

Where thickest hides are plac'd, in numerous folds.--
His right hand grasps th' inevitable spear
Weighty and vast, the messenger of fear.
The king excepted, in th' embattled field,
Alcides only could that weapon wield.-

I

1780

In youthful grace fair Phaeton attends,
And holds the chariot, ere his sire ascends.
The king ascending seis'd the flowing reins;
And past the city gates, to reach the plains,
Scene of th' intended trial.-O'er the road
His course he held extended long and broad.
Forth rush'd the Colchians, an unnumber'd throng.
The king, like car-borne Neptune, rode along,
When Isthmian games, divine spectator, bring
The god, to Tanarus, or Lerna's spring.
Onchestus' hallow'd grove, Euboic seat,
Or Calaurcia, his belov'd retreat.-

*

He seeks, emergent from the sounding floods,
Th' Emonian rock, Gerestus cloth'd in woods.

The youth, admonish'd by the royal maid,
Dissolv'd the drug, and on his armour laid.
Full soon, the massy buckler's polish'd orb,
The spear, and trenchant blade that charm absorb
Around the youth his brave companions stand;
And try the polish'd arms, with vig'rous hand.
To bend his pond'rous lance, that gallant train
Their utmost efforts prove, and prove in vain.
The son of Aphareus+ with rage beheld,
Presumption vain his haughty bosom swell'd.
His mighty falchion at the spear he aim❜d,
Where nigh the point the brazen circles flam'd.
On the firm anvil, as the hammer sounds,
The falchion fell; the blunted edge rebounds. -
With joyful shouts the warriors rent the air;
And augur'd to their toils an issue fair.-
Now Jason to his limbs that charm applied;
And matchless energy the drug supplied,

1780

1790

1800

* For an account of the places here mentioned, the reader is referred to the notes vol. 2.

+ Idas.