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177
Part of the First Æneid of Virgil translated.
Arms and the Man I sing, the first who driv'n
By Fate from Troy, the Fugitive of Heav'n,
On Land and Sea by Toils and Tempests tost,
Came to the Latian and Lavinian Coast;
Forc'd by the Gods incessant Wars to wage,
And urg'd by Juno's unrelenting Rage;
E'er he could raise his Town, and fix the Gods
He brought from Troy in Italy's Abodes;
Hence our fam'd Latian Line, and Senates come,
Hence rose the lofty Walls and Tow'rs of Rome.
By Fate from Troy, the Fugitive of Heav'n,
On Land and Sea by Toils and Tempests tost,
Came to the Latian and Lavinian Coast;
Forc'd by the Gods incessant Wars to wage,
And urg'd by Juno's unrelenting Rage;
E'er he could raise his Town, and fix the Gods
He brought from Troy in Italy's Abodes;
Hence our fam'd Latian Line, and Senates come,
Hence rose the lofty Walls and Tow'rs of Rome.
Say, Muse, what Causes could so far incense
Celestial Pow'rs, and what the dire Offence
That mov'd Heav'n's awful Empress to impose
On such a pious Prince, such endless Woes?
By such a Round of Toils so long distrest:
Can Rage so fierce inflame an Heav'nly Breast?
Celestial Pow'rs, and what the dire Offence
That mov'd Heav'n's awful Empress to impose
On such a pious Prince, such endless Woes?
178
Can Rage so fierce inflame an Heav'nly Breast?
Against th'Italian Coast, of ancient Fame
A City stood, and Carthage was the Name:
A Tyrian Colony; from Tyber far,
Rich, brave, and practis'd in the Arts of War:
Which Juno far above all Realms, above
Her own dear Samos honour'd with her Love:
Here stood her Chariot, here her Armour lay,
Here she design'd, would Destiny give way,
Ev'n then the Seat of Universal Sway.
But of a Race she heard, that should destroy
The Tyrian Tow'rs, a Race deriv'd from Troy;
Who proud in Arms; triumphant by their Swords,
Should rise in Time, the World's victorious Lords;
Ordain'd by Fate her Lybia to subdue,
And on her ruin'd Empire raise a new.
This fear'd the Goddess; and in Mind she bore
The late long War her Fury rais'd before
For Greece at Troy; nor was her Wrath resign'd,
But every Cause hung heavy on her Mind.
Her injur'd Form, and Paris' Judgment roll
Deep in her Breast, and kindle all her Soul:
Th'Immortal Honours of the ravish'd Boy;
And last, the whole detested Race of Troy.
With all these Motives fir'd, from Latium far
She drove the Relicks of the Grecian War;
Fate urg'd their Course; and long they wander'd o'er
The boundless Ocean, tost from Shore to Shore:
So vast the Work to build so vast a Frame,
And raise the Glories of the Roman Name.
A City stood, and Carthage was the Name:
A Tyrian Colony; from Tyber far,
Rich, brave, and practis'd in the Arts of War:
Which Juno far above all Realms, above
Her own dear Samos honour'd with her Love:
Here stood her Chariot, here her Armour lay,
Here she design'd, would Destiny give way,
Ev'n then the Seat of Universal Sway.
But of a Race she heard, that should destroy
The Tyrian Tow'rs, a Race deriv'd from Troy;
Who proud in Arms; triumphant by their Swords,
Should rise in Time, the World's victorious Lords;
Ordain'd by Fate her Lybia to subdue,
And on her ruin'd Empire raise a new.
179
The late long War her Fury rais'd before
For Greece at Troy; nor was her Wrath resign'd,
But every Cause hung heavy on her Mind.
Her injur'd Form, and Paris' Judgment roll
Deep in her Breast, and kindle all her Soul:
Th'Immortal Honours of the ravish'd Boy;
And last, the whole detested Race of Troy.
With all these Motives fir'd, from Latium far
She drove the Relicks of the Grecian War;
Fate urg'd their Course; and long they wander'd o'er
The boundless Ocean, tost from Shore to Shore:
So vast the Work to build so vast a Frame,
And raise the Glories of the Roman Name.
Scarce from Sicilia's Shores the shouting Train,
Spread their broad Sails, and plow'd the foamy Main;
When haughty Juno thus her Rage exprest;
Th'eternal Wound still rankling in her Breast.
Spread their broad Sails, and plow'd the foamy Main;
180
Th'eternal Wound still rankling in her Breast.
Then must I stop? are all my Labours vain?
And must this Trojan Prince in Latium reign?
The Fates, I find, may baffle Juno's Aims;
And why could Pallas with avenging Flames
Burn a whole Navy of the Grecian Ships,
And plunge the scatter'd Argives in the Deeps?
She for the Crime of Ajax, from above
Launch'd thro' the Clouds the fiery Bolts of Jove;
Disperst his Fleet, and as her Tempest flew,
Expos'd the Ocean's inmost Deeps to view.
Then, while transfix'd, the blasted Wretch expires,
Flames from his Breast, and Fires succeeding Fires,
Snatch'd in a Whirlwind, with a sudden shock
She hurl'd him headlong on a pointed Rock.
But I, who move supreme in Heav'n's Abodes,
Jove's Sister-Wife, and Empress of the Gods,
With this one Nation must a War maintain
So many Years; and wage that War in vain.
And now what Suppliants will invoke my Name,
Adore my Pow'r, or bid my Altars flame?
And must this Trojan Prince in Latium reign?
The Fates, I find, may baffle Juno's Aims;
And why could Pallas with avenging Flames
Burn a whole Navy of the Grecian Ships,
And plunge the scatter'd Argives in the Deeps?
She for the Crime of Ajax, from above
Launch'd thro' the Clouds the fiery Bolts of Jove;
Disperst his Fleet, and as her Tempest flew,
Expos'd the Ocean's inmost Deeps to view.
Then, while transfix'd, the blasted Wretch expires,
Flames from his Breast, and Fires succeeding Fires,
Snatch'd in a Whirlwind, with a sudden shock
She hurl'd him headlong on a pointed Rock.
181
Jove's Sister-Wife, and Empress of the Gods,
With this one Nation must a War maintain
So many Years; and wage that War in vain.
And now what Suppliants will invoke my Name,
Adore my Pow'r, or bid my Altars flame?
Thus fir'd with Rage the furious Goddess flies
To dark Æolia from the distant Skies;
The Native Region of the Storms she finds,
Where in huge gloomy Caves their Tyrant binds
The blustring Tempests, and reluctant Winds;
Whose Rage Imperial Æolus restrains,
With rocky Dungeons, and with heaps of Chains:
While they within the spacious Hollow pent,
Roar round the Cave, and struggle for a vent.
From his high Throne, their Fury to asswage
He waves his Scepter and controuls their Rage:
Or, down the Void their rapid Whirls had driv'n
Earth, Air, and Ocean, and the Heights of Heav'n.
But Jove, the mighty Ruin to prevent,
In gloomy Caves the airy Captives pent,
O'er their wild Rage the pond'rous Rocks he spread,
And hurl'd huge heaps of Mountains on their head;
And gave a King commission'd to restrain,
And curb the Tempest, or to loose the Rein.
To dark Æolia from the distant Skies;
The Native Region of the Storms she finds,
Where in huge gloomy Caves their Tyrant binds
The blustring Tempests, and reluctant Winds;
Whose Rage Imperial Æolus restrains,
With rocky Dungeons, and with heaps of Chains:
While they within the spacious Hollow pent,
Roar round the Cave, and struggle for a vent.
From his high Throne, their Fury to asswage
He waves his Scepter and controuls their Rage:
182
Earth, Air, and Ocean, and the Heights of Heav'n.
But Jove, the mighty Ruin to prevent,
In gloomy Caves the airy Captives pent,
O'er their wild Rage the pond'rous Rocks he spread,
And hurl'd huge heaps of Mountains on their head;
And gave a King commission'd to restrain,
And curb the Tempest, or to loose the Rein.
Whom thus the Queen address'd; Since mighty Jove,
The King of Men, and Sire of Gods above,
Has given Thee, Æolus, the pow'r to raise
Storms at thy Sov'reign Will, or smooth the Seas;
A Race, I long have labour'd to destroy,
Waft to Hesperia the Remains of Troy.
Ev'n now their Navy cuts the Thuscan Floods,
Charg'd with their Exiles, and their vanquish'd Gods.
Add Rage to all thy Winds; o'erwhelm their Ships,
Disperse or drown the Wretches in the Deeps.
Twice sev'n bright Nymphs of beauteous Shape are mine,
For thy Reward the fairest I'll resign,
And make the charming Deiopeia thine;
She, on thy Bed, long Blessings shall confer,
And make Thee Parent of a Race like Her.
The King of Men, and Sire of Gods above,
Has given Thee, Æolus, the pow'r to raise
Storms at thy Sov'reign Will, or smooth the Seas;
A Race, I long have labour'd to destroy,
Waft to Hesperia the Remains of Troy.
Ev'n now their Navy cuts the Thuscan Floods,
Charg'd with their Exiles, and their vanquish'd Gods.
183
Disperse or drown the Wretches in the Deeps.
Twice sev'n bright Nymphs of beauteous Shape are mine,
For thy Reward the fairest I'll resign,
And make the charming Deiopeia thine;
She, on thy Bed, long Blessings shall confer,
And make Thee Parent of a Race like Her.
'Tis yours, great Queen, reply'd the Pow'r, to lay
The Task, and mine to listen and obey;
By you I sit a Guest with Gods above,
And share the Graces and the Smiles of Jove.
These Realms by You, this Scepter I maintain,
And wear these Honours of the stormy Reign.
The Task, and mine to listen and obey;
By you I sit a Guest with Gods above,
And share the Graces and the Smiles of Jove.
These Realms by You, this Scepter I maintain,
And wear these Honours of the stormy Reign.
So spoke th'obsequious God, and while he spoke,
Whirl'd his vast Spear, and pierc'd the hollow Rock.
Th'embattled Tempests, as the Mountain rent,
Flew all at once impetuous thro' the Vent.
Earth in their Course with giddy Whirls they sweep,
Then plow the Seas, and bare the inmost Deep.
South, East, and West, to swell the Tumult, roar,
And roll vast Billows to the distant Shore.
The Cordage cracks; with unavailing Cries
The Trojans mourn, while sudden Clouds arise,
And ravish from their Sight the Splendors of the Skies.
Night hovers o'er the Deeps; the Day retires;
The Heav'ns shine thick with Momentary Fires;
Loud Thunders shake the Poles; from every Place
Grim Death appear'd, and glar'd in every Face.
Whirl'd his vast Spear, and pierc'd the hollow Rock.
184
Flew all at once impetuous thro' the Vent.
Earth in their Course with giddy Whirls they sweep,
Then plow the Seas, and bare the inmost Deep.
South, East, and West, to swell the Tumult, roar,
And roll vast Billows to the distant Shore.
The Cordage cracks; with unavailing Cries
The Trojans mourn, while sudden Clouds arise,
And ravish from their Sight the Splendors of the Skies.
Night hovers o'er the Deeps; the Day retires;
The Heav'ns shine thick with Momentary Fires;
Loud Thunders shake the Poles; from every Place
Grim Death appear'd, and glar'd in every Face.
Congeal'd with Fear the Trojan Hero stands,
He groans and spreads to Heav'n his lifted Hands:
Thrice happy those, whose Fate it was to fall,
(Exclaims the Chief) beneath the Trojan Wall.
Oh! 'twas a noble Fate to die in Fight,
To die so bravely in their Parents sight.
Why sunk I not beneath Tydides' Hands,
The bravest Hero of the Grecian Bands?
Where Hector sunk beneath Achilles' Spear,
And great Sarpedon the renown'd in War;
Where Simois' Streams encumber'd with the Slain,
Roll'd Shields, and Helms, and Heroes to the Main.
He groans and spreads to Heav'n his lifted Hands:
Thrice happy those, whose Fate it was to fall,
(Exclaims the Chief) beneath the Trojan Wall.
185
To die so bravely in their Parents sight.
Why sunk I not beneath Tydides' Hands,
The bravest Hero of the Grecian Bands?
Where Hector sunk beneath Achilles' Spear,
And great Sarpedon the renown'd in War;
Where Simois' Streams encumber'd with the Slain,
Roll'd Shields, and Helms, and Heroes to the Main.
Thus while he mourns, the Norhern Blast prevails,
Breaks all his Oars, and rends his flying Sails:
The Prow turns round; the Galley leaves her side
Bare to the Fury of the working Tide;
While in huge Heaps the gath'ring Surges rise,
And lift a liquid Mountain to the Skies.
Some hang on Waves; and some behold the Ground
Low in the boiling Deeps, and dark Profound.
Three shatter'd Galleys the strong Southern Blast
On hidden Rocks, with dreadful Fury cast;
Th'Italians call them Altars; for they stood
Sublime, and heav'd their Backs above the Flood.
Three more fierce Eurus on the Syrtes threw
From the main Sea (and terrible to view)
He dash'd, and left the Vessels on the Land,
Intrench'd with Mountains of surrounding Sand.
Struck by a Billow, in the Hero's View,
From Prow to Stern the broken Galley flew,
Which bore Orontes, and the Lycian Crew.
Swept off the Deck, the Pilot from the Ship,
Stun'd by the Stroke, shot headlong down the Deep.
The Vessel by the Surge turn'd round and round,
Sunk by the whirling Gulf devour'd and drown'd.
Some from the dark Abyss emerge again;
Arms, Planks, and Treasures floating on the Main.
And now thy Ship, Ilioneus, gives way,
And brave Achates' Vessel drinks the Sea.
Nor old Alethes his strong Galley saves,
And Abas yields to the victorious Waves.
The Storm dissolves their well-compacted Sides,
Which drink at many a Leak the rushing Tides.
Breaks all his Oars, and rends his flying Sails:
The Prow turns round; the Galley leaves her side
Bare to the Fury of the working Tide;
While in huge Heaps the gath'ring Surges rise,
And lift a liquid Mountain to the Skies.
Some hang on Waves; and some behold the Ground
Low in the boiling Deeps, and dark Profound.
Three shatter'd Galleys the strong Southern Blast
On hidden Rocks, with dreadful Fury cast;
186
Sublime, and heav'd their Backs above the Flood.
Three more fierce Eurus on the Syrtes threw
From the main Sea (and terrible to view)
He dash'd, and left the Vessels on the Land,
Intrench'd with Mountains of surrounding Sand.
Struck by a Billow, in the Hero's View,
From Prow to Stern the broken Galley flew,
Which bore Orontes, and the Lycian Crew.
Swept off the Deck, the Pilot from the Ship,
Stun'd by the Stroke, shot headlong down the Deep.
The Vessel by the Surge turn'd round and round,
Sunk by the whirling Gulf devour'd and drown'd.
Some from the dark Abyss emerge again;
Arms, Planks, and Treasures floating on the Main.
And now thy Ship, Ilioneus, gives way,
And brave Achates' Vessel drinks the Sea.
187
And Abas yields to the victorious Waves.
The Storm dissolves their well-compacted Sides,
Which drink at many a Leak the rushing Tides.
Mean time great Neptune from beneath the Main
Heard the loud Tumults in his watry Reign,
And saw the furious Tempest wide around
Work up the Waters from the vast Profound.
Then for his liquid Realms alarm'd, the God
Lifts his high Head serenely o'er the Flood;
Where wide disperst the Trojan Fleet he spies,
Prest by the Storms and Terrors of the Skies:
Full well he knew his Sister's endless Hate,
Her Wiles and Arts to sink the Trojan State.
To Eurus and the Western Blast he cry'd,
Does your high Birth inspire this lawless Pride?
Audacious Winds! without a Pow'r from Me,
To raise at will such Mountains on the Sea:
Thus to confound Heav'n, Earth, the Air and Main
Whom I—but first I'll calm the Waves again.
But if you tempt my Rage a second time,
Know, that some heavier Vengeance waits the Crime.
Hence fly with speed; from Me your Tyrant tell,
That to my Lot this watry Empire fell.
Bid him his Rocks, your gloomy Dungeons, keep,
But leave to Me the Trident of the Deep:
There let Him reign with undisputed Pow'r,
And hear within his blust'ring Subjects roar.
Heard the loud Tumults in his watry Reign,
And saw the furious Tempest wide around
Work up the Waters from the vast Profound.
Then for his liquid Realms alarm'd, the God
Lifts his high Head serenely o'er the Flood;
Where wide disperst the Trojan Fleet he spies,
Prest by the Storms and Terrors of the Skies:
Full well he knew his Sister's endless Hate,
Her Wiles and Arts to sink the Trojan State.
To Eurus and the Western Blast he cry'd,
Does your high Birth inspire this lawless Pride?
188
To raise at will such Mountains on the Sea:
Thus to confound Heav'n, Earth, the Air and Main
Whom I—but first I'll calm the Waves again.
But if you tempt my Rage a second time,
Know, that some heavier Vengeance waits the Crime.
Hence fly with speed; from Me your Tyrant tell,
That to my Lot this watry Empire fell.
Bid him his Rocks, your gloomy Dungeons, keep,
But leave to Me the Trident of the Deep:
There let Him reign with undisputed Pow'r,
And hear within his blust'ring Subjects roar.
He spoke; and speaking chac'd the Clouds away,
Hush'd every Billow, and restor'd the Day.
Cymothoe guards the Vessels in the Shock,
And Triton heaves them from the pointed Rock.
He with his Trident disengag'd the Ships,
And clear'd the Syrtes, and compos'd the Deeps.
Then mounted on the Radiant Car He rides
Swift o'er the Seas, and smoothly skims the Tides:
As when Sedition fires th'ignoble Crowd,
And the wild Rabble storms and thirsts for Blood,
Of Stones and Brands a mingled Tempest flies,
And all the sudden Arms that Rage supplies:
If some grave Sire appears amidst the Strife,
In Morals strict, and Innocence of Life,
All fix'd in Silence stand; their Fury cools;
While his resistless Eloquence controuls
Their frantick Rage, and gently calms their Souls.
So did the roaring Deeps their Rage compose,
When the great Father of the Floods arose.
Rapt by his Steeds, he flies in open Day,
Throws up the Reins, and skims the watry Way.
Hush'd every Billow, and restor'd the Day.
Cymothoe guards the Vessels in the Shock,
And Triton heaves them from the pointed Rock.
189
And clear'd the Syrtes, and compos'd the Deeps.
Then mounted on the Radiant Car He rides
Swift o'er the Seas, and smoothly skims the Tides:
As when Sedition fires th'ignoble Crowd,
And the wild Rabble storms and thirsts for Blood,
Of Stones and Brands a mingled Tempest flies,
And all the sudden Arms that Rage supplies:
If some grave Sire appears amidst the Strife,
In Morals strict, and Innocence of Life,
All fix'd in Silence stand; their Fury cools;
While his resistless Eloquence controuls
Their frantick Rage, and gently calms their Souls.
So did the roaring Deeps their Rage compose,
When the great Father of the Floods arose.
Rapt by his Steeds, he flies in open Day,
Throws up the Reins, and skims the watry Way.
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