Classic Poem

Mean-time the Bard alternate to the strings
The loves of Mars and Citherea sings;
How the stern God enamour'd with her charms
Clasp'd the gay panting Goddess in his arms,
By bribes seduc'd: and how the Sun, whose eye
Views the broad heav'ns disclos'd the lawless joy.
Stung to the soul, indignant thro' the skies
To his black forge vindictive Vulcan flies:
Arriv'd, his sinewy arms incessant place
Th' eternal anvil on the massy base.
A wond'rous Net he labours, to betray
The wanton lovers, as entwin'd they lay,
Indissolubly strong! then instant bears
To his immortal dome the finish'd snares.
Above, below, around, with art dispread,
The sure enclosure folds the genial bed;
Whose texture ev'n the search of Gods deceives,
Thin, as the filmy threads the spider weaves.
Then as withdrawing from the starry bow'rs,
He feigns a journey to the Lemnian shores:
His fav'rite Isle! Observant Mars descries
His wish'd recess, and to the Goddess flies;
He glows, he burns: The fair-hair'd Queen of love
Descends smooth-gliding from the Courts of Jove ,
Gay blooming in full charms: her hand he prest
With eager joy, and with a sigh addrest.
Come, my belov'd! and taste the soft delights;
Come, to repose the genial bed invites:
Thy absent spouse neglectful of thy charms
Prefers his barb'rous Sintians to thy arms!
Then, nothing loth, th' enamour'd fair he led,
And sunk transported on the conscious bed.
Down rush'd the toils, enwrapping as they lay
The careless lovers in their wanton play:
In vain they strive, th' entangling snares deny
(Inextricably firm) the pow'r to fly:
Warn'd by the God who sheds the golden day,
Stern Vulcan homeward treads the starry way:
Arriv'd, he sees, he grieves, with rage he burns;
Full horribly he roars, his voice all heav'n returns.
O Jove , he cry'd, oh all ye pow'rs above,
See the lewd dalliance of the Queen of Love!
Me, aukward me she scorns, and yields her charms
To that fair Lecher, the strong God of arms.
If I am lame, that stain my natal hour
By fate impos'd; such me my parent bore:
Why was I born? see how the wanton lies!
O sight tormenting to an husband's eyes!
But yet I trust, this once ev'n Mars would fly
His fair ones arms — he thinks her, once, too nigh.
But there remain, ye guilty, in my pow'r,
'Till Jove refunds his shameless daughter's dow'r.
Too dear I priz'd a fair enchanting face:
Beauty unchaste is beauty in disgrace.
Mean-while the Gods the dome of Vulcan throng,
Apollo comes, and Neptune comes along,
With these gay Hermes trod the starry plain;
But modesty with-held the Goddess-train.
All heav'n beholds, imprison'd as they lye,
And unextinguish'd laughter shakes the sky.