TRANSLATED FROM THE 8TH BOOK OF OVID'S METAMORPHASES .

Now rose the star of morn with fulgent light,
And wide dispels the shades of silent night;
South shifts the winds along the azure way,
Thus vapours gather, and obscure the day;
With joy C EPHALUS sees the gale extend,
And his new friend their spreading canvas bend;
Swift flies the steady vessel o'er the main,
And soon the wish'd-for harbour they attain.
Meanwhile the Cretan king with his brave host
Spread devastation o'er the Attic coast;
Rang'd round A LCATHIO'S walls, his army lay
Where aged Nisus bears the sovereign sway.
One purple lock, his head (else hoary) grac'd,
In which the fortune of his realm was plac'd;
Full six long months the land had stream'd with blood,
And undecided yet the combat stood;
Too long V ICTORIA seem'd alike design'd
To favour both, to both alike inclin'd.
High on that wall, where once by Sol's commands,
Soft music breathes, a lofty turret stands;
And where the God inclos'd his sounding lyre,
The stones yet still harmonious sounds respire;
Here oft the daughter of the king repairs
Well pleas'd to listen the celestial airs,
And from her hands the stones would cast around,
To strike and to increase th' inchanted sound;
But now from hence her eyes behold the train
Of shining warriors, rang'd along the plain:
Taught by the lengthen'd siege and frequent view,
Each various chief by sight and name she knew;
Each could distinguish in the distant fight,
Nor could the pomp of arms impede her sight.
With looks that more than modesty exprest,
The mighty M INOS kens above the rest;
The crested helmet vainly hides his head,
With it she sees superior beauties spread;
Nor can the spacious shield his form disguise,
With it he seems more lovely in her eyes;
Or when his hands the pond'rous javelin raise,
With frequent sighs she whispers forth his praise;
When he prepares to string the missive dart,
And fair to view displays each manly part,
Let S CYLLA judge, and she would partial say,
E UROPA'S son excels the God of Day!
But when unarm'd, the helmet from his head,
And all his form to open sight display'd;
When thro' the ranks his lofty chariot roll'd,
His coursers harness'd in refulgent gold,
Himself in the superbest raiment dress'd,
The storm of passion rends her frantic breast;
Thrice happy sword that his fair fingers touch,
And you, ye reins (she cry'd) but blest too much;
Were it permissible that she might go
To the close camp of the embattled foe,
To throw herself unhurt upon the plain,
Amidst the warriors of the Cretan train,
Nay, should their king require, the frantic dame
Would sacrifice her country to her flame;
The gates unbar, the city set on fire;
Nay, ought th' enrag'd besiegers should desire.
Thus whilst, with anxious eyes, the longing maid
The argent palace of the prince survey'd —
Whether (she cry'd) should misery or joy
For this my country's woes my thoughts employ,
I stand in doubt, for, tho' I understand,
I love the sworn despoiler of our land;
Yet must I still applaud, in reason's spite,
That war which brought my lover to my sight;
Or if a hostage they should me demand,
Soon should the rage of war desert our land;
Well pleas'd to willing vassalage I'd bend,
To wear the chains the victor should extend:
Fairest of men (she cry'd) were she whose charms
But half so fair that clasp thee in her arms,
No wonder that her bloom the mighty J OVE
Seduc'd from J UNO and the realms above:
O that I were of fleetest wings possest,
To thee I'd fly, and in thy tent would rest.
To him I'd nominate my rank and sire,
And give what portion e'er he should desire;
All but my native land to him I'd give,
As pleas'd as he the bounty should receive:
But rather disappointed be my love,
Than I perfidious to my country prove;
Yet even conquest 'self might prove a bliss,
If conquer'd by a gen'rous soul like his;
His basely-murder'd son provok'd his rage,
With justice in this contest to engage;
The heavenly powers regard his ardent toils,
And will reward him with our country's spoils.
Alas! by fate's decree, this realm must fall,
And one captivity involve us all!
Where then's the need of love in this delay,
By war made certain on a future day;
With countless cares my bosom is opprest,
Lest some ill-fated dart should reach my lover's breast.
Yet if they view'd, the basest would not stand
Against his form to raise his ruffian hand.
But now I am resolv'd — all yields to love;
My sire's dominions shall my portion prove:
By this resolve hostilities shall end,
And tho' the act seem base, yet it to good shall tend:
Yet, ah! these resolutions seem in vain,
At every gate the sentinels remain;
The keys are by my watchful sire possest,
By him my every hope of joy's supprest:
O Heavens! that I had ne'er beheld the day,
Or known a peevish parent to obey;
But how can childish fears the brave appal,
'Tis courage can make deities of all;
High fate from cowardice its aid withdraws,
Whilst courage reaps both profit and applause.
Where is that maid, with such a flame possest,
That would not drive these scruples from her breast?
Tho' certain ruin on her head should fall,
Would not, to gain her lover, hazard all?
Shall other dames more bold th' example shew,
And is it wasting here in silent woe?
Forbid it, Heav'n! not fire and sword shall prove
A barrier equal to my ardent love:
But no such enemies oppose their force,
My father's fatal lock but stops my course;
'Tis that alone my sanguine hope destroys,
And casts a gloom o'er all my wish'd-for joys.
She ceas'd: while o'er the sky, descending Night
Spreads her dark curtains and expels the light;
And is she silent winds her gloomy way,
The virgin's fears by slow degrees decay,
And hopes successive brighter hopes display.
'Twas at the hour when all to rest inclin'd,
When sleep dispels the troubles of the mind,
No sound was heard, then S CYLLA took her way,
Soft to the chamber where her father lay,
There of the fatal lock, by mischief sped,
Unconsciously deprives her father's head;
Swift with the impious theft, conceal'd by night,
She through a secret gate directs her flight;
By love made bold, to love alone inclin'd,
The hostile camp with speed she seeks to find;
The royal tent she finds, declares the fact,
While M INOS views and shudders at the act:
Behold (she cry'd) the conquering power of love,
I by my actions this assertion prove;
To thee a youthful and a beauteous maid,
The royal heir of Nisus , is betray'd;
To thee my country's gods and father's crown,
A tribute well deserv'd, I here lay down;
The recompence (for which to thee I bring
These presents) is thyself, my lovely king!
From me, great prince! this purple lock receive,
Nor think the offering worthless which I give,
Since on the gift my father's fate depends,
To you his kingdom and his crown descends.
Shock'd at the crime, the monarch back recoils,
Nor with the theft his righteous fingers soils,
Whilst from his eyes stern indignation play'd
He thus reproach'd the sacreligious maid:
Destruction blast thee, scandal of thy kind!
May thou no place of rest or pleasure find
On earth or air, but be thy carcase hurl'd
An outcast nuisance to th' offended world!
Shall virtuous M INOS with so foul a wretch,
A certain ruin on his country fetch,
On happy Crete, where heavenly J OVE was nurst!
High Heaven forbid! away thou most accurst!
And now the crown of Nisus , and his lands,
Are thus into the conq'ring M INOS ' hands,
Whilst the brave Cretan prince employs his care,
To sway the conquer'd, and new laws prepare;
The ships at his command their sails expand,
Stand with the breeze, and leave the vanquish'd land;
Swiftly they run before the fav'ring wind,
And leave neglected S CYLLA far behind;
Far from her hated form he eager flies,
Deaf to her supplications and her cries.
Now mad'ning with despair, she furious grows,
And frantic from her head the tresses throws.
Ah! whither dost thou fly, false man, she said,
From her whose love has thus thy fortune made?
She has to thee, tho' now so soon despis'd,
Herself and sire and country sacrific'd:
Cannot my passion, nor my presence move,
Thy heart obdurate, or engage thy love?
Canst thou not pity my unhappy fate,
Or think, base prince! upon my lost estate?
Canst thou desert a helpless wretch like me,
Whose only hope of refuge was on thee!
What place now hope, redress, or rest supplies,
My native land a waste of ruin lies;
Or tho' unransack'd should my country stand,
Vile treason drives me from the injur'd land;
Or to a more offended parent run,
Whom my perfidious baseness has undone.
A fugitive thro' the wide world I stray,
For one who scornful casts my love away;
Since then thou dost disdain my fond embrace,
Desist thy heav'n drawn pedigree to trace:
Some ruffian tygress, not E UROPA , bore
Thee on bleak Syrtes' solitary shore;
Nor e'er did changeful J OVE thy mother meet,
Beneath a bull's forg'd form, and bear to Crete;
The tale illustrious of thy birth's not true,
Some real bull thy lustful mother knew.
O father! now thy daughter's death survey,
And country which my baseness could betray;
My punishment from M INOS I receive,
Tho' justice should to you that vengeance give.
For why should he a chastisement extend,
To me who only did for him offend?
Base man! too justly thou to her art join'd,
Whose lust exceeds the bounds of human kind;
She whom a wooden heifer did incase,
Whilst she unnatural bore a bull's embrace,
From whose polluted womb the earth receiv'd
That monst'rous form for which it justly griev'd:
But what are my complaints? the partial gales
Leave them behind, and fill his flying sails.
Right was thy wife P ASIPHAE , when she
Preferr'd a bull, ungen'rous man! to thee.
But swift the vessel flies before the wind,
And leaves these shores and hapless me behind;
Believe, base M INOS ! S CYLLA knows no fear,
Nor waves nor winds shall long detain me here:
In spite I'll follow thro' the foaming tide,
Cling to the oars, or grasp the vessel's side.
She ceas'd — but scarce the finish'd accent dies
Upon her lips, when forth she eager flies
To tempt the main, while C UPID lends his aid,
And thro' the billows bears the frantic maid;
Soon she o'ertakes the ship; but, spreading wide
Her arms, to fasten on the vessel's side,
Descending from above a hawk is seen,
'Twas Nisus ' self, who thus transform'd had been;
Her naked head he beats with sharpest blows,
While she, thro' fear, th' unsteady hold foregoes,
Nor far she falls, but with renew'd surprise,
She finds herself supported in the skies;
Chang'd to a lark, she wings the airy frame,
And C ERIS from the rock becomes her name.