With all their nymphs; from what celeftial feed
The various tribes of animals proceed.
Next how Ophion held his ancient reign,
With his fam'd confort, daughter of the main
On high Olympus' fnowy head enthron'd,
The new-created world their empire own'd:
Till force fuperior, and fuccefslefs war,
Divefted of their crowns the regal pair;
On Saturn's head Ophion's honours plac'd,
And with his confort's glories Rhea grac'd.
Thence to old Ocean's watery kingdoms hurl'd
Thus they refign'd the fceptre of the world:
And Saturn rul'd the blefs'd Titanian gods,
While infant Jove poffefs'd the dark abodes
Of Dicte's cave; his mind yet uninform'd
With heavenly wisdom, and his hand unarm'd :
Forg'd by the Cyclops, earth's gigantic race,
Flam'd not as yet the lightning's fcorching blaze,
Nor roar'd the thunder through the realms above,
The ftrength and glory of almighty Jove.

This faid, the tuneful Bard his lyre unftrung, And ceas'd th' inchanting mufic of his tongue. But, with the found entranc'd, th' attentive ear Thought him ftill finging, still stood fix'd to hear. In filent rapture every chief remains,

And feels within his heart the thrilling strains.
Forthwith the bowl they crown with rofy wine,
And pay due honours to the power divine.
The pure libations on the fire they pour,
While rifing flames the mystick tongues devour.

Now

Now fable night ascends her starry throne,
And Argo's chiefs her drowfy influence own.
But when the bright-ey'd morning rear'd her head,
And look'd o'er Pelion's fummits ting'd with red;
Light fimm'd the breezes o'er the watery plain,
And gently fwell'd the fluctuating main.
Then Tiphys rofe, and, fummon'd by his care,
Embark'd the heroes, and their oars prepare.
Portentous now along the winding shores
Hoarfe-founding Pagafæan Neptune roars.
Impatient Argo the glad fignal took,
While from her vocal keel loud murmurs broke;
Her keel of facred oak divinely wrought
Itonian Pallas from Didona brought.

On their allotted pofts now rang'd along
In feemly order fate the princely throng:
Faft by each chief his glittering armour flames;
The midmoft station bold. Ancæus claims,
With great Alcides, whofe enormous might
Arm'd with a maffy club provokes the fight,
Now plac'd befide him: in the yielding flood
The keel deep-finking feels the demi-god.

Their haufers now. they loose, and on the brine
To Neptune pour the confecrated wine.
Then from his native hores fad Jafon turns
His oft-reverted eye, and filent mourns.
As in Ortygia, or the Delphick Fane,
Or where Ifmenus laves Boeotia's plain,
Apollo's Altars round, the youthful choir,
The dance according with the founding lyre,

The

The Irallow'd ground with equal cadence beat,
And move in measure their harmonious feet:
Together fo Theffalia's princes fweep

With well-tim'd oars the filver-curling deep.
While, raising high the Thracian-harp, prefides
Melodious Orpheus and the movement guides.
Qn either fide the dafhing furges broke,

And fierce remurmur'd.to each mighty ftroke;
Thick flash'd the brazen arms with ftreaming light,
While the swift bark pursues her rapid flight,
And ever as the fea-green tide the cleaves,

Foams the long tract behind, and whitens all the

waves:

So fhines the path, across fome verdant plain
Trac'd by the footsteps of the village swain.
Jove on that day from his celeftial throne,
And all th' immortal powers of heaven look'd down,
The godlike chiefs and Argo to furvey

As through the deep they urg'd their daring way.
Then too on Pelion's cloud-top'd fummit ftood
The nymphs and fauns and fifters of the wood,
With wonder viewing the tall pine below,
That fhaded once the mountain's fhaggy brow,
Now fram'd by Pallas o'er the founding sea
Thefalia's mighty heroes to convey.
But, lo!..from Pelion's higheft clift defcends,
And downward to the fea his footsteps bends
The Centaur Chiron; on the beach he flood
And dipp'd his fetlocks in the hoary flood.

Then

Then waving his broad hand, the bark he hales,
And speeds with profperous vows the parting fails.
With him advanc'd his confort to the fhore;
The young Achilles in her arms the bore:
Then, raifing high in air the pleating load,
To his fond fire the fmiling infant shew'd.

THE STORY OF PHINE US.

ΤΗ

HE following day Bithynia's coaft they reach, And fix their haufers to the fheltering beach. There on the margin of the beating flood The mournful manfions of fad Phineus stood, Agenor's fon; whom heaven ordain'd to bear The grievous burden of unequal'd care. For taught by wife Apollo to defcry Th' unborn events of dark futurity, Vain of his fcience, the prefumptuous feer Deign'd not Jove's awful secrets to revere; But wantonly divulg'd to frail mankind The facred purpose of th' omnifcient mind. Hence Jove indignant gave him length of days, But quench'd in endless fhade his visual rays. Nor would the vengeful God permit him taste The chearful bleffings of the genial feast; Though the large tribute of the nations round Their prophet's board with wealth and plenty crown'd. For, lo! defcending fudden from the sky,

Round the pil'd banquet fhrieking harpies fly,

Who

Who with rapacious claws inceffant tear
Forth from his famish'd lips th' untasted fare.
Yet would fome slender pittance oft remain,
What might fuffice to keep up life and pain.
But then fuch odours the foul fcraps exhal'd,
That with the ftench the loathing ftomach fail'd,
· Aloof the hungry guests and wondering stood
While their fick hearts abhorr'd the putrid food.
But now the princely crew approaching near,
The welcome found invades the prophet's ear.
Taught by th' inspiring God that now was come
The long-wifh'd period of heaven's vengeful doom,
That by thefe heroes deftin'd aid reftor'd,

Peace fhould thenceforward blefs his feaftful board.
Then heaves he from the couch his haggard head,
Like fome pale, lifelefs, vifionary shade,
And leaning on his staff with faltering steps,
Along the walls his way exploring creeps.
Difeas'd, enfeebled, and by age unbrac'd,
Trembled his tottering limbs as forth he pafs'd,
Shrunk was his form, aduft with want and care,
And bursting through his hide the pointed bones appear.
But faint and breathlefs as he reach'd the gate,
Down on the threshold over-toil'd he fate.
In dizzy fumes involv'd, his brain runs round,
And fwims beneath his feet the solid ground.
No more their functions the frail senses keep,
And speechlefs finks the feer in death-like fleep.
This faw the chiefs amaz'd, and gather'd round;
When from his labouring lungs a hollow found,