Warn'd by this tale, no longer then disdain,
O Nymph belov'd, to ease a lover's pain.
So may
the frofts in fpring your bloffoms fpare,
And winds their rude autumnal rage forbear!
The ftory oft' Vertumnus urg'd in vain,
But then affum'd his heavenly form again.
Such looks and luftre the bright youth adorn,
As when with rays glad Phoebus paints the morn.
The fight fo warms the fair admiring maid,
Like fnow the melts: fo foon can youth perfuade.
Confent, on eager winds, fucceeds defire;
And both the lovers glow with mutual fire.
THE LATIAN LINE CONTINUED.
Now Procas yielding to the Fates, his fon
Mild Numitor fucceeded to the crown.
But falfe Amulius, with a lawless power,
At length depos'd his brother Numitor.
Then Ilia's valiant iffue, with the fword,
Her parent re-inthron'd, the rightful lord.
Next Romulus to people Rome contrives;
The joyous time of Pales' feast arrives;
He gives the word to feize the Sabine wives.
The fires enrag'd take arms, by Tatius led,
Bold to revenge their violated bed.
A fort there was, not yet unknown to fame,
Call'd the Tarpeian, its commander's name.
This by the falfe Tarpeia was betray'd;
But Death well recompens'd the treacherous maid.
The foe on this new-bought fuccefs reiies,
And filent march the city to furprize.
Saturnia's arts with Sabine arms combine;
But Venus countermines the vain defign;
Intreats the nymphs that o'er the fprings prefide,
Which near the fane of hoary Janus glide,
To fend their fuccours; every urn they drain,
To stop the Sabines progrefs, but in vain.
The Naiads now more ftratagems effay ;
And kindling fulphur to each fource convey.
The floods ferment, hot exhalations rife,
Till from the fcalding ford the army flies.
Soon Romulus appears in shining arms,
And to the war the Roman legions warms:
The battle rages, and the field is fpread
With nothing but the dying and the dead.
Both fides confent to treat without delay,
And their two chiefs at once the fceptre fway. ]
But, Tatius by Lavinian fury flain,
Great Romulus continued long to reign.
THE ASSUMPTION OF ROMULUS.
Now Warrior Mars his burnish'd helm puts on,
And thus addreffes Heaven's imperial throne:
Since the inferior world is now become
One vaffal globe, and colony to Rome,
This grace, O Jove, for Romulus I claim,
Admit him to the fkies, from whence he came.
Long haft thou promis'd an æthereal state
To Mars's lineage; and thy word is fate.
The Sire, that rules the thunder, with a nod
Declar'd the fiat, and difmifs'd the God.
Soon as the power armipotent furvey'd
The flashing skies, the fignal he obey'd;
And, leaning on his lance, he mounts his car,
His fiery courfers lashing through the air.
Mount Palatine he gains, and finds his fon
Good laws enacting on a peaceful throne ;
The fcales of heavenly juftice holding high,
With fteady hand, and a difcerning eye.
Then vaults upon his car, and to the spheres,
Swift, as a flying fhaft, Rome's founder bears.
The parts more pure in rifing are refin❜d,
The grofs and perishable lag behind.
His fhrine in purple vestments ftands in view;
He looks a God, and is Quirinus now.
THE ASSUMPTION OF HERSILIA.
Erelong the Goddess of the nuptial bed,
With pity mov'd, fends Iris in her flead
To fad Herfilia-Thus the Meteor Maid:
Chafte relict in bright truth to Heaven ally'd,
The Sabines' glory, and the fex's pride;
Honour'd on earth, and worthy of the love
Of fuch a spouse, as now resides above;
Some refpite to thy killing griefs afford;
And, if thou would'ft once more behold thy lord,
Retire to yon' steep Mount, with groves o'er-spread,
Which with an awful gloom his temple fhade.
With fear the modest matron lifts her eyes,
And to the bright Ambassadress replies :
O Goddess, yet to mortal eyes unknown!
But fure thy various charms confess thee one :
O quick to Romulus thy votrefs bear!
With looks of love he 'll smile away my care;
In whate'er orb he fhines, my Heaven is there.
Then haftes with Iris to the holy grove,
And, up the Mount Quirinal as they move,
A lambent flame glides downward through the air,
And brightens with a blaze Herfilia's hair.
Together on the bounding ray they rise,
And shoot a gleam of light along the skies.
With opening arms Quirinus met his bride,
Now Ora nam'd, and press'd her to his fide.
STORY OF CIPPUS.
OR as when Cippus in the current view'd
The fhooting horn that on his forehead stood,
His temples first he feels, and with surprize
His touch confirms th' affurance of his eyes;
Straight to the fkies his horned front he rears,
And to the Gods directs thefe pious prayers:
If this portent be profperous, O decree
To Rome th' event; if otherwife, to me.
An altar then of turf he haftes to raise,
Kich gums in fragrant exhalations blaze;
The panting entrails crackle as they fry,
And boding fumes pronounce a mystery.
Soon as the augur faw the holy fire,
And victims with prefaging figns expire,
To Cippus then he turns his eyes with speed,
And views the horny honours of his head :
Then cry'd, Hail, conqueror! thy call obey,
Thofe omens I behold prefage thy fway.
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