Thefeus, returning from a great hunting-match in Calydon, is ftopped from proceeding by the overflowing of the river Acheloüs.-The god of the ftream courteously invites him into his cave, where they pass the time in difcourfing of various metamorphofes. At laft, to prove the poffibility of fuch changes, he afferts that he has himself the power of varying his form within certain limitations, among which he mentions his having loft one of his horns when in the shape of a bull; and this gives rife to the following story.

THESEUS

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HESEUS requests the God to tell his woes, Whence his maim'd brow, and whence his groans arofe;

When thus the Calydonian Stream reply'd,

With twining reeds his careless treffes tied:
"Ungrateful is the tale; for who can bear,
"When conquer'd, to rehearse the shameful war?
"Yet I'll the melancholy ftory trace;

"So great a conqueror foftens the disgrace:

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"Nor was it ftill fo mean the prize to yield, "As great and glorious to dispute the field.

IO

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"Perhaps you've heard of Deïanira's name, "For all the country spoke her beauty's fame. "Long was the nymph by numerous fuitors woo'd, "Each with addrefs his envy'd hopes pursued: "I join'd the loving band; to gain the fair, "Reveal'd my paffion to her father's ear. "Their vain pretenfions all the rest resign; "Alcides only ftrove to equal mine: "He boasts his birth from Jove, recounts his spoils, "His step-dame's hate fubdued, and finish'd toils. 20 "Can mortals then (faid I) with gods compare? "Behold a god; mine is the watery care: "Through your wide realms I take my mazy way, "Branch into ftreams, and o'er the region stray: "No foreign guest your daughter's charms adores, 25 "But one who rifes in your native fhores. "Let not his punishment your pity move; "Is Juno's hate an argument for love?

"Though

"Though you your life from fair Alcmena drew,
"Jove's a feign'd father, or by fraud a true.
"Choose then; confess thy mother's honour loft,
"Or thy defcent from Jove no longer boaft."

prepare,

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While thus I spoke, he look'd with stern disdain, Nor could the fallies of his wrath restrain, Which thus broke forth: "This arm decides our right: "Vanquish'd in words; be mine the prize in fight!” "Bold he rush'd on. My honour to maintain, "I fling my verdant garments on the plain, "My arms ftretch forth, my pliant limbs "And with bent hands expect the furious war. ❝ O'er my fleek skin now gather'd duft he throws, "And yellow fand his mighty muscles ftrows. "Oft' he my neck and nimble legs affails, "He seems to grasp me, but as often fails : "Each part he now invades with eager hand; "Safe in my bulk, immoveable I ftand.

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"So when loud ftorms break high, and foam and roar "Against some mole that ftretches from the shore; "The firm foundation lafting tempefts braves, "Defies the warring winds, and driving waves. "Awhile we breathe, then forward rufh amain, "Renew the combat, and our ground maintain; "Foot ftrove with foot, I prone extend my breast, "Hands war with hands, and forehead forehead press'd. * Thus have I feen two furious bulls engage, "Inflam'd with equal love, and equal rage;

Each claims the fairest heifer of the grove, "And conqueft only can decide their love :

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"The

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"The trembling herds furvey the fight from far, «Till victory decides th' important war. "Three times in vain he strove my joints to wreft; "To force my hold, and throw me from his breast; "The fourth he broke my gripe, that clafp'd him round, "Then with new force he stretch'd me on the ground; "Clofe to my back the mighty burden clung, "As if a mountain o'er my limbs were flung. "Believe my tale; nor do I, boastful, aim "By feign'd narration to extol my fame. "No fooner from his grafp I freedom get,

Unlock my arms, that flow'd with trickling sweat, 70 "But quick he seiz'd me, and renew'd the ftrife, "As my exhaufted bofom pants for life:

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My neck he gripes, my knee to earth he strains; "I fall, and bite the fand with shame and pains.

"O'er-match'd in strength, to wiles and arts I take, "And flip his hold, in form of speckled snake ; "Who, when I wreath'd in fpires my body round, "Or fhew'd my forky-tongue with hiffing found, "Smiles at my threats. Such foes my cradle knew, "He cries; dire fnakes my infant-hand o'erthrew; 80 "A dragon's form might other conquefts gain; "To war with me you take that shape in vain. "Art thou proportion'd to the Hydra's length, "Who by his wounds receiv'd augmented ftrength? "He rais'd a hundred hiffing heads in air; "When one I lopp'd, up sprung a dreadful pair. "By his wounds fertile, and with slaughter strong, "Singly I quell'd him, and stretch'd dead along.

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"What

"What canft thou do, a form precarious, prone,
"To rouze my rage with terrors not thy own?" 90
"He said; and round my neck his hands he cast,
"And with his ftraining fingers wrung me fast:
My-throat he tortur'd, close as pincers clafp,
"In vain I ftrove to loose the forceful grafp.

“Thus vanquish'd too, a third form still remains, 95
"Chang'd to a bull, my lowing fills the plains.
"Straight on the left his nervous arms were throwa

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Upon my brindled neck, and tugg'd it down;
"Then deep he ftruck my horn into the fand,
“And fell❜d my bulk along the dusty land.
"Nor yet his fury cool'd; 'twixt rage and scorn,
"From my maim'd front he tore the ftubborn horn;
"This, heap'd with flowers and fruits, the Naiads bear,
"Sacred to plenty, and the bounteous year."

He spoke; when lo! a beauteous nymph appears,
Girt, like Diana's train, with flowing hairs
The horn she brings, in which all autumn's stor❜d,
And ruddy apples for the second board.

Now morn begins to dawn, the fun's bright fire

Gilds the high mountains, and the youths retire; 110
Nor stay'd they, till the troubled stream subsides,
And in its bounds with peaceful current glides.
But Acheloüs in his oozy bed

Deep hides his brow deform'd, and ruftic head:
No real wound the victor's triumph fhow'd,
But his loft honours griev'd the watery god;
Yet ev'n that loss the willow's leaves o'erspread,
And verdant reeds, in garlands, bind his head.
VOL. XXXVI.

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