Pharaoh himself chides their delay; But, oh! the bounty which to fear we owe, That it scarce out-lives the blow. Sorrow and fear foon quit the tyrant's breast; Rage and revenge their place poffefs'd; With a vast hoft of chariots and of horfe, And all his powerful kingdom's ready force, The travelling nation he pursues; Ten times o'ercome, he still th' unequal war renews. Fill'd with proud hopes, "At least," faid he, "Th' Egyptian Gods, from Syrian magic free, "Will now revenge themselves and me; "Behold what passless rocks on either hand, "Like prifon-walls, about them stand, "Whilft the fea bounds their flight before ! "And in our injur'd justice they must find "A far worse stop than rocks and feas behind; "Which shall with crimfon gore "New paint the water's name, and double dye the shore." He spoke; and all his hoft But the great Guide well knew he led them right, The crowding people do (Though just before no space was seen) To let the admired triumph pass between. stand: They march'd betwixt, and boldly trod And here and there all scatter'd in their way The inmost chambers of the open'd main; By his own priests the poets has been faid, Led chearfully by a bright captain, Flame, The prophet straight from th' Idumean strand Strait their first right-hand files begin to move, Answer their distant fellows' voice, As several troops do all at once a common signal take. When on both sides they saw the roaring main In vain their guilty king they' upbraid; In vain on Moses he, and Mofes' God, does call, They 're compass'd round with a devouring fate, them all. F3 DAVIDEIS, [70] DAVIDEIS, A SACRED POЕМ OF THE TROUBLES OF DAVID. IN FOUR BOOKS. " Me verò primum dulces ante omnia Musæ, B VIRG. Georg. IL. I. CONTENTS. The Propofition. The Invocation. The entrance into the history from a new agreement betwixt Saul and David. A defcription of hell. The Devil's speech. Envy's reply to him. Her appearing to Saul in the shape of Benjamin. Her speech, and Saul's to himfelf after she was vanished. A description of hea God's fpeech: he sends an Angel to David: the Angel's message to him. David fent for, to play before Saul. A digression concerning music. David's pfalm. Saul attempts to kill him. His efcape to his own house, from whence being pursued by the king's guard, by the artifice of his wife Michal he escapes and flies to Naioth, the Prophets' college at Ramah. Saul's speech, and rage at his escape. A long digression describing the Prophets. college, and their manner of life there, and the ordinary fubjects of their Poetry. Saul's guards pursue David thither, and prophefy. Saul among the prophets. He is compared to Balaam, whose song concludes the book. ven. by. ▼ Sing the man who Judah's fceptre bore In that right-hand which held the crook before; Who from best poet, best of kings did grow; 5 All home-bred malice, and all foreign boasts; 15 Who, heaven's glad burden now, and justest pride, F4 20 (Where |