But on the Day when this returning Sun
To the fame Point through ev'ry Sign has run,
Then each of you his Hundred Knights shall bring,
In Royal Lifts, to fight before the King;
And then, the Knight whom Fate or happy Chance
Shall with his Friends to Victory advance,
And grace his Arms fo far in equal Fight,
From out the Bars to force his Oppofite,
Or kill, or make him Recreant on the Plain,
The Prize of Valour and of Love fhall gain;
The vanquish'd Party shall their Claim release,
And the long Jars conclude in lafting Peace.
The Charge be mine t'adorn the chofen Ground,
The Theatre of War, for Champions fo renown'd;
And take the Patrons Place of either Knight,
With Eyes impartial to behold the Fight;
And Heav'n of me fo judge,as I fhall judge aright.
If both are fatisfy'd with this Accord,
Swear by the Laws of Knighthood on my Sword.
Who now but Palamon exults with Joy?
And ravish'd Arcite feems to touch the Sky:
The whole affembled Troop was pleas'd as well, Extol'd th' Award, and on their Knees they fell To blefs the gracious King. The Knights with Leave
Departing from the Place, his laft Commands reOn Emily with equal Ardour look, [ceive;
And from her Eyes their Inspiration took.
From thence to Thebes' old Walls pursue their Way, Each to provide his Champions for the Day.
It might be deem'd on our Historian's Párt,
Or too much Negligence, or want of Art,
If he forgot the vast Magnificence
Of Royal Thefeus, and his large Expence.
He firft enclos'd for Lifts a level Ground,
The whole Circumference a Mile around:
The Form was Circular; and all without
A Trench was funk, to Moat the Place about.
Within; an Amphitheatre appear'd,
Rais'd in Degrees; to fixty Paces rear'd:
That when a Man was plac'd in one Degree,
Height was allow'd for him above to see.
Eastward was built a Gate of Marble white
The like adorn'd the Western oppofite.
A nobler Object than this Fabrick was,
Rome never faw; nor of fo vaft a Space.
For, rich with Spoils of many a conquer'd Land,
All Arts and Artists Thefeus could command;
Who fold for Hire, or wrought for better Fame:
The Mafter-Painters, and the Carvers came.
So rofe within the Compass of the Year
An Age's Work, a glorious Theatre.
Then o'er its Eastern Gate was rais'd above
A Temple, facred to the Queen of Love;
An Altar flood below: On either Hand
[Wand.
A Prieft with Rofes Crown'd, who held a Myrtle
The Dome of Mars was on the Gate oppos'd,
And on the North a Turret was enclos'd,
Within the Wall, of Alabafter white,
And crimson Coral, for the Queen of Night,
Who takes in Sylvan Sports her chafte Delight.
Within these Oratories might you see
Rich Carvings, Pourtraitures, and Imagery:
Where ev'ry Figure to the Life express'd
The Godhead's Pow'r to whom it was addrefs'd.
In Venus' Temple, on the Sides were seen
The broken Slumbers of inamour'd Men:
Pray'rs that ev'n spoke, and Pity feem'd to call,
And iffuing Sighs that fmoak'd along the Wall.
Complaints, and hot Defires, the Lover's Hell,
And scalding Tears, that wore a Channel where
they fell:
And all around were Nuptial Bonds, the Ties
Of Loves Affurance, and a Train of Lies,
That, made in Luft, conclude in Perjuries.
Beauty, and Youth, and Wealth, and Luxury,
And spritely Hope, and fhort-enduring Joy;
'And Sorceries to raise th' Infernal Pow'rs,
And Sigils fram'd in Planetary Hours:
Expence, and After-thought, and idle Care,
And Doubts of motley Hue, and dark Despair:
Sufpicions, and fantastical Surmife,
And Jealoufie fuffus'd, with Jaundice in her Eyes;
Discolouring all the view'd, in Tawney dress'd;
Down-look'd, and with a Cuckow on her Fift.
Oppos'd to her, on t'other Side, advance
The coftly Feast, the Carol, and the Dance,
Minstrels, and Mufick, Poetry, and Play,
And Balls by Night, and Turnaments by Day.
All these were painted on the Wall, and more;
With Acts, and Monuments of Times before:
And others added by Prophetick Doom,
And Lovers yet unborn, and Loves to come:
For there, th' Idalian Mount, and Citheron,
The Court of Venus, was in Colours drawn:
Before the Palace-gate, in careless Dress,
And loose Array, fat Portress Idleness:
There, by the Fount, Narciffus pin'd alone;
There Sampson was; with wifer Solomon,
And all the mighty Names by Love undone ;
Medea's Charms were there, Circean Feafts,
With Bowls that turn'd inamour'd Youth to Beasts..
Here might be feen, that Beauty, Wealth, and Wit,
And Prowess, to the Pow'r of Love fubmit:
The spreading Snare for all Mankind is laid
And Lovers all betray, and are betray'd.
The Goddess felf, fome noble Hand had wrought; Smiling the feem'd, and full of pleasing Thought; From Ocean as fhe first began to rise,
And smooth'd the ruffledSeas, and clear'd theSkies; She trode the Brine all bare below the Breast, And the green Waves but ill conceal'd the rest
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