perceived Towns equalling Cities well-built Villages and magnificent Cities We saw neither Hill nor Vale where the Hand of the diligent Husbandman was not stampt the Plow had left deep Furrows in every part Thorns Bryars and such Plants as are a useless Burden to the Earth are utterly unknown in this Country We contemplated with Pleasure the fruitful Vallies where Troops of Oxen go lowing in the sweet Pastures that abound with Springs of running Water the Sheep every where Feeding upon the descent of the Hills the champion Ground cover'd with Corn presented with a liberal Hand by the bountiful Ceres in a Word the Mountains adorn'd with Vines and Grapes of a rich purple Colour promising a plentiful Vintage of the delicious Presents of Bacchus which charm the Cares of Men. Mentor told us he had been formerly in Creet and informed us of what he knew This Island said he justly admir'd by all Strangers and famous for its hundred Cities is more than sufficient to nourish all the Inhabitants tho' they are innumerable for the Earth never ceases to produce her Fruits if Industry be not wanting her fertil Bosom can never be exhausted The more numerous Men are in a Country provided they be Laborious the greater abundance they enjoy They need not be jealous of one another for this tender Mother multiplies her Gifts according to the number of her Children if they deserve her Favours by their Labour The Ambition and Covetousness of Men are the only Springs of their Unhappiness They covet all and make themselves miserable by desiring what is superfluous If they would be moderate and contented with what is necessary we should see Plenty Peace Union and Happiness restor'd to the World Minos the wisest and best of Kings understood this well All the admirable Things you shall see in this Island are owing to the excellency of his Laws The Education he appointed for Children renders their Bodies strong and healthful They are accustomed from their Infancy to a plain frugal laborious Life because Pleasure enervates both the Body and the Mind No other Pleasure is ever propos'd to them but the acquisition of an invincible Virtue and solid Glory This People do not measure Mens Courage only by despising Death in the hazards of War but by the contempt of great Riches and ignominious Pleasures Three Vices are punish'd here which remain unpunish'd in all other Nations Ingratitude Dissimulation Covetousness They have no need of Laws to suppress Luxury and dissolution of Manners for such Things are unknown in Creet Every Man Works yet no Man desires to be rich They think all their Labour sufficiently recompenced with an easy and regular Life in which they enjoy plentifully and quietly all that is truly necessary to Men. Costly Furniture rich Apparel delicious Feasts and guilded Palaces are not permitted in this Country Their Cloths are of fine Wool wrought with Art and beautiful in Colour but without Embroidery or any other Ornament Their Tables are sober They drink little Wine good Bread with excellent Fruits and the Milk of the Cattle make the principal part of their Meals At the most their Meat is plain dress'd without Sauce or Ragou and they always take care to reserve the best and strongest of the Cattle to be employ'd in Husbandry Their Houses are neat commodious pleasant but without Ornaments They are not ignorant of the most magnificent Architecture but that 's reserv'd for the Temples of the Gods They dare not live in Houses like those of the immortal Beings The great Riches of this People are Health Strength Courage Peace and Union in Families the liberty of all the Citizens plenty of Things necessary and a contempt of those that are superfluous a habit of Labour and an abhorrence of Sloth a mutual emulation of virtuous Actions submission to the Laws and a reverence of the just Gods I ask'd him in what the Authority of the King consisted And he answer'd thus The King is above all the People but the Laws are above the King He has an absolute Power to do Good but his Hands are tied so soon as he attempts to do Ill. The Laws entrust him with the care of the People as the most valuable of all Trusts on condition to be the Father of his Subjects They intend that one Man shall serve by his Wisdom and Moderation to make whole Nations happy and not that so many Men shall by their Misery and abject Slavery serve to flatter the Pride and Luxury of one Man The King ought to have nothing more than other Men except such assistance as is necessary either to the discharge of his painful Functions or to imprint on the Minds of the People that Respect which is due to the Person who is to maintain the vigour of the Laws On the other Hand the King ought to be more sober more 〈◊〉 to Luxury more free from Vanity Haughtiness and Ostentation than any other Man He is not to have more Riches and Pleasures but more Wisdom Virtue and Glory than the rest of Men. Abroad he is to be the Defende of his Country at the Head of their Armies at Home he is to distribute Justice to the People to make them good wise and happy 'T is not for his own sake that the Gods have made him King but only that he may be the Man of his People He owes all his Time to the People all his Care all his Affection and he is no otherwise worthy of the Crown than as he forgets his own Interests to sacrifice himself to the Publick Good Minos appointed that his Children should not reign after him unless they would reign by these Rules for he lov'd his People more than his Family By this Wisdom he render'd Greet so powerful and so happy By this Moderation he has effac'd the Glory of all Conquerors who make their People subservient to their Greatness that is to their Vanity In a Word by his Justice he do serv'd to be the supreme Judg of the Dead in the Regions below Whilst Mentor was speaking we arrived in the Island we saw the famous Labyrinth built by the Hands of the ingenious Dedalus in imitation of the great Labyrinth which we had seen in Egypt As we were considering this curious Fabrick we beheld the Shoar cover'd with People and Multitudes pressing towards a Place that was near the Sea We ask'd the reason of their hast and receiv'd this Account from one Nausicrates a Native of Creet Idomeneus the Son of Deucalion and Grand-son to Minos wint with the rest of the Grecian Kings to the Siege of Troy After the Destruction of that City he set Sail in order to return to Creet but was surpris'd by so violent a Storm that the Pilot and the most experienc'd Mariners in the Ship gave themselves for lost Every one had Death before his Eyes every one saw the Abyss open to swallow him up every one deplor'd his Misfortune and had not so much as the
to subdue those other Nations who are not his lawful Subject but he is truly fit to govern in Peace and is Master of all the Qualifications necessary to secure and protect his People against their Enemies For he never attempts to do any thing that may disturb the publick Peace he is religiously Faithful in all his Alliances his Allies love him they are not in fear of him but rather repose an intire Confidence in him If he happens to have some stirring haughty ambitious and troublesome Neighbour all the other Kings who fear that stirring Neighbour and in no manner distrust the peaceful King join themselves in Confederacy with that good King and keep him from being opprest His Integrity Honesty and Moderation make him the Arbiter of all the States that surround his whilest the ambitious King is odious to all the rest and ever expos'd to their Leagues This peaceful Prince has the Honour of being as it were the Father and Guardian of all the other Kings These are the Advantages he has abroad those he enjoys at home are still more wonderful Since he is fit to govern in Peace 't is certain he governs according to the wisest Laws he discountenances Pomp Luxury and all those Arts that serve only to cherish and foment Vice he promotes and encourages those that are useful and can supply Mankind with the real Wants of Life more particularly he causes his Subjects to apply themselves to Agriculture and by that means he procures them Plenty of all Necessaries This laborious People plain in their Manners and thrifty in their way of living get an easie livelihood by Tilling of their Lands and multiply every day This Kingdom contains a numberless Multitude of People but a People sound in Body vigorous and strong not softned by Pleasures exercis'd and inur'd in Virtue not addicted to the Enjoyments of an effeminate luxurious Life a People that know how to despise Death and had rather part with their Lives than with the Liberty they enjoy under a wise King who Reigns only by the Dictates of Reason and Justice Let now a neighbouring Conqueror attack this People perhaps he may find them not so well us'd to a Camp ranking themselves in order of Battle or the besieging of a Town but he will find them invincible by their Numbers their Courage their Patience upon hard Duty their Familiarity with Want and Poverty their Resolution and Obstinace in Fights and their constant Virtue not to be shaken even by ill Success and Disasters Moreover if the King have not Experience enough to Command his Armies in Person he will easily find those who shall be able to Command them and will make use of them without losing his Authority In the mean time his Allies will furnish him with Supplies his Subjects will rather die than undergo the Yoke of another unjust and tyrannical King nay the Gods themselves will fight for him See how many Helps and Advantages he will find amidst his greatest Dangers I therefore conclude That a peaceful King who is unskil'd in War is a very imperfect King since he cannot discharge one of his most important Functions which is to overcome his Enemies but at the same time he is infinitely superiour to a conquering King who wants the necessary Qualifications to govern in Peace and is only fit for War I perceiv'd a great many in the Assembly who seem'd to dislike my Opinion but however the old Men declar'd I had spoken the Sentiments of Minos The first of those old Men cry'd out I see the fulfilling of one of Apollo's Oracles which is known through all our Island Minos having consulted the God to know how long his Progeny would Reign according to the Laws he had establish'd Apollo answer'd him Thy Off-spring will cease to Rule when a Stranger coming into thy Island shall cause thy Laws to Reign We fear'd lest some Stranger should come and Conquer the Isle of Crete but Idomeneus's Misfortune and the Wisdom of the Son of Ulysses who best of any Mortal understands the Laws of Minos do plainly discover to us the meaning of the Oracle Why do we any longer deferr Crowning of him whom Destiny appoints to be our King Thereupon the old Men went out of the sacred Wood and the first of them taking me by the hand declar'd to the People who were impatient to know the Decision That I had carried the Prize His words were scarce out of his Mouth when there was heard a confus'd Noise of all the Assembly every one giving a shout for Joy the Shore and all the Neighbouring Hills eccho'd with this general Acclamation Let the Son of Ulysses who is as wise as Minos Reign over the Cretans I paus'd a while and then making Signs with my hand I demanded Silence In the mean time Mentor whisper'd me in the Ear What! will you renounce your own Country Will your ambitious Desire of a Crown make you forget Penelope who now expects you as her only Hopes and the great Ulysses whom the Gods resolv'd to restore to his Family These words went to my Heart and check'd my Ambition of being a King But now the profound Silence of this tumultuous Assembly gave me occasion thus to proceed Illustrious Cretans I am not worthy to Command over you The Oracle you mention'd shews indeed that the Off-spring of Minos shall cease to Rule when a Stranger comes into this Island and causes the Laws of that wise King to flourish but it is not said that that Stranger shall Rule I will suppose I am that Stranger mark'd out by the Oracle I have made his Prediction good I am come into this Island I have discover'd the true Sense of the Laws and I wish my Explanation may contribute to make them Reign with the Man whom you shall chuse For my own part I prefer my Country the little Island of Ithaca before the hundred Cities of Crete and the Glory and Wealth of this fine Kingdom Suffer me to pursue what Fate hath destin'd if I entred your Lists here 't was not with hopes to Rule here but only to merit your Esteem and your Pity and that I might be furnish'd by you with Necessaries for my speedy Return into my Native Country I would rather chuse to obey my Father Ulysses and comfort my Mother Penelope than Reign over all the Nations of the Universe Oh! Cretans you see the bottom of my Heart I must leave you but Death alone shall put a Period to my continued Gratitude yes Telemachus will love the Cretans and be as much concern'd for their Honour as if 't were his own as long as he has Breath I had scarce done speaking when there arose through the whole Assembly a hollow Noise like that of the Sea-Waves which dash one against another in a Storm Some said Is this a God in an humane Shape Others maintain'd They had seen me in other Countries and that they knew me again Others cry'd we must force him
but Water which he drew himself out of a Fountain which was inclos'd within his Palace and of which he always kept the Key Altho' he seem'd to confide very much in Astarbe yet he us'd all possible Precautions against her he always caus'd her to taste of every thing that was serv'd at his Table that he might not be poyson'd without her and that all Hopes of surviving him might be taken away from her But to baffle his Precaution she took an Antidote which an old Woman still more wicked than her self and the Confident of her Amours furnish'd her with After that she poyson'd the King with great Assurance in this manner When they were just going to sit down to take their Repast the old Woman of whom I spoke before came on a sudden and made a great Noise at one of the Doors The King who was ever in fear of being Assassinated was presently alarm'd and ran to that Door to see whether it was fast enough The old Woman retired the King remain'd troubled and speechless and not knowing what to think of the Noise he had heard yet he durst not open the Door to be inform'd Astarbe cheer'd him up and with fond Caresses persuaded him to Eat Now whilst the King was gone to the Door she had Poyson'd his Golden-Cup and so when he bid her Drink First she obey'd without any Fear trusting to the Antidote Pigmalion drunk after her and a little while after fainted away Astarbe who knew his cruel Temper and that he would kill her upon the least Suspicion begins to rend her Clothes tears off her Hair and bemoans her self in a most hideous manner she clasp'd and hugg'd the dying King in her Arms and bathed him with a flood of Tears for this cunning Woman had always Tears at Command At last when she perceiv'd that the King's Strength and Spirits were exhausted and that he was ready to give up the Ghost fearing lest he should recover and force her to die with him she gave over her endearing Fondness and the tenderest Marks of Love and having put on horrid Cruelty rusht upon him with Fury and stifled him Afterwards she pluck'd the Royal Signet off his Finger took the Diadem off his Head and call'd in Joazar to whom she gave them both She thought all those who before made their Court to her would certainly favour her Passion and that her Lover would be proclaim'd King but those who had been most forward in humouring her were mean and mercenary Souls and therefore incapable of a sincere and constant Affection Besides they wanted Courage and Resoultion they fear'd the Haughtiness Dissimulation and Cruelty of that impious Woman so that all wish'd her Death to secure their own Lives In the mean time a dreadful Tumult fills the whole Palace The King is Dead the King is Dead is the general Cry Some are frighted others run to their Arms all seem to be in Pain about the Consequence of it but transported with the News busy Fame carries it about upon her Wings through all the great City of Tyre every Body speaks of the King 's being Poyson'd but not one is found that is concern'd at it His Death is at once the Deliverance and the general Comfort of the People Narbal deeply affected with so terrible an Accident deplor'd like a good Man the Misfortunes of Pigmalion who had betray'd himself by committing his Safety to the impious Astarbe and had chosen to be a dreadful and fierce Tyrant rather than the Father of his People which is a Duty incumbent on a King He therefore consulted the good of the State and hastened to assemble all good and publick-spirited Men to oppose Astarbe under whom they were like to see a more cruel Government than that to which she had put a Period Baleazar did not Drown when he was cast into the Sea and those who assur'd Astarbe that he was Dead did it only upon a meer Conjecture But by the Favour of the Night he sav'd himself by Swimming and some Cretan Fisher-men mov'd with Compassion receiv'd him into their Bark He durst not return into his Father's Kingdom suspecting with Reason that his Shipwrack was contriv'd by his Enemies and fearing no less the cruel Jealousy of Pigmalion than the Stratagems of Astarbe He remain'd a long while wandring and unknown on the Sea-Coast of Syria where the Cretan Fisher-men had lest him And to get a Livelihood he was reduc'd to the Condition of a Shepherd At last he found a way to let Narbal know that he was alive and what Condition he was in for he could not but think his Secret and his Life safe with a Man of his undoubted Virtue and Integrity Narbal tho ill us'd by the Father had nevertheless a Love and Respect for the Son whose Interest he all along consulted but he took care of him only to keep him from being wanting in his Duty to his Father and upon that Score he persuaded him to bear patiently with his hard Fortune Baleazar had sent Narbal Word that if he thought it safe for him to come to Tyre he would send him a golden Ring upon the Receipt of which he would go to meet him Narbal did not judge it convenient to invite Baleazar to come whilst Pigmalion was alive for by that means he would have brought both that Prince's Life and his own into certain Danger so difficult a thing it was to avoid Pigmalion's Suspicions and Cruelty but as soon as that wretched Prince had made an end suitable to what his Crimes deserv'd Narbal sent the golden Ring to Baleazar with all speed Upon the Receipt of it Baleazar came away immediately and arriv'd before the Gates of Tyre when all the City was in an Uproar about Pigmalion's Successor Baleazar was soon acknowledged by the chief Citizens of Tyre and by the whole People He was belov'd not upon the account of the late King his Father who had the universal Hatred but because of his Gentleness and Moderation His very Misfortunes serv'd in a great measure to give a heightening Brightness to all his good Qualities and to touch all the Tyrians with a deep sense of Compassion for his past Sufferings Narbal assembled the chief Men among the People the old Men of the City-Council and the Priests of the Goddess of Phoenicia They saluted Baleazar as their King and caus'd him to be proclaim'd such by their Heralds the People answer'd them with repeated Acclamations which reach'd the Ears of Astarbe even into the remotest part of the Palace where she was lockt in with her base and infamous Joazar All the wicked Men whom she had made use of during Pigmalion's Life had already forsaken her for the Wicked do naturally hate and fear the Wicked and never wish to see them in Authority because they know how much they would abuse their Power and how far they would extend their Violence As for good Men the Wicked think them better for their Turn because
bitter Sorrow stood painted on their Warlike Countenances and the Tears trickl'd down in abundance After the rest came the aged Pherecides stooping not so much under the great number of his Years as a load of Grieffor surviving Hippias whom he had brought up from his very Infancy He rais'd his Hands and his Eyes that were drown'd in Tears towards Heaven After the death of Hippias he refus'd all manner of Food nor could Sleep shut his Eye-lids or suspend the smartness of his Pain for a Moment With a trembling pace he walk'd after the Procession not knowing whither he went he was speechless because his Heart was quite oppress'd his silence was the effect of Despair and Dejection But no sooner did he see the Pile kindled than he cry'd out in a fury O Hippias Hippias I shall never see thee again Hippias is no more and yet I live still O my dear Hippias 't is I that am the cause of thy Death 't was I that taught thee to despise it I believ'd that thou shouldst have shut my Eyes and suck'd my last Breath O ye cruel Gods Why did ye prolong my days only that I might see the death of Hippias O my dear Child that I have brought up with so much care I shall see thee no more but I shall see thy Mother whom Grief will kill and who will reproach me with thy Death I shall see thy young Spouse beating her Breast and pulling off her Hair and I am the unhappy cause O dear Shade call me to the Banks of Styx for the Light is hateful to me and 't is thee only my dear Hippias that I wish to see Hippias Hippias O my dear Hippias I only live now to pay my last Duty to thy Ashes In the mean time you might see the Body of young Hippias stretch'd out in a Coffin adorn'd with Purple Gold and Silver Death that had shut his Eyes was not able to deface all his Beauty and the Graces appear'd still in his pale Face Around his Neck that was whiter than Snow but now leaning on his Shoulder his long black Hair did wave finer than those of Atis and Ganimede but which were now to be turn'd to Ashes You might observe in his Side the deep Wound through which all his Blood had run out and which had sent him down into the gloomy Regions of Pluto Telemachus sad and dejected follow'd the Corps at a little distance strowing Flowers When they came to the Pile the young Son of Ulysses could not endure to see the Flame seize on the Cloth in which the Body was wrapt without shedding fresh Tears Adieu said he O magnanimous Hippias For I dare not call thee Friend Rest in quiet O Shade who hast merited so much renown If I did not love thee I should envy thy Happiness who art free'd from those Miseries that accompany us and art retir'd by the Path of Honour How happy should I be if my End were the same May Styx ne're be able to stop thy Ghost may thy Passage be easie into the Elysian Fields may Fame preserve thy Name throughout all Ages and may thy Ashes rest in Peace Scarce had he spoke these Words which were interrupted with Sobs when the Army gave a hideous shout they were mov'd with grief for the loss of Hippias they were recounting his great Actions and their Grief for his death brought to their Minds all his good Qualities and made them forget all those Failings which the Heat of his Youth or his bad Education had occasion'd But they were more mov'd with the tender Affection that Telemachus had for him Is this said they the young Greek that was so Proud so Haughty so Disdainful and untractable See how gentle how humane how kind he 's now become Minerva no doubt who loved his Father so dearly has had the same Passion for the Son doubtless she has bestow'd on him the most valuable Blessing that the Gods can give to Mortals in affording him together with Wisdom a Heart sensible of Friendship By this time the Flame had consum'd the Body Telemachus with his own Hands besprinkl'd the Ashes that were yet smoaking with a Liquor richly perfum'd then put them into an Urn of Gold which he crown'd with Garlands and carried to Phalanthus He lay stretch'd out wounded in several places and in the extremity of his Weakness had a glimpse of the melancholy Gates of Death Traumaphilus and Nozofugus whom the Son of Ulysses had sent to attend him had try'd their utmost skill for his Relief They had by degrees brought back his departing Soul fresh Spirits began insensibly to revive his Heart and create a penetrating Vigor The Balsom of Life gliding from Vein to Vein had reach'd his Heart a grateful warmth reviv'd his Limbs but in the very Moment that the Swooning left him Grief succeeded for he began to be sensible of the Loss of his Brother which till then he had not been in a condition to think of Alas said he why all this care to save my Life Had I not better die and follow my dear Hippias I saw him fall hard by me O Hippias the comfort of my Life my Brother my dear Brother thou art now no more I can hereafter neither see thee nor hear thee nor embrace thee nor comfort thee in thy Troubles nor complain to thee of my own O ye Gods Enemies to Mankind Must I forever be depriv'd of Hippias Is it possible is it not a Dream No it is real O Hippias I have left thee I have seen thee die and I must live till I have aveng'd thee I will sacrifice to thy Ghost the Cruel Adrastus who is stain'd with thy Blood While Phalanthus was thus speaking the two Divine Men used their utmost endeavour to appease his Grief for fear it should increase his Disease and frustrate the Effects of their Medicines On a sudden he perceiv'd Telemachus who came to see him At first sight two contrary Passions were strugling in his Breast he harbour'd a Resentment of what had pass'd between Telemachus and Hippias his Grief for the loss of Hippias gave it an Edge he could not forget that he owed the preservation of his Life to Telemachus who rescu'd him out of the Hands of Adrastus all bloody and half dead But when he saw the Golden Urn which inclos'd the Ashes of his dear Brother Hippias he dissolv'd into Tears he embrac'd Telemachus without being able to speak At last with a languishing Voice interrupted with Sighs he said O worthy Son of Ulysses thy Virtue constrains me to love thee I owe thee the small remainder of my Life and I owe thee also something that 's more dear to me Had it not been for thee the Body of my Brother had been a Prey to the Vultures Had it not been for thee his Ghost depriv'd of Sepulture had wander'd in a miserable Condition on the Banks of the River Styx continually pusht back by the pitiless Charon Must I be so
tied behind our Backs and our Death was deferr'd only to make us a Spectacle to a cruel People as soon as they should know we were Greeks We were without delay presented to Acestes who sate with a golden Scepter in his Hand distributing Justice and preparing himself for a great Sacrifice He ask'd us with a severe Voice of what Country we were and the occasion of our Voyage Mentor answer'd We come from the Coasts of the great Hesperia and our Country is not far from thence By this means he avoided to say that we were Greeks But Acestes would hear no more and taking us for Persons that conceal'd some bad Design he commanded us to be sent into a Neighbouring Forest there to serve as Slaves to those who look'd after the Cattle This Condition seem'd more terrible to me than Death I cried out O King order us rather to suffer Death than to be treated so unworthily Know that I am Telemachus the Son of the wise Ulysses King of the Ithacians I seek my Father in all parts of the World and if I can neither find him nor return to my Country nor avoid Servitude take that Life from me which I cannot bear Scarce had I pronounced these Words when all the People in a Rage cried out That the Son of the cruel Ulysses must die whose Artifices had destroy'd the City of Troy O Son of Ulysses said Acestes I cannot refuse your Blood to the Ghosts of so many Trojans that your Father precipitated into the Waters of the black Cocytus You and your Conductor shall die At the same time an Old Man of the Company proposed to the King that we should be Sacrificed upon the Tomb of Anchises Their Blood said he will be grateful to the Soul of that Hero AEneas himself when he hears of this Sacrifice will be overjoy'd to see how much you love what was dearer to him than all other Things in the World Every One applauded this Proposition and nothing remain'd but to put it in Execution We were led to the Tomb of Anchises where two Altars were erected and the Sacred Fire kindled The Knife was brought we were Crown'd with Garlands and no Composition would be accepted to save our Lives Our Fate was determined when Mentor calmly desir'd to speak to the King and having receiv'd Permission said O Acestes if the Misfortunes of Young Telemachus who never carried Arms against the Trojans may not plead for him at least let your own Interest move you The Knowledge I have acquir'd to predict the Will of the Gods informs me That before the end of three Days you shall be attack'd by a barbarous People who will come down like a Torrent from the Mountains to destroy your City and ravage your whole Country Hasten to prevent them Arm your People and from this moment begin to secure within these Walls all the Riches you have in the Fields If my Prediction be false you may Sacrifice us when the three Days are expir'd but if on the contrary it prove true remember That no One ought to take away the Lives of those by whom his own was preserv'd Acestes was astonish'd at these Words which Mentor spoke with more assurance than he had ever found in any Man I see said he O Stranger That the Gods who have granted you so small a share in the Favours of Fortune have in Recompence given you such Wisdom as is more valuable than the highest Prosperity At the same time he put off the Sacrifice and issued out all necessary Orders with the utmost Diligence to prevent the Attack that Mentor had foretold On all sides were to be seen Old Men and Women trembling for fear and accompanied with great numbers of Young Children bath'd in Tears and retiring into the City The lowing Oxen and bleating Sheep left the rich Pastures and came along in confusion but their number was too great to find places to contain them all The Noise and Tumult of People pressing to get in was such that no One could understand another In this Disorder some took an unknown Person for their Friend and others ran tho' they knew not whether But the Principal Men of the City thinking themselves wiser than the rest suspected Mentor to be an Impostor who had predicted a Falshood to save his Life Yet before the third Day was expired whilst they were full of these Imaginations a Cloud of Dust was seen rising upon the descent of the Neighbouring Hills an innumerable Multitude of Barbarians appear'd in Arms and all those who had despis'd the wise Prediction of Mentor lost all their Slaves and their Cattle Upon this the King said to Mentor I forget that you are Greeks our Enemies are become our faithful Friends the Gods have sent you to save us I expect no less from your Valour than from the Wisdom of your Words Hasten therefore to assist us Mentor shew'd in his Eyes a boldness that was sufficient to astonish the fiercest Warrior He takes up a Shield a Helmet a Sword and a Lance He draws up the Soldiers of Acestes puts himself at their Head and advances in good Order towards the Enemy Acestes tho' full of Courage could not follow him but at a distance by reason of his Age. I follow'd him more close But nothing can equal his Valour In the Fight his Helmet resembled the immortal One of Minerva Death flew from Rank to Rank where-ever his Blows fell As a Lyon of Numidia provok'd by cruel Hunger falling upon a Flock of unresisting Sheep kills tears and swims in Blood Whilst the Shepherds far from assisting their Flock fly trembling away from his Fury These Barbarians who hoped to surprise the City were themselves surpris'd and defeated The Subjects of Acestes were animated by the Example and Words of Mentor and felt a Vigour which they thought not to be in them With my Lance I kill'd the Son of the Barbarian King He was of my Age but much higher than I am for this People is descended from Gyants and of the same Race with the Cyclops He despis'd so weak an Enemy but I not at all daunted with his prodigious Strength or his fierce and savage Looks push'd my Lance against his Breast and made his Soul gush out at the Wound in a Torrent of black and reeking Blood As he fell he was like to crush me in pieces by his Fall The sound of his Arms eccho'd in the Hills I took the Spoil and return'd to Acestes with the Arms I had gain'd from this formidable Enemy Mentor having intirely broken the Barbarians pursued them to the Woods and cut them in pieces This unexpected Success made Mentor to be regarded as one cherish'd and inspir'd by the Gods And Acestes from a sense of Gratitude shew'd his Concernment for us if the Fleet of Eneas should return to Sicily He gave us a Ship to carry us to our own Country made us many and rich Presents and press'd us to hasten our Departure
that we might prevent any Mischief But he would not give us either a Pilot or Mariners of his own Nation sor fear they might be expos'd to too much Hazard upon the Coast of Greece He committed us to the care of certain Phenician Merchants who Trading with all the People of the World had no occasion to fear and order'd them to bring back the Ship when they had left us safe in Ithaca But the Gods who sport with the Designs of Men had reserv'd us for farther Calamities The Tyrians by their Insolence had highly provoked the King of Egypt whose name was Sesostris and who had conquered many Kingdoms The Riches they had acquir'd by Trade and the impregnable Strength of Tyre which stands situated in the Sea had render'd this People so Proud that they not only refused to pay the Tribute which Sesostris imposed upon them in his ruturn from the Conquests he had made but assisted his Brother with Forces who had conspir'd to murder him on the Festival that was appointed to be celebrated on account of his great Victories For these Reasons Sesostris resolved to humble them by ruining their Commerce at Sea and commanded all his Ships to seek out and assault the Phenicians One of his Fleets met with us as soon as we lost sight of the Sicilian Mountains when the Harbour and Land seem'd to fly from behind us and lose themselves in the Clouds At the same time we saw the Egyptian Ships advancing towards us like a sloating City The Phenicians perceived and endeavour'd to avoid them but 't was too late Their Ships were better Sailors their Mariners more numerous the Wind favour'd them they Boarded us Took us and carried us Prisoners to Egypt I told them but in vain that I was no Phenician they hardly vouchsafed to hear me they look'd upon us as Slaves in which Merchandise they knew the Phenicians traded and thought only of making the best of their Prize We arrived in the Island of Pharos and rom thence were carried up the Nile to Memphis If the Grief we felt by reason of our Captivity had not render'd us insensible to all Pleasure our Eyes would have been charm'd with the fruitful Country of Egypt like a delicious Garden every where Water'd with the purest Streams We could not turn our Eyes on either side of the River without discovering many opulent Islands great numbers of well situated Villa's Lands richly cover'd with a golden Harvest Meadows full stock'd with Cattle Labourers bowing under the weight of the Fruits they had gather'd and Shepherds that made the Eccho's on every side repeat the sweet sound of their Pipes and Flutes Happy said Mentor is the People who are govern'd by a wise King They live in Plenty and Contentment and love him to whom they owe their Felicity Thus said he O Telemachus you ought to Reign and be the Joy of your People If ever the Gods give you the Possession of your Father's Kingdom love your People as your Children feel the Pleasure of being beloved by them and carry your self so that all the Tranquility and Pleasure they enjoy may lead them to remember that they are the rich Presents of a good King Kings who make it their only business to render themselves formidable to their own Subjects and to impoverish them in order to make them more submissive are the Plagues of Mankind They are perhaps feared as they desire but they are hated detested and have more reason to be afraid of their Subjects than their Subjects have to fear them I answer'd alas Mentor 'T is not now the Question by what Maxims a King ought to Reign We shall never see Ithaca again We shall never see our Country or Penelope more and tho' Ulysses should return full of Glory to his Kingdom he would never have the satisfaction of seeing me there nor I that of obeying him and learning the Rules of Government from him No Let us dye dear Mentor for we must have no other Thoughts Let us dye since the Gods have no Compassion for us As I spoke my Words were interrupted with sighs But Mentor tho' he could be apprehensive of approaching Evils knew not what it was to fear them when they had happen'd Unworthy Son of the wise Ulysses cried he Dost thou suffer thy self to be overcome by thy Misfortunes Know that you shall one Day see both Ithaca and Penelope You shall see what your Eyes have never seen The invincible Ulysses in his former Glory He whom Fortune cannot Conquer and who in greater Misfortune admonishes us never to Despair O! if he should hear in the Regions where he is driven by the Winds and Sea that his Son knows not how to imitate him either in Patience or Courage such News would overwhelm him with Shame and prove more heavy than all the Misfortunes he has yet suffered After this Mentor caused me to observe the Fertility and Happiness that was seen over all the Country of Egypt which contain'd Two and twenty thousand Cities He admir'd the regular Government of these Places the distribution of Justice which was every where exercised with great regard to the Poor the good Education of Children who were inur'd early to Obedience Labour Sobriety Arts or Learning the due observation of all the Ceremonies of Religion a generous and disinterested Spirit a great desire of Reputation an universal Sincerity in their Dealings with Men and a just Reverence of the Gods which every Father took care to infuse into his Children He thought he could never enough admire this beautiful Order He would often cry out in a Rapture of Joy O! how happy is that People which is thus govern'd by a wise King But yet more happy is that King who when he has provided for the Happiness of so great a People can find himself happy in his own Virtue Such a one is more than fear'd he is belov'd Men not only Obey him but they Obey him with Pleasure He Reigns universally in their Hearts and every Man is so far from desiring his Death that he fears it above all Misfortunes and would readily sacrifice his Life for him I heark'ned with Attention to what Mentor said and as he spoke I found my Courage to revive in the bottom of my Heart As soon as we were arriv'd at the rich and magnificent City of Memphis the Governor commanded us to be sent to Thebes in order to be presented to King Sesostris who being highly incens'd against the Tyrians had resolved to examin us himself So we proceeded in our Voyage up the River Nile till we came to the famous Thebes which has a Hundred Gates and serves for a Habitation to that great King This City appear'd to us of a vast Extent and more Populous than the most flourishing Cities of Greece The Orders are Excellent in all that regards the neatness and conveniency of the Streets the course of the publick Waters the Baths the advancement of Arts and Sciences and
about him whilst he treated with the utmost Contempt all the antient Sages who had been entrusted by his Father In a Word he was a Monster and not a King All Egypt groan'd under him and tho' the name of Sesostris which was so dear to the Egyptians made them support the base and cruel Conduct of his Son Yet he made hast to Ruin for 't was impossible that a Prince so unworthy of the Throne should Reign long As for me I thought no more of returning to Ithaca I was confin'd to a Tower that stands by the Sea near Pelusium where I should have imbark'd if Sesostris had not died Metophis had been freed from his Imprisonment and received into Favour by the new King 'T was he that caused my Confinement to revenge the Disgrace I had brought upon him I pass'd the Days and Nights in the profoundest Melancholly All the Things which Termosiris had foretold and those that I had heard from the Cave appear'd to me to be but Dreams I was ready to sink under the weight of my Grief I saw the Waves beating at the foot of the Tower where I was Prisoner I often employ'd my time in observing the Ships that were overtaken by Storms and in danger to be split against the Rocks upon which the Tower was built Far from pitying these Men who were threatned with Shipwrack I envied their Condition In a short time said I to my self they will see an end of all their Misfortunes or arrive in their own Country But Alas I can hope for neither Whilst thus I consum'd away in useless Regrets I perceiv'd as a Forest of Masts the Sea was cover'd with Ships and the Winds fill'd all their Sails The Waters turn'd into a Foam under the Strokes of innumerable Oars I heard a confus'd Noise on every side I saw one part of the Egyptians upon the Shore terrified and running to their Arms whilst others seem'd going to receive the Fleet which they saw arriving I soon perceiv'd that part of these Ships were of Phenicia and the rest of the Island of 〈◊〉 For my Misfortunes began to render me experienc'd in every thing that relates to Navigation The Egyptians were divided among themselves And I doubted not that the foolish King had by his Violences caused his Subjects to Revolt and raised a Civil War I was Spectator of a bloody Battle from the top of my Tower That part of the Egyptians who had invited these Foreigners to their Assistance having favour'd their Descent fell upon the other Egyptians who had the King at their Head I saw this King encouraging his Men by his own Example He appear'd like the God of Battle Streams of Blood ran down by his side The Wheels of his Charriot were died with black thick and foaming Gore and could hardly move for the numbers of dead Men that lay in the way This young King vigorous of Body fierce and haughty in his Looks had Rage and Despair painted on his Face He was like a beautiful Horse that has no Mouth His Courage push'd him on to Danger but he had no prudence to moderate his Valour He knew neither how to repair a Fault nor to give the necessary Orders nor to foresee the Dangers that threatned nor to manage his Men to the best Advantage 'T was not that he wanted Understanding his Quickness was as great as his Courage but he had never been instructed by Adversity His Masters had poison'd his good Nature with their Flattery He was drunk with his own Power and Felicity He thought every thing must yield to his impetuous Desires The least Resistance put him into a Rage He consulted his Reason no longer his Pride transform'd him into a Savage Beast his natural Goodness forsook him in an instant the most faithful of his Servants were forc'd to fly from him and he consider'd none but those who flatter'd his Passions By this means he always 〈◊〉 into Extremities against his true Interest and made all honest Men detest his foolish Conduct His Valour sustained him for a long time against the multitude of his Enemies but at last he was born down with Numbers I saw him perish the Arrow of a Phenician pierc'd his Breast He sunk down in his Chariot and not being able to hold the Reins any longer he was overthrown and trampled under Foot by the Horses A Soldier of Cyprus cut off his Head and holding it up by the Hair shew'd it in Triumph to the victorious Army I shall ever remember that I saw the Head smear'd with Blood the Eyes shut and extinguish'd the Face pale and disfigur'd the Mouth half open and attempting to finish some Words it had begun a fierce and menacing Air which Death it self could not efface This sight will be always before my Eyes to the last day of my Life And if ever the Gods permit me to Reign I Shall never forget after this fatal Example That no King is worthy to Command or can be happy in the Possession of his Power unless he himself be govern'd by Reason and that 't is the utmost of all Misfortunes for a Man who is created for the Publick Good to govern vast Numbers of Men only to render himself miserable Calypso heard with Astonishment these wise Reflections And that which charm'd her the most was to see how the young Telemachus ingeniously related the Faults he had committed either through Precipitation or want of Docility for the sage Mentor She was surpris'd with the greatness and generosity of his Mind who accused himself and made so good use of his own Imprudences to become Wise Sagacious and Moderate Continue said she my dear Telemachus I long to know how you left Egypt and where you found the wise Mentor whose Loss was so sensible to you Telemachus resuming his Discourse said The best of the Egyptians who were most faithful to the King finding themselves over-power'd and the King dead were compell'd to submit to the rest and another King called **** was establish'd The Phenicians and the Troops of Cyprus departed from Egypt after they had made an Alliance with the new King All the Phenicians that were Prisoners were set at Liberty and I was accounted one of them I departed from the Court I imbark'd with the rest and my Hopes began to revive in the bottom of my Heart Already a favourable Wind fill'd our Sails our Oars cut the foaming Waves the vast Sea was cover'd with our Ships the Mariners shouted for Joy the Shoars of Egypt 〈◊〉 from us the Hills and Mountains diminished we began to see nothing but the Heavens and the Waters whilst the Sun surrounded with sparkling Flames seem'd to rise from the bosom of the Sea his Rays guilded the tops the Mountains which we could still discover upon the Horizon and the whole face of Heaven painted with a sable Azur gave us Hopes of a happy Navigation Tho' I had been set at Liberty as one of the Phenicians yet none of them knew
fell asleep upon their Oars The Pilot put a Garland of Flowers on his Head left the Rudder and held a vast Flaggon of Wine in his Hands which he had almost emptied He and all the rest of the Crew inflam'd with the Furies of Bacchus sung such Verses in the honour of Venus and Cupid as ought to be abhorr'd by all those who love Virtue Whilst they thus forgot the Dangers of the Sea a sudden Tempest arose The Elements seem'd to mix The Winds were let loose and roar'd in every Sail The Waves beat furiously upon the Flanks of the Ship which groaned under the Weight of their Strokes One while we mounted upon the Back of the swelling Waters another while the Sea seem'd to steal from under the Vessel and to precipitate us into the dark Abyss We saw the Rocks close by our side and the angry Waves breaking upon them with a dreadful Noise Then I found by experience the Truth of what I had heard from Mentor That Men of dissolute Lives and abandon'd to Pleasure always want Courage in time of Danger All our Cyprians sunk into despair and wept like Women I heard nothing but lamentable Exclamations bitter Regrets upon the Pleasures of Life vain and insignificant Promises of Sacrificing abundantly to the Gods if they should arrive safe in the Harbour No one had sufficient persence of Mind either to give necessary Orders or to work the Ship In this Condition I thought my self oblig'd to save my own Life and the Lives of those that were with me I took the Rudder into my Hand because the raving Pilot was utterly uncapable of knowing the Danger we were in I encourag'd the astonish'd Mariners I made them take down the Sails we sheer'd by the Rocks and Quick-sands and saw all the Horrors of Death staring us in the Face At last we arriv'd in the Island of Cyprus This Adventure seem'd like a Dream to all those who ow'd the Preservation of their Lives to my care They look'd upon me with Astonishment We landed at Cyprus in the Month of April which is consecrated to Venus This Season say the Cyprians is most suitable to this Goddess because she seems to revive the whole System of Nature and to give Birth to Pleasures and Flowers at the same time As soon as I arriv'd in the Island I perceiv'd an unusual Sweetness in the Air rendring the Body slothful and unactive but infusing a jovial and wanton Humour I observ'd the Country tho' naturally fruitful and delicious to be almost every where uncultivated through the Idleness and Negligence of the Inhabitants I saw great numbers of Maids and Women vainly and fantastically dress'd singing the Praises of Venus and going to devote themselves to the Service of her Temple Beauty Graces Joy and Pleasure were equally apparent in their Faces and Gesture But their Graces were too much affected There was not that noble Simplicity nor that lovely Modesty which makes the greatest Charm of Beauty A certain Air of Dissolution an artful way of adjusting the Face their vain Dress and languishing Gestures their Eyes that seem'd in pain to find out the Eyes of Men their mutual Jealousie who should raise the greatest Passions In a word all that I saw in these Women appear'd vile and contemptible to me By endeavouring to please me immoderately they excited my Aversion I was conducted to a Temple of the Goddess She had divers in this Island for she is particularly ador'd at Cythera Idalia and Paphos 't was to that of Cythera I was brought The Temple is built with Marble 't is a perfect Peristylium the Pillars are lofty and so well proportion'd that they give a majestick Air to the whole Fabrick At each Face of the Temple stands a Portal with a large Fronton on which the most agreeable Adventures of the Goddess are curiously represented in raised Stone-work Great numbers of People are always at the Gate attending to make their Offerings No Victim ever suffers the Knife within the Precinct of the sacred Ground The Fat of Bulls and Heifers is not burnt here as in other Places No Blood is ever shed The Cattle to be offer'd are only presented before the Altar and no Beast may be offer'd unless it be Young White without defect and without blemish They are adorn'd with purple Fillets embroyder'd with Gold their Horns are garnished with bunches of the most fragrant Flowers and when they have been presented at the Altar they are lead to a private Place without the Wall and kill'd for the Table of the Priests that belong to the Goddess Here also are offer'd all sorts of perfum'd Liquors and Wines more delicious than Nectar The Priests are cloathed in long white Robes with Girdles of Gold and Fringes of the same The most exquisite Perfumes of the East are burnt Night and Day upon the Altars and form a curling Cloud as they mount into the Air. The Pillars are adorn'd with Festons of wreathed Flowers all the Vessels for the Service of the Altar are of fine Gold a sacred Wood of Myrtle encompasses the Building none but Boys and Girls of admirable Beauty may present the Victims to the Priests or kindle the Fire upon the Altars But Dissolution and Impudence dishonour this magnificent Temple At first I detested what I saw but it soon began to grow familiar to me I was no longer afraid of Vice all Companies inspir'd me with an Inclination to Intemperance They laught at my Innocence and my Modesty serv'd for Sport to this dissolute People They forgot nothing that might ensnare me that might excite my Passions and awaken in me an Appetite to Pleasure I found my self losing Ground every day The good Education I had receiv'd could support me no longer all my best Resolutions vanish'd away I wanted Strength to resist the Evil that pressed me on every side I grew even asham'd of Virtue I was like a Man swimming in a deep and rapid River At first he cuts the Waters and mounts vigorously against the Stream but if the Banks are high and perpendicular and he finds no place to rest on either side he at last tires by degrees his Force abandons him his exhausted Limbs grow stiff and the Torrent carries him down So my Eyes began to grow dim my Heart fainted I could not make use of my Reason nor call to mind the Misfortunes of my Father The Dream that shew'd me Mentor in the Elysian Fields utterly discourag'd me An easie and dissolute Languishing seiz'd upon me I already began to love the flattering Poison that crept into my Veins and penetrated through the Marrow of my Bones Yet for all this sometimes I would Sigh I shed bitter Tears I roar'd like a Lyon in Fury O! unhappy Youth said I O Gods that divert your selves so cruelly with the Fate of Men Why do you cause them to pass through that Age which is a time of Folly and resembles a burning Fever O! why am I not covered with
Cythera went to that God and spoke to him full of Grief and with Eyes dissolved in Tears at least 't is what Mentor who is acquainted with Celestial Things has assur'd me Oh! Neptune said she will you suffer those impious Men to defie my Power unpunish'd The God themselves are sensible of it and these rash Mortals have dared to condemn all they have seen in my Island they pretend to a Wisdom which is proof against all Passions and look upon Love as a Fit of Madness Have you forgot that I was born in your Dominions Why do you delay any farther to swallow up in the deep Abyss of your Kingdom those two Men whom I abhor She had scarce done speaking when Neptune made his boisterous Waves rise up to the very Skies and Venus smil'd believing our Wreck inevitable Our Pilot being now beside himself cry'd out That he could no longer oppose the violence of the Winds which fiercely drove us upon some Rocks a Gust of Wind broke our Main-Mast and a moment after we heard the bottom of our Ship splitting against the pointed Rocks The Water comes in at several Places the Ship sinks all the Crew of Rowers fill the tempestuous Airwith lamentable Cries I embrac'd Mentor and told him Death is come at last we must embrace it with Courage the Gods have deliver'd us from so many Dangers only to destroy us this day Let 's die Oh! Mentor let 's die 't is a comfort to me that I die with you 't were in vain to contend for our Lives against the Storm To this Mentor answer'd True Courage finds always some Remedy or other it is not enough to expect Death calmly and unconcern'd unless without being affraid of it we use all our Endeavours to avoid it Let You and I take one of the Rower's Seats whilest that Multitude of fearful and troubled Men regret the loss of their Lives without using Means to prevent it let 's not lose one moment to save our selves Thereupon he took a Hatchet and cut off the broken Mast which leaning into the Sea made the Ship heel a-port The Mast being thus sever'd from its Stump he shov'd it out of the Ship and leap'd upon it amidst the furious Waves Then he call'd me by my Name and encourag'd me to follow him And now as a great Tree which all the confederate Winds attack in vain and which remains unmov'd and fix'd to its deep Roots so Mentor not only resolute and couragious but also calm and undisturb'd seem'd to command the Winds and the Sea I follow'd him For who would not have follow'd being encourag'd by Mentor And now we are a-drift upon the Mast which we steer sometimes one way sometimes another This Mast prov'd a great help to us for we sate a-stride upon it whereas had we been forc'd to swim all the while our strength had soon fail'd us But the Storm did often over-set that great Tree so that being sunk into the Sea we swallow'd great Draughts of the briny Flood which run afterwards out of our Mouths Ears and Noses and we were fain to contend with the Waves to get uppermost again Sometimes also we were over-whelm'd by a Billow as big as a Mountain and then we kept fast to the Mast for fear that violent Push should make us lose our Hold of that which was all our Hopes Whilest we were in that dreadful Condition Mentor as calm and unconcern'd as he is now upon this green Turf told me Do you think Oh! Telemachus that your Life is abandon'd to the Winds and the Waves Do you believe they can destroy you unless the Gods have order'd it No no the Gods over-rule and decree all Things and therefore 't is the Gods and not the Sea you ought to fear were you in the deep bottom of the Sea great Joue's Hand were able to deliver you out of it and were you on the Top of Olympus having the Stars under your Feet he might sink you to the deep Abyss or cast you down into the Flames of black Tartarus I listened to and admir'd his wise Speech which gave me a little comfort but my Mind was not calm enough to answer him We past a whole Night without seeing one another trembling and half dead with Cold not knowing whether the Storm would drive us At length the Winds began to be pacified and the roaring Sea was like one who having been a long time in a great Passion has almost spent his Spirits and feals only a ruffling Motion which draws toward a Calm thus the Sea grown weary as it were of its own Fury made but a hollow rumbling Noise and its Waves were little higher than the Ridges of Land betwixt two Furrows in a plough'd Field In the mean time bright Aurora with her dewy Wings came to open the Gates of the Sky to introduce the radiant Sun and seem'd to promise a fair Day All the East was streak'd with fiery Beams and the Stars which had so long been hid begun to twinkle again but withdrew as soon as Phoebus appear'd on the lighten'd Horizon We descry'd Land afar off and the Wind help'd us on towards it I felt Hopes reviving in my Heart but we saw none of our Companions 'T is probable their Courage fail'd them and that they sunk with the Ship Being come pretty near the Shore the Sea drove us against sharp-pointed Rocks which were like to have bruis'd us to pieces but we endeavour'd to oppose to them the end of our Mast which Mentor us'd to as much advantage as a wise Steers-man does the best Rudder Thus we escap'd those dreadful Rocks and found at last a clear and easie Coast where we swam without any hindrance and came at last to a sandy Shore there you saw us Oh! great Goddess who Reignest in this Island there you vouchsafed to receive and comfort us Telemachus having ended his Speech all those Nymphs whose deep Attention had kept them motionless with Eyes fix'd upon him began to look upon one another and enquire among themselves who those two Men were of whom the Gods took so much care Who did ever hear said they such wonderful Adventures The Son of Vlysses does already surpass his Father both in Eloquence Wisdom Valour What a Look What a Beauty What Gentleness What Modesty But withal What Nobleness and Majesty If we did not know him to be the Son of a Mortal he might easily pass either for Bacchus Mercury or even the great Apollo But who is this Mentor who looks like a plain obscure Man of mean Extraction When one views him closely there appears in him something above a Man Calypso listened to the Discourse with a Concern which she could not well conceal her Eyes still wandered from Mentor to Telemachus and from Telemachus to Mentor Sometimes she would have Telemachus begin again that long Story of his Adventures then on the sudden she contradicted her self and at last rising abruptly from her Seat she carried Telemachus
with Mentor Their Voyage into Crete The publick Games for the Election of a new King after Idomeneus's Flight Venus's Anger Their Ship-wrack The kind and joyful Welcome Calipso had made them The Jealousie of that Goddess against one of her Nymphs and Mentor's throwing his Friend into the Sea as soon as he espied the Phenician Ship After they had given each other the respective Stories of their Adventures Adoam caus'd a magnificent Entertainment to be serv'd up and the better to express his excessive Joy he procur'd all the Pleasures that could be had whilest they were at Table during which time they were attended by young Phenician Boys clad in white they burnt the most exquisite Frankincense of Arabia all the Rowers Seats were fill'd with Musitians playing on the Flute Architoas now and then interrupted them by the sweet Harmony of his Voice and his Lyre fit to entertain the Gods at their Revels and even to please the Ears of Apollo himself The Tritons the Nereids all the Deities who obey the Command of Neptune and the Sea-Monsters themselves forsook their watry deep Grotto's and came in Shoals round the Ship charm'd by this Divine Melody A Company of young Phenicians of an excellent Beauty and clad in fine Lawn as white as the driven Snow danc'd for a long time several Dances of their own Country afterwards they danc'd after the AEgyptain manner and last of all after the Grecian Now and then the loud Trumpets made the Waves resound with their Clangors as far as the distant Shore The dead of silent Night the stilness of the Sea the trembling Light of the Moon which play'd on the surface of the Water and the Azure Blew of the Skies studded with bright twinkling Stars serv'd to heighten the Nobleness and Majesty of the Shew Telemachus being of a quick and sprightly Temper easily affected with the Impressions of sensual Objects relish'd all those Pleasures with delight but he durst not indulge himself too far in the enjoying of them since he had experienc'd to his Grief and Shame in the Isle of Calipso how ready Youth is to be inflam'd He was shy and afraid even of the most innocent Pleasures and suspected every Thing He look'd upon Mentor and consulted both his Face and his Eyes to know what he ought to think of all those Pleasures Mentor was not a little pleas'd to see him in that Perplexity but made as if he did not take notice of it at last mov'd with Telemachus's Moderation he told him with a Smile I perceive what you are afraid of nay I applaud your Fear but however you must have a care not to carry it too far No Man can ever wish more earnestly than I that you enjoy those soft and moderate Pleasures that will leave you the use of your Reason and can never turn you into a furious Brute 't is now convenient you should refresh your self after all your Troubles and Fatigue relish with a grateful Complaisance to Adoam all those Enjoyments he offers you be merry Telemachus be merry and rejoyce Virtue is neither morose austere nor affected 'T is she yields true Pleasures she alone knows how to season and temper them to make them solid and lasting she knows how to mix Mirth and Sports with the most important and serious Affairs she prepares us for Pleasure by Labour and refreshes the Hardships of Labour by Pleasure Wisdom it self is not asham'd to be gay and sprightly upon occasion Having spoke these words Mentor took up a Harp and touch'd it with such exquisite Art that Architoas stung with Jealousie let his drop from his Hands his Eyes were flaming with spite his troubled Face turn'd pale then blush'd and then turn'd pale again and every Body would have taken notice of his Pain and Confusion but that at the same moment Mentor's Harp had ravish'd into Extasie the Soul of all the Assistants No Man scarce durst draw Breath for fear of interrupting the profound Silence and so losing the least Note of the Divine Song all were still in pain lest he should end it too soon Mentor's Voice had no effeminate softness but was flexible mellow and strong and he us'd it with such Art that he humour'd to admiration every thing he Sung He at first rehears'd the Praises of mighty Jove the Father and King both of Gods and Men who with a Nod shakes the whole Universe Afterwards he represented Minerva coming out of his Head that is Wisdom which that supreme God creates within himself and which issues from him to instruct those Men who are willing to be taught Mentor sung all those Truths in such divine and lofty Strains that the whole Assembly thought themselves transported to the very Top of Olympus before the Face of great Jupiter whose Looks are as pierceing as his Thunder Next to that he sung the Misfortune of young Narcissus whose being fondly 〈◊〉 with his own Beauty which he was continually viewing in a Fountain consum'd himself with Grief and was chang'd into a Flower that bears its Name Lastly he sung the fatal Death of fair Adonis whom a fierce wild Boar tore in Pieces and whom Venus being passionately in love with could never bring to life again with all the bitter Complaints she put up to Heaven None of those who heard him were able to contain their Tears and every one felt a secret Pleasure in Weeping when he had done Singing The Phenicians look'd upon one another full of Wonder and Amazement One said this is Orpheus for thus with his Harp he us'd to tame fierce Beasts and draw after him both Trees and Stones 'T is thus he enchanted Cerberus suspended for a while the Torments of Ixion and of the Danaids and mov'd the inexorable Pluto to let the fair Eurydice go out of Hell Another cry'd No t is Linus the Son of Apollo to whom some body answer'd You are mistaken this must be Appollo himself Telemachus's Surprize was little less than that of the rest for he never knew before that Mentor could play on the Harp with so much Mastery Architoas who by this time had conceal'd his Jealousie began to give Mentor those Commendations he deserv'd but he could not praise him without blushing neither was he able to make an end of his Discourse Mentor who saw what Trouble he was in began to interrupt him and endeavour'd to comfort him by commending his Musick However his Praises did not comfort Architoas for he was sensible that Mentor surpass'd him yet more by his Modesty by the Charms of his Voice In the mean time Telemachus said to Adoam I remember you spoke to me of a Voyage you made into Betica fince we came away from AEgypt and because Betica is a Country of which common Fame relates so many incredible Wonders Vouchsafe to tell me what we must believe of them I will be extream glad reply'd Adoam to give you Description of that famous Country which deserves your Couriosity and which is much
beyond what Fame proclaims about it whereupon he began thus The River Betis runs through a fruitful Land and under a temper'd and ever-serene Sky The Country has its Name from the River which discharges its Waters into the great Ocean near the famous Pillars of Hercules and about that Place where the furious Sea breaking thro' its Banks divided heretofore the Land of Tarsis from Great Africa This Country seems to have preserv'd the Delights of the Golden Age here Winters are Luke-warm and the fierce Northern Winds never rage in it the scorching Heat of the Summer is ever allay'd by refreshing Zephires which fan the sweltry Air towards Noon so that the whole Year is but a happy Hymen betwixt Spring and Autumn which seem ever to go Hand in Hand The Land both in the Vallies and the Plains yields every Year a double Harvest the Hills are over-spread with numerous Flocks of Sheep whose fine Wool is a choice Commodity among all Nations of the known World There are a great many Mines of Gold and Silver in that happy Country but its rude Inhabitants contented and happy with their Plainness disdain to count Gold or Silver among their Riches and only value what is really necessary to answer the Wants of Humane Nature When we first began to Trade with that Nation we found Gold and Silver employ'd among them about the same uses as Iron as for example for Plow-shares c. As they had no outward Trade so they wanted no Coin most of them are either Shepherds or Husband-men Artificers and Tradesmen are but few in this Country for they only tolerate those Arts which procure the Necessaries of Life and besides tho' most of the Inhabitants either follow Agriculture or the tending of Herds and Flocks yet they are skill'd in those Arts which are serviceable for the support of their plain and frugal way of living The Women spin that silky Wool I told you of and make extraordinary fine and white Stuffs they bake Bread dress Victuals and all those Labours are easie to them for in this Country their ordinary Food is Fruit and Milk out of the Leather of their Sheep they make thin Shoes for themselves their Husbands and their Children they make Tents some of waxed Skins and others of Barks of Trees they wash the Cloaths keep the Houses in order and sweet and clean to admiration and make Garments for all the Family those Garments are easily made for in this sweet and happy Climate they only wear a thin and light Piece of Stuff neither cut nor sow'd and which for Modesty's sake every one laps about his Body in long folds and in what form he pleases The Men besides Husbandry and the tending of the Herds and Flocks have no other Arts to exercise but the Working and Fashioning of Wood and Iron and even in 〈◊〉 they seldom make any use of Fire unless it be for Tools necessary for Husbandry All those Arts which belong to Architecture are altogether useless to them for they never build Houses it argues say they too great a Fondness for the Earth the building a Dwelling upon it much more lasting than one self it is sufficient to have a Shelner against the Injuries of the Air. As for all other Arts so much 〈◊〉 among the Grecians the AEgyptains and other civiliz'd Nations they abhor and detest them as the Inventions of Pride and Effeminacy When they hear of Nations that have the skill of raising magnificent Buildings and can make Gold and Silver houshold Goods Stuffs adorn'd with Imbroidery and precious Stones exquisite Perfumes delicious and dainty Dishes of Meat and Instruments of Musick whose Harmony inchants the Soul they answer in these words Those Nations are unhappy thus to have bestow'd so much Time Labour and Industry upon the corrupting of themselves those Superfluities soften intoxicate and torment the Possessors of them and tempt those that are depriv'd of them to acquire them by Injustice and Violence And how can that be called a Good which serves only to make Men wicked The Men of those Countries are they more sound strong and robust than we Do they live longer And are they better united among themselves Is there Life more free from Cares more peaceful and more jovial and merry Nay on the contrary they must needs be jealous of one another devour'd by shameful and black Envy ever disquieted and tortur'd by Ambition Fears and Avarice and incapable of enjoying plain unmixt and solid Pleasures since they are Slaves to so many sham Necessaries on which they make all their Felicity depend Thus 't is continued Adoam that these wise Men speak who owe all their Wisdom to their diligent Study of Nature they have an abhorrence for our Politeness and it must be confest that theirs has something great in their admirable Plainness they live all together without dividing the Land every Family is govern'd by its Chief who is real King of it the Father of the Family has the power to punish any of his Children of Grand-children that commits a Fault but before he inflicts the Punishment he advises with the rest of the Family 'T is rare indeed that there is any Punishment for the Innocence of Manners Truth Honesty Integrity Obedience and Abhorrence of Vice dwell in this happy Place and it seems as if Astrea who is said to have retir'd into Heaven lies yet conceal'd here among these People There is no need of Judges amongst them for their own Consciences Judge'em All their Goods are in Common the Fruits of the Trees the Grain Pulse of the Earth the Milk of the Herds are so abounding that a People so Sober and so Moderate have no occasion to divide 'em each moving fancily in this happy Countrey carry their Tents from one Place to another when they have eaten up the Pasturage and consum'd the Fruits of that part whence they come so that it is not their Interest to maintain one against t'other and if they all love one another with a brotherly Love which nothing can interrupt 't is the contempt of vain Riches and of deceitful Pleasures which confirm 'em in this Peace Union and Liberty They are all free and all equal and there is no other difference among 'em than that alone which the Experience of the Grave old Men or the extraordinary Wisdom of some young Men makes who being accomplish'd in all Virtue equal the old Men The cruel Outcrys of Fraud Violence Perjury Law-suits and Wars are never heard in this Countrey cherish'd by the Gods No human Blood ever stain'd this Land no not so much as the Blood of innocent Lambs When they hear of bloody Battels devouring Conquests of the overthrow of States which are frequent in all other Nations they are Amaz'd What say they are not Men subject enough to Mortality without percipitating one another to Death Life that is so short seems to them too long Are they sent here upon Earth to tear one another in
in their Hands But what care I as long as I tell you nothing but Truth These last Words of Timocrates left a deep Impression in me I call'd no more Philocles's Treachery into question and begun to distrust Protesilaus as one that was his Friend In the mean time Timocrates told me continually if you stay till Philocles has made himself Master of the Isle of Carpathia it will then be too late to put a stop to his Designs therefore make haste to secure him whilst he is yet in your Power I shook with horror at the deep Dissimulation of Men and knew no more whom to trust for having discover'd Philocles's Treachery I did not see one Man upon the face of the whole Earth whose Virtue was able to dispel my Fears I was resolv'd to punish that perfidious Man without delay but I was afraid of Protesilaus and knew not what Measures to keep with him I fear'd to find him guilty and likewise I fear'd to trust him At last being in this disorder I could not forbear telling him that I was grown Jealous of Philocles He seem'd surpriz'd at it and represented to me how honest upright and moderate his Conduct had been he exaggerated his Services in short he manag'd the Matter so well that I was persuaded of their Intelligence On the other side Timocrates improved every Circumstance to make me sensible of their good Understanding and induce me to ruin Philocles while it was yet in my Power to secure him Mark dear Mentor mark the Unhappiness of Princes and how they are exposed to be made the Property of other Men even when they lie trembling at their Feet I thought it was a piece of deep Policy to break Protesilaus's Measures sending privately Timocrates to the Fleet with Orders to dispatch Philocles out of the way Protesilaus carried on his Dissembling to the last and deceiv'd me so much the better as he look'd like one who suffers himself to be deceiv'd Timocrates put to Sea and found Philocles hard put to it at the intended Descent He wanted every thing for Protesilaus not knowing whether the suppos'd Letter was sufficient to ruin his Enemy contriv'd at the same time another Plot to wit the ill success of an Enterprize which he had so much cry'd up and which would not fail to provoke me against Philocles This innocent Man maintain'd so difficult a War by his Courage his Policy and the Affection the Soldiers had for him Although all the Army was sensible that this Descent was rashly undertaken and would prove fatal to the Cretans yet all endeavour'd to carry it on as if their Lives and Happiness had depended upon the success of it and every one was contented to venture his Life upon all Occasions under so wise a General and one who always study'd to make himself belov'd Timocrates expos'd himself to an eminent Danger by attempting to make away with that Chief in the middle of an Army who lov'd him so passionately but being blinded by Ambition he found nothing difficult whilest he endeavour'd to please Protesilaus with whom he expected to share the absolute Management of Affairs after the death of Philocles Protesilaus could not endure a good Man whose very sight secretly reproach'd him with his Crimes and who by opening my Eyes might frustrate all his ambitious Designs Timocrates engag'd two Captains who were continually near Philocles's Person and promis'd them great Rewards from me Afterwards he told Philocles That he came to deliver to him a secret Message from me which he was order'd not to disclose but in the Presence of those two Captains Philocles having lock'd himself in with them Timocrates pull'd out a Dagger and stabb'd him but as Fortune order'd it the Blow was slanting and did not go deep Philocles with undauneed Courage wrested the Dagger out of his Hand and us'd it against him and the other two At the same time he cry'd out for help those without run to the Door and having broke it open disingag'd Philocles from the Hands of those three Men who being presently disorder'd had attack'd him but faintly They were disarm'd and seiz'd and such was the Fury and Indignation of the Army that they would have torn them in pieces in an instant had not Philocles stopt the Multitude Afterwards he took Timocrates aside and ask'd him calmly Who had engag'd him to commit so black a Deed Timocrates who fear'd Death shew'd him instantly the Order I gave him in writing to dispatch Philocles and as all Traytors are Cowards he bethought himself of saving his Life by revealing to Philocles Protesilaus's Treachery Philocles amaz'd and frighted to find so much Malice in Men follow'd a wise Resolution he declar'd to the Army That Timocrates was innocent and having secur'd him from their Violence sent him back to Crete Afterwards he resign'd the Command of the Army to Polimenes whom I appointed in my written Order to Command after Philocles was kill'd Last of all he exhorted the Troops to remain faithful to their Duty to me and in the Night-time went over to the Isle of Samos in a small Bark There he lives retir'd in peaceful Poverty making Statues to get his Sustenance and abhorring to hear any Body speak of unjust and treacherous Men especially Princes who of all Mortals are the most unhappy and most blind At these words Mentor stopping Idomeneus Well said he Was it long before you discover'd the Truth No answer'd Idomeneus I found out by degrees the Artifices of Protesilaus and Timocrates They fell out a little while after for wicked Men are seldom long united By their Division I perceiv'd the Abyss into which they had precipitated me Well said Mentor did you not then resolve to rid your self of either of them Alas Dear Mentor are you ignorant how weak and perplex'd Princes are When they have once given up themselves to Men who have the Art of making themselves necessary they can no longer hope for Liberty Those whom they despise most are those whom they use best and on whom they bestow their Favours I abhorr'd Protesilaus and yet I left all my Authority in his Hands Oh! unaccountable Illusion I was pleas'd with my self because I knew him but my Weakness would not suffer me to re-take my Power from him Besides I found him easie complaisant industrious in gratifying my Passions zealous for my Service in short I found Reasons to excuse my Weakness to my self My being unacquainted with true Virtue for want of chusing good Ministers to manage my Affairs made me believe there was no such thing on Earth and that Honesty was but a meer Chimera Why said I to my self should I be at the Pains of getting out of the Hands of one corrupt Man to fall into those of another who shall be neither more free from Self-Interest nor more sincere than he In the mean time the Fleet commanded by Polimenes return'd I laid aside the Thoughts of conquering the Island of Carpathia and Protesilaus
be the Cause You might see upon the Countenance of Jocasta Shame and Dread to unriddle what she was unwilling to know Despair and Horrour upon that of Oedipus He plucks out his Eyes and you see him led about Blind by his Daughter Antigone He reproaches the Gods with the Crimes which they had suffer'd him to commit Then you see him enrag'd against himself and being unable to endure the Company of Mankind any longer he retires leaving his Kingdom to his two Sons which he had by Jocasta Eteocles and Polynices on condition that they should reign each a Year by Turns But the Discord of the Brothers was more terrible still than the Misfortunes of Oedipus Eteocles appears upon the Throne refusing to come down to let his Brother take his Place He again having recourse to Adrastus King of Argos whose Daughter he had espoused advances towards Thebes with a numerous Army Round about all the besieged Town you might see Battles Here were assembled all the Hero's of Greece and the Siege of Troy did not seem more Bloody There you might know the Unfortunate Husband of Eryphile the famous Diviner Amphiraus who foresaw the Fate which he could not avoid He hides that he might not be carried to the Siege of Thebes knowing he was to engage in a War from which he should never return Eryphile was the only Person he durst confide in Eryphile his Spouse whom he lov'd so dearly and by whom he believ'd he was so tenderly belov'd betray'd her Husband Amphiraus bribed with a Neck-lace which Adrastus King of Argos gave her You might see her discover the Place where her Husband was hid And Adrastus carrying him to Thebes against his Will Quickly after his Arrival he appears swallow'd up of the Earth which opens on a sudden to plunge him Amongst so many Combats where Mars exercised his Fury you might observe with horror that of the two Brothers Eteocles and Polynices There appears something hideous and dismal in their Looks Their Criminal Birth seems written in their Foreheads by which you might easily judge that they were devoted to the Infernal Furies and the Vengeance of the Gods who sacrifice them as an Example to all Brethren that should be born in after Ages And to shew the fatal effects of Discord which separates those Hearts that ought to be so strictly united you might see those Brothers full of Rage tearing one another to pieces each forgetting to defend his own Life that he might take away that of his Brothers They were both Bloody dying of mortal Wounds without the least Abatement of their Fury both of 'em fallen to the Ground and ready to breath their last yet would crawl one towards another to have the Pleasure of dying in the last effort of Cruelty and Revenge All other Combats seem'd suspended at the sight of this The two Armies were seiz'd with Horror and Consternation at the sight of these two Monsters Mars himself turn'd aside his cruel Eyes from such a hideous sight At last you might see the Flame of the funeral Pile on which they placed the two Bodies of these unnatural Brothers But what was strange to behold the Flame parts it self in two and Death it self could not put an end to the implacable Hatred of Eteocles and Polynices They would not burn together and their Ashes sensible of the Mischiefs they had done to one another would never mingle This was what Vulcan with his divine Art had represented upon the Arms which Minerva gave to Telemachus On the other side of the Shield was represented Ceres in the fruitful Plains of Enna which are situated in the middle of Sicily There you might see that Goddess assembling the Inhabitants who were dispersed up and down to get wherewithal to sustain Nature by Hunting or gathering the wild Fruit which had fall'n from the Trees She taught those Savages to till the Ground and to draw their Food from its plentiful Bosom She shew'd them the Plough and taught them to yoke the labouring Ox. You might see the Ground open in Furrows clest by the Plow-share and afterwards you might perceive the Golden Harvest covering the fruitful Plains and the Reaper with his Sickle cutting down the comsortable Fruits of the Ground and thereby repaying his Labour Iron elsewhere the Instrument of Destruction was used here only to produce Plenty and all sorts of Pleasure The Nymphs crown'd with Garlands dance together on the Banks of a River hard by a Pleasant Grove Pan play'd on his Flute the Fawns and wanton Satyrs frisk at a distance by themselves Bacchus was likewise represented crown'd with Ivy leaning on his Spear and holding in his Hand a Vine-branch adorn'd with Leaves and Clusters of Grapes his Beauty was fresh with something in it languishing and passionate In this manner it was that he appeared to the Unfortunate Ariadne when he found her alone and Forsaken and overwhelm'd with Grief on the Banks of a strange River In fine you might see on all Hands a multitude of People the Old Men carrying the First Fruits of their Harvest into the Temples the Young Men wearied with Toil and Labour returning home to their Wives and these going out to meet them with the young Pledges of their chaste Love in their Hands There were likewise Shepherds represented some singing others dancing to the sound of their Reed all was Peace Plenty and Pleasure and every thing look'd smiling and happy You might see the Wolves play in the Pastures among the Sheep and the Lyons laying aside their fierceness were sporting among the tender Lambs and the little Shepherd's Crook equally commanded them all This lovely piece seem'd to bring to mind the Charms of the Golden Age. Telemachus having put on his Divine Armour instead of his own took up Minerva's dreadful Shield which she had sent him by Iris the swift Messenger of the Gods Having without his Knowledge carried away his own Buckler and left this in its room which is formidable to the Gods themselves In this Condition he ran out of the Camp to avoid its Flames He call'd the chief Commanders with a strong Voice which inspir'd new Courage in their routed Troops who had given all over for lost The Eyes of the young Warriour sparkle with a divine Fire he gives Orders with as much Caution as an old Man ruling his Family and instructing his Children but executes them with all the promptness and vigour of Youth like an impetuous River that with its rapid Motion rouls along not only its own frothy Billows but with them the vessels of greatest Burthen that float upon it Philoctetes Nestor and the Commanders of the Mandurians and other Nations found in the Son of Ulysses certain unaccountable Authority which they all found themselves irresistibly oblig'd to submit to The Aged trust no more to their Experience and Counsel and Prudence forsook the commanders Jealousy and Emulation so natural to Mankind are quite extinguish'd in their Minds They all keep
silence they all wonder at Telemachus and stand ready to obey his Orders implicitly as if they had been accustom'd to do so He advances and from an Imminence observes the posture of the Enemy and forthwith judg'd it necessary with the utmost expedition to surprize them in their present Disorder while they were burning the Camp of the Confederates He fetch'd a compass with great Expedition and was followed by the most experienc'd Commanders He attack'd the Daunians in the Rear who doubted nothing of the Allies being involv'd in the Flames of their Camp This surprize put them in great Disorder and they fell under Telemachus's Hand as the autumnal Leaves of the Forest when a blust'ring North Wind bringing back Winter shakes all the Branches and makes the very Trunks of ancient Trees groan The Ground all about was covered with the Bodies of those who had fall'n by Telemachus's Hand With his own Lance he pierced the Heart of Iphycles the youngest Son of Adrastus who had the boldness to offer him Combat to save his Father's Life who was in danger of being surpriz'd by Telemachus These young Combatants were both of them Comely Vigorous full of Address and Courage of the same Stature the same Age had the same sweetness of Temper and were equally belov'd by their Parents But Iphycles prov'd like a full blown Flower in a Meadow cut down by the Sithe of the Mower Afterwards Telemachus overthrew Euphorion the most celebrated of all the Lydians that came into Etruria At last with his Sword he slew Cleomenes who being lately Married had promised his Spouse to bring her the rich Spoils of the War or never to return himself Adrastus foam'd with Rage to see the Death of his son and of many other Commanders and the Victory snatch'd out of his Hands Phalanthus almost knock'd down at his Feet was like a half-slain Victime who had escap'd the edge of the sacred Knife and had fled from the Altar Adrastus had well nigh compleated the ruin of Lacedemonian Phalanthus drown'd in his own Blood and that of the Soldiers that Fought with him When he heard the shooting of Telemachus coming up to his relief in that Moment he gets new Life and the Cloud that had already over-spread his Eyes is dissipated The Daunians at this unexpected Attack leave Phalanthus to make head against a more formidable Enemy Adrastus seem'd like a Tiger from whom a Body of Shepherds have snatch'd the Prey which he was ready to devour Telemachus sought him out in the Crowd endeavouring by one stroke to put an end to the War by delivering the Allies from their implacable Enemy But Jupiter grudged the Son of Ulysses so quick and easie a Victory And Minerva too had a mind to inure him to Troubles that he might the better understand how to Reign Therefore the impious Adrastus was preserv'd by the Father of the Gods that Telemachus might have opportunity to acquire more Glory and exercise his Virtue A Storm summon'd by Jupiter sav'd the Daunians a terrible Thunder proclaim'd the Will of the Gods You would have thought that the eternal Vaults of the high Olympus had been ready to tumble down upon the Heads of weak Mortals the Flashes of Lightning split the Clouds from Pole to Pole and from the moment that they ceas'd to dazle the Eyes with their darting Flame all was over-spread with Midnight Darkness The Rain falling in great abundance separated the two Armies Thus Adrastus took advantage of the assistance of the Gods without being mov'd with a sense of their Power And for his Ingratitude deserved to be kept for a more dreadful Vengeance He made haste to march his Army between the Camp that was half burnt down and a Morass that reacht as far as the River The Expedition with which he made his Retreat sufficiently demonstrated his ready Invention and Presence of Mind The Allies animated by the Valour of Telemachus would have pursu'd him but by the favour of the Storm he escap'd as a swift-wing'd Bird out of the Net of the Fowler The Allies now thought of nothing but re-possessing their Camp and repairing their Damages In entring it they saw the woful Effects of War the Sick and Wounded not being able to crawl out of their Tents or to save themselves from the Fire appear'd half burnt sending up towards Heaven their doleful Shrieks and dying Groans It struck Telemachus to the Heart nor was he able to contain his Tears Oft did he turn aside his Eyes being seiz'd with Horror and Compassion He could not without groaning behold these Bodies that remain'd still alive and destin'd to a long and painful Death They look'd like the Flesh of Victims roasted on Altars whose Smell diffuses it self all a-round Alass cry'd Telemachus behold the Mischiefs that attend War What blind Fury pushes on unhappy Mortals Their Days are so short and the Misery that attends them so great Why do they hasten the Fate that is already so near Why will they add so many Troubles and Afflictions to the Bitterness which the Gods have mingled with this short Life Men are all Brethren and yet they tear one another more cruelly than the savage Beasts Lyons never make War with Lyons nor Tygers with Tygers but exercise their Cruelty upon Creatures of a different Kind Man alone in despite of his Reason does that which Beasts that are void of it would never have done But still why such Wars Is there not Ground in the World enough to employ the Labour of all Mankind How much of it lies desert More than all Mankind is sufficient to replenish What is it then that makes Princes spread the Flames of War over vast Kingdoms and Countries A false Idea of Glory an empty Title of Conqueror Thus one Man whom the Gods in their Anger have sent into the World render so many Men miserable To satisfie his Ambition and Vanity all must be ruin'd all must swim in Blood be destroy'd by Fire and those who escape the Fire and Sword must perish by more cruel Want In a word one Man sports himself with human Nature involves all in universal Desolation to gratifie his Humour and Vain-glory. What monstrous Ambition is this Can we sufficiently abhor and detest enough such Men who have forgot all Humanity No sure so far are they from being Demi-Gods that they are to be reckon'd below Men Their Memory ought to be accursed through all those Ages in which they thought to have been admir'd Oh! with how much deliberation ought Princes to weigh the War they undertake They ought to be just Nor is that enough they ought to be Necessary The Blood of the People ought not to be spilt but for their Preservation in the greatest Extremity But the Counsels of Elatterers a false Notion of Greatness groundless Jealousies and unreasonable Covetousness cover'd with specious Pretexts do insensibly engage Princes in Wars which render themselves unhappy make them hazard all when there is no necessity and
far indebted to one whom I mortally hated Repay him O ye Gods and deliver me from this Miserable Life And thou Telemachus pay me the last Duty that thou hast paid to my Brother that thy Glory may be compleat With these Words Phalanthus was quite spent and overwhelm'd with excess of Grief Telemachus staid by him but durst not speak waiting till he should recover a little strength Presently Phalanthus having come out of his Fit takes the Urn out of the Hands of Telemachus twenty times he kiss'd it and water'd it with his Tears and said O Dear O Precious Ashes When shall mine be inclos'd in the same Urn O thou Ghost of Hippias I will follow thee to the Shades below Telemachus shall avenge us both In the mean time Phalanthus recover'd dayly by the watchful Care of these two Men who understood the Art of Esculapius Telemachus was always by them to quicken their Diligence for hastening the Cure and all the Army was struck with Admiration at his Goodness in releiving his greatest Enemy more than at the Valour and Conduct which he shew'd in Battle when he sav'd the Confederate Army In the mean time Telemachus gave Proof how indefatigable he was in the greatest Hardships of War He slept little and his Sleep was often interrupted either by the intelligence he received every Hour of the Night as well as of the Day or by viewing all the Quarters of the Army which he never did twice at the same Hours that he might the better surprise those that were negligent Oftentimes he return'd to his Tent all over Sweat and Dust. His Diet was plain being the same with that of the Soldiers that he might set them a Copy of Sobriety and Patience Provisions being scarce in that Encampment he judg'd it necessary to prevent a Mutiny of the Soldiers voluntarily to share with them in their Hardships His Body was so far from being weaken'd by that toilsom Life that every Day it became Stronger and more hardned He began to lose the tender Graces of his Face which are as 't were the bloom of Youth his Complexion grew Browner and less Delicate and his Limbs rougher and more nervous In the mean time Adrastus whose Troops had been considerably wasted by the Battle had posted himself behind the Hill Aulon to wait the coming of some Reinforcements and to try whether he could once more surprise the Enemy just like a famish'd Lyon bauk'd of his Prey returns to the shady Forest and re-enters his Den where he whets his Teeth and his Claws and impatiently waits for a favourable Minute to destroy the whole Flock Telemachus having made it his chief Care to observe a strict Discipline through the whole Army he thought of nothing now but putting in execution a Design which he had already conceived and which he had conceal'd from all the Commanders in the Army For a long time during whole Nights his Head had been fill'd with Dreams that represented to him his Father Ulysses This Image of Ulysses used always to return when Night was going away and Aurora began with her dawning Light to chase the wandring Stars from the Heavens and when soft Sleep began to compose the fluttering Dreams Sometimes he would fancy that he saw him Naked in a fortunate Island on the Banks of a River in a pleasant Meadow bedeck'd with Flowers and environ'd by Nymphs who threw their Garments on him to cover him Sometimes he thought he heard him Talking in a Palace all glittering with Gold and Ivory where Men crown'd with Garlands listen to him with Pleasure and Admiration At other times he would appear to him on a sudden in those Feasts where Joy shines bright amidst Delights and where you might hear the soft Harmony of a charming Voice with a Harp more melodious than the Harp of Apollo or the Voice of all the Muses Telemachus awaking grew melancholy at his pleasant Dream O my Father O my dear Father Vlysses cry'd he The most frightful Dream had been more pleasant to me These Representations of Happiness give me reason to believe that you are already gone down to the abode of blessed Souls where the Gods reward their Virtue with eternal Tranquillity Methinks I see the Elysian Fields O how hard a Thing is it to hope no more What O my dear Father Shall I see thee no more shall I embrace him no more who lov'd me so tenderly and whom I have sought after with so much Labour and Toil Shall I never hear Wisdom it self Speak out of thy Mouth Shall I never again kiss those Hands those dear those victorious Hands by whom so many Enemies have fallen Shall they never punish the foolish Lovers of Penelope and must Ithaca for ever be Ruined O ye Gods who are Enemies to my Father ye have sent me this Dream to deprive me of all Hope 't is to deprive me of Life No I cannot live longer in this uncertainty What do I say Alass Nothing is more certain than that my Father is no more I 'll go find out his Ghost in the Shades below Theseus succeeded in this Attempt The impious Theseus who durst offer Violence to the infernal Deities As for me a pious Motive carries me thither Hercules hath descended there I am no Hercules but 't is glorious to attempt to imitate him Orpheus by the relation of his Misfortunes did sensibly touch the Heart of the inexorable God and obtain'd the return of Eurydice from thence I have a juster Claim to Compassion than Orpheus because my Loss is greater Who can compare a young Girle not singular for her Beauty to the sage Ulysses admir'd by all Greece Let us go let us dye if it must be so Why should Death be so formidable since Life is so miserable O Pluto O Proserpine I 'll try e'r it be long whether ye are as pitiless as ye are call'd O my Father After all my fruitless Travel over Seas and Land to find you out if the Gods deny me the Enjoyment of you on Earth and in the Light of the Sun I 'll go try whether you are gone to the melancholy Abodes of the Dead Perhaps they will not refuse me a sight of your Ghost in the Kingdom of Darkness While he was thus Speaking Telemachus watered his Bed with his Tears then he arose to try whether by the Light he could mitigate the sharpness of his Sorrow that his Dream had occasion'd but this was an Arrow that had pierced his Heart and which he continually carried about with him In this Anguish he essay'd to descend into the infernal Regions by a famous Place not far remov'd from the Camp It is call'd Acheron because in this Place there is a dreadful Cave by which you may go down to the Banks of Acheron a River by which the Gods themselves are afraid to Swear The Town stood on a Rock like a Nest in the top of a Tree At the foot of the Rock was this Cavern to be
want no other Chastisement of their Crimes than their Crimes themselves which they incessantly contemplate with their most aggravating Circumstances They present themselves to them like horrible Spectres pursuing them to defend themselves from them they call for a Death more powerful than that which separated them from their Bodies a Death that can extinguish in them all Sense and Thought They call to the Deeps to swallow them that they may be snatch'd from the revenging Beams of tormenting Truth But in vain for they are reserved for Vengeance that drops upon them leasurely and will never be exhausted The Truth which they were afraid to see now becomes their Punishment they see it but whilst it flies in their Faces the sight of it puts them beside themselves 'T is like the Thunder which without hurting the Out-side penetrates into the inmost parts of the Bowels The Soul melts in this revenging Fire as Metal in a burning Furnace It s texture is destroy'd and yet there is nothing consum'd It dissolves it to the very first Principles of Life and yet it can never die They are tied to themselves and can find neither Ease nor Comfort for the least Minute They subsist only by their revenge upon themselves and Despair which makes them furious Among so many Objects which made his Hair stand Telemachus saw several of the Ancient Kings of Lydia punish'd for having preferr'd the Pleasures of a voluptuous Life to that of Application which ought to be inseparable from Royalty in order to procure the Ease of their People The End of the Fourth Volume THE ADVENTURES OF TELEMACHUS The Son of ULYSSES PART V. THese two Kings reproach'd one another of Folly and Stupidity Says one to the other who had been his Son did not I when I was Old and near my Death often recommend to your Care the reproach of those Mischeifs which my own negligence had occasion'd The Son reply'd O unhappy Father 'T is you that have ruin'd me 't was your Example that habituated me to Pride Arrogancy and Cruelty to Mankind While I saw you Reign in so effeminate a manner surrounded with servile Parasites I addicted my self to the Love of Flattery and Pleasures I thought the rest of Men were in respect of Kings what other Animals are in regard of Men I say I thought 'em no better than Beasts and that no other account was to be made of 'em but only what Service they could render and what advantage might be expected from ' em This I believed and 't was you that made me believe it and now I endure all these Miseries for imitating your Example To these Reproaches they added the most dreadful Curses and were irritated with so much Rage that they seem'd ready to tear one another in Pieces Besides round about these Kings there hover'd like so many Owls in the Shades of Night cruel Suspicions vain Allarms and Diffidences which revenge Subjects on their Kings for their Severity The unsatiable thirst of Riches that false kind of Glory which is always Tyrannical and vile Effeminacy which redoubles all the Evils they suffer without being able to give any true and solid Pleasure Many of these Kings were severely punished not for the Evils they had done but for neglecting the Good they ought to have done All the Crimes of the People which proceed from Negligence in the execution of the Laws were imputed to their Kings and on them were all those Disorders charg'd which spring from Pride Luxury and all other Excesses which throw Men into a violent State and tempt 'em to contemn the Laws in quiring Wealth Above all those Kings were treated with extreme Rigour who instead of acting the part of good and vigilant Shepherds towards the People thought of nothing but how to ravage their Flocks like so many voracious Wolves But that which rais'd the Consternation of Telemachus to the highest Degree was to see in this Abyss of Darkness and Misery a great number of Kings who had past upon Earth for tolerably good Princes now abandon'd to the Pains of Tartarus for having suffer'd themselves to be govern'd by wicked and designing Men. These were punished for the Evils they had suffer'd to be committed by their Authority Indeed the greatest part of these Kings were neither Good nor Bad their Weakness was so great that they never had been afraid of being kept in Ignorance of the Truth nor ever had a true relish of Vertue nor took Pleasure in doing Good No sooner was Telemachus got out of these dark Regions but he felt himself as much eas'd as if one had remov'd a Mountain off his Breast The sense of this made him comprehend the Misery of those that were shut up in this dismal Place without hope of being ever releas'd It fill'd him with Horror to observe how many Kings were more rigorously Tormented than other Criminals What said he so many Endeavours so many Dangers so many Snares so many Difficulties in coming at the Truth so as to be able to defend ones self against others and against ones self and at last so many horrible Torments in Hell after such Agitations such Assaults of Envy and so many Crosses in a short course of Life O unthinking Man who is desirous of Reigning And happy he who limits his Desires to a private and peacable manner of Life wherein 't is less difficult to be Vertuous In making these Reflections his Mind was fill'd with Trouble and Horror insomuch that he fell into a kind of Consternation which made him feel something of that Despair which racks those miserable Princes whose wretched Condition he had been considering But in proportion to the degrees of distance he gain'd in retiring from these sad Territories of Darkness Horror and Despair his Courage began gradually to revive he regain'd his Breath as he went forward and soon was entertain'd with a distant view of the mild and pure Rays of Light that darted from those blessed Regions where the Heroes reside Here dwelt all those vertuous Kings who had prudently govern'd Men till that time They were separated from other good Men for as wicked Princes suffer'd Torments in Tartarus infinitely more violent than those of other Criminals of a low and private Condition so these good Kings enjoy a Happiness in Elysium infinitely exceeding that of the rest of Mankind who had devoted themselves to Vertue when upon Earth Towards these Kings Telemachus advanc'd They were in odoriferous Groves on Meadows cover'd with immortal Green and always deck'd with Flowers a Thousand little Rivulets water'd this happy Place with their limpid Streams which refresh'd it after a most agreable manner an infinite number of pretty Birds made these Groves resound with their sweet Harmony Here they see at once the beautiful Flowers of the Spring growing on the Turf under their Feet and the pleasant Fruits of Autumn hanging on the Trees over their Heads Here the parching Heat of the furious Dog-star is never felt here the
left his Country voluntarily exiling himself and died Poor in a strange Land by this means to oblige his People always to observe these useful Laws according to their Oath That other Prince thou seest is the eleventh King of the Pylians and one of the Ancestors of wise Nestor When the Earth was ravag'd by a Pestilence which cover'd the Banks of Acheron with a multitude of new Ghosts he requested of the Gods that they would suffer him to appease their Anger in satisfying by his Death for so many Thousands of innocent Men. The Gods heard his Petition and gave him here a royal Grandeur in comparison of which all the Pomps of the Earth are but so many vain Shadows That old Man whom thou seest crown'd with Flowers is the famous Belus he reigned in Egypt and married Anchinoe the Daughter of the God Nilus who hides the source of his Streams and enriches the Countries which he Waters by his fruitful Inundations he had two Sons Danaus of whose History thou art not Ignorant and Egyptus who gives his Name to that considerable Kingdom Belus thought himself Richer by the Prosperity he gave his People and the love his Subjects bare to him than by all the Tributes he could have exacted of ' em These Men my Son whom thou supposest to be dead are alive and that Life which Men lead amidst many Miseries on Earth is no better than Death only the Names of Things are chang'd May it please the Gods to render thee Vertuous enough to merit this blessed Life which nothing can ever either end or disturb Haste away 't is time to go and seek thy Father before thou shalt find him alass how much Blood-shed shalt thou see But yet what Glory waits for thee in the Fields of Hesperia Remember the Counsels of the wise Mentor if thou follow'st them thy Name shall be great among the Nations and in all Ages Having said this he presently conducted Telemachus toward the Gate of Ivory which leads out of the gloomy Empire of Pluto Telemachus parted from him with Tears in his Eyes without being able to embrace him Being come out of these dark Regions he made what haste he could to return to the Camp of the Allies after he had again joyn'd the two young Cretans on the Way who had accompanied him very near the Cavern and had lost their hope of ever seeing him again In the mean time the chief Commanders of the Army met together to deliberate whether they should possess themselves of Venusia It was an old Fort which Adrastus had heretofore usurp'd upon his Neighbours the Appulians These were enter'd into the Confederacy against him to demand Satisfaction for this piece of Injustice Adrastus to appease 'em had put this City by way of Caution into the Hands of the Lucanians but had by Money corrupted both the Lucanian Garrison and the Person that Commanded it so that the ' Lucanians had in reality no more Authority than he in Venusia And thus the Appulians who had consented that the Lucanian Garrison should keep Venusia were trick'd in this Negotiation A Citizen of Venusia nam'd Demophantes had made a private Offer to the Allies to deliver up one of the Gates of the City in the Night This Advantage was so much the greater in that Adrastus had sent all the Ammunition and Provisions to a Castle near Venusia which could not defend it self if Venusia were taken Philoctetes and Nestor had already given their Opinion that such a happy Opportunity ought to be improv'd all the Principal Commanders sway'd by their Authority and attracted by the Advantage of so easie an Enterprize Applauded their Sentiment But Telemachus at his Return made his utmost Efforts to divert 'em from it I am not Ignorant said he that if ever any Man deserv'd to be surpriz'd and deceiv'd Adrastus does who has so often dealt fraudulently with every body else I see very well that in Venusia you 'l only put your selves in possession of a City that belongs to you since it pertains to the Appulians who are one of our Confederate Parties I confess you may do it with the better colour of Justice in as much as Adrastus who has put this City as a Pledge in the Hands of others has Corrupted the Commander and the Garrison that he may enter it when he thinks fit In fine I understand as well as you that if you take Venusia you 'l the next Day be Masters of the Castle where all Adrastus his Provisions are laid up and so may end this so formidable a War in two Days time But is it not much better to Perish than Conquer by such means as these Is Fraud to be repell'd by Fraud Shall it be said that so many Kings who enter'd into a Confederacy to punish the Impious Adrastus for his Guile are become fraudulent like him If'tis lawful for us to do as Adrastus has done he is not Guilty and we are to be blam'd to go about to punish him What has all Hesperia which is supported by so many Greek Colonies and by so many Hero 's return'd from the Siege of Troy Has Hesperia no other Arms against the Perfidiousness and Perjury of Adrastus than the practice of the same Vices You have sworn by the most sacred Things that you would leave Venusia in Trust in the Hands of the Lucanians The Lucanian Garrison you say is Corrupted with Adrastus his Money I believe it as well as you but this Garrison is paid by the Lucanians and has not refus'd to obey 'em it has kept at least in appearance a Neutrality Neither Adrastus nor any of his Men have ever enter'd into Venusia the Treaty subsists your Oath is not forgotten by the Gods shall we not keep the Promises we have given but only when we want plausible pretexts to violate ' em Shall we not be faithful and religiously regard our Oaths but only when there is nothing to be got in breaking them If the Love of Virtue and the Fear of the Gods don't move you be concern'd at least for your Reputation and for your Interest If you shew the World this pernicious Example of violating your Faith and breaking your Oaths to terminate a War what Wars will you not stir up by your Impious Conduct Which of your Neighbours will not find themselves constrain'd to be jealous of you on all occasions and utterly to detest you Who will for the future confide in you in the most pressing Exigencies What Security will you be able to give if you should have a mind to be sincere and when it would be of great Consequence to you to perswade your Neighbours of your sincerity Shall it be a solemn Treaty when you have trampled such a one under your Feet Shall it be an Oath when it is known you make no account of the Gods if you have any hope of gaining an Advantage by Perjury Peace will give no more Security in respect of you than War all that
their Sheep instead of leading 'em into good Pasture According to you a Man becomes Guilty as soon as he is accus'd and Suspicion makes him deserve Death the Innocent lie at the mercy of Envy and Calumny and according to your encrease of this tyrannical Jealousie in your Minds we must have more such Victims sacrific'd Telemachus utter'd these Words with such Authority and Vehemence as captivated their Hearts and cover'd the Authors of this so unmanly Advice with Shame and Confusion In fine he soften'd his words For my part said he I am not so much in love with Life as to secure it at that rate I had rather Acanthus should be Vile and Wicked than my self and would sooner chuse to die by his Treachery than put him to Death by any unjust Sentence only founded upon Suspicion But have a little Patience O you who in being establish'd Kings that is Judges of the People under your Charge ought to know how to discharge the Function with Justice Prudence and Moderation let me examine Acanthus in your Presence Immediately he interrogated this Man about his Correspondence with Arion he press'd him with an infinite number of Circumstances he often made him believe he would send him back to Adrastus as a Deserter that deserv'd to be punish'd that he might the better make his Observation whether he were afraid to be sent back or not but the Countenance of Acanthus still remain'd calm and even From which Telemachus concluded that Acanthus might not be Guilty In fine perceiving he could not thus draw the Truth out of his Breast says he to him Give me your Ring for I 'll send it to Adrastus No sooner was the Ring demanded but Acanthus turn'd Pale and was much embarrassed Telemachus whose Eyes were continually fix'd on him discern'd it he took the Ring I 'll immediately send this says he to Adrastus by the Hand of an intreaging Lucanian nam'd Polytropus with whom you are acquainted he shall pretend to be come secretly from you if we can by this means discover their private Intelligence with Adrastus you shall without Mercy be put to Death by the most cruel Torments if on the contrary you now confess your Fault you shall be pardon'd and we 'll content our selves only in sending you into an Island where you shall want nothing Upon this Acanthus corfess'd all and Telemachus obtain'd of the Kings that his Life might be spar'd because he had given him the promise of it and he was sent to the Islands call'd Echinades where he liv'd in Peace Not long after this a Daunian of obscure Birth but of a violent and daring Temper nam'd Discorus Temper nam'd Discorus came in the Night into the confederate Camp to make an offer to 'em to kill King Adrastus in his Tent. He was capable of this Attempt for that Man is Master of the Life of another who puts no Value upon his own This Person breath'd nothing but Revenge because Adrastus had taken away his Wife whom he passionately Lov'd and whose Beauty did not come behind that of Venus her self He had secret Intelligence whereby he could find a Way into the King's Tent in the Night and could be favour'd in this Enterprize by several Daunian Captains but he thought it necessary for the Confederate 〈◊〉 to attack Adrastus his Camp at the same time that in the noiseand hurry of Action he might with greater Facility make his Escape and carry away his Wife too and if he could not compass this last Thing after he had kill'd the King he was content to Die As soon as Dioscorus had explain'd his Design to the Kings they all turn'd themselves toward Telemachus thereby signifying they desir'd a direction in this matter from him The Gods said he who have preserv'd us from Traitors forbid us to make use of 'em and if we had not Vertue enough to detest the Treason our Interest alone would be sufficient to make us reject it when we have once authoriz'd it by our Example we shall deserve to have it turn'd against us and who among us from that Moment will be safe 'T is possible Adrastus may escape the Blow that threatens him and may make it fall upon the Confederate Princes and then War will become quite another Thing Wisdom and Vertue will be of no manner of use and nothing will be seen but Frauds Treasons and Assassinations I therefore conclude we ought to send this Traitor back to Adrastus I cofess the King does not deserve it but all Hesperia and all Greece who have their Eyes upon us deserve that we should conduct our selves so as to gain their Esteem we owe our selves and in short we owe the just Gods such a Testimony as this of our Horror of Treachery Dioscorus was immediately sent to Adrastus who trembled to think of the Danger he had been in and mightily wonder'd at the Generosity of his Enemies for ill Men know not how to comprehend what pure Vertue is Adrastus was oblig'd whether he would or no to admire what he saw but durst not commend it This noble Action of the Allies recall'd the shameful Remembrance both of all his Treacheries and all his Cruelties he would fain have extenuated the Generosity of his Enemies yet was ashamed to appear Ungrateful while he ow'd 'em his Life but Men that are corrupted soon harden themselves against every Thing that touches ' em Adrastus observing that the Reputation of the Allies daily augmented thought himself oblig'd to perform some Action against 'em that might make a Noise in the World and since he could not do a Vertuous one he was desirous at least of obtaining some great Advantage over 'em by Arms and therefore made what haste he could to Fight The Day of Battle being come scarce had Aurora open'd the oriental Gates to the Sun in a Path strow'd with Roses when the young Telemachus by his early Care out-stript the Vigilance of the oldest Captains by throwing off the soft Embraces of Sleep and putting all the Officers in Motion already his Helmet cover'd with his floating Hair glitter'd on his Head and his Cuirass dazzled the Eyes of the whole Army it was the Work of Vulcan and had besides its natural Beauty the Lustre of a shining Breast-plate that was plac'd under it He held a Spear in one Hand and pointed with the other to the divers Posts that 't was necessary to possess Minerva had fill'd his Eyes with a divine Fire and his Countenance with an awful Majesty which began already to promise Victory He march'd and all the Kings forgetting their Age and Dignity found themselves attracted by a superior Power which oblig'd 'em to follow his Steps Weak Jealousie could enter their Breasts no more Every thing gives way to him whom Minerva insensibly Leads by the Hand His Action had nothing in it that was Impetuous or Precipitant he was Mild Calm Patient always ready to hear others and to profit by their Advice but Active
Adrastus made several Essorts to surprize his Enemy and over-set him he endeavours to seize the Sword of the young Greek but in vain while he attempts this Telemachus takes him up from the Ground and throws him flat upon the Sand Then this impious Prince that had always contemn'd the Gods manifested an unmanly fear of Death he is asham'd to beg Life yet can't help signifying that he desir'd it he endeavours to move the Compassion of Telemachus by such words as these O thou Son of Ulysses says he I now at last acknowledge that the Gods are Just they punish me according to my 〈◊〉 'T is only by Calamities that the Eyes of Men are open'd to see the Truth I see it and it condemns me But let an unfortunate King put you in mind of your Father who is remote from 〈◊〉 and let the thoughts of this 〈◊〉 your Heart 〈◊〉 who was holding him under his Knees and had his Sword already lifted up to kill him 〈◊〉 answer'd I desire not 〈◊〉 but Victory and the Peace of the Nations which I came to 〈◊〉 I have ho 〈◊〉 in shedding Blood Live therefore O 〈◊〉 but live to make Reparation for your Faults 〈◊〉 all that you have 〈◊〉 re-establish Tranquility and Justice in the Confines of the great Hesperia which you have defil'd with so many Massacres and Treacheries Live and become another Man learn by your Fall that the Gods are Just and that the Wicked are Miserable that they deceive themselves in seeking Happihess in Violence Barbarity and Fraud In short that nothing is so happy and sweet as simple and steady Vertue Give us for Hostages your Son Metrodorus with twelve of the principal Nobles of your 〈◊〉 A those words 〈◊〉 suffers him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and gives him his Hand not suspecting his 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 threw at-him the 〈◊〉 time a short 〈◊〉 which he kept 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was so 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 with that force that it would have 〈◊〉 Telemachus's Armor had it not been made by a Divine Hand at the same time 〈◊〉 cast himself behind a Tree to avoid the 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 Upon this the latter cries out O 〈◊〉 the Victory 's ours This impious Man saves himself only by his Treachery he who fears not the Gods fears Death on the contrary he that fears them has nothing else to fear In uttering these words he advances towards the Daunians and gives a sign to his Men that were on the other side of the Tree to cut off the Retreat of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Adrastus fearing he should be taken makes as if he would return the same way he came and went to fall upon the Cretans that stood obstruct his Passage when on a sudden Telemachus swift as the Thunder which the Father of the Gods shoots from high Olympus upon guilty Heads falls upon his Enemy he seizes him with his victorious Hand casts him upon the Ground as the violent North-wind beats down the tender Ears of Corn that guild the Field He now will hear no more tho' the impious Wretch once again essays to abuse the Goodness of his generous Mind he instantly thrusts his Sword into his Bowels and precipitates him into the Flames of black Cocytus a Punishment worthy of his Crimes Adrastus was scarce dead when all the Daunians were so far from deploring their Defeat and the loss of their General that they rejoyc'd at their Deliverance and held out their Hands to the Allies in sign of Peace and Reconciliation Metrodorus the Son of Adrastus whom his Father had educated in Maxims of Dissimulation Injustice and Inhumanity fled away like a Coward But a Slave that was an Accomplice of his Infamies and Cruelties whom he had infranchized and loaded with Favours and in whose hands alone he trusted himself in his Flight thought of nothing but how to betray him for his own Interest He kill'd him as he fled by giving him a Wound in the Back cut off his Head and brought it into the Confederate Camp hoping to receive a great Recompence for a Crime that finish'd the War But the Act of this Villain was abhor'd and he put to Death Telemachus having seen the Head of Metrodorus who was a young Prince of wonderful Beauty and of an excellent natural Temper tho' corrupted by Pleasures and vitious Examples could not restrain his Tears Alas cry'd he here is what the Poison of Prosperity does for a young Prince the more Elevation and Vivacity of Mind he has the more he wanders and becomes a Stranger to all Sentiments of true Virtue and now it may be my Condition had been like his if the Misfortunes in which I was born and educated Thanks be to the Gods and to the Instructions of Mentor had not taught me to govern my self The assembled Daunians desir'd as the only Condition of Peace that they might be permitted to make 'em a King of their own Nation who might by his Vertues 〈◊〉 the Reproach which the impious Adrastus had brought upon the Crown They thank'd the Gods for having cut off the Tyrant and came in Multitudes to kiss the Hand of Telemachus which had been embrew'd in the Blood of that Monster so that their Defeat was a Triumph to ' em Thus in a moment fell that Power without possibility of Recovery which 〈◊〉 all the rest in Hesperia and made for many Nations tremble like those 〈◊〉 of made Ground that appear firm and immoveable 〈◊〉 by degrees are mouldring below for a great while the feeble Work of 〈◊〉 the Foundations is derided nothing appears the 〈◊〉 for it all is stable nothing so much as shakes yet all the subterranean Props are gradually destroy'd to the Foundation and all on a sudden the 〈◊〉 sinks and opens a prodigeous Pit Thus an unjust and fraudulent Power what Prosperity soever it acquires by its Violences digs a Precipice under its own Feet Fraud and Cruelty gradually undermine all the firmest Foundations of unlawful Authority Men admire it fear it tremble before it till the moment it vanishes it falls with its own weight and nothing can raise it again because it has with its own Hands destroy'd the true Props of Sincerity and Justice which attract Love and Confidence The chief Commanders of the Army the next Day assembled to grant the Daunians a King It was a very pleasant Thing to see the two Camps confounded together by so unexpected a Friendship so that the two Armies now made but one the wise Nestor could not assist at this Council because his Grief added to his old Age had wither'd his Heart just as a Storm of Rain in the Evening beats down a Flower and makes it languish which in the Morning while Aurora was rising was the Glory and Ornament of the verdant Fields His Eyes were become two Springs of Tears that could not be exhausted soft Sleep that Charms the acutest Pains fled far away from him Hope which is the Life of a Man's Heart was extinct in him all Food was bitter to