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
drawn and erected Pikes Thirty Chambers on a Floar with Doors of Iron and six massy Bolts upon each make up the dreadful Apartment where he hides himself No one ever knows in which of these Chambers he lies 'T is said he never lies in any of them two Nights together for fear his Throat should be cut He knows no sweet Enjoyments nor the sweeter Effects of Friendship If any one speak to him of Joy he finds it will not come near him and refuses to enter into his Heart His hollow Eyes are full of a fierce and savage Fire incessantly rowling on every side He is mov'd at the least Noise he hearkens attentively becomes pale and dejected and anxious Care sits pictur'd upon his wrinkled Face He sighs is silent and groans from the bottom of his Heart He is unable to conceal the Remorse that rends his Soul He relishes not the most delicious Food His Children instead of being the Hopes of his Age are the Subjects of his Fear He looks upon them as his most dangerous Enemies He never thought himself secure one Moment of his Life He preserves himself only by shedding the Blood of every one he fears Foolish Man who sees not that his Cruelty which he so much relies upon will be his Destruction Some Domestick Servant as suspicious as he will soon deliver the World from this Monster As for me I fear the Gods and will be faithful to the King they have given me whatever it cost I had rather die than take away his Life or fail to defend him For your part O Telemachus acquaint him not that you are the Son of Ulysses for he would make you a Prisoner in expectation of a great Ransom when Ulysses returns to Ithaca When we arriv'd at Tyre I follow'd his Counsel and found every thing he had said to be true I could not comprehend how a Man could make himself so miserable as Pygmalion appear'd to be Surpriz'd with a thing so astonishing and so new to me I said thus to my self This Man design'd to be happy and perswaded himself that Riches and Arbitrary Power would make him so He do's what he will and yet is made miserable even by that Power and those Riches If he were a Shepherd as I lately was he would be as happy as I have been He would enjoy the innocent Pleasures of the Country and would enjoy them without Remorse He would not fear either Dagger or Poison He would love Men and be belov'd by them He would not indeed be Possessor of those vast Treasures which are as useless to him as Sand since he dares not touch them but he would really enjoy the Fruits of the Earth and suffer no manner of want This Man seems to do whatever pleases him but the Case is far otherwise for he does all that his Passions command He is compelled to follow wheresoever his Covetousness and Suspicions lead He seems to be Master of all other Men but he is not Master of himself and has as many Masters and Tormenters as he has violent Desires Thus I reason'd concerning Pygmalion without seeing him for he was not to be seen Men only see those lofty Towers that are surrounded Night and Day with dreadful Guards where he shuts himself up as it were in Prison with his beloved Treasures I compar'd this invisible King with Sesostris who was so good so easie of Access so Affable so ready to hear any Stranger so attentive in giving Audience to all Men and to find out the Truth which is always conceal'd from Kings The good Sesostris said I feard nothing and had nothing to fear He shew'd himself to all his Subjects as to his own Children This Man fears all and has all to fear This wicked King is always expos'd to the danger of a violent Death even within his inaccessible Palace and in the midst of his Guards On the contrary the good King Sesostris was always safe in the midst of the greatest Numbers of his People as a gentle Father in his own House with all his Family about him Pygmalion gave orders to send home the Forces of Cyprus who came to his Assistance by virtue of an Alliance that was between the two Nations Narbal took this Occasion to set me at Liberty He caus'd me to be muster'd among the Cyprian Soldiers for the King was jealous to the last degree The usual defect of easie and thoughtless Princes is to deliver themselves up to the Conduct of crafty and corrupt Ministers On the other side the defect of this Man was to distrust the most Virtuous He knew not how to distinguish Men of Probity and Uprightness who always act without Disguise He had never seen an honest Man for such will never flatter a corrupted King Besides he had found in all those who had serv'd him since his Accession to the Crown so much Dissimulation and Perfidiousness with so many horrid Vices disguis'd and only the bare Appearances of Virtue that he look'd upon all Men without Exception as living under a Mask and concluded there was no real Virtue in the World But to return to my self I pass'd in the Muster for a Cyprian and escap'd the watchful Jealousie of the King Narbal trembled for fear I should be discover'd which would have cost his Life and mine also He was under great impatience to see us imbark'd but contrary Winds detained us at Tyre I made use of this time to inform my self of the Manners of the Phenicians so famous in all parts of of the known World I admir'd the happy Situation of their City which is built upon an Island of the Sea The Neighbouring Coast is delicious and fruitful abounding in exquisite Fruits and so cover'd with Towns and Villages that they seem to touch one another The Air is sweet and temperate for the Mountains shelter that Coast from the scorching Winds which come from the South The Country is every where refresh'd by the North Wind that blows from the Sea It lies at the foot of Mount Libanus which pierces through the Clouds and advances to meet the Stars His Forehead is cover'd with an eternal Ice and Rivers mingled with Snow fall down like Torrents from the Rocks that surround his Head A vast Forest of ancient Cedars stands near the top which appear as old as the Earth on which they grow and shoot their spreading Branches to the Clouds Under this Forest are rich Pastures leaning on the descent of the Mountain Here one may see the bellowing Bulls wandering up and down and the bleating Yews with their tender Lambs bounding upon the Grass A thousand Streams of the Clearest Water runs down these charming Fields Below these Pastures is the foot of the Mountain which appears like a Garden on every side Here Spring and Autumn reign together and join the Fruits of the one to the Flowers of the other Neither the infected Breath of the South Wind that parches and burns up all or the cruel Blasts
the Isle of Ithaca which lies near Epirus whither you are bound is our Country If you are unwilling to touch at Ithaca which is in your way we are contented to be carried into Epirus where we have Friends who will take care to furnish us with all Necessaries for our short Passage from thence to Ithaca and we will for ever be oblig'd to you for the blissful Sight of what we hold most dear in the World All this while Telemachus was silent and let Mentor speak for those Faults he had committed in the Isle of Calipso had made him much wiser he distrusted his own self he was sensible how much he wanted the prudent Counsels of Mentor and when he could not speak to him to ask his Advice he consulted his Eyes and endeavour'd to guess at his Thoughts The Phenician Master of the Ship fixing his Eyes upon Telemachus remembred he had seen him some where but 't was a confus'd Remembrance which he knew not how to clear Give me leave said he to Telemachus to ask you whether you remember you saw me before for methinks I am no Stranger to your Face tho' I cannot tell where I have seen you perhaps your Memory will help out mine Telemachus answer'd him with joy and surprize When I first look'd upon you I was as much puzzled about your Face as you are about mine I 'm sure I have seen you I know you again but cannot call to mind whether in AEgypt or at Tyre Thereupon the Phenician like a Man who wakes in the Morning and by degrees calls back the Dreams of the Night which begun to fly away cry'd out on a sudden You are Telemachus for whom Narbal conceiv'd so great a Love when we return'd from AEgypt I am his Brother of whom he has undoubtedly spoken to you often since I left you with him after the Expedition into AEgypt My Affairs carried me to the last Extremity of the Seas into the famous Betica near the Herculean Pillars so that I did but just see you and 't is no wonder I was so puzzled to know you again at first sight I perceive answer'd Telemachus that you are Adoam I had but a glimpse of you but I know you by the Discourse I had with Narbal Oh! how I am fill'd with Joy to hear News from a Man who shall ever be so very dear to me Is he still in Tyre Is he no more expos'd to the barbarous Treatment of the cruel Pygmalion Adoam interrupting him said Know Oh Telemachus that Fortune has entrusted you with one who will take all the Care imaginable of you I will carry you to Ithaca before I go to Epirus and Narbal's Brother will love you no less than Narbal himself Having thus spoken he took notice that the Wind for which he waited began to blow whereupon he gave Orders for weighing of the Anchors and unfurling of the Sails which done the Rowers ply'd their Oars amain and cut the yielding Floods After that he took Telemachus and Mentor to entertain them aside I am going said he addressing himself to Telemachus to satisfie your Curiosity Pigmalion is no more the just Gods have rid Mankind of him as he trusted no Man no Man would trust him neither The Good were contented to groan in silence and fly his Cruelties without endeavouring to do him any Mischief the Wicked thought they had no other way to secure their Lives than by putting a Period to his there was not a Tyrian but was every Day expos'd to fall a Sacrifice to his Distrust his very Guards were more expos'd than any Body else for his Life being in their Power he fear'd them more than all the rest of Men and upon the least Suspicion he Sacrific'd them to his Safety nevertheless he could not find himself safe any where since those who were the Trustees of his Life being in a continual Danger they could not get out of their uneasy Condition but by preventing the Tyrants cruel Suspicions and putting him to Death The impious Astarbe whom you have so of often heard mention'd was the first who resolv'd upon the Death of the King she was passionately in Love with a young Tyrian Joazar by Name a Man of great Wealth whom she hop'd to place on the Throne The better to succeed in her Desing she persuanded the King that the eldest of his two Sons nam'd Phadael impatient to wear the Crown had conspir'd against his Life she procur'd false Witnesses to prove the Conspiracy so that the unhappy Father put to Death his innocent Son the Second nam'd Baleazar was sent to Samos under pretence of learning the Manners Customs and Sciences of Greece but indeed because Astarbe gave the King to understand that his Safety requir'd he should be remov'd from Court for fear he should enter into Combinations with the Malecontents As soon as he was embarkt those who commanded the Ship being corrupted by that cruel Woman took Measures in order to be Ship-wrack'd in the Night and having cast the young Prince over-board they sav'd their Lives by Swimming to other Barks that waited for them In the mean time Pigmalion was the only Person that was unacquainted with Astarbe's Amours he fancied she would never love any Man but him and that distrustful Prince was blinded by Love to such a Degree that he reposed an entire Confidence in that wicked Woman Yet at the same time his extreme Avarice prompted him to make a way with Joazar whom Astarbe lov'd with so much Passion in order to seize upon his vast Riches But while Pigmalion was tortur'd by Distrust Love and Avarice Astarbe thought it convenient to put him to Death with all speed She was apprehensive of his discovering her infamous Amours with that young Man and besides she knew the King's covetous Temper was by its self sufficient to entice him to exercise his Cruelty upon Joazar therefore she concluded she had not one Moment to lose to prevent him She saw the chief Officers of his Houshold willing to embrue their Hands in the King's Blood she hoard every Day of some new Conspiracy or other but she was afraid of trusting any Body lest she should be betray'd At last she thought most safe to Poyson Pigmalion her self He was us'd to Diet by himself with her and dress'd all his Victuals with his own Hands not daring to trust any Body else he lockt himself up in the remotest Part of his Palace the better to conceal his Distrust and that he might not be observ'd whilst he was Dressing his Victuals He depriv'd himself of all Dainties and Delicacies being afraid to taste of any thing that was not of his own Cooking Thus not only all manner of Meats drest by others but also Wine Bread Salt Oyl Milk and all other ordinary Aliments were of no use to him He liv'd only upon Fruit which he gather'd with his own Hands in his Garden or Pulse and Roots which he had sav'd Now his Drink was nothing
Common-wealth said Mentor They are the Children of the People whose Hope and Strength they are and 't is too late to Correct 'em when they are corrupted 't is too little to exclude 'em from Employments when they have made themselves unworthy of 'em 't is therefore much better to prevent the Mischief than to be forc'd to punish it The King aded he who is the Father of all his People is yet more particularly the Father of all the Youth who are the Flower of the Nation 'T is the Blossom that prepares the Fruit let not the King disdain to watch over 'em and set Officers to mind the Education of these Children Let him see that the Laws of Minos be put in Force which command That Children be brought up in a contempt of Pain and Death That Honour be plac'd in a neglect of Pleasure and Riches That Injustice Lying and Effeminacy be accounted Infamous That from their tender Infancy they be taught to sing the Praises of the Hero 's belov'd of the Gods who have bravely merited of their Country and who have signaliz'd their Courage in Battels Let the Charms of Musick affect their Souls to soften and purifie their Manners Let 'em learn to be Affectionate to their Friends fathful to their Allies respectful to the Nobility and just even to their Enemies Let 'em be taught to fear Death and Torments less than the least thing of their Conscience If Children are betimes inspir'd with these great Principles and if they are sweetly insinuated into 'em they will doubtless be inflam'd with the Love of Honour and Virtue Mentor added That it was absolutely necessary to institute Schools to accustom the Youth to hard Exercises of the Body that they may not learn to grow tender and lazy which debauches the best Constitution He farther advis'd That there should be Plays and Shews frequently to animate the People but above all that they should exercise their Bodies to make 'em active supple and vigorous adding a Reward to excite Emulation But what he most desir'd and tended chiefly to the encouraging of good Manners was that the People should marry betimes and their Parents without any Prospect of Interest should leave 'em to chuse their Wives suitable to 'em both in Body and Mind with whom they might live continually happy The End of the Third Volume THE ADVENTURES OF TELEMACHUS The Son of ULYSSES PART IV. LONDON Printed for A. and J. Churchill at the Black-Swan in Pater-Noster-Row MDCC THE ADVENTURES OF TELEMACHUS The Son of ULYSSES PART IV. BUT while they were thus laying down the most probable Means to keep their Youth Chaste Innocent Laborious Tractable and Ambitious of Renown Philocles who chiefly delighted in War said to Mentor In vain do you employ Youth in all those Exercises if you suffer them to languish in continual Peace where they shall neither have Experience in War nor occasion to shew their Valour by this you will insensibly weaken the Nation and soften their Courage Pleasures will corrupt their Manners and other warlike Nations will find it no hard matter to vanquish them and by endeavouring to shun the Evils of War they will fall into a miserable Servitude Mentor reply'd The Evils of War never fail to drain a Nation and put it in danger of Ruin even while it is most victorious With how great advantage soever they begin it they are never sure to end it without being exposed to the most tragical Chances of Fortune Suppose you engage with never so great a superiority of Force the smallest Mistake a panick Fear a Nothing snatches away the Victory that was already in your Hands and puts it into those of your Enemies And tho' you should hold Victory chain'd in your Camp you destroy your Self in destroying your Enemies You dis-people your Country leave your Ground uncultivated interrupt Commerce nay which is far worse you weaken your Laws and suffer Manners to be corrupted The Youth do not any more apply themselves to Learning pressing Wants make you give Way to a pernicious Licentiousness among your Troops Justice good Order every-thing suffers in this Confusion A King who spills the Blood of so mony Men and is the Cause of so many Miseries to acquire a little Glory or to extend the Limits of his Kingdom is unworthy of the Glory he hunts after and deserves to lose that which he possesses by endeavouring to Usurp what belongs to another But after this manner you must exercise the Courage of a Nation in time of Peace You have already seen the Exercises of the Body that we have Established the Prize that excites Emulation the Maxims of Honour and Virtue with which we season the Minds of Children almost from their Cradle by Songs full of the great Actions of Heroes add to those Aids that of a sober and laborious Life But this is not all As soon as any of your Allies shall be in War you must send thither the flower of your Youth chiefly those in whom you shall observe a War-like Genius and who are the most likely to profit by Experience By this means you shall preserve a high Esteem amongst your Allies your Friendship shall be Courted and they shall be afraid to lose it And without having a War at Home and at your own Charge you shall always be provided with a Martial and intrepid Youth And altho' you your selves enjoy Peace cease not to treat respectfully those that are Masters of the Art of War for the true way to avoid it and preserve a lasting Peace is to Cultivate Arms to Honour Men excellent in that Profession and to entertain those that are train'd up to it in Foreign Parts and who know the Force Discipline and manner of War in Neighbouring Countries You shall be equally uncapable of making War to gratify your Ambition and of being afraid of it through Effeminacy And being in a readiness to undertake it when Necessity obliges you can easily find means to prevent it When your Allies make War upon one another 't will be your part to become Mediator And thus you will acquire a Glory far more solid and sure than that of the Conquerors You shall gain the Love and Esteem of Strangers they will all of them stand in need of you you will strengthen your Authority over your Subjects You shall become the Confident of their Secrets the Umpire of Treatises and Master of their Affections Your Fame shall fly through the most distant Countries and your Name shall be like a most delicious Perfume that diffuses it self far and wide In such a happy State let a Neighbouring People unjustly attack you they shall always find you ready to receive them And what strengthens you still more they shall find you beloved by all and succour'd by your Neighbours who will chearfully Arm themselves for you being fully perswaded that the publick Security depends on the Preservation of you This is a Rampart more secure than the strongest Walls and most regular
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
who I was Narbal who commanded the Ship that carried me ask'd me my Name and my Country Of what City said he in Phenicia are you I am not a Phenician said I but the Egyptians took me at Sea in a Phenician Ship I have been a long time Prisoner in Egypt as a Phenician under that Name I have suffer'd and under that Name I am deliver'd Of what Country art thou then said Narbal I am said I Telemachus Son to Ulysses King of Ithaca in Greece My Father made himself famous among the Kings who beseig'd the City of Troy but the Gods have not permitted him to return to his Country I have sought him in many Climates and Fortune Persecutes me also You see an unfortunate Person who desires no other Happiness than to return to his Country and to find his Father Narbal look'd upon me with Astonishment and thought he saw in my Face some Marks of Happiness that proceed from the favour of Heaven and are not in the rest of Men. He was by Nature sincere and generous He was mov'd with my Misfortunes and put a confidence in me that the Gods inspir'd him with for my Preservation Telemachus said he I doubt not the Truth of what you say neither can I doubt The lively Images of Grief and Virtue drawn upon your Face will not give me leave to distrust you I perceive that the Gods which I have always serv'd love you and will have me to love you as if you were my Son I will give you safe and useful Advice and for my Recompence desire nothing of you but Silence Fear not said I for I can without difficulty keep any thing secret that you shall trust to my Discretion Tho' I am young yet I have grown up in the Habit of not discovering my own Secret and much more of not betraying under any pretext the Secret of another How have you been able said he to accustom your self to keep Secrets in such tender years I shall be glad to know by what means you have acquir'd this admirable Quality which is the Foundation of the wisest Conduct and without which all other Talents are Useless When Ulysses said I departed to assist in the Siege of Troy he took me upon his Knees and embrac'd me for thus I have been told the Story and after he had kiss'd me in the tenderest manner he said these Words to me tho' I could not then understand them O my Son may the Gods prevent me from ever seeing thee again let rather the fatal Scissars cut the Thread of thy early Days as the Reaper cuts down with his Sicle the tender Flower that begins to blow let my Enemies dash thee in pieces before the Eyes of thy Mother and Me if ever thou art to be Corrupted and to relinquish the Ways of Virtue O! my Friends continued he I leave my dear Son with you take care of his tender years if you love me banish all Pernicious Flattery from about him instruct him how to overcome his Passions and let him be like a tender Plant that Men often bend in order to make it grow upright Above all forget not to render him Just Benificent Sincere and faithful in keeping a Secret Whoever is guilty of a Lie is unworthy to be accounted a Man and whoever knows not how to be Silent is unworthy to govern I am exact in the Repetition of these Words because care was taken to inculcate them often into me My Father's Friends made it their Business to exercise me early in keeping Secrets I was yet in my Infancy when they trusted me with all the Troubles they sustained to see my Mother expos'd to the Persecutions of so many that pretended to marry her Already they treated me as a Man of Reason and Fidelity They entertain'd me privately of the most important Affairs and acquainted me with all the measures they took to expel the Pretenders I was over-joy'd to be trusted in this manner I never abus'd the confidence repos'd in me I never let fall one single Word that might discover the least Secret The Pretenders often endeavour'd to make me talk expecting that a Child who had seen or heard any thing of Importance would not have been able to conceal it But I knew how to answer them without lying and without informing them of any thing that I ought not to discover Upon this Narbal said to me You see Telemachus the Power of the Phenicians They are formidable to all their Neighbours by their numerous Fleets The Trade they drive as far as the Columns of Hercules furnishes them with Riches surpassing all those of the most flourshing Nations The great Sesostris who could never have subdued them by Sea did with great difficulty defeat them by Land with those Armies that had conquer'd all the East and impos'd a Tribute upon us which has not continued long The Phenicians found themselves too Rich and too Potent to wear the Yoak of Servitude with Patience Sesostris was prevented by Death from finishing the War against us 'T is true we had reason to fear the Event and that much more on account of his wisdom than his Power But as soon as his Power without his Wisdom had pass'd into the Hands of his Son we concluded we had no more to fear In effect the Egyptians have been so far from returning in Arms to make an intire Conquest of our Country that they have been constrain'd to call us to their Assistance to deliver them from the Fury of an impious and outragious King We have been their Deliverers and have added the glory of this Action to the Liberty and Riches of our Country But whilst we deliver others we our selves are Slaves O Telemachus beware of falling into the cruel Hands of Pygmalion our King He has already died them in the Blood of Sicheus his Sister Dido's Husband Dido full of Horror and Revenge is fled from Tyre with many Ships Most of those who are best affected to Liberty and Virtue have attended her She has founded a Magnificent City upon the Coast of Africk and called it Carthage Pygmalion tormented with and insatiable Thirst of Wealth renders himself every day more wretched and odious to all his Subjects 'T is a Crime at Tyre to be Rich. His Avarice fills him with Suspicion Distrust and Cruelty He persecutes the Wealthy and fears the Poor Every thing disturbs him affrights him preys upon him He trembles at his own Shadow he sleeps neither by Night nor by Day The Gods to confound him load him with Treasures which he dares not enjoy The things he covets to make him happy are precisely those that make him miserable He regrets whatever he gives dreads to loose and torments himself with Hopes of Gain He is seldom seen He shuts himself up in the remotest parts of his Palace sad alone disconsolate His Friends dare not approach him for fear of being suspected A Guard terrible to see stands round his House with Swords
wretched Hopes of that imperfect Rest which the Souls enjoy that have cross'd the River Styx after their Bodies have receiv'd Burial Idomeneus lifting up his Eyes and Hands to Heaven invok'd Neptune in these Words O powerful God! who commandest the Empire of the Sea vouchsafe to hear the Prayer of the Distressed if thou deliverest me from the fury of the Winds and bringest me safe to Creet the first Head I see shall fall by my own Hands a sacrifice to thy Deity In the mean time his Son impatient to see his Father made haste to meet and embrace him at his Landing unhappy Youth who knew not that he was running to his own Destruction The Father escap'd the Storm and landed in the Port of Syria He gave Thanks to Neptune for hearing his Prayers but soon found how fatal they had been to him A black Presage of his Misfortune made him bitterly repent his rash Vow He dreaded his own Arrival he fix't his Eyes upon the Ground He fear'd to see whatever was dear to him in the World But the inexorable Goddess Nemesis who never fails to punish Men and especially haughty Kings push'd him on with a fatal and invisible Hand Idomeneus arrives hardly daring to lift up his Eyes He sees his Son He starts back with Horrour his Eyes in vain look about for some other Head to serve for his vow'd Sacrifice His Son approach'd and threw his Arms about his Neck surpris'd to see his Father dissolving in Tears and making no return to his Tenderness O my Father said he Whence comes this Sadness after so long absence are you displeas'd to see your Kingdom and to be the Joy of Your Son What have I done You turn your Eyes away for fear of seeing me The Father overwhelm'd with Grief made no answer At last after many bitter Sighs he said Ah! Neptune what have I promis'd Restore me to the Winds and to the Rocks which ought to have dash'd me in Pieces and finish'd my wretched Life Let my Son live O thou cruel God here take my Blood and spare his As he spoke he drew his Sword to pierce his own Heart but those that were about him staid his Hand The aged Sophronymus by whom the will of the Gods is convey'd to Men assur'd him that he might satisfie Neptune without the Death of his Son Your Promise said he was imprudent the Gods will not be honour'd by Cruelty Beware of adding to the Error of your Promise the crime of accomplishing it against the Laws of Nature Offer a hundred Bulls white as Snow to Neptune let their Blood stream about his Altar crown'd with Flowers let the sweetest Incense smoak in Honour of the God Idomeneus heard this Discourse inclining his Head towards the Earth and answer'd not one Word Fury sat glaring in his Eyes his pale and disfigur'd Face chang'd Colour every Moment and all his Limbs shook with horrour In the mean time his Son said to him My Father here Lam your Son is ready to Die to appease the God I die contented since my Death will have prevented yours Strike O my Father and suspect not to find in me the least fear of Death or any thing unbecoming your Son In that Moment Idomeneus transported with Distraction and possess'd by infernal Furies surpris'd all that stood about him with Astonishment He thrust his Sword into the Heart of this Youth and drew it out again reeking and full of Blood to plunge it into his own Bowels But he was once more prevented by those that were present The Youth fell down into his own Blood the shades of Death hung upon his Eyes he open'd them a little to the Light but could not support its Brightness As a beautiful Lilly in the midst of the Field out up from the Root by the Plowshare lies down and languishes on the Ground It receives no more Nourishment from the Earth and the Springs of Life are intercepted yet the snowy White and noble Lustre in part remains So the Son of Idomeneus like a young and tender Flower is cut down in the bloom of his Age. The Father through excess of Grief is become insensible he knows not where he is nor what he does nor what he ought to do he reels to wards the City and demands his Son FINIS The other Parts will be Publish'd in a short time THE ADVENTURES OF TELEMACHUS The Son of ULYSSES PART II III IV V. LONDON Printed for A. and J. Chruchill at the Black-Swan in Pater-Noster-Row MDCC THE ADVENTURES OF TELEMACHUS The Son of ULYSSES PART II. IN the mean time the People being touch'd with Pity for the Son and full of Horror at the barbarous Action of the Father cry out That the just Gods have abandon'd him to the Furies Their Rage furnishes 'em with Arms They lay hold of what Weapons come next to hand Discord breaths a secret Venom into their Breasts The Cretans the wise Cretans forget their belov'd Wisdom They will no longer acknowledge the Son of sage Minos Idomeneus ' s Friends know not how to consult his Saftey but by conducting him back to his Ship They embark with him and commit their Flight to the Waves Idomeneus being come to himself returns them Thanks for carrying him away from a Land he 〈◊〉 besprinkled with his Son's 〈◊〉 and which he could no longer inhabit the Winds waft 'em over to Hesperia where they lay the Foundation of a new Kingdom in the Country of the Salentines But now the Cretans being destitute of a King to govern 'em they resolve to chuse such an one as will keep up the Purity of the establish'd Laws And these are the Measures they take for that purpose All the chief Men of a hundred Cities are now to meet at one Place they begin with offering Sacrifices they assemble all the most renown'd Sages of the Neighbouring Countries to examine the Wisdom of those who shall be thought worthy of Command they order publick Games where all the Competitors are to fight for the Crown is the Prize which they propose to him who shall excel both as to strength of Body and endowment of Mind They will have a King whose Body must be strong and active and his Soul adorn'd with Wisdom and Virtue They invite all Strangers to this grand Assembly Nausicrates having recounted to us this wonderous Story cries out Haste therefore you Strangers to our Assembly you shall contend with the Rest and if the Gods decree the Victory for either of you he shall Reign in this Country We followed him not out of any desire of being victorious but only out of a Curiosity to see an Election so extraordinary We arrived at a Place resembling a very large Circus surrounded with a thick Wood. The middle of this Circus was an Arena or Pit prepared for the Combatants it was surrounded by a large Amphitheater of green Turf whereon sat in order an innumerable multitude of Spectators As soon as we came there we were
I understood that this Father had a reasonable Love for one of his Sons who is good and virtuous and that he did not countenance the other in his vicious Excesses My Curiosity still encreasing I enquired into the Life and Conversation of this old Man One of your Citizens answer'd me He bore Arms a long time his Body is cover'd with Wounds and Scars but his plain and sincere Virtue entirely averse to Flattery render'd him troublesome to Idomeneus which is the Reason that King did not employ him in the Trojan War He fear'd a Man who would give those wise Counsels which he was not inclin'd to follow he was even jealous of the Honour and 〈◊〉 which he would infallibly have acquir'd in a little time he forgot all his past Services and lest him here Poor and expos'd to the Contempt of those base Men who value nothing but Riches but contented in his Poverty he lives a pleasant Life in a remote Place of this Island where he Tills and Manures his Grounds with his own Hands One of his Sons helps him in his Work and they are both happy in their mutual Love By their Frugality and Labour they have sufficient of all Necessaries for a plain way of Living That wise old Man distributes to the Sick and Poor of his Neighbourhood all that he can spare from his own Wants and his Son 's He sets all young People to work and incourages admonishes and instructs them he decides all Controversies amongst his Neighbours and is as it were the Father of all Families His own Misfortune is that he has a second Son who would never follow his Advice in any Thing The Father having born with him a long time with hopes to reclaim him from his Vices has at last turn'd him out of his House since which he has abandon'd himself to fond Ambition and all extravagant Pleasures This Oh! Cretans is what I have been inform'd you can tell whether that Relation be true But if that Man be such as he is describ'd to be what need you celebrate any Games Why do you assemble so many unknown Persons You have amongst you a Man who knows you and whom you know one who understands the War who has shewn his Courage not only against Darts and Arrows but against dreadful Poverty and has despis'd Riches acquir'd by Flattery one who loves Work who knows how useful Agriculture is to a Nation who abhors Pomp and Luxury who suffers not himself to be unmann'd by a blind Fondness for his Children and loves the Virtue of the one and condemns the Vices of the other in a word a Man who is already the Father of the People This must be your King if so be you desire to see the Laws of wise Minos flourish amongst you All the People cry'd out 'T is true Aristomedes is such as you describe him 't is he that deserves the Crown The old Men order'd he should be called he was found amongst the Crowd undistinguish'd from the meaner Sort and having appear'd before 'em clam and unconcern'd they declar'd to him that they made him King He answer'd I cannot consent to it but upon these three Conditions First That I shall lay down my Dignity in two Years time in case I cannot make you better than you are at present and that you remain refractory to the Laws Secondly That I shall be free to continue my plain and frugal way of Living And Thirdly That my Children shall have no Promotions and that after my death they shall be treated without any other distinction than according to their Merit like the rest of the Citizens At these words the Air was fill'd with joyful Acclamations the Chief of those old Men who were the Guardians of the Laws put the Crown on Aristomedes's Head and afterwards they offer'd Sacrifices to Jupiter and the other great Gods Aristomedes gave us Presents not with that Magnificence which is usual to Kings but with a noble Simplicity He gave to Hasael the Laws of Minos written with Minos's own Hand he likewise gave him a Collection of all the History of the Isle of Crete from Saturn and the Golden Age down to that Time He sent Aboard his Ship all kinds of the choicest Fruits that grow in Crete but are unknown in Syria and offer'd him all the Assistance he had occasion for Now because we press'd our Departure he order'd a Ship to be fitted up and mann'd with a great number of strong Rowers and arm'd Men he gave us withal changes of Cloaths and all manner of Provisions At that very instant there arose a fair Wind for Ithaca this Wind being contrary to Hasael oblig'd him to stay behind he saw us go away and embrac'd us as dear Friends whom he fear'd he should see no more However said he the Gods are just they see a Friendship founded on Virtue alone they will one day bring us together again and those happy Elysian Fields where the Good and Just are said to enjoy an eternal Peace after death shall see our Souls meet never to be parted any more Oh! that my Ashes might be gather'd into the same Urn with yours As he spoke these last Words he shed a Flood of Tears and his Voice was check'd by his deep Sighs We wept no less than he and in this solemn Woe he conducted us to our Ship As for Aristomedes he told us 'T is you made me King remember what Dangers you have expos'd me to and therefore require the Gods that they would inspire me with true Wisdom and make me as much superior to other Men in Moderation as I am above them in Authority For my part I beseech them to conduct you safe into your Country to confound the Insolence of your Foes and bless you with the sight of Ulysses reigning in Peace with his dear Penelope Telemachus I give you a good Ship full of able Mariners and Soldiers who may serve you against those unjust Men that persecute your Mother Oh! Mentor whose boundless Wisdom leaves me no room even to wish you an addition of any Thing Go both in Peace and make each other happy remember Aristomedes and if ever the Ithacians have occasion for the Cretans depend upon me as long as I have Breath He embrac'd us and we could not forbear mingling our Tears with our Thanks In the mean time the Wind which fill'd our spreading Sails seem'd to promise a safe Voyage And now Mount Ida began to decrease in our sight and look'd like a little Hill the Cretan Shore disappear'd and the Coast of Peloponesus seem'd to advance into the Sea to meet us half way But on the sudden a black Storm over-cast the Sky and provok'd the boisterousness of the Waves the Day was turn'd into Night and ghastly Death hover'd over us Oh Neptune 't is you who with your proud Trident stirr'd up the Rage of the watry Deep Venus to be reveng'd upon us for despising her even in her Temple of
could not dissemble so well but that I did discover how much he was vex'd to hear that Philocles was safe in the Isle of Samos Mentor interrupted Idomeneus once more and ask'd him Whether after so black a Treachery he had continu'd Protesilaus in the Administration of his Affairs I was answer'd Idomeneus too great an Enemy to Business and too much distracted by Pleasures as to be able to get out of his Hands I must have broke the Method I had establish'd for my own Ease and given Instructions to a new Minister this I had not the Resolution to undertake and so I chose to wink at the Artifices of Protesilaus only I comforted my self with letting some of my intimate Friends understand that I was not unacquainted with his Dishonesty Thus I thought I was cheated but by halves as long as I knew I was cheated Nay I now and then made Protesilaus sensible of my being uneasie under his Yoke I was often pleas'd in contradicting him in blaming publickly some of his Actions and in deciding Matters against his Opinion but being acquainted with my Supinity and Sloth he was little troubled at my Disgusts and pursued his Point with Obstinacy Sometimes he us'd pressing imperious Ways and sometimes supple and fawning Insinuations But chiefly when he perceiv'd I was angry with him he redoubled his Endeavours to furnish me with new Amusements which he thought might soften me or engage me in some Affair wherein he might be necessary and make his Zeal for my Reputation appear And tho' I stood upon my Guard against him yet this way of flattering my Passions did daily insnare me He knew all my Secrets he comforted me in my Troubles He made the whole Nation tremble by the Power he usurp'd from me In fine I could not think of ruining him but rather of maintaining him in his Post I put all honest Men out of capacity of shewing me my true Interest and after that very moment no Man durst freely give me his Advice All Truth was fled far from me but Error which is the fore-runner of the fall of Princes star'd me in the Face and I plainly saw how much I was to blame to sacrifice Philocles to the cruel Ambition of Protesilaus Those very Men who were most zealous for the Government and my Person did not think themselves oblig'd to undeceive me After so dreadful an Example I my self dear Mentor was afraid lest Truth should pierce through the Cloud and reach my sight in spite of all my Flatterers for wanting Resolution to follow it its Light became troublesome to me and I was sensible that it would have raised cruel Remorses within me without freeing me from so fatal an Engagement My Easiness and the Ascendent which Protesilaus had gain'd over me made me almost despair of ever recovering my Liberty I was unwilling either to behold my wretched State or to discover it to others for you know dear Mentor that the vain Pride and false Glory wherein Princes are brought up will not suffer 'em ever to be in the wrong To palliate a Fault they make a hundred rather than own they have been deceiv'd and give themselves the trouble of forsaking their Error they 'll suffer themselves to be deceiv'd all their Lives long This is the State of weak and inadvertent Princes and it was exactly my own When it was absolutely necessary that I should go to the Siege of Troy at my departure I left Protesilaus my chief Minister of State who in my absence rul'd with Haughtiness and Inhumanity The whole Kingdom of Crete groan'd under his Tyranny but no body durst tell me how the People were oppress'd They knew that I was afraid to know the Truth and that I left all those to the Cruelty of Protesilaus who durst attempt to speak against him But the more it was conceal'd the more violent was the Evil. He constrain'd me to throw off the valiant Merione who had follow'd me with so much Honour to the Siege of Troy At my return he grew jealous of him and of all those whom I lov'd and in whom appeard'd any sign of Virtue You must know my dear Mentor that thence all my Misfortunes had their rise 'T was not so much the death of my Son that caus'd the Cretans to revolt as the Vengeance of the Gods irritated against my Weakness and the Hatred of the People which Protesilaus had drawn upon me When I spilt the Blood of my Son the Cretans now weary of a rigorous Government had lost all Patience and the horror of this Action did only openly shew what had long lain hidden in the bottom of their Hearts Timocrates follow'd me to the Siege of Troy and by private Letters gave Protesilaus an account of all that he could pry into I plainly perceiv'd that I was in slavery but I endeavour'd not to think of it despairing to remedy it When the Cretans revolted at my Arrival Protesilaus and Timocrates were the first who fled and had doubtless left me had I not been oblig'd to fly almost as soon as they Know my dear Mentor that insolent Men in the time of Prosperity are ever weak and in disgrace they grow giddy and faint-hearted as soon as ever absolute Power forsakes 'em they are then as abject as they are haughty and in one moment they pass from one extreme to another Said Mentor to Idomeneus But how comes it then that knowing these two wicked Men to the very bottom you should still entertain 'em near you as I see you do I dont wonder that they follow'd you since they cou'd do no otherwise for their own safety and I believe that you have been so generous as to give 'em a Refuge in your new Settlement but why will you again betray your self to 'em after such dear experience of 'em You don't know said Idomeneus how useless all Experiences are to easy and inadvertent Princes who live without Reflection they are discontented with every Thing and yet have not the Courage to redress any Thing The Habit of so many Years continuance is as so many Iron-Fetters that chain'd me to these tow Men they beset me every Hour and since I have been here they have put me upon all these excessive Expences that you see They have lost this growing State they drew this War upon me which had inevitably ruin'd me without you I shou'd soon have found the same Misfortunes at Salenta that I felt in Crete but you have at last open'd my Eyes and you have inspir'd me with the Courage which I wanted to throw off this Slavery I dont know what you have wrought within me but since you have been here I find my self quite another Man Mentor then ask'd Idomeneus how Protesilaus had behav'd himself in this change of Affairs No Man with more artifice reply'd Idomeneus since your arrival here He has not omitted the least occasion to fill any Soul with unjust Suspicions 'T is true he said nothing
against you but several others buzz'd in my Ears that these two Strangers ought to be narrowly inspected One of 'em said he is the Son of the grand Deceiver Ulysses and t'other is a decrepid Man and of deep Thought they are us'd to wander about from Kingdom to Kingdom and who knows but they have hatch'd some Design against this These great Adventurers relate themselves that they have caus'd great Troubles in all the Countries they have past thro' and ours is but a growing State and scarce yet settled so that the least Commotion may overturn it Protesilaus said nothing but he endeavour'd to make me perceive the Danger and Extravagance of all these Reformations that you make me attempt He attack'd me with my own proper Interest If said he you let the People live in plenty the 'l work no more but will grow Fierce Indocile and ever ready to Revolt 't is only Weakness and Misery that makes 'em humble and that hinders 'em from disturbing the Government He has often endeavour'd to resume his former Authority to hurry me away covering it with your desire of easing the pretence of his Zeal to serve me The People said he derogate from the Regal Power and by that you will do the People themsemlves an irreparable Injury For there is a necessity that they should always be kept low for their own quiet and safety To all which I answer'd That I knew how to keep the People in their Duty to me by making my self belov'd by 'em and not remit any thing of my Prerogative tho' I did ease 'em In short by giving the Children good Education and an exact Discipline to all the People to keep 'em in a plain course of life sober and laborious How said I are not the People to be kept in subjection without starving'em to death What Inhumanity is this what brutish Policy How many People do we see govern'd with a gentle hand and yet Loyal to their Princes That which causes Revolts is the Ambition and Restlessness of the Grandees of a State when once they have got too great a Liberty suffering their Passions to pass all due Bounds 'T is the multitude of great and little who live at Ease in Luxury and in Laziness T is the too great abundance of Military Men who have neglected all useful Employments which they should take upon 'em in the time of Peace In short 't is the Despair of a People ill-treated 't is the Severity the Haughtiness of Princes and their Indulgence of themselves that makes 'em uncapable of watching over every Member of the State to prevent any Truoble See here now what causes Revolts 'T is not the Bread which the Labourer is suffer'd to eat in Peace after he has got it by the Sweat of his Brow When Protesilaus saw that I was unshaken in these Maxims he took a quite contrary course to his former practices and began to observe those Maxims he could not destroy He seem'd to Relish 'em to be convinc'd by 'em and to own himself oblig'd to me for making 'em so obvious to him and obviates all my Wishes to ease the Poor He is the first that represents their Grievances to me and that cries out against extravagant Expences you know your self he praises you that he seems to have great confidence in you and that he omits nothing that may please you Timocrates indeed begins not to stand so well with Protesilaus and thinks to be independent on any body but himself Protesilaus is jealous of him and it is partly thro' their difference that I have discover'd their perfidy Mentor smiling replied thus to Idomeneus What then if you have been so weak as even to suffer your self to be tyrannized over for so many Years by two Traytors whose Treasons you were acquainted with Alas cry'd Idomeneus you do not know what Men of Artifice can work on a weak Prince who has deliver'd himself up to them in the management of all his Affairs I told you besides that nevertheless Protesilaus approves all the Projects for the Publick good Mentor resum'd the Discourse with a great deal of gravity and said I see but too well how much the Wicked prevail against the Good especially among Princes of which you are a sad Example But you tell me I have open'd your Eyes as to Protesilaus and yet they are so far shut as to leave the management of the Government to this Man who is unworthy to live Know that wicked Men are not uncapable of doing good 't is equally the same thing to them as to do ill when they can serve their Ambition It costs 'em nothing to do ill because no thought of Goodness nor any Principle of Virtue does restrain 'em but just so they do well because the Corruption of their Nature leads 'em to it that they may seem good so to deceive the rest of Mankind To speak properly they are not capable of Virtue tho' they seem to act by its Principles but they are capable of adding to all other Vices the most horrible of all Vices which is Hypocrisie As long as you stedfastly resolve to do good Protesilaus will be ready to do good with you to preserve his Authority but if he perceives the least lapse from it in you he will forget nothing that may make you fall again into your Errors and freely to resume his natural Deceit and Ferocity Can you live in Honour and Quiet as long as such a Man haunts you Day and Night and as long as you know the faithful Philocles poor and disgrac'd in the Isle of Samos O Idomeneus you know well enough that the Bold and Deceitful Men when present insnare weak Princes And you ought to add That Princes have yet another Unhappiness no whit inferior which is easily to forget Virtue and the Services of a Man at a distance The Multitude of Men who crowd on Princes is the Reason that there is not one among 'em who can make any deep impression on them they are not touch'd but by what is present and by that which flatters 'em all the rest is soon defac'd Upon the whole Virtue touches 'em but little because Virtue far from flattering 'em contradicts 'em and condemns their weakness in them Can we wonder that they are not beloved when they do not deserve it and love nothing but their Greatness and Pleasures After having thus spoken Mentor perswaded Idomeneus that he shou'd turn out Protesilaus and Timocrates and recall Philocles That which most stuck with the King as to this was That he fear'd the Severity of Philocles I must confess said he I cannot chuse but be a little fearful of his return tho' I love and esteem him but I have ever since my Infancy been accustom'd to be prais'd to Courtship and to Complainsance which I cannot hope to find from this Man Whenever I did any thing that he dislik'd his sorrowful Countenance sufficiently assur'd me that he condemn'd me When he was in
wise and good Men as much as by the Gods whom I had offended I continu'd during this whole Siege of Troy without help without hope or any Thing to ease my Pain Excessively tormented in a desert and savage Island where nothing was to be heard but the noise of Billows breaking upon the Rocks In this Retirement I found a hollow Cave within a Rock which pointed with a double Head towards the Heavens and afforded a clear and pleasant Spring This Cave was the usual retreat of wild Beasts to whose Fury I was expos'd Night and Day My Bed was of Leaves which I had gather'd together All my Utensils were a Wooden-box coursely wrought and some tattered Cloaths with which I bound up my Wound to stop the Blood and which I used likewise to clean it In this Place forsaken of Mankind and delivered over to the Anger of the Gods I spent my solitary Hours in darting the Pigeons and other Birds that flew about the Rock And when I had kill'd any to satisfie my Hunger I was forc'd to crawl along the Ground with extremity of Pain to take up my Prey and with my own Hands to dress it at a Fire I had lighted with a Flint for the Provisions which the Greeks had left me did not last long This solitary Life dreadful as 't was had seem'd pleasant in so much as it remov'd me from the Company of base and deceitful Mankind if I had not been quite overcome with the extremity of my Pain and the continual remembrance of my last sad Adventure How said I to entice a Man from his Native Country as the only Person that was capable to revenge the Qrarrel of Greece and then to leave him in a desert Island asleep for so I was when the Greeks went away And you may judge of my Surprize when I awak'd how I wept when I saw their Fleet plough the Deep Looking about on all hands I found nothing but Sorrow in this horrid and desent Island where there are neither Harbour Commerce nor Hospitality nor any that land but who are driven upon it by Storm You can hope for no Company but by Shipwrack and even such durst not carry me along with them being afraid both of the Anger of the Gods and of the Greeks Thus ten Years did I suffer Pain and Hunger feeding a Wound which devour'd me so that Hope it self was quite extinguish'd in my Breast One day having been in quest of Medicinal Plants for my Wound on a sudden I perceiv'd in my Cave a young Man handsome of a graceful but haughty Meen and heroick Stature Methought I saw Achilles so much did he resemble him in his Features Look and Gate only the difference of Age made me understand it could not be he I obsev'd in his Countenance both Pity and Confusion He was mov'd with Compassion to see with what trouble and slowness I crawl'd along My piercing and doleful Scrieks which made all the Echo's along the Coast to ring melted his very Heart Seeing him at a distance O Stranger said I what Misfortune has brought thee into this Island I know that Grecian Habit still so dear to me O how I long to hear thy Voice and that Language that drops from thy Lips which I learn'd in my Childhood and for so long a time never could talk to any in this Desart Be not afraid at the sight of so miserable a Creature whom thou ought'st rather to pity Neoptolemus had hardly pronounced these words I am a Greek when I cry'd out O sweet Word after so many Years of Silence and Sorrow O my Son what Misfortune What Storm or rather what favourable Wind has brought thee hither to put an end to my Misery He answer'd I am of the Island of Sciros whither I am returning they say I am the Son of Achilles thou know'st whether it be so or not So short an Account did not satisfie my Curiosity O Son said I of a Father whom I so much lov'd the dear Charge of Lycomedes How camest thou hither and from whence He answer'd me That he came from the Siege of Troy Thou were not said I in the first Expedition Then said he where wert thou I answer'd him I see thou art ignorant both of the Name and Misfortunes of Philoctetes Alass how unhappy am I my Persecutors insult over me in my Affliction It encreases my Sorrow to think that Greece is ignorant of that which I suffer The Atrides have brought me into this Condition and may the Gods repay them Afterwards I gave him an Account how the Greeks had left me As soon as he had heard the Relation of my Misfortunes he thus began his own After the death of Achilles said be immediatly I stopt him What! Achilles dead Pardon me my Son if I interrupt your Relation with the Tears I owe your Father Neoptolemus answers In so doing you oblige me How I am pleas'd to see Philoctetes bewail my Father and thus he proceeded After the death of Achilles Ulysses and Phenix sought me out assuring me that without me they could not overthrow the City of Troy 'T was no hard task to persuade me to follow them in this famous War in which my Grief for the death of Achilles and a desire to inherit his Glory did naturally engage me I no sooner arriv'd at the Camp than the Army gather'd round about me every one could have swore that he had seen Achilles but alass he was no more Young and without Experience I could promise my self any thing from those who had bestow'd on me such large Commendations Immediately I demanded of the Atrides my Father's Armour to which they made me this barbarous Reply Thou shalt have all that belong'd to thy Father except his Armour which are destin'd for Ulysses At this I fell into a most extravagant Passion my Grief and Anger knew no Bounds but Ulysses calmly told me Young Man thou hast had no share in the Perils of this long Siege and so cannot deserve such a Reward thou begin'st too soon to talk haughtily rest satisfy'd thou shalt never have the Armour of Achilles Thus rob'd unjustly by Ulysses I return'd to the Isle of Sciros less incens'd against him than the Atrides O Philoctetes I shall say no more but may the Gods always befriend their Enemies Then I ask'd him how it came that Telemonian Ajax did not hinder such a Piece of Injustice He is dead answer'd he Dead said I and Ulysses lives and prospers Then I ask'd him News of Antilochus the Son of sage Nestor and Patrocles the Favorite of Achilles they are dead too said he Then I cry'd out alas What do'st thou tell me Cruel War it seems mows down the Good and lets the Bad stand Ulysses lives and Thersytes likewise no doubt Is this the Justice of the Gods And must we still continue to praise them Whilest I fell out in this Passion against your Father Neoptolemus continu'd to deceive me and added these
melancholy Words I am going says he to live contented in the desert Island of Seiros far from the Grecian Army where Evil prevails above Good Adieu I must be gone may the Gods restore you your Health Then said I O my Son I conjure you by the Ghost of your Father by your Mother and by all you hold dearest in this World not to leave me alone in this miserable Condition I am not ignorant how troublesome I shall be but it will be a shameful thing to forsake me Tie me to the Prow or the Stern of your Ship throw me into the Pump or where I shall incommode you the least None but great Souls know the Pleasure of being good don't leave me in a Desart where there is not the Foot-step of a Man carry me either to your own Country or to Lybia which is not far from Mount Oeta and Trachynium and the agreeable Banks of Sperchius Bring me to my Father Alas I fear he 's dead I desir'd him to send me a Ship either he 's dead or those that carry'd the Message have not deliver'd it O my Son thou art my only Relief remember the Instability of humane Affairs The Happy ought to succour the Unfortunate and be afraid to abuse the Prosperity they enjoy This was the Substance of what the excess of my Grief made me say to Neoptolemus which made him promise to carry me along with him Then I cry'd out O happy Day O dear Neoptolemus worthy of the Glory of such a Father Dear companions of my happy Voyage allow me to bid adieu to this melancholy Abode See where I have liv'd and imagine what I have suffer'd I am sure it is what none else could have endur'd But necessity instructed me Necessity that teaches Mankind what they would never learn without her Those that have never suffer'd know nothing They are ignorant both of Good and Evil they are Strangers to Mankind and Strangers to themselves When I had thus spoke I took my Bow and Arrows which Neoptolemus dcsir'd to kiss being the famous and sacred Arms of the invincible Hercules I can deny thee nothing said I 't is thou my Son that restorest to me my Life my Country my decrepit Father my Friends and my Self Freely touch these Arms and boast That thou art the only Greek that ever had that Honour Whilest Neoptolemus enter'd my Grotto to look on my Arms I was seiz'd with a cruel Pain I was quite distracted and did not know what I did I ask'd a Knife to cut off my Foot I cry'd out O Death so much long'd for Why dost not thou come O dear Youth burn me to Ashes as I did the Son of Jupiter O Earth open and receive a dying Wretch that cannot any more raise himself from thee 〈◊〉 on a sudden as I us'd to do I fell into a deep Swoon I was relieved by the Sweat that begun to break out upon me whilest black and corrupted Gore issu'd from my Wound During my Sleep it had been easie for Neoptolemus to have carry'd off my Arms but he was the Son of Achilles and not born to cheat When I awak'd I perceiv'd the Confusion he was in he sigh'd like one that was not us'd to dissemble or act against his Conscience Wilt thou then surprize me said I. What is the matter said he thou must follow me to the Siege of Troy Then answer'd I what do'st thou say my Son I am betray'd Restore me my Bow don't rob me of that which is dearer to me than my very Life He made me no return but look'd on me calmly and unconcern'd O ye Banks and Promontories of this desert Island O ye wild Beasts and steep Rocks to you only I can complain to you who are accustom'd to my Groans Must I be betray'd by the Son of Achilles Who robs me of the sacred Bow of Hercules and would drag me along with him to the Grecian Camp and does not see that this is only to triumph over a dead Corps a Ghost a Fantom Would he had attack'd me in my Vigour as now he does basely and by surprize O Son shew thy self like thy Father like thy Self What say'st thou Nothing O dearest Rock to thee I return naked miserable forsaken famish'd in this Cave I must pine away wanting my Bow to kill the wild Beasts for my Food or to defend me from their Fury What then But thou my Son who dost not appear to be so wicked tell me what pushes thee on to so black a Villany Restore me my Arms and get the gone Then Neoptolemus with Tears in his Eyes was muttering to himself Would to God I had not departed from Sciros In the mean time I cry'd out in a surprize What is it I see Is not this Ulysses I knew his Voice He answer'd It is I. If the dark Regions of Pluto had open'd and I had seen the black Tartarus which the Gods themselves are afraid to behold I could not have been seiz'd with a greater Horror I cry'd out Witness thou Island of Lemnos O Sun do'st thou look on and suffer this Ulysses calmly answer'd I execute the Will of Jupiter Do'st thou said I name Jupiter Seest thou there that Youth who was not born to deceive and to whom 't is painful to execute thy perfideous Designs 'T is neither to cheat nor hurt thee said Ulysses that we come hither 't is to deliver thee to heal thy Wounds to give thee the Honour of destroying the City of Troy and to bring thee back to thy own Country 't is thy Self and not I that art the Enemy of Philoctetes Then did I breath out against your Father all that my Passion could inspire me with Since thou left'st me forsaken upon this Shoar said I why wilt thou not suffer me to live here in Peace Go seek Renown in Battle and enjoy the Pleasures of Life thy good Fortune in the company of thy Companions the Atrides Don't envy me my Misery and Pain why would you carry me off I am nothing I am already dead Hast thou not as much reason to believe now as well as formerly that my Shrieks and the Infection of my Wound will disturb the Sacrifices O Ulysses Author of all my Miseries May the Gods But the Gods are deaf nay they stir up my Enemy against me O my Country which I shall never see again O ye Gods if there be any just enough to pity me Punish Ulysses Then I shall believe my self Cured of all my Maladies While I thus spoke your Father calmly look'd on me with an Air of Compassion far from being provok'd he seem'd like a Rock upon the top of a Mountain which sports it self with the Fury of the Winds and lets them spend their rage while it continues immoveable So your Father kept silence till my Rage shou'd be exhausted for he well knew that to reduce Men to Reason we must not attack their Passions but stay till they are weaken'd through weariness O Philoctetes
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
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
and Happiness of Mankind thou seest the small number of Kings who have been truly worthy of Royalty and have faithfully perform'd the Function of Godsupon Earth These others whom thou seest not far from 'em but separated by the little Cloud have a Glory too but nothing near so great These indeed are Hero's but the Recompence of their Valour and Military Expeditions is not to be compar'd with that of Wise Just and Beneficent Kings Among those Hero's thou seest Theseus whose Countenance is somewhat dejected he has felt the Unhappiness of having too much Credulity for an Intreaguing Wife and is still afflicted for having so unjustly desir'd of Neptune the Death of his Son Hippolitus Happy had he been if he had not so easily and readily given way to the Passion of Anger Thou also seest Achilles leaning on his Spear because of the Wound the dissolute Paris gave him on the Heel which put an end to his Days If he had been as Wise Just and Moderate as he was Intrepid the Gods would have granted him a long Reign but they had pity on the Phitiotes and Dolopes over whom according to the ordinary Course of Nature he was to have reign'd after his Father Peleus and they were not willing to leave so many People at the mercy of a violent and furious Man more easie to be provok'd than the most unquiet Sea is to be mov'd by a sudden Storm The fatal Sisters have cut off the Thread of his Life he was like a Flower scarce fully Blown that is cut down by the rude Plow-man and falls before the end of the Day that gave it Birth The Gods were willing to use him only as they do Floods and Tempests to punish Men for their Crimes They employ'd Achilles to beat down the Walls of Troy to revenge the Perjury of Laomedon and the unjust Amours of Paris And after having us'd him as the Instrument of their Vengeance they are appeas'd and have refus'd the Tears of Thesis to suffer this young Hero any longer upon Earth who was fit for nothing but to disturb the World and to overthrow Cities and Kingdoms But dost thou observe that other Person who looks so fiercely 't is Ajax the Son of Telamon and Cousin to Achilles to be sure thou art not ignorant what Glory he acquir'd in Battel after the Death of Achilles he pretended his Armour ought not to be given to any but himself but thy Father did not think fit to give him the precedency and the Greeks gave Judgment in favour of Ulysses Ajax upon this kill'd himself in Despair Indignation and Despair are still painted on his Countenance My Son forbear to approach him for he would think thou hadst a mind to insult over him on the account of his Misfortune which ought to be bewail'd Dost thou not see that he looks upon us with Pain and rushes hastily into the dark Grove because he hates to see us On the other side thou seest Hector who had been Invincible if the Son of Thetis had not been in the World But take notice how Agamemnon passes along still carrying the Marks of Clytemnestra's Perfidiousness O my Son I tremble to think of the Misfortunes of that Family of the Impious Tantalus the Contention of the two Brothers Atreus and Thyestes fill'd that House with Horror and Blood Alas how one Crime draws a multitude of others after it Agamemnon when he return'd at the head of the Greeks from the Siege of Troy had not time to enjoy in Peace the Glory he had acquir'd in War and this is the Destiny of almost all Conquerors All those Men whom thou seest there have been formidable in War but have not been of an Amiable and Virtuous Disposition and therefore are only admitted into the second Mansion of the Elysian Fields As for these others who have reign'd with Justice and had a tender Affection for their People they are the intimate Friends of the Gods While Achilles and Agamemnon full of their Quarrels and Battels still retain their Disquietments and natural Defects while they in vain regret the Life which they have lost and asflict themselves with the Thoughts of being now Impotent and Vain Shadows these Just Men who are refin'd by that Divine Light which nourishes 'em having nothing more to desire to make 'em happy Behold with compassion the uneasinesses of poor Mortals and the greatest Affairs that agitate the Minds of Ambitious Men appear to them like the trifling Play of Children their Hearts are replenish'd with Truth and Virtue which they draw at the Fountain Head They have now nothing more to suffer either from others or from themselves no more Wishes no more Necessities no more Fears all is at an end with them except their Joy which can never end Consider my Son this Ancient King Inachus who sounded the Kingdom of Argos thou seest how full of Sweetness and Majesty his Old Age appears the Flowers grow under his Steps he treads so lightly that his walking resembles the flying of a Bird he holds a Golden Book in his Hand and in an Eternal Transport sings the wonderful Works of the Gods from his Heart and Mouth he Breaths exquisite Odors the Harmony of his Lyre and Voice together is capable of Ravishing the Gods as well as Men. He is thus rewarded for the Love he bore to the People heaffembled within the compass of his New Walls to whom he gave excellent Laws On the other side thou may'st see amongst those Myrtles Cecrops the Egyptian who was the first King of Athens a City Consecrated to that wise Goddess whose Name it bears This Cecrops brought wholesome Laws from Egypt a Country which has been to Greece a Spring both of Learning and Morality by this means he polish'd the rough Tempers of the Towns of Attica and united them by the Bands of Civil Society He was eminent for Justice Humanity and Compassion he left his People in great Prosperity and his Family but in a middle state he was not willing to have his Children succeed him in his Authority because he judg'd there were others more worthy of that Trust. I must likewise needs shew thee Ericthon in this little Valley who invented the Use of Silver for Money this he did with a Design to facilitate Commerce among the Cities of Greece but he foresaw the Inconvenience attending this Invention Apply your selves said he to all those People to multiply natural and true Riches in your Dwellings Cultivate the Earth that you may have great plenty of Corn Wine Oly and other Fruits Get innumerable Flocks that may nourish you with their Milk and Cloath you with their Wool Hereby you will put your selves in a Condition never to be afraid of Poverty The more Children you have the richer you 'l be provided you inure 'em to Labour and Industry for the Earth is inexhaustible and augments her Fecundity in proportion to the Number of her Inhabitants who take care to manure her She
bitter Grass never grows upon the Bank of it nor is any Shade to be found on the sides of it but that of mournful Cypress Trees But to return Adrastus perceiving that Telemachus spread Terror on every side sought after him with the utmost diligence hoping easily to Conquer the Son of Ulysses in an Age as yet so tender He was attended with Thirty Daunians of extraordinary Strength Dexterity and Boldness to whom he promis'd very great Rewards if thy could any way in the World kill Telemachus in Battle And if they had met him just at this time of the Fight without doubt these Thirty Men by surroundings his Chariot while Adrastus would have attack'd him in the Front would have found no great difficulty in dispatching him But Minerva turn'd 'em out of their way Adrastus thought he saw and heard Telemachus in a low part of the Plain at the foot of a Hill where a great number of Soldiers were closely engag'd Hither he runs or rather flies with an eager Desire to satiate himself with Blood but instead of Telemachus he finds the Aged Nestor who with his trembling Hand was throwing Darts at a venture tho' he did little or no Execution Adrastus in his fury would have run him through had not a Troop of Pylians thrown themselves round about Nestor A Cloud of Darts then soon obscur'd the Air and cover'd all the Combatants nothing was to be heard but the Woful Cries of dying Men and the clashing of the Arms of those that fell in among the Crowd the Earth groan'd under Heaps of dead Bodies Torrents of Blood ran on all sides Bellona and Mars together with the Infernal Furies cloath'd with Robes all over running down with Blood glutted their hollow Eyes with this Spectacle and incessantly renew'd a Marshal Rage in the Hearts of the Combatants these Deities who are the Enemies of Men chased far away from both Parties generous Pity moderated Valour and sweet Humanity There was nothing among these confus'd Heaps of Men enrag'd one against another but Slaughter Revenge Despair and brutish Fury The Wife and Invincible Pallas her self trembled at the sight and started back with horror In the mean time Philoctetus march'd on by degrees with the Arrows of Hercules in his Hands endeavouring to come to the Relief of Nestor Adrastus not able to reach the Divine Old Man had pierc'd several Pylians with his Darts and made 'em lick the Dust. He overthrew Eusilas who was so swift a Runner that he scarce left the print of his Steps upon the Sand and in his own Countrey outstript the most rapid Streams of the Eurotas and the Alpheus At his Feet fell Entiphon who was more Beautiful than Hylas and as violent a Hunter as Hyppolitus Pterelas who had followed Nestor to the Siege of Troy and whom Achilles himself lov'd for his Courage and Strength Aristogiton who by bathing in the Waters of the River Achelous had friendly receiv'd of this God the power of assuming all sorts of Forms in short he was so supple and nimble in all his Motions that he escap'd the Hands of the strongest Warriors but Adrastus with one thrust of his Spear depriv'd him of all Motion and soon let out his Blood and Soul together Nestor seeing his most Valiant Captains fall by the Hand of Adrastus as the gilded Ears of Corn in time of Harvest fall under the keen Sickle of the Indefatigable Reaper forgot his own Danger and needlesly expos'd himself He threw away his Old Age and thought of nothing but how to follow his Son Pisistratus in keeping his Eyes intent on him who on his side was very warmly engag'd to keep off Danger from his Father But the fatal Moment was come in which Pisistratus was to make Nestor feel how unfortunate a Man may be in living too long Pisistratus push'd his Spear with such violence against Adrastus that this Daunian Prince must needs have fallen but that he avoided the Stroke and while Pisistratus who was somewhat discompos'd by the false Thrust he had 〈◊〉 was recovering his Spear 〈◊〉 pierc'd him with a Javesin in the middle of his Folly His Bowels immediately began to come out with a Torrent of Blood His lively Colour vanish'd like that of a Flower after the Hand of some Nymph has gather'd it in the Meadow his Eyes were already almost extinguish'd and his Speech falter'd when Alisius his Governour who 〈◊〉 near him supported him just as he was falling and had only time to 〈◊〉 him to his Father and throw him into his Arms then he would fain have spoken and have given him the last marks of his tender Affection but as he open'd his Mouth to speak he expir'd While 〈◊〉 spread Slaughter and Horror round him in 〈◊〉 the Efforts of Adrastus Nestor held the Body of his Son closely grasp'd in his Arms and fill'd the Air with lamentable Cries not being able to 〈◊〉 the Light any longer All unfortunate 〈◊〉 that I am said he that I have been a Father and lived so long Alas ye cruel Destinies why did you not end my Life either 〈◊〉 Hunting the 〈◊〉 Boar or in my 〈◊〉 Voyage or at the first Siege of 〈◊〉 Then I should have died with Glory and without bitterness and Sorrow Now I carry with me a 〈◊〉 despiss'd and impotent Old Age I now live only to suffer 〈◊〉 and have no other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 me but that of Sorrow O my Son my Son O my dear Son 〈◊〉 When I lost they Brother 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wast my 〈◊〉 but now I have thee no more now I have nothing left nothing can yield me any Consolation more All is at an End with me Hope the only mitigation of Human 〈◊〉 is an Advantage in which I have no Interest O 〈◊〉 O 〈◊〉 my dear Children this seems to me the 〈◊〉 Day wherein I lose you both The Death of one opens again the Wound which that of the other had made in the bottom of my Heart I shall never see either of you again Who now shall close my Eyes Who shall gather up my Ashes O Pisistratus thou didst die as well as thy Brother a Valiant Man 't is only I that cannot tell how to die In uttering these Words he would have pierc'd himself with a Dart which he held in his Hand if he had not been prevented by those that were about him after which they took from him the Body of his Son and this unfortunate Old Man falling into a Swoon they carried him into his Tent when after he had a little recover'd his Spirits he would have return'd into the Battel which they would by no means suffer him to do In the mean time Adrastus and Philoctetus were searching for each other Their Eyes sparkled like those of a Lion and a Leopard that are seeking to devour one another in those Fields which Cocyties waters Menaces warlike Rage and cruel Revenge glitter in their furious Eyes they bring certain Death wherever they throw their Darts
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
this unfortunate old Man the Light was odious to him his Soul desir'd nothing but to Die and plunge himself into the eternal Night of Pluto's Empire In vain did all his Friends speak to him his sinking Heart was disgusted with all Friendship as a sick Man disrelishes the most dainty Meats To all that could be said to him to make the deepest Impression on his Mind he return'd nothing but deep Sighs and Groans From time to time he was heard to say O Pisistratus Pisistratus Pisistratus my Son thou call'st me away I 'll follow thee thou wilt render Death sweet to me O my Son all the Happiness I now desire is to see thee again on the Banks of Styx He past whole Hours without uttering one Word but was still Groaning and lifting up his Hands and Eyes all drown'd in Tears to Heaven In the mean time the Princes being assembled were expecting Telemachus who was by the Body of Pisistratus he strew'd handfulls of 〈◊〉 upon the Corps to which he added exquisite Perfumes and pour'd forth bitter Tears O my dear Companion said he I shall never forget how I saw thee at Pilos and how I follow'd thee to Sparta how I found thee again on the Coasts of the great Hesperia I owe thee a Thousand and a Thousand kind Offices I Lov'd thee and thou hadst a like Love for me I knew thy Valour it 〈◊〉 that of many famous Greeks But alass 't is extinguish'd with thy Glory 't was thy Valour that has rob'd the World of that improving Vertue of thine which would have equal'd that of the greatest Men. Yes thy Wisdom and thy Eloquence in a riper Age would have resembled the like Endowments in the most celebrated Men of Greece Thou hadst already acquired that sweet Insinuation that could not be resisted when thou spakest those natural and lively ways of relating Matters that prudent Moderation which is a Charm to appease irritated Minds that Authority which proceeds from Prudence and the force of good Counsels When thou spokest every Ear was attentive all were prepossess'd in thy Favour every one was willing to find Reason on thy side Thy Speech that was plain and simple void of Pomp sweetly instill'd it self into Men's Souls like the Dew upon the 〈◊〉 Grass But alass all those Advantages which we were in possession of a few Hours ago are taken away from us for even Pisistratus whom I embrac'd this Morning is now no more We have nothing remaining but the sad remembrance of him 〈◊〉 That thou hadst clos'd the Eyes of Nestor and that we had not all been so unhappy to see thine clos'd he would not then have seen what he is now forc'd to behold he would not then have been the most unhappy Father in the World After these Words Telemachus caus'd the bloody Wound which was in the side of Pisistratus to be wash'd he order'd him to be laid out upon a purple Bed where his Head inclining on his Shoulder with the paleness of Death resembled a young Tree which having cover'd the Earth with its Shadow and stretch'd its flourishing Boughs towards Heaven is wounded by the Edge of the Woodman's Axe it no longer holds by its own Root nor by the Earth that fruitful Mother that nourishes her Branches in her Bosom it languishes its Verdure decays and being no longer able to bear up down it falls its wide and thick Branches that lately were as a Veil to obscure the Light of Heaven now lye extended in the Dust wither'd and dry 't is now no more than a Trunk fell'd to the Ground and spoil'd of all its Beauties Thus Pisistratus being become a Prey to Death was now carried away by those who were appointed to lay him on the fatal Pile The Flame already began to ascend toward Heaven a Troop of Pylians with Eyes dejected and full of Tears and with their Arms revers'd with a slow and mournful Pace attended him The Body was soon Burnt the Ashes put into a Golden Urne and Telemachus who took care to have all this perform'd committed this Urne as a great Treasure to Callimachus who had been Pisistratus his Governour Keep safely says he these Ashes the sad but precious Remains of him you Lov'd Keep 'em for his Father but wait till he recovers Strength enough to ask 'em before you give 'em to him that which irritates Sorrow at one time allays it at another At length Telemachus enter'd the Assembly of the confederate Kings where every one kept Silence in expectation to hear him Discourse when he perceiv'd it he blush'd and they could by no means engage him to Speak The Praises that were given him by publick Acclamations and above all his late Actions augmented his bashful Disposition So that he would have been glad to have hid himself This was the first time that he appear'd embarrass'd and unsteady in fine he desir'd as a Favour that they would desist from speaking in his Praise 'T is not said he that I do not love Praises above all when they are given by such good Judges of Vertue but 't is because I am afraid of Loving 'em too much for they are apt to corrupt Men they fill 'em with themselves and render 'em Vain and Presumptuous We ought both to merit 'em and avoid ' em The justest Praises resemble those that are false and flattering The most wicked of all Mankind the Tyrians are those that have made themselves prais'd the most by servile Flatterers What Pleasure is there in being Prais'd like them Due Praises are such as you will give me in my absence if I am so happy as to deserve ' em If you believe me to be truly Good you ought also to believe that I am willing to be Modest and to be afraid of Vanity Spare me therefore if you value me and do not Praise me as if I were a Man fond of Praises After Telemachus had thus express'd himself he answer'd not a Word more to those that continued to extol him to the very Heavens but by an Air of Indifference he soon put a stop to the Enocomiums that were made on him till they began to fear they should displease him in commending him But their Admiration still increased every one knowing the Tenderness he had manifested to Pisistratus and the care he had taken to render him the last Devoirs the whole Army was more touch'd with the Marks of Tenderness and Generosity of his Heart than with all the Prodigies of Wisdom and Valour that had been shining so Conspicuously in him He is Wise he is Valiant said they in secret one to another he is the Friend of the Gods and the true Hero of our Age he is rais'd a degree above Mankind But this is only matter of Wonder all this does no more than fill us with Astonishment he has Humanity and Goodness he is a Friend he is Tender he is Compassionate he is Beneficent and entirely theirs whom he ought to Love he is the Delight