Triumphs pay My Heart to Grief my Love to Rage gives way Shall I deck Temples and make Altars shine For that false man that lives but lives not mine I never was secure 'T was my long dread You by your Fathers choice a Greek might wed To no Greek Bride t'an unexpected Foe My wounds I t' a Barbarian Harlot owe One who by Spells Herbs does hearts surprize Nor are her slaves the Trophies of her Eyes She from her course the strugling Moon would hold The Sun himself in Magick shades infold She curbs the Waves and stops the rapid Floods And from their seats removes whole Rocks and Woods With her dishevell'd Hair the wandring Hag Does half-burnt Bones from their warm Ashes drag In moulten wax tho' absent kills by Art Arm'd with her Needle goar 's a tortur'd Heart Nay what Desert and Form should only move By Philters she secures her Iasons Love How can you doat on such Infernal Charms And sleep securely in a Syrens Arms You as the Bulls she does to ' her Yoke subdue And as she tam'd the Dragons Conquers you Though your great Deeds and no less Race you boast Linkt to that Fiend your sullied Fame is lost Nay by the censuring World 't is justly thought Your Conquests by her Sorceries were wrought And the Phryxean Ram's Triumphant Oar They say not Iason but Medea bore This Northren Bride your Parents disapprove Consult your Duty in your Nobler Love Let some wild Scythian her loath'd bed possess A Mistress only fit for Savages Iason more false more changeable than wind Have Vows no weight and Oaths no pow'r to bind Mine you departed ah return mine too Let my kind Arms their long lost Scenes renew If high Birth and great Names your Heart can turn Know I 'm the Royal Thoas Daughter born Bacchus my Grandsire is whose Bride divine All lesser Constellations does out shine My Dow'r These and my Fertil Lemnos make All these and me thy Equal Title take Nay I 'me a Mother a kind Father be And soften all the pains I 've born for thee Yes Heaven with Twins has blest our Genial Bed And would you in their Looks their Father read His treacherous smiles they are too young to wear In all things else you 'l find your picture there I 'had sent those Envoys in these Letters stead Both for their own and Mothers wrongs to plead Had not their Stepdames Murders bid e'm stay Too dear a Treasure for that Monsters prey Would her deaf Rage that rent her Brother's Bones Spare my young blood or hear their tenderer Groans Yet in your Arms this dearer Traitress lies Above my truth you this false Poysoner prize This mean Adultrate wretch was basely kind Loves Sacred Lamp our chast embraces ioyn'd Her Father she betray'd mine lives by me I Lemnos Pride she Colchos Infamy And thus her guilt my Piety outvies Whilst with her Crimes her Dow'r your Heart she buyes False man I blame not wonder at the Rage O' th' Lemnian Dames Wrongs do all Arms engage Suppose in vengeance to your Guilt just Heav'n Had on my Shore the perjur'd Iason driven Whilst I with my young Twins to meet you came And made you call on Rocks to hide your shame How could you look upon my Sons and Me Traytor what Pains what Death too bad for Thee Perhaps indeed I Iason had not hurt But 't is my mercy more than his Desert The Harlots blood had sprinkled all the Place Dash't in your faithless and once charming Face I to Medea should Medea prove And if Iove hears the pray'rs of injur'd Love May that loath'd Hag that has my Bed enjoy'd Be by my Fate and her own Arts destroy'd Like Me a Mother and a Wife forlorn 〈◊〉 from her Ravish't Lord and Children torn May her ill gotten Trophies never last But round the World be th' hunted Monster chac'd Those Dooms her Sire and murder'd Brother met May she t' her Husband and her Sons repeat Driv'n from the World let her attempt the skies Till in Despair by her own hand she dies Thus wrong'd Thoantias prays your Lives curst Remnant lead An Execrable Pair in a Detested Bed MEDEA TO JASON BY M r. TATE The ARGUMENT Jason arrives with his Companions at Cho'chos where the Golden Fleece was kept which before he can obtain he is to undertake several Adventures first to yoke the Wild Bulls then to sow the Serpents Teeth from whence should instantly rise an Army with which he must encounter and lastly to make his passage by the Dragon that never slept In order to this he solicits Medea Daughter to the King and skilful in Charms by whose assistance on Promise of Love he gains the Prize Then flies with her the King pursues them Medea kills her little Brother scatters his Limbs and whilst the King stays to gather them up escapes with her Lover into Thessaly where she restores decrepit Aeson to his Youth On the same promise perswades Pelias his Daughters to let out their Fathers Blood but deceitfully leaves them Guilty of Parricide For this and other Crimes Jason casts her off Marries Crëusa Daughter to Creon King of Corinth on which the enrag'd Medea according to the various Transports of her Passion writes this complaining soothing and menacing Epistle YEt I found leisure though a Queen to free By Magick Arts thy Grecian Friends Thee The Fates shou'd then have finisht with my Reign The Life that since was one continued Pain Who wou'd have dreamt the Youth of distant Greece Shou'd e're have sail'd to seize the Phrygian Fleece That th' Argo shou'd in View of Cholchos Ride A Greecian Army stem the Phasian Tide Why were those snares thy Locks so tempting made A Tongue so False so pow'rful to perswade No doubt but He that had so rashly sought Our Shore with the fierce Bulls unspell'd had fought And fondly too th' Arms-bearing Seed had sown 'Till by the Crop the Tiller were orethrown How many Frauds had then expir'd with Thee As many killing griefs remov'd from me 'T is some Relief when ill returns are made With Favours done th' Ingrateful to upbraid This Triumph will afford some little Ease False Iason leaves me This When first your doubtful Vessel reacht our Port And you had Entrance to my Fathers Court There was I then what now your new Bride 's here My Royal Father might with her's compare With Princely Pomp was your arrival grac't The meanest Greek on Tyrian Beds we plac't Then first I gaz'd my Liberty away And date my Ruin from that fatal day Fate pusht me on with your Charms combin'd I view'd your sparkling Eyes 'till I was blind You soon perceiv'd for who cou'd ever hide A flame that by its own Light is descry'd But now thy Task 's propos'd thou must tame The Bulls with brazen Hoofs and Breath of Flame With these the fatal field thou art to Plow From whence a suddain Host of Foes must grow Those dangers past still
wish at first ' had dy'd of Mothers pains How canst thou rev'rence then thy Fathers Bed From which himself so Abjectly is fled The thought afrights not me but me enflames Mother and son are notions very Names Of worn out Piety in fashion Then When Old dull Saturn Rul'd the Race of men But braver Iove taught pleasure was no sin And with his Sister did himself begin Nearness of Blood and Kindred best we prove When we express it in the closest Love Nor need we fear our Fault should be reveal'd 'T will under near Relation be conceal'd And all who hear our Loves with praise shall Crown A Mothers kindness to a grateful Son No need at Midnight in the dark to stray T' unlock the Gates and cry my Love this way No busie Spies our pleasures to betray But in one house as heretofore we 'l live In publick kisses take in publick give Though in my Bed Thou' rt seen 't will gain Applause From all whilst none have sense to ghess the Cause Only make hast and let this League be sign'd So may my Tyrant Love to thee be kind For this I am an humble Suppliant grown Now where are all my boasts of Greatness gone I swore I ne're would yield resolv'd to â—ight Deceiv'd by Love that 's seldom in the right Now on my own I crawl to clasp thy knees What 's Decent no true Lover cares or sees Shame like a beaten Souldier leaves the place But Beauties blushes still are in my face For give this fond Confession which I make And then some pity on my suffrings take What though midst Seas my Fathers Empire lies Though my Great Grandsire Thunder froÌ„ the skies What though my Fathers Sire in Beams drest gay Drives round the burning Chariot of the day Their Honour all in me to Love 's a slave Then though thou wilt not me their Honour save Ioves Famous Island Crete in Dow'r I 'l bring And there shall my Hippolytus be King For Venus sake then hear and grant my pray'r So may'st Thou never love a scornful fair In Fields so may Diana grace Thee still And every Wood afford thee Game to kill So may the Mountain Gods and Satyrs all Be kind so may the Boar before Thee fall So may the water-Nymphs in heat of day Though Thou their Sex despise they thirst allay Millions of tears to these my prayrs I joyn Which as Thou read'st with those dear eyes of Thine Think that thou seest the streams that flow from mine DIDO to AENEAS BY M r. DRYDEN The ARGUMENT Aeneas the Son of Venus and Anchises having at the Destruction of Troy saved his Gods his Father and Son Ascanius from the Fire put to Sea with twenty Sail of Ships and having bin long tost with Tempests was at last cast upon the Shore of Lybia where Queen Dido flying from the Cruelty of Pigmalion her Brother who had Killed her Husband Sichaeus had lately built Carthage She entertained Aeneas and his Fleet with great civility fell passionately in Love with him and in the end denyed him not the last Favours But Mercury admonishing Aeneas to go in search of Italy a Kingdom promised to him by the Gods he readily prepared to Obey him Dido soon perceived it and having in vain try'd all other means to engage him to stay at last in Despair writes to him as follows SO on Maeander's banks when death is nigh The mournful Swan sings her own Elegie Not that I hope for oh that hope were vain By words your lost affection to regain But having lost what ere was worth my care Why shou'd I fear to loose a dying pray'r 'T is then resolv'd poor Dido must be left Of Life of Honour and of Love bereft While you with loosen'd Sails Vows prepar To seek a Land that flies the Searchers care Nor can my rising Tow'rs your flight restrain Nor my new Empire offer'd you in vain Built Walls you shun unbuilt you seek that Land Is yet to Conquer but you this Command Suppose you Landed where your wish design'd Think what Reception Forreiners would find What People is so void of common sence To Vote Succession from a Native Prince Yet there new Scepters and new Loves you seek New Vows to plight and plighted Vows to break When will your Tow'rs the height of Carthage know Or when your eyes discern such crowds below If such a Town and Subjects you cou'd see Still wou'd you want a Wife who lov'd like me For oh I burn like fires with incense bright Not holy Tapers flame with purer light Aeneas is my thoughts perpetual Theme Their daily longing and their nightly dream Yet he ungreateful and obdurate still Fool that I am to place my heart so ill My self I cannot to my self restore Still I complain and still I love him more Have pity Cupid on my bleeding heart And pierce thy Brothers with an equal dart I rave nor canst thou Venus ' offspring be Love's Mother cou'd not bear a Son like Thee From harden'd Oak or from a Rocks cold womb At least thou art from some sierce Tygress come Or on rough Seas from their foundation torn Got by the winds and in a Tempest born Like that which now thy trembling Sailors fear Like that whose rage should still detain thee here Behold how high the Foamy Billows ride The winds and waves are on the juster side To Winter weather and a stormy Sea I 'll owe what rather I wou'd owe to thee Death thou deserv'st from Heav'ns avenging Laws But I 'm unwilling to become the cause To shun my Love if thou wilt seek thy Fate 'T is a dear purchase and a costly hate Stay but a little till the Tempest cease And the loud winds are lull'd into a peace May all thy rage like theirs unconstant prove And so it will if there be pow'r in Love Know'st thou not yet what dangers Ships sustain So often wrack'd how darst thou tempt the Main Which were it smooth were every wave asleep Ten thousand forms of death are in the deep In that abyss the Gods their vengance store For broken Vows of those who falsely swore There winged storms on Sea-born Venus wait To vindicate the Justice of her State Thus I to Thee the means of safety show And lost my self would still preserve my Foe False as thou art I not thy death design O rather live to be the cause of mine Shou'd some avenging storm thy Vessel tear But Heav'n forbid my words shou'd Omen bear Then in thy face thy perjur'd Vows would fly And my wrong'd Ghost be present to thy eye With threatning looks think thou beholdst me stare Gasping my mouth and clotted all my hair Then shou'd fork'd Lightning and red Thunder fall What coud'st thou say but I deserv'd 'em all Lest this shou'd happen make not hast away To shun the danger will be worth thy stay Have pity on thy Son if not on me My death alone is guilt enough for thee What has
is that I basely strove T' increase your welcom by a Nuptial Love That night that usher'd in th' unhappy day Which did me to your guilty Love betray I wish that fatal Night had been my last Then I had died but then I had been Chast. â— hop'd you were 'cause I deserv'd you True â—s it a Crime to wish what is our due T is sure no mighty Glory to deceive â— tender Maid so willing to believe â—y weakness does but heighten your offencâ— â—ou kindly should have spar'd my innocence â—ou've gain'd a Maid that lov'd you and may 't be â—our greatest Prise and only Victory May your proud Statue rais'd by this success Shame your great Father 'cause his Crimes were less And when late story shall of Tyrants tell And by whom Scyron and Procrustes fell The Centaurs flight the Thebans Over-throw Who 't was durst force the dismal Shades below Then for your Honour shall at last be said Here 's He who by a wretched wile betray'd A Loving Innocent Believing Maid Of all those Acts we in your Father knew His Treachery alone remains in you What only can excuse the Ills you do You both Inherit and Admire it too He Ariadne did betray but she Enjoys a Husband mightier far than He. But the scorn'd Thracians my Embraces shun 'Cause I from them into thy Arms did run Let her they cry to learned Greece be gone We 'll find a Monarch to supply the Throne Thus all we do depends on an ill Fate Which does for ever on th' unhappy wait But may that Fate all his best thoughts attend Who Judges others Actions by the end For should'st thou ever bless these Seas again They 'd praise that Love of which they now complain Then would they say What could she better do Both for her self and for her Kingdom too But I have err'd and thou' rt for ever fled Forget'st my Empire and forget'st my Bed Methinks I see thee still Demophoon Thy Sails all hoisted ready to be gone When boldly thou didst my soft Limbs embrace And with long Kisses dwelt'st upon my Face Drown'd in my Tears and in your own you lay And curs'd the Winds that hastn'd you away Then parting cry'd methinks I hear thee still Phillis I 'll come you may be sure I will Can I expect that thou 'lt er'e see this Shore Who leftst it that thou ne're mightst see me more And yet I beg you 'd come too that you may Be only guilty in too long a stay What do I ask thou by new Charms possess'd Forget'st my kindness on another Breast ' And better to compleat the Treachery ' Swear'st all those Oaths which thou hast broke to me And hast false Man perhaps forgot my Name And ask'st too who I am and whence I came But that thou better maist remember me Know thou ungrateful man that I am she Who when thou'dst wander'd all the Ocean or'e Harbour'd thy Ships and welcom'd thee to Shore Thy Coffers still replenish'd from my own And to that height a Prodigal was grown I gave thee all thou ask'dst and gave so fast I gave my self into thy power at last I gave my Scepter and my Crown to Thee A weight too heavy to be born by me Where Haemus does his shady head display And gentle Heber cuts his Sacred way So great 's the Empire and so wide the Land Scarce to be govern'd by a Womans hand She whom Fate would not suffer to be chast Whose Nupt'als with a Fun'ral Pomp were grac'd Shril cries disturb'd us midst our swiftest joyes And our drawn curtains trembled with the noise Then close to thee I clung all drown'd in tears And sought my shelter where I 'd found my fears And now while others drown their care in sleep â— run toth ' barren Shore and Rocks to weep And view with longing eyes the spac'ous Deep All Day and Night I the winds course survey Impatient till I find it blows this way And when afar a coming Sail I view I thank my Stars and I conclude 't is you Then with strange hast I run my Love to meet Nor can the flowing Waters stop my Feet When near I grow more fearful than before A suddain trembling seizes me all or'e And leaves my body breathless on the Shore Hard by where two huge Mountains guard the way There lies a fearful solitary Bay Oft I 've resolv'd while on this place I 've stood To throw my self into the raging Flood Wild with Despair and I will do it still Since you continue thus to use me ill And when the kinder Waves shall waft me or'e May'st thou behold my Body on the Shore Unburied lie and though thy Cruelty Harder than Stone or than thy self should be Yet shalt thou cry astonish'd with the show Phillis I was not to be follow'd so Raging with Poisons would I oft expire And quench my own by a much happier Fire Then to revenge the loss of all my Rest Would stab thy Image in my tortur'd Breast Or by a Knot more welcom far to me Than that false Man which I have tyed with thee Strangle that Neck where those false Arms of thine With treach'rous kindness us'd so oft to twine And as becomes a poor unhappy Wife Repair my ruin'd Honour with my Life When we can once with our hard Fate comply 'T is easie then to chuse the way to die Then on my Tomb shall the proud Cause be read And thy sad Crime still live when I am dead Poor Phillis dy'd by him she lov'd oppress'd The truest Mistriss by the falsest Guest He was the cruel cause of all her woe But her own hand perform'd the fatal Blow HYPERMNESTRA TO LINUS BY M r. WRIGHT The ARGUMENT Danaus King of Argos had by several Wives Fifty Daughters his Brother Aegiptus as many Sons Danaus refusing to Marry his Dâ—ughters to his Brothers Sons was at last compelled by an Army In revenge he commands his Daughters each to Murder her Husband on the Wedding Night All obeyd but Hypermnestra who assisted her Husband Linus to escape for which being afterwards imprisoned and put in Irons she writes this Epistle To that dear Brother who alone survives lives Of Fifty late whose love betray'd their Writes she that suffers in her Lords defence Unhappy Wife whose Crime 's her Innocence For saving him I lov'd I 'me guilty call'd Had I been truly so I 'de been extoll'd Let me be guilty still since this they say Is Guilt I glory thus to disobey Torments nor Death shall draw me to repent Though against me they use that Instrument From which I sav'd a Husbands dearer life And with one Sword kill Linus in his Wife Yet will I ne're repent for bâ—ing true Or blush t' have lov'd that let my Sisters do Such shame and such repentance is their due I 'm seiz'd with terror while I but relate And shun remembrance of a Crime I hate The frightful memory of that dire night Enâ—rvates so my hand I scarce
To Me thou ow'st that thou art Creon's Heir That now thou liv'st to call Creusa Fair You 've wrong'd me All and on you All but hold I form Revenge too mighty to be told My thoughts are now toth ' utmost Ruin bent Perhaps I shall the fatal Rage repent But on for I what e're the mischief be Shall less Repent than that I trusted Thee The God alone that Rages in my Breast Can see the dark revenge my thoughts suggest I only know 't will soon effected be And when it comes be Vast and Worthy Me. PHAEDRA TO HIPPOLYTUS BY M r. OTWAY The ARGUMENT Theseus the Son of Aegeus having slain the Minotaur promised to Ariadne the Daughter of Minos and Pasiphäe for the assistance which she gave him to carry her home with him and make her his Wife so together with her Sister Phaedra they went on Board and sail'd to Chios where being warn'd by Bacchus he left Ariadne and Married her Sister Phaedra who afterwards in Theseus her Husbands Absence fell in Love with Hippolytus her Son in Law who had Vow'd Caelibacy and was a Hunter wherefore since she could not conveniently otherwise she chose by this Epistle to give him an Account of her Passion IF Thou' rt unkind I ne're shall health Enjoy Yet much I wish to thee my Lovely Boy Read this and reading how my soul is seis'd Rather than not be with my ruin pleas'd Thus secrets safe to farthest Shoars may move By Letters Foes converse and learn to Love Thrice my sad tale as I to tell it try'd Upon my faultring Tongue abortive dy'd Long shame prevail'd nor could be conquer'd quite But what I blusht to speak Love made me write 'T is dang'rous to resist the pow'r of Love The Gods obey him and he 's King above He clear'd the doubts that did my mind confound And promis'd me to bring Thee hither bound Oh may he come and in that breast of thine Fix a kind Dart and make it flame like mine Yet of my Wedlock Vows I 'le loose no care Search back through all my fame Thou l't find it fair But Love long breeding to worst pain does turn Outward unharm'd within within I burn As the Young Bull or Courser yet untam'd When Yok't or Bridl'd first are pinch't maim'd So my unpractic't heart in Love can find No rest th' unwonted weight so toyls my mind When young loves pangs by Arts we may remove But in our riper years with rage we Love To thee I yield then all my dear Renown And prithee let 's together be undone Who would not pluck the new blown blushing Rose Or the ripe Fruit that Courts him as it grows But if my Vertue hitherto has gain'd Esteem for spotless shall it now be stain'd Oh in thy Love I shall no hazard run 'T is not a sin but when 't is coursely done And now should Iuno yield her Iove to me I 'd quit that Iove Hippolytus for Thee Believe me too with strange desires I change Amongst Wild Beasts I long with Thee to range To thy Delights and Delia I Encline Make her my Goddess too because she 's thine I long to know the Woods to drive the Deer And or'e the Mountains tops my Hounds to chear Shaking my Dart then the Chase ended lie Stretcht on the grass would'st not Thou be by Oâ—t in light Chariots I with pleasure ride And love my self the furious Steeds to guide Now like a Bacchanal more wild I stray Or Old Cybele's Priests as mad as They When under Ida's Hill They Offrings pay Ev'n mad as those the Deities of Night And Water Fauns and Dryards do afright But still each little Interval I gain Easily find 't is Love breeds all my pain Sure on our Race Love like a Fate does fall And Venus will have Tribute of us all Iove lov'd Europa whence my Father came And to a Bull transform'd Enjoy'd the Dame She like my Mother languisht to obtain And fill'd her Womb with shame as well as pain The faithless Theseus by my Sisters Aid The Monster slew and a safe Conquest made Now in that Family my right to save I am at last on the same tearms a slave 'T was fatal to my Sister and to me She lov'd thy Father but my choice was thee Let Monuments of Triumph then be shown For two unhappy Nymphs by you undone When first our Vows were at Eleusis pay'd Would I had in a Cretan Grave been laid 'T was there Thou didst a perfect Conquest gain Whilst Loves fierce Feavor rag'd in ev'ry vein White was thy Robe a Garland deck't thy Head A modest blush thy comely face orespread That face which may be terrible in Arms But Graceful seem'd to me and full of Charms I Love the man whose fashion 's least his care And hate my Sexes Coxcombs fine and fair For whil'st thus plain thy careless Locks let fly Th' unpolish't form is Beauty in my Eye If thou but ride or shake the trembling Dart I fix my Eyes and wonder at thy Art To see thee poise the Iav'lin moves delight And all thou do'st is lovely in my sight But to the Woods thy cruelty resign Nor treat it with so poor a life as mine Must cold Diana be ador'd alone Must she have all thy Vows and Venus none That pleasure palls if 't is Enjoy'd too long Love makes the weary firm the feeble strong For Cyntbia's sake unbend and ease thy Bow Else to thy Arm 't will weak and useless grow Famous was Cephalus in Wood and Plain And by him many a Boar and Pard was slain Yet to Aurora's Love he did encline Who wisely left Old Age for Youth like Thine Under the spreading shades her Am'rous Boy The fair Adonis Venus could enjoy Atlanta's Love too Meleager sought And to her Tribute paid of all he caught Be Thou and I the next blest Sylvan pair Where Love 's a Stranger Woods but Desarts are With Thee through dang'rous ways unknown before I 'le rove and fearless face the dreadful Boar. Between two Seas a little Isthmus lies Where on each side the beating Billows rise There in Trazena I thy Love will meet More blest and pleas'd than in my Native Crete As we could wish Old Theseus is away At Thessaly where alwaies let him stay With his Perithöus whom well I see Prefer'd above Hippolytus or me Nor has he only thus exprest his hate We both have suffer'd wrongs of mighty weight My Brother first he cruelly did slay â—hen from my Sister falsely ran away And left expos'd to ev'ry Beast a prey A Warlike Queen to thee thy Being gave A Mother worthy of a Son so brave From cruel Theseus yet her death did find Nor though she gave him Thee could make him kind Unwedded too he murthered her in spight To Bastardize and Rob thee of thy Right And if to wrong thee more two Sons Iv'e brought Believe it his and none of Phaedra's fault Rather thou fairest Thing the Earth contains I
to break When can you Walls like ours of Carthage build And see your Streets with crowds of Subjects fill'd But tho all this Succeeded to your Mind So true a Wife no search could ever find Scorch'd up with Loves fierce fire my Life does wast Like Incense on the flaming Altar cast All day Aeneas walks before my sight In all my Dreams I see him every night But see him still Ingrateful as before And such as if I could I should abhor But the strong Flame burns on against my will I call 〈…〉 Love the Traytor still 〈…〉 Love Thee all the World Adore And shall thy Son slight thy Almighty Power His Brothers stubborn soul let Cupid move Teach me to Hate or him to Merit Love But the Impostor his high Birth did feign Tho to that Tale his Face did Credit gain He was not born of Venus who could prove So Cruel and so Faithless in his Love From Rocks or Mountains he deriv'd his Birth Fierce Wolves or Savage Tygers brought him forth Or else he sprung from the Tempestuous Main To which so eagerly he flies again How dreadful the contending Waves appear These Winter storms by force would keep you here The Storms are kinder and the Winds more true Let me ow Them what I would ow to You. You 'l shew your Hatred at too dear a rate If to fly me you run on certain Fate Stay only till these raging Tempests cease And breeding Halcyons all my Fears release Then you perhaps may change your cruel Mind And will learn Pity from the Sea and Wind. Are you not warn'd by all youv'e felt and seen And will you Tempt the Faithless Floods again Tho 't were calm now it would not long be so Think to what distant Countreys you would go There 's not one God who will that Vessel bless Which Lies and Frauds and Perjuries oppress The Sea let every faithless Lover fear The Queen of Love Rose thence Governs there Still the dear Cause of all my Ills I love And my last words Heav'n for your safety move That your false Flight may not as Fatal be To You as your Dissembled Love to me But in the Storm when the huge Billows rowl Th' unlucky Omen may kind Heav'n controul Think what Distracted Thoughts will fill your soul. You 'l then remember every broken Vow With Horror think on Murdred Dido too My Ghost all Pale and Ghastly shall be there With Mortal wounds still bleeding I 'le appear Then you will own what to such Crimes is due And think each Flash of Lightning aim'd at you Your Cruel Flight till the next Calm delay Your quiet passage will reward your stay I beg not for my self but do not joyn The Guilt of your Ascanius Death to mine What has your Son what have your Gods 〈◊〉 For a worse Fate were they from Flames 〈◊〉 But sure you neither sav'd them from the Fire Nor on your shoulders bore your Aged Sire But did Contrive that Story to Deceive A Queen so fond so willing to Believe Your ready Tongue told many a pleasing lie Nor did it practice first these cheats on me You by like Arts did fair Crëusa gain And then forsook her with a like Disdain I 've wept to hear you tell that Ladies Fate My self now justly more unfortunate T is to Revenge these Crimes the Gods Engage And make you Wander out your wretched Age. A Shipwrack'd wretch I kindly did receive My Wealth Crown to hands unknown did give Had I stop'd there I had been free from shame And had not stain'd my clear and spotless Fame Heaven to betray my Honour did Comply When Thunder black Clouds fill'd all the Sky And made us to the fatal shelter fly The Furies howl'd and dire Presages gave And shrieking Nymphs forsook the guilty Cave I cannot live that Crime torments me so Yet full of shame to my Sichaeus go In a fair Temple built by skilful hands A Sacred Image of Sichaeus stands With snowy Fleeces drest Garlands Crown'd From thence of late Iv'e heard a dismal sound Four times he call'd me with a hollow Voice My loosn'd Joynts still tremble at the Noise My dearest Lord your Summons I obey 'T is shame to meet you makes this short delay Yet such a Tempter might the Crime excuse His Heavenly Race and all his Solemn Vows The best of Fathers the most Pious Son Who could suspect he who such things had done So well had Acted all the parts of Life Could have betray'd a Princess and a Wife Had he not wanted Faith your self must own He had Deserv'd to fill my Bed and Throne In my first Youth what Cares disturb'd my Peace And my Misfortunes with my Years encrease My Husbands Blood was by my Brother spilt And still his Wealth Rewards the prosperous Guilt Through waies unknown a dangerous flight I take His Ashes and my Native Soyl forsake Here sheltred from my Brothers Crueltie I bought this Kingdom which I gave to Thee My City did in Glory daily rise Which all my Neighbours saw with envious Eyes And Force against unfinish'd Walls prepare Threatning a helpless Woman with a War Those many Kings who did my Bed desire Now to revenge their slighted Love conspire Go on my People are at your Command Give me up bound to some fierce Rivals hand Assist my Cruel Brothers black Design Drunk with Sichaeus Blood he thirsts for minâ— But then pretend to Piety no more The False and Perjur'd all the Gods abhor Even those you snatch'd from Troys devouring Flame Are griev'd that from such hands their safety came A growing Infant in my Womb you leave Of your wâ—ole self you cannot me bereave You kill not Dido only if you go The Guiltless and unborn you Murder too With me a new unknown Ascanius dies Tho' deaf to mine yet think you hear his Cries But 't is the God Commands and you Obey Ah! would that He who now forbids your stay Had never led your shatter'd Fleet this way And now this God Commands you out again T' endure another Winter on the Main Scarce Troy restor'd to all her Ancient State Were worth the seeking at so dear a Rate Cease then through such vast Dangers to pursue A Place which but in Dreams you never knew In search of which you your best years may wast And come a Stranger there and Old at last See at your Feet a willing People lies And do not offer'd Wealth and Power despise Fix here the Reliques of unhappy Troy And in soft Peace all you have sav'd enjoy But if new Dangers your Great Soul Desires If Thirst of Fame your Sons young Breast inspires You 'l frequent Tryals here for Valour find Our Neighbours are as rough as we are kind By your dear Fathers Soul I beg your stay By the kind Gods who hither blest your way And by your Brothers Darts which all Obey So may white Conquest on your Troops attend And all your long Misfortunes here take end
So with his Years may your Sons hopes encrease So may Aâ—chises Ashes rest in Peace Some Pity let a suppliant Princess move Whose only fault was an Excess of Love I am not sprung from any Grecian Race None of my Blood did your Lov'd Troy deface Yet if your Pride think such a Wife a shame I 'le Sacrifice my Honour to my Flame And meet your Love by a less Glorious name I know the dangers of this stormy Coast How many Ships have on our Shelves been lost These winds have driv'n the floating Sea weed so That your entangled Vessel cannot go Do not attempt to put to Sea in vain Till happier Gales have clear'd your way again Trust Me to watch the Calming of the Sea You shall not then tho you desir'd it stay Besides your weary Seamen rest desire And your torn Fleet now rigging does require By all I suffer all I 've done for you Some little respite to my Love allow Time and calm Thoughts may teach me how to bear That loss which now alas 't is death to hear But you resolve to force me to my Grave And are not far from all that you would have Your Sword before me whilst I write does lie And by it if I write in vain I die Already stain'd with many a falling Tear It shortly shall another Colour wear You never could an apter present make 'T will soon the Life you 've made uneasie take But this poor Breast has felt your Wounds before Slain by your Love your Steel has now no Power Dear Guilty Sister do not you deny The last kind Office to my Memory But do not on my Funeral Marble Joyn Much wrong'd Sichaeus Sacred Name with mine Of false Aeneas let the Stone complain That Dido could not bear his fierce Disdain But by his Sword and her own hand was slain BRISEIS to ACHILLES BY IOHN CARYL Esq The ARGUMENT In the War of Troy Achilles having taken and Sackt Chrynesium a Town in the Lyrnesian Country amongst his other Booty he took two very fair Women Chryseis and Briseis Chryseis he Presented to King Agamemnon and Briseis he reserved for himself Agamemnon after some time was forced by the Oracle to restore Chryseis to her Father who was one of the Priests of Apollo whereupon the King by violence took away Briseis from Achilles at which Achilles incenst left the Camp of the Grecians and prepared to Sail home in whose absence the Trojans prevailing upon the Grecians Agamemnon was compell'd to send Ulysses and others to offer him rich Presents and Briseis that he would return again to the Army But Achilles with disdain rejected them all This Letter therefore is writen by Briseis to move him that he would receive her and return to the Grecian Camp CAptive Brisëis in a aforaign Tongue More by her blots than words set's forth her wrong And yet these blots which by my tears are made Above all words or writing should perswade Subjects I know must not their Lords accuse Yet prayers and tears we lawfully may use When ravisht from your Arms I was the prey Of Agamemnons arbitrary sway 〈…〉 you must at last have left the Field 〈…〉 you too soon did yield 〈…〉 Glory it must needs disgrace 〈…〉 Summons to yield up the place 〈◊〉 Enemies themselves no less than I â—tood wondring at their easy Victory I saw their lips in whispers softly move Is this the Man so fam'd for Arms and Love Alas Aâ—hilles 't is not so we part From what we love and what is near our heart No healing kisses to my grief you gave You turn'd me off an unregarded Slave Was it your Rage that did your Love suppress Ah love Briseis more and hate Aâ—rides less He is not born of a true Hero's Race Who lets his Fury of his Love take place Tygers and Wolves can fight Love is the Test Distinguishing the Hero from the Beast Alas when I was from your bosom forc'd I felt my body from my soul divorc'd A deadly paleness overspread my face Sleep left my eyes and to my tears gave place I tore my hair and did my death decree Ah! learn to part with what you love from me A bold escape I often did essay But Greeks and Trojans too block'd up the way Yet tho a tender Maid could not break thrôw Methinks Achilles should not be so slow Achilles once the Thunderbolt of War The hope of Conquering Greece Troy's despair Me in his Rivals Arms can he behold And is his Courage with his Love grown cold But I confess that my neglected Charms Did not deserve the Conquest of your Arms Therefore the Gods did by an easier way Our wrongs attone and Dammages repay Ajax with Phoenix and Vlysses bring Humble submissions from their haughty King The Royal Penitent rich Presents sends The strongest Cement to piece broken Friends When Pray'rs well seconded with Gifts are sent Both Mortal and Immortal Powers relent Twenty bright Vessels of Corinthian Brass Their Sculpture did the costly Mine surpass Seven Chairs of State of the same Art and Mould And twice five Talents of perswasive Gold Twelve fiery Steeds of the Epirian breed Matchless they are for beauty and for speed Six Lesbian Maids but these I well could spare Their Island Sackt these were the General 's share And last a Bride ah telle'm I am thine At your own choice out of the Royal Line With these they offer me But might I chuse You should take me and all their gifts refuse But me and those you sullenly reject What have I done to merit this neglect Is it that You and Fortune jointly vow Whom you make wretched still to keep them so Your Arms my Country did in ashes lay My House destroy Brothers and Husband slay It had been kindness to have kill'd me too Rather than kill me with unkindness now With Vows as faithless as your Mother Sea You loudly promis'd that you would to me Country and Brothers and a Husband be And is it thus that you perform your Vow Even with a Dowry to reject me too Nay Fame reports that with the next fair wind Leaving your Honour Faith and me behind You quit our Coasts Before that fatal hour May Thunder strike me or kind Earth devour I all things but your absence can endure That 's a disease which Death must only cure If to Achaia you will needs return Leaving all Greece your sullen rage to mourn Place me but in the number of your train And I no servile Office will disdain If I 'm deny'd the Honour of your Bed Let me at least be as your Captive led Rather than banisht from your Familie I will endure another Wife to see A Wife to make the great Aeacian Line Like Starry Heaven as numerously shine That so your spreading Progeny may prove Worthy of Thetis and their Grandsire Iove Let me on her an humble hand-Maid wait On her because to you she does relate I fear I know not why that she may