Great Powers whence shall I fetch my verse Shall I that Nations infancy display Europa's rape Agenor's fatall Law Or Cadmus scowring th' Ocean 'T were too far Should I discourse how th' Plowman sowing war In his seditious furrows stood amaz'd At his own new-sprung blades How th'wals were rais'd With Tyrian Stones charm'd by Amphions ditty Whence grew that rage which seiz'd on Bacchus's City Sterne Iuno t was thy work against whose brow Unhappy Athamas did bend his bow Why slighting the Ionick sea the Mother Leapt with Palaemoâ— in the second Brother But farewell these farewell both grief and joy Which Cadmus found The miseries which annoy The house of O Edipus must be my song Who dare not sing the triumphs that belong To Caesars banners nor the double baies He bore from Rheine or Danow Or that praise The conquer'd Dacians yeild him who were thrown Down from the Hils they curs'd us on 'T is known How 's infant years brought succour to the glory Of Iovâ— Romes Capitol Thou larger story Of great Vespasians name borne to compleat Thy Fathers Vict'ries whom this Royall seat Wishes eternall Though the starres be crowded In narrower compasse Though the never-clouded East the cold North and Southerne climate free From blasts invite Thee Though Apollo be Ambitious to set off his round with those Rich glories of thy Raies And Iove dispose Halfe of his mighty Throne to Thee Great Soule Humble thy thoughts to earth stoope to controule The Sea and Land a while Divinity smother And make the heav'ns thy free gift to another The time may come when a diviner rage May swell my verse to thy great Acts. This page Tun'd on my harpe is fill'd with Thebane Wars One Crowne destructive to two Princes jars Which death could put no end to funerall flames Divided like the soules they carry names Of dead Kings without Tombstones many a Towne I' th' ruines of the people overthrowne When Dirce blush'd being stain'd with Graecian bloud And Ioves-beloved Thetis wondring stood To see Ismenos which was dry before Flow with such violence and chide his shore What Champion Muse do'st first remember Is 't Inraged Tydêus or Apollo's Priest Buried before he 's dead Or is 't the proud Hyppomedon whose slaughters stop the flood That overwhelm'd him Or wilt weep the tale Of young Parthenopaeus funerall When that 's spun out take Capanêus and tell But with a greater horrour how he fell The hand of O Edipus had eclips'd the light Of 's wicked eyes and brought eternall night Over his shame whilst he still liv'd the longer That he might long be dying But a stronger Beam's darted from his soule there Furies lye In thousand shapes invited thither by His bosome sins which watch him whilst he hides Himselfe in his hugg'd darknesse and resides In his close uâ—seen Chambers Then he raises The fresh wounds he had made those empty places Where 's eyes had been to heav'n Beating the ground The senselesse ground with 's bloudy hands a sound Of horrour thus breakes out Ye ' infernall Fiends Which raigne or'e guiltinesse and Hell whose ends Are narrower then our faults And thou darke Lake Of Styx whose prospect I though blinde can take Thou too Tisiphone which knowest best That voice th' hast heard so oft grant this request If I have serv'd thee truly whom I found Nurse to my infancy who heal'dst the wound They bored through my feet If I did go At thy command to Cyrrha's streames which flow Twixt the two-headed Hill when I might rather Have staid with Polybus my supposed Father Where in the Tower of three-top'd Phocis I Grappled with th' hoary King and did deny Life to his trembling joints seeking to find What there I lost a Father If my mind By thee inlightned could unty the knot Of Sphinx her riddle If the incestuous blot By which I stain'd my Mothers bed brought joyes To my free spirit where I got thee boyes Straight on these hands I fell desiring death And to my Mother did mine eyes bequeath Then here I aske a noble boone and that Which thou thy selfe would'st prompt My sons of late Sonnes still howe're begotten doe despise Their mournfull Father rob'd of 's power and 's eyes They will not guide me will not cheere my heart With words of comfort But O grievous smart Grown proud they raise their Scepters from my urne Triumph o're blindnesse laughing when I mourne Am I accursed in these too does dull Iove See this with silence Thou at least may'st prove Their scourge Sweet Mistresse of revenge come hither Entaile a Curse upon their heirs for ever Put on that Diadem besmeard with gore Which from my fathers head these fingers tore Goe winged with a Parents curse Divide Between the Brethren Let the sword decide That title too Dear Queen of Hell invent Some mischiefe great as my desires Th' event Will shew their courage Could'st thou plot a rage Worthy their souls they 'd prove their Parentage This said the Fury throwes a cruell glance Upon him She was sitting then by chance On black Cocytus banks where she did scatter Her serpent locks to let them drinke o' th water But swift as lightning or some falling Star She flies from thence The ghosts give place and fear Their Mistresse presence she her progresse makes Through the black shades where souls do swarm and takes The way to th' Iron gate at foot o' th' hill Of Taenarus where 's a free entrance still But no returne The day shrunke from her sight And hid her selfe in that dark cloud which night Brought for her mantle Distant Atlas fled And let the heav'ns fall from his trembling head But from the plaines of Malea she does hurry I' th' beaten path to Thebes Nor do's the Fury Fly any way with greater speed or takes More joy in hell A hundred horned snakes The life-guard of her head shades all her face A darke black colour fils the hollow place Where stood her worn-out eyes just as the Moone Blushes when by Art Magick shee 's charm'd down From heav'n Thus puffing out her hollow cheekes With rage and swolne with venom'd gore there breakes A black flame from her ugly mouth Whence came in An army of diseases Empty famine Devouring plagues grim death Her tattered coate Sits wrinckled on her back tied with a knot Or two about her if she change that hue The Destinies spin her another clue Then shakes she both her hands this flames does weare T'other with serpent fingers stings the ayre When she stood still where long Cithaeron meets Heaven with his cragged top her hissing greets The earth so loud that th'Ecchoed noise resounds Through vast Achaia and the Graecian townes Parnassus the worlds navell heard it so Did sharpe Eurotas doubtfull O
troops to th' top Of Cynthus this to Aracinthus Then If eyes might see what eyes can judge between Their grace and lustre Who did most partake Of Iove and majesty Or should they make Exchange of habits then Minerva's quiver And Delia's helm would suit as well together The Graecians joyes o'restow The Gods were tired With vows As each mans house and state required He brought a sacrifice Some from the ground Some from the folds Yet all like favour found If pure hands offer'd it The Gods were pleas'd With incense and their dores with garlands dress'd But loe a Panick fear struck all their mind Upon a sodain thus the Fates design'd The peoples joy's were clouded and the day Disturb'd They went with torches light to pay Duty 's to maiden Pallas who accounts Lariss ' as much as her Munichian mounts Here th'Argives as their Fathers us'd resort When their chast years were ripe for nuptiall sport To dedicate their Virgin locks and plead Excuse for Loves first sweets But as they tread O' th' greeces of the stately Towr the shield Of brasse which brave Euhippus won i th' field Comes tumbling from the Temples stately spire And puts the torches out Loves sacred fire And from the distant Quire a trumpet sounds Frighting them back which now scarce kept their grounds All trembling star'd at first upon the King But straight deny they 'd heard it Yet this thing Sounded unluckily within their ears And sev'rall whispers soon increas'd their fears No marvel thou Argia did retain Thy husbands fatall gift Harmiônes chain This mischief was far-fetch'd but I 'le discourse Whence this new Present gain'd such deadly force Vulcan long griev'd at Mars his stoln content As stories say and finding punishment No bar to his delights nor could his chains Chastise the bold adulterer he feigns This bracelet as a Dowry for his joy Harmione upon her mariage day The skilfull Cyclops hammer'd it and yet They'd greater work to which the Telchines set Their helping hand But he sweats most and works Bright Em'ralds in 't which shine with hidden sparks And th' Adamant ingrav'd with charms The ball Of Gorgons eyes With cinders which did fall From Ioves last thunder-bolt at AEtna This Was thredded with young Serpents manes There is Some buds beside of the Hesperian tree Wrought in with Phryxus golden fleece Then he Studs in his severall plagues and th' Captaine snake Pluck'd from the Furies head such pow'r could make Venus her girdle crack All these h'anoints With Moon-froth and with varnish'd poyson paints 'T was not Pasiphaes work the Graces Queen Nor Câ—pids nor Aglaia's But 't was Spleen Grief Discord Sorrow shap'd it The first triall Was wrought on poor Harmione who loyall To her now creeping husband with her brest Plough'd up th' Illyrian sands whilst she exprest Her plaints by hisses Semele next venters No sooner on 't but beldame Iuno enters And thou too curst Iocasta once didst owe This guilded mischief which adorn'd thy brow To please strange oh strange Love With mo beside Till now Argia shines in 't and does hide Her sisters cheaper habit with this gold Accursed gold As 't chanc'd the wife of old Amphiaraus spy'd it and in sight Of the Gods altars and the tables dight Durst feed close Envy Oh! might she inherit This prize Alas her Lords prophetick spirit Could not avail her What a dismall honour What mischief the fool strives to bring upon her Let her but can her husbands cheated Armes Or her sons guiltlesse rage deserve such harmes After twelve daies were spent in royall cheere And publike triumphs the Ismenian Peere Looks back to Thebes and thinks of 's Crown For now That day takes up his soul when he stood low In 's brothers eyes such was his Fortune then He thinks the Gods deserted him and men Shrunk cowardly back he naked but the worst Was Fortunes flight Onely one sister durst Shew him the way to exile but forbeares To passe the thrâ—shold whâ—re rage stop'd his teares Then night and day he meditates what joy His absence brought to some And who are they Which wait on 's brother what moist eyes he saw At his departure Grief and anger gnaw Upon his soul but expectation most The greatest plague that ever mortall crost Thus plodding in his thoughts still clouded he Resolves again forbidden Tâ—ebes to see So when a bull leaves his beloved cow I' th' pastures whence his Conquerour but now Has driv'n him he stands off and bellows till He thinks of 's lovely mull and blood does swell His wrinkled neck But then recruiting strength He 's mad for t'other push and gains at length His captive herd With 's horns and hoofs he fights And 's conquering mate with 's herds-man too he frights Such anger whets our lusty Theban's mind But his dear wife this close designe did find And as her soft imbraces did inclose Her husband when the pale-fac'd Morne arose Dissembler saies she what 's this change what flight Doest thou intend Nought blinds a Lovers sight I feel it Do not deep-fetch'd sighs proclaim Thy waking cares How many a startling dream Breaks off thy sleep How often have I found This face bedew'd with tears this brest abound With sobs when ere I felt it 't is no bond Of wedlock breaking moves me nor the fond Despair of widowed youth although Loves sweets Be newly budded and the bridall sheets Be not yet fully ayr'd Thoughts for thy quiet And safety trouble me I 'le ne're deny it Wilt thou without supplies of armes and men Demand thy Crown Canst thou retreat agen Should he deny it Fame that 's nimble ey'd To trace the lives of Kings reports his pride Rais'd with usurping how his love 's diminish'd To thee nor is his year compleatly finish'd And truth is some late Prophesies with all Prodigious entrals and th' unlucky fall Of birds with startling dreames increase my feare Hah I remember Iuno don't appeare In vaine What journey 's this Does love t'another Draw thee Can Thebes a nobler stock discover Here th'Echionian smil'd a while and strove With soft imbraces t'undeceive his Love He dries her moistned eyes with welcome kisses And with these friendly words her tears represses Take courage sweet trust me blest peace attends The Counsels of my best deserving friends Leave cares for riper years Iove may hereafter Behold our wrongs if Justice be heavn's daughter And daignes to looke beneath the clouds to see The right maintain'd on Earth The time may be Thy husbands palace shall with joy be seen And through two Cities thou saluted Queen This said he slips out closely and repairs To Tydeus now co-partner in 's affairs Whose brest sob'd equall cares such love combin'd Their once divided souls to whom he joyn'd Adrastus's counsell sadly
listning to my words More gently heretofore Prodigious signes Of ruine I beheld Mens base designes Were seconded by th' Gods Furies did mock And Lachesis tore lives off from her rock Lay down your armes God has your rage withstood God has withstood Is 't sport with captive bloud To water Cadmus tilth Aonian plains But why do I lose my song why take I pains To drive back fixed chance There 's no release We must go Here he sighs and holds his peace But Capaneus replies Prophet on thee Light all thy madnesse and those plagues to be The Governour of naked Argos where May no field-Musick rattle in thy eare Why stop'st thou nobler Spirits Is 't forsooth For us to suffer thee to hug thy sloth At home t' enjoy thy foolish birds and son And wife But unreveng'd forget what 's done To gallant Tydeus and the league they break But if the Grecians may not fight go speak As a new Legate to the Thebanes sure Thy holy Garlands will thy peace secure Shall th' hidden cause and ground of things be given by th' stars at thy command I pitty heav'n If pray'rs or charms can move it Why do'â—t fright Dull sluggish souls Fear first gave Gods their height Yet now rage on securely but when first Th' alarme is giv'n and we shall quench our thirst In helmes full of Ismene or Dirce's water Beware of meeting then when we breath slaughter Harness'd toth ' battell think not a crosse bird Or wind shall make that battail be deferr'd This wanton Mitre then were best be gone And terrible Apollo's madnesse None But I and such as I am daring men Shall divine there A shout was rais'd agen By such as did incourage him which flies With a vast tumult underneath the skies Like a swift torrent which do's nimblier flow With spring-tydes or the hils dissolving snow When it ore-spreads the plains maugre the shoares Resistance there tempestuously it roares 'Mongst buildings corn flocks men At last 't is stop'd Against a hill or with steep banks o'râ—top'd These Captains quarrels here the night did part But poor Argia with a pensive heart Bearing her husbands grief and pittying their True Fellowship in sorrow with her hair Dishevel'd as it was and furrow'd cheeks Into her Fathers lofty Palace breaks Carrying Thessander at her breast when night Dis-mantled at th' approaching of the light And Arctos seeing th' other stars decline Toth ' Sea do's envy When sh 'had enter'd in And kneel'd before her reverend Sire she saies You know dear Father should I hold my peace Why thus with tears without my spouse i th' night I come into your presence By that right Our births may challenge by your self I swear He did not bid me 't was that waking care And sleep disturb'd with sighs since Hymen plighted Our faiths and Iuno's fatall torch was lighted If Tygers milk had nurs'd me or rocks grew Beneath my heart I could not bear 't 't is you Have onely means to help All powers are In your own hands Dear Father wage a war Pity your son's low fortunes Pity this Poore banish'd-fathers child What shame it is He first was entertain'd and heav'n you 'l find Witness'd the contract when our hands were joyn'd Sure this is he foretold â—yth ' Oracle I stole no close heats no fires blameable I lov'd at your command 't was your advice Now with what cruelty can I despise His sad complaints Father you know not yet What Love a husbands misery can beget Now my sad soul puts up unpleasing wishes That I may fear and grieve But when our kisses Shall be divided at the dismall day When the shrill trumpets call your Armes away When you shall shine in your enamel'd steel Alas dear father I perhaps shall kneel To ask it back again Adrastus takes Her kisses water'd from his eyes and speaks I cannot blame thy plaints girle Lay aside Thy fears Such boones are not to be deni'd Praise-worthy suits But heav'n and mine own fear The weight o' th' kingdome too yet don't forbear To hope suggest much to my soul. Thy cares Shall find their due nor shalt thou lose thy tears Comfort thy husband daughter this delay Will prove no losse For great designes we stay This profits much in war The light appears As he spake thus and he 's call'd up by 's cares Finis Lib. III. Statii Thebaid Argument Lib. IV. Statii Thebaidos Bellona calls to Armes They part with tears Adrastus first leads on his troups to wars Then follows Polynice his wronged son Stout Tydeus next and then Hippomedon Then Capaneus Amphiaraus sixt Betray'd by 's wife Parthenopaeus next Though 's fearfull mother would have stop'd his heat The Thebanes preparations were as great Whom Bacchus's Priest affrights Tiresias charms The Ghosts up Laius then foretells their harms The Grecians march Bacchus sends â—routh to grieve 'um Hypsipyle shews Langia to relieve ' um THe winter thrice was thaw'd with gales which blow From the warm South short daies do longer grow In their spring-quarters When curst fate controuls Their broken Councels tiil They wretched souls At last heard war proclaim'd Bellona's hand Shakes on Larissa's top a flaming brand At first and darts her massy spears which glide Whizzing i' th' ayre and light on t'other side On Dirces banks From thence she takes the field Closing with those whose guilded armes do yield A glitt'ring shew Sh' inrages now the forces Armes the most forward and claps on the horses Calls them toth ' ports their valour does prevent Her call ev'n Cowards had some valour lent Th' appointed time was come whole heards do fall To Iove and Mavors but the Priest grew pale At the unlucky entrails yet does frame Some shews of hope toth ' Camp And now there came A crowd of boyes and girles and aged Fathers About their parting friends this concourse gathers And stops their dores up teares no measure knew But sad fare-wells their shields and crests bedew The souldiers sigh to leave their home they kisse Through their close beavers the rough helmet is Bow'd to imbrace He that i th' Sword delights Or Death but now breaths out his rage in sighs So th'Mariner for some long voyage bound When 's sails do swel and 's anchor's weigh'd from ground Shakes hands with friends who strive to cull his limbs Till kisses bath'd in tears their eye-sight dims So does the fog o th' Sea Yet left behind They climb a bank and send their eyes to find His sails they grieve the wind blows faire from land And greeting the known keel on shore they stand Now forward Fame thou worlds first Register Since to remember Nobles is thy Care And spin their Lives these valiant spirits discover And thou Calliope which raignesâ—-over The sounding grove take up thy harp and tell What bands what Armes Mars rais'd how people fell From every City None that tasts the river
besides the weight Of brasse There dying Hydra would affright Your sense branch'd in a triple Garland Part Bore living snakes engrav'd A new found art Stop'd up the other As she does expire You 'd think the sparkling gold wore flames of fire About her the dull streams of Lerna glide With which the Iron seems to Azure dy'de But a most weighty breast-plate such as was No Mothers work cover'd with plates of brasse Clasp'd on defends his sides and spreading chest A Gyant dances on his glit'ring crest And for his spear a Cypresse-tree was spoyl'd Of all her boughs which only he could weild The Citizens of Amphigenia and Low Messene high Ithone's in his command With Thrion hill-built AEpy Ptelion Th' inhabitants of Helos Dorion The Getick Poets griefe here Thamyris Boasting t'out-sing the learned Aonides Was sodainly strooke dumbe For many years His voice and Harp were silenc'd For who dares Challenge the Gods who knows not Phoeb's contest And Celoenes same i' th Satyres doome exprest And now the Prophets minde was overcome And tir'd although he saw his dismall doome Yet with a lingring hand the Fates had arm'd Him and the virtue of his God was charm'd Nor wants a treacherous wife forbidden gold Now glisters in her house The Gods foretold This bracelet would be fatall to a Prophet Of th' Argâ—ves and himself had knowledge of it But his perfidious spouse had rather sell His bed at such a rate longing t' excell In such a purchas'd dresse and beare away Argia's spoiles who lets it go with joy She saw this war and the Commanders were Turn'd on this hinge if the divining Peere Would take up armes Thus with a cheerefull mind In her dear husbands bosome she resign'd Th' accursed chaine And saies this is no time For gorgeous dresses Beauty were a crime In her that 's wretched without thee I le cheate My fears with distaffe comforts and entreat At the Gods Altars with dishevel'd hayre May 't be y' Eternall Powers when thou shalt weare Thy threatning steel and clashing armes that I Put on Harmonie 's chaine Some Deity Perhaps more fitly will indulge it then And I outshine the Grecian spouses when At thy return a Queen my votive Quires Shall fill the Temples Now let her desires Take place who makes her husbands wars her joy Thus th'execrable Gold did force a way Toth ' Prophets house and sow'd strange mischief in it Tysiphone laugh'd for joy when she had seen it He mounted on Tenarian steeds begot By Cyllarus when Castor knew it not Upon inferior mares does shake the ground Prophet-like with Parnassian garlands crown'd His helmet is with branching olives drest Where a white Miter does infold the crest Weapons and reines he guides at once his hands Are sometimes stay'd with darts in 's chariot stands An arm'd wood brandish'd He far off appears Dreadfull his shield the conquer'd Python bears Phoeb's Amycleans wait on 's chariot wheele With Pylos Malea which the doubtfull keele Avoids with terrour so the Carians Chaunting to pleas'd Diana with the bands Of Pharis Cythereian Messe where The turtles breed Tayget's troups were there And olive-bearing Eurot's Arcas traines These men i' th' moist'ned sands inspires their vains With rage and naked valour hence their spirits Are quick'ned 't is esteem'd their greatest merits To fall i' th' bed of honour Parents joy At their sons Fates perswading them to die And when the round bewaile the striplings fall Mothers triumph at their crown'd funerall Their fingers hold the reines and two darts ty'd In a slip knot they never use to hide Their shoulders in a rough coat-armour drest Ledaean feathers dance upon their crest These were not all the Prophets troups a few March'd out of wanton Elis with the crew Which dwell in Pisa's vale and doe descry Faire Alpheus how thou steal'st to Sicily Not tainted with the Ocean their fields Are furrow'd with a thousand charriot wheels Their steeds are broke toth ' wars This is the glory O' th' Nation by long custome Since the story O' th Tyrants melting axeltree They chew Their froathy curbs foame does plow'd sand bedew And thou Partheâ—opeus yet unskill'd In armes thy soul 's so much with glory fill'd Lead'st on Arcadian troups though 't was unknown To thy stern Mother She by chance was gone To hunt in distant chases and the bleak Lycean deserts nor might he partake Of those rough sports None vent'ring to the place Of danger had so sweet a beauteous face Nor is true courage wanting if his age Did lend him strength and power to ingage What silvan Deity or Nymph that 's nam'd From spring or shrubs was not by him inflam'd When i' th Maenalian shades his tender feet Prest downe the willing grasse Dian ' did see 't They say and pardon'd her companion Fitting Dictaean darts and quivers on His shoulders He inflam'd with the bold joyes Of war leaps out burning to hear the noise Of armes and trumpets to besmeare his haire With warlike dust that captive steeds may bear Him back asham'd o' th' wood asham'd to spie His arrows yet without the guilty die Of humane blood He shines before the rest In gold and purple cloaths his loynes are drest In loose robes girt with Spanish belts He wore In 's untry'd shield the Calydonian boare His Mother slew On 's left hand his bow twangs On 's back plated with maile a quiver hangs Fill'd with Cydonean arrows beautifi'd With amber and with Eastern pearles beside He rides a lofty horse whose swiftnesse wins O' th' fearfull deere trap'd with two Lynxes skins Now startling at the weight of 's Masters armes Whose blushing cheekes to all mens eyes are charmes You old Arcadians borne before the Moone Or stars troop'd under him Fame sayes as soone As wand'ring Tellus felt mens foot-steps ye Fetch'd from rough stocks of trees your progenie Nor bounds of fields nor house nor townes were yet Nor tyes of wedlock Oakes and Baytrees get Young boyes and girles the shady ashes breed And Elmes drop down a race of humane seed These wonder'd as they say to see the light Have changes and to be eclips'd with night And gazing after Titans setting ray Wept and despair'd to see another day High Maenalus has naked streets they come From the Parthenian grove Rhipe gives some And Rhodope and cold Enispe too Not Tegea not Cyllene's absent who Glories i' th' winged God with these the wood Where Alea Minerva's Temple stood Swift Cliton likewise and cleare Ladon came Almost thy Father-in-law great Phoeb ' the same Did they which on Lampia's white cliffes dwell And Pheneus thought to send black Styx to hell Azan that houles as