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Ufe well thy Time, whilft in Refpect to me
Grim Death delays the Work of Destiny.
We're overcome. Whate'er the Fates ordain,
They execute, nor weave the Woof again.
Go then, and mindful of the Promise made,
Gladden Elyfium with thy present Shade,
Secure, no Burial-Honours thou shalt want,
Nor fue in vain for cruel Creon's Grant,
To this the Chief, surcharg'd with hostile Spoils,
Replies, and for awhile refpires from Toils:
At first I knew thee thro' thy borrow'd Look ;
Beneath th' unwonted Weight the Chariot shook 1150
Yet fay, how long wilt thou defer my Fate?
Thefe Honours ill become my wretched State.
E'en now I hear the Porter's triple Yell,
Hoarse-founding Styx, and all the Streams of Hell.
Take then the laurell'd Honours of my Head, 1055
Too holy for the Regions of the dead.

If to thy dying Prophet ought is due,

1260

With my last Voice this Boon I now renew,
And to thy Wrath resign my trait'rous Spouse;
Avenge, avenge the broken Marriage-Vows.
The grieving God descending on the Plains,
The Courfers groan'd, and bow'd to Duft their Manes.
Thus fares a Veffel in a stormy Night,

When the twin-Stars withold their friendly Light;
Death in their Thoughts, they fhriek at ev'ry Blaft,
And deem the prefent Moment for their laft.
And now the graffy Surface of the Mead,
Convuls'd with frequent Tremors 'gan recede :
A thicker Cloud of Duft obfcures the Skies,
And Murmurs dire from deepest Hell arife.

1170

This Sound mistaken for the Crash of Fight,
From Field the trembling Warriours urge their
Flight.

Another Tremor now bends to the Ground

Men, Horfes, Arms, and shakes the Fields around. The leafy Grove inclines its various Head,

And filent from his Banks Imenos fled.

The public Anger loft in private Fears,

They ground their Arms, and leaning on their Spears,
Start back, as on each other's Face they view

Wild Terror imag'd in a pallid Hue.
As when Bellona forms a naval Fray,

1180

In Scorn of Neptune, on the watry Way:

If haply fome fell Tempest interpose,

Each thoughtful of himself, neglects his Foes;

The common Dangers cause their Ire to ceafe,
And mutual Fears impofe a fudden Peace.
Such was the fluctuating Fight to view :
Whether from fubterraneous Prifons flew
Imbofom'd Blafts, and gather'd from afar,
In one vaft Burst discharg'd the windy War:
Or latent Springs had worn the rotten Clay,
And open'd to themselves a gradual Way:
Or on this Side the swift Machine of Heav'n
Inclin❜d, by more than wonted Impulse driv❜n,
Or whether Neptune bade old Ocean roar,
And dash'd the briny Foam from Shore to Shore:
Or Earth herself would warn by these Portents
The Seer, or Brother-Kings of both Events;
Lo! fhe difclofes wide her hollow Womb:

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(Night fear'd the Stars, the Stars the nether Gloom.)

The

The Prophet and his Courfers, while they strive

To pass, the yawning Cleft ingulphs alive :

Nor did he quit the Reins and Arms in Hand,
But with them plung'd to the Tartarean Strand;
And as he fell, gaz'd backward on the Light; 1205
And griev❜d to see the Field would soon unite,
Till now a lighter Tremor clos'd again

The Ground, and darken'd Pluto's wide Domain.

THE

THE

THEBAID OF STATIUS.

BOOK THE EIGHTH.

THE

HE Poet, having defcribed the Effects of Amphiaraus's Coming into the infernal Regions, introduces Pluto expreffing his Difpleasure at his abrupt Intrusion, and exhorting the Furies to retaliate the Infult by an Excurfion to the World above. At length, however, Amphiaraus pacifies him. The Confederates, terrified by this extraordinary Phænomenon, quit the Field in great Disorder and Confufion, and express their Concern for the Death of the Seer in a long Oration. The Thebans Spend the Night in Feafting and follity. Adraftus calls a Council in the Morning, in which it is refolved, that Thiodamas fhould fucceed Amphiaraus as Augur: who, in Pursuance of his Election appeafes the Earth by Sacrifice, and delivers a funeral Oration in Praise of bis Predeceffor. The Battle recommencing, Tydeus on the Part of the Allies, and Hæmon on the Part of the Thebans, fignalize themselves, by Feats of Prowess and Gallantry. The Thebans, difheartened by the Death of Atys, and Retreat of Hæmon, are rallied by Menæceus, and renew the Fight with redoubled Vigour and Alacrity. The Poet then returns to Thebes and while Ifmene is relating a Dream, which fhe bad about her Lover Atys, to her Sifter, he is brought into the Palace just upon the Point of Death: this gives Rife to a very affecting Scene. Tydeus in the mean Time makes a great Slaughter of his Enemies; and meeting with Eteocles, exchanges a Dart with him: but the other flying, in the Purfuit of him he is overpowered by his Enemies, and receiving a mortal Wound, expires gnawing the Head of Menalippus, who gave it him.