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THEBAIS of STATIUS.

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OK I.

ARGUMENT.

EDIPUS King of Thebes having by mistake flain his father Laius, and marry'd his mother Jocafta; put out his own eyes, and refign'd the realm to his fons, Eteocles and Polynices. Being neglected by them, he makes his prayer to the fury Tifiphone, to fow debate betwixt the brothers. They agree at laft to reign fingly, each a year by turns, and the first lo tis obtain'd by Eteocles. Jupiter, in a council of the Gods, declares his refolution of punishing the Thebans, and Argives also, by means of a marriage betwixt Polynices and one of the daughters of Adraftus King of Argos. Juno opposes, but to no effect; and Mercury is fent on a mellage to the fhades, to the ghost of Laius, who is to appear to Eteocles, and provoke him to break the agreement, Polynices in the mean time departs from Thebes by night, is overtaken by a ftorm, and arrives at Argos; where he meets with Tydeus, who had fled from Calydon, having kill'd his brother. Adraftus entertains them, having receiv'd an oracle from Apollo that his daughters fhould be marry'd to a Boar and a Lion, which he understands to be meant of thefe ftrangers by whom the hides of those beasts were worn, and who arriv'd at the time when he kept an annual feast in honour of that God. The rife of this folemnity he relates to his guefts, the loves of Phoebus and Pfamathe, and the ftory of Chorobus. He enquires, and is made acquainted with their defcent and quality: The facrifice is renew'd, and the book concludes with a Hymn to Apollo.

The Tranflator hopes he needs not apologize for his Choice of this piece, which was made almoft in his Childhood. But finding the Verfion better than he expected, he gave it foms Correction a few years afterwards.

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P. STATII

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THE BAIDOS

FR

LIBER PRIMUS.

Raternas acies, alternaque regna profanis
Decertata odiis, fontefque evolvere Thebas,
Pierius menti calor incidit. Unde jubetis
Ire, Deae gentifne canam primordia dirae ?
'Sidonios raptus, et inexorabile pactum

Legis Agenoreae? scrutantemque aequora Cadmum?
Longa retro feries, trepidum fi Martis operti

Agricolam infandis condentem praelia fulcis

Expediam, penitufque fequar quo carmine muris

Jufferit Amphion Tyrios accedere montes.

Unde graves irae cognata in moenia Baccho,
Quod faevae Junonis opus: cui fumpferit arcum
Infelix Athamas, cur non expaverit ingens

Ionium, focio cafura Palaemone mater.

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THE

THEBA IS

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STATIUS

BOOK the FIRST.
Tranflated in the Year MDCC III.

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Raternal Rage the guilty Thebes alarms,

FRate

Th' alternate reign destroy'd by impious arms. Demand our fong; a facred fury firés

My ravish'd breaft, and all the Muse inspires.
O Goddess, fay, shall I deduce my rhimes
From the dire nation in its early times,
Europa's rape, Agenor's ftern decree,

And Cadmus fearching round the spacious fea?
How with the ferpent's teeth he fow'd the foil,
And reap'd an Iron harvest of his toil?
Or how from joining stones the city sprung,
While to his harp divine Amphion fung?
Or fhall I Juno's hate to Thebes resound,
Whose fatal rage th' unhappy Monarch found?
The fire against the son his arrows drew,
O'er the wide fields the furious mother flew,
And while her arms a fecond hope contain,
Sprung from the rocks and plung'd into the main.

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Atque adeo jam nunc gemitus, et profpera Cadmi
Praeteriiffe finam: limes mihi carminis esto
Oedipodae confufa domus : quando Itala nondum
Signa, nec Arctoos aufim fperare triumphos,
Bifque jugo Rhenum, bis adactum legibus Iftrum,
Et conjurato dejectos vertice Dacos:

Aut defenfa prius vix pubefcentibus annis
Bella Jovis. Tuque o Latiae decus addite famae,
Quem nova maturi fubeuntem exorfa parentis
Aeternum fibi Roma cupit: licet arctior omnes
Limes agat ftellas, et te plaga lucida coeli

Pleïadum, Boreaeque, et hiulci fulminis expers
Sollicitet; licet ignipedum frenator equorum
Ipfe tuis alte radiantem crinibus arcum
Imprimat, aut magni cedat tibi Jupiter aequa
Parte poli; maneas hominum contentus habenis,
Undarum terraeque potens, et fidera dones.

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