His Sifter in his Friend has rais'd a Flame,
A Virgin chaste, and yet a Cyprian Dame,
Cydippe, carv'd in ev'ry myrtle Grove,
And call'd the Beauty of the Land of Love.
His Paffion long the Warrior had conceal'd, Nor to the Maid herself his Mind reveal'd: The niceft Thoughts, which Honour could infpire,
The Lover acts by, and corrects his Fire Unjuft he thinks, fhould not the Sire approve, To tempt a virgin Heart by Force of Love. Her Brother, and his Friend, the best, he chofe, To whom he fhould the Secret first disclose. With tendereft Concern the Brother heard, But from his Father's Temper much he fear'd, Rafh, covetous, and tefty, from his Youth, And always headstrong, tho' oppos'd by Truth; His Friend by Nature mild, of gentleft Kind, And only rich, there truly rich, in Mind.
Dion, as Prudence taught, Philander leaves, To try the Fair, how the his Love receives. Cydippe penfive and alone he found, With her brightEyes fix'dftedfast on the Ground; On her right Hand her rofy Cheek was lay'd, All in the Pofture of a love-fick Maid: Before the Likeness of the Cyprian Queen, So thoughtful was the Maid, he ftood unfeen. From ev'ry Circumftance he judg'd her Mind, And, long before he heard, her Cafe divin'd.
He nam'd his Friend, and gently rais'd her
At which a Blush of Love her Cheeks o'er
When of his Visit he the Cause had told,
These Words the Purport of her Mind unfold:
Think you too early I my Heart incline
To Love, forgive me, for the Cause is thine;
Oft' as I've heard you, eager to commend,
Dwell on the Virtues of your absent Friend,
I wish'd, whene'er it is ordain'd by Fate
I should exchange in Life my virgin State,
Kind Heav'n, in Pity to my Vows, may give
Such Virtues to the Man with whom I live;
But, fince Philander to our Father came,
I feel the Dawnings of a virgin Flame :
Tho' blind to what Degree my Lot is caft,
I hope my early Love will be my laft.
The Brother heard with Pleasure, and ap
prov'd,
Each worthy by the other to be lov'd,
Then, hafting firft his faithful Friend to cheer,
Told him fhe liften'd with a willing Ear;
From him in Tranfport to his Sire he ran,
To intercede for the deferving Man.
He urg'd his Virtues, and his Form divine,
How high defcended of a noble Line,
In Council wife a finking Land to save,
In War the bravest, and among the Brave.
The Father heard, filent a-while he stood,
Smiling within at Virtue, and at Blood:
He, long before refolv'd, had doom'd the Fair
To proud Agathocles, a wealthy Heir;
Whose Sire, immensely rich in Land and Gold,
In Bribes, in Perjury, in Rapine, old,
Had all bequeath'd, when he his Race had run,
To the dear Likeness of himself, his Son.
While Dion pleads, and from a Soul fincere, The Caufe of Love, before a Judge fevere, The Lovers, conscious of their mutual Flame, By Chance, together opportunely came: Philander view'd her, and approach'd with Awe; Love prefs'd him on, nor could the Nymph withdraw:
And now the foft Exchange of Hearts began,
Betwixt the fair one and the godlike Man:
The Victors both an equal Triumph fhare,
The conquer'd Hero, and the vanquish'd Fair.
While Scenes of Paradife their Thoughts em-
ploy,
While from their Breafts arise the Sighs of Joy,
While from their Lips fuch tender Accents flow,
As only Lovers speak, or wish to know,
Agenor's Mandate calls the Fair away,
And at his House forbids Philander's Stay :
And next for proud Agathocles he fends,
And to his Care the wretched Fair commends.
My future Son, he cry'd, and gave her Hand,
Take this an Earneft of a ftricter Band.
Then turning to the Maid, a Parent's Curfe
Be thine, and more, if ought on Earth be worse,
When you
refufe in Hymen's Rites to join
With him thy Father has allotted thine.
He ended thus, and with a Brow severe.
The Virgin aw'd by Duty and by Fear,
Firft turn'd,and wip'd away the fallingTear,
And then reply'd: To him who gave meBreath,
The Hour my Duty ceases, welcome Death.
The Site, difpleas'd not with her Words, retir'd:
The human Brute, who view'd her Charms
unfir'd,
By native Dulness free from Love's foft Pow'r,
Lik'd, or diflik'd, according to the Dow'r.
While poor Cydippe, in the dangerous State, To lose her Love, or meet a Parent's Hate, Seeks by her Vows, to her distracting Grief, From the fair Goddess of the Ifle, Relief; Dion, in Pity to their virtuous Love, Himself a Brother, and a Friend, to prove, Contrives their Meeting in a neighb'ring Grove.
He ftill the happy Moment hopes to find,
To turn to Reafon old Agenor's Mind;
Or fhould the Sire perfift, he wifely knew,
To Reafon only was Obedience due.
The Scene to which the faithful Pair retreat, At a small Distance from Agenor's Seat, With Myrtle, and with fragrant Jefs'mine blows, And sheds the Sweetness of the damask Rose;
And there the Orange, of a golden Hue,
Breathes to the Smell, and glitters to the View;
The Sweets of Vi'lets rife where'er they rove:
Hence it is call'd the aromatic Grove.
While thro' the Boughs the winged Natives fly
Warbling, a filver Stream runs murm'ring by.
Hither, with Virtue arm'd, the Lovers came,
To figh their mutual and unspotted Flame ;
But they enjoy'd not long the blissful State,
By Jealoufy pursu'd, and envious Hate.
Agathocles felt not of Love the Pow'r,
But languish'd daily for the promis'd Dow'r;
Hence the dire Rancour of his Heart began
To him he fear'd, in Love, the happier Man.
Spies he employ'd the Lovers Steps to trace;
Th' appointed Hour he knew, and ufual Place.
In an ill-fated Day Philander led
The virgin Charmer to the vi'let Bed;
As, former Vows repeated, fresh they made,
In Thought secure beneath the orange Shade,
An Arrow flew, and from a Hand unseen,
And crimfon'd with theLover's Blood theGreen.
Cydipppefill'd with Shrieks the neighb'ringPlains,
And gather'd to the Place the Nymphs and
Swains;
TheNymphs andSwains around aftonish'd stand;
They know the Youth, and curfe the barb'rous
Hand:
They know, and much lament, the lovely Pair, The brave Philander and Cydippe fair.
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