Tecta, fuperjecto nebularum incendit amictu.
Labuntur dulces animae: mors fila fororum
Enfe metit, captamque tenens fert manibus urbem.
Quaerenti quae caufa duci, quis ab aethere laevus
Ignis, et in totum regnaret Sirius annum?
Idem autor Pæan rurfus jubet ire cruento
Inferias monftro juvenes, qui caede potiti.
Fortunate animi, longumque in faecula digne
Promeriture diem! non tu pia degener arma
Occulis, aut certae trepidas occurrere morti.
Cominus ora ferens, Cyrrhaei in limine templi 755
Conftitit, et facras ita vocibus afperat iras.
Non miflus Thymbrace tuos fupplexve penates
Advenio mea me pietas, et conscia virtus
Has egere vias. ego fum qui caede fubegi,
Phoebe, tuum mortale nefas, quem nubibus atris,
Et fquallente die, nigra quem tabe finiftri
Quaeris, inique, poli. quod fi monftra effera magnis Cara adeo Superis, jacturaque vilior orbis,
Mors hominum, et faevo tanta inclementia coelo eft:
A night of fultry clouds involv'd around
The tow'rs, the fields, and the devoted ground:
And now a thousand lives together fled,
Death with his fcythe cut off the fatal thread, 745
And a whole province in his triumph led.
But Phoebus, afk'd why noxious fires appear,
And raging Sirius blasts the fickly year;
Demands their lives by whom his monster fell,
And dooms a dreadful facrifice to hell.
Blefs'd be thy duft, and let eternal fame
Attend thy Manes, and preserve thy name,
Undaunted hero! who divinely brave,
In fuch a cause disdain'd thy life to save
But view'd the farine with a fuperior look,
And its upbraided Godhead thus bespoke.
With piety, the foul's fecureft guard,
And confcious virtue, ftill its own reward,
Willing I come, unknowing how to fear;
Nor fhalt thou, Phoebus, find a fuppliant here.
Thy monster's death to me was ow'd alone,
And 'tis a deed too glorious to disown.
Behold him here, for whom, so many days,
Impervious clouds conceal'd thy fullen rays;
For whom, as Man no longer claim'd thy care, 765
Such numbers fell by peftilential air!
But if th' abandon'd race of human kind
From Gods above no more compaffion find;
Quid meruere Argi? me, me, divûm optime, folum
Objeciffe caput fatis praeftabit. an illud
Lene magis cordi, quod defolata domorum
Tecta vides? ignique datis cultoribus omnis
Lucet ager? fed quid fando tua tela manusque
Demoror? expectant matres, fupremaque fundunt
Vota mihi. fatis eft: merui, ne parcere velles.
Proinde move pharetras, arcufque intende fonoros,
Infignemque animam leto demitte. fed illum
Pallidus Inachiis qui defuper imminet Argis,
Dum morior, depelle globum. Fors aequa merentes
Refpicit, ardentem, tenuit reverentia, caedis
Latoïdem, triftemque viro fummiffus honorem
Largitur vitae. noftro mala nubila coelo
Diffugiunt, at tu ftupefacti a limine Phoebi
Exoratus abis. inde haec ftata facra quotannis
Solennes recolunt epulae, Phoebeiaque placat
Templa novatus honos: has forte invifitis aras,
Vos quae progenies? quanquam Calydonius Oeneus
Et Parthaoniae (dudum fi certus ad aures
Clamor iit) tibi jura domûs; tu pande quis Argos
Advenias? quando haec variis fermonibus hora eft,
If such inclemency in heav'n can dwell,
Yet why muft un-offending Argos feel
The vengeance due to this unlucky.steel?
On me, on me, let all thy fury fall,
Nor err from me, fince I deferve it all:
Unless our defert cities please thy fight,
Or fun'ral flames reflect a grateful light.
Discharge thy fhafts, this ready bolom rend,
And to the fhades a ghoft triumphant fend;
But for my Country let my fate atone,
Be mine the vengeance, as the crime my own.
Merit diftrefs'd, impartial heav'n relieves :
Unwelcome life relenting Phoebus gives;
For not the vengeful pow'r, that glow'd with rage
With fuch amazing virtue durft engage.
The clouds difpers'd, Apollo's wrath expir'd,
And from the wond'ring God th' unwilling youth re
Thence we these altars in his temple raise,
And offer annual honours, feasts, and praise;
These folemn feafts propitious Phoebus please:
These honours, ftill renew'd his antient wrath appease.
But fay, illuftrious guest (adjoin'd the King)
What name you bear, from what high race you fpring?
The noble Tydeus stands confess'd, and known
Our neighbour Prince, and heir of Calydon.
Relate your fortunes, while the friendly night
And filent hours to various talk invite.
Dejccit moeftos extemplo Ifmenius heros
In terram vultus, taciteque ad Tydea laefum
Obliquare oculos. tum longa filentia movit :
Non fuper hos divûm tibi fum quaerendus honores
Unde genus, quae terra mihi: quis defluat ordo
Sanguinis antiqui, piget inter facra fateri.
Sed fi praecipitant miferum cognofcere curae,
Cadmus origo patrum, tellus Mavortia Thebae,
Et genetrix Jocafta mihi. tum motus Adraftus
Hofpitiis (agnovit enim) quid nota recondis?
Scimus, ait. nec fic averfum fama Mycenis
Volvit iter. regnum, et furias, oculofque pudentes
Novit, et Arctoïs fi quis de folibus horret,
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