Part 32

Ye muses, patrons of the poet's song, Explain (for all complete your knowledge, age Most distant ne'er deceives you) why the isle In Tiber's bosom, by his billows wash'd, The rites of Esculapius introduc'd Into the town of Romulus! A plague Of direst form infected Latium's air, And the pale bloodless bodies wasted thin Squalid in poison. When the numerous deaths Prov'd every effort of mankind was vain, And vain the art of medicine, they beseech Celestial aid, and unto Delphos go, Apollo's oracle, 'mid place of earth; Pray him to help their miserable state With health-affording words; and end at once The dreadful pest which scourg'd their mighty town. The fane, the laurel, and the quiver, slung Upon his shoulder, shook; and this reply The tripod from its secret depth return'd; Thrilling their fear-struck bosoms: "What you seek, "O Romans! here, you should have nearer sought: "And nearer now ev'n seek it. Phoebus' aid "Your woe can lessen not; but Phoebus' son "Can help ye: therefore with good omens go, "And call my offspring to afford relief." Soon as the prudent senators receiv'd The god's commands, with diligence they seek What city's walls Apollo's son contain; Depute a band, whom favoring breezes waft To Epidaurus' shores. Soon as their keels Touch'd on the strand, they to th' assembled crowd Of Grecian elders haste; and earnest beg To grant their deity, to check the rage Of death amongst the hapless Latian race, By his mere presence. So unerring fate Had said. Divided is the council's voice: Some would the aid besought, be granted; some, And many, these oppose; refuse to send To foreign lands their patron, and their god. While dubious they deliberated, eve Chas'd the remains of light, and the earth's shade Threw darkness round; when, lo! the helping god Appear'd in sleep before the Roman's bed To stand, in form like what his temples grace. His left hand bore a rugged staff; his right Strok'd down the hairs of his expanded beard; As thus with words of import mild he spoke; "Fear not, for I will come; my temple leave. "View but this snake which with his circling folds "My staff entwines; remark him, that again "You well may know him; chang'd to such a form "Will I be; but more huge I will appear; "Mighty in bulk as heavenly beings ought." The vision ceas'd, and vanish'd with the words: And with the god fled sleep; and cheerful light Follow'd the flight of Somnus. Now the morn Had chas'd the starry fires; the Grecian chiefs, Still dubious, in the splendid temple meet Of the intreated deity, and pray That some celestial sign he should display, To prove which country for his seat he chose. Scarce had they ended, when the shining god Fore-running hisses sent; and as a snake With lofty crest appear'd: at his approach His statue, altars, portals, gilded roofs, And marble pavement shook. He rear'd his chest Sublime amid the temple; and around Darted his eyes, which shone with living fire. Trembled the fear-struck crowd. The sacred priest, His hair encircled with a snowy band, Straight knew him; and, "the God! the God!" exclaim'd: "All present, him with hearts and tongues adore! "O glorious deity! may thou, thus seen, "Propitious be; thy worshippers protect, "Who keep thy rites." All present to the god Adoring bend, and all his words repeat; And Rome's embassadors with fervor join In mind and voice. To these the god consents, And his crest moving, certain signs affords: Thrice hissing, thrice he shakes his forked tongue, Then down the shining steps he glides, his head Retorted; as he thence departs he views His ancient altars, and a last salute, His wonted seat, his long-own'd temple, gives. Thence rolls he huge along the ground bestrew'd With scatter'd flowers, in curving folds entwin'd; And through the city's centre takes his way, To where the bending mole the port defends. Here rested he; and to dismiss appear'd His followers, and the kind attending crowd, With gracious looks; then in th' Ausonian ship He plac'd his length. A deity's huge weight The ship confess'd; the keel beneath the load Bent. Glad Æneäs' offspring felt, and loos'd (A bull first sacrific'd upon the shore,) The cables which their crowded galley bound. Light airs impell'd the vessel. High aloft The god appear'd; upon the curving poop Rested his neck, and view'd the azure waves. By zephyrs wafted o'er th' Iönian sea, They reach'd Italia when the sixth time rose Aurora. Pass'd Scylacea, and the fane Of Juno, on Lacinia's noted shore; Japygia left, and shunn'd Amphissia's rocks With larboard oars; and, coasting on the right, Ceraunia, and Romechium pass'd, and pass'd Narycia and Caulonia; they, (the risks Of sea, and of Pelorus' narrow straits Surmounted) pass th' Æolian monarch's isles; Metallic Themesis; Leucasia's land; And warm and rosy Pæstus. Thence they coast Along Capræa; and Minerva's cape; And pass Surrentum, rich in generous wine, The town of Hercules; Parthenopé, Built for soft ease; with Stabia; and from thence Pass the Cumæan Sybil's sacred dome. Hence by Linternum, with the mastich rich; And boiling fountains are they borne; and past Vulturnus sucking sand within the gulf; And Sinuessa, fill'd with milk-white doves: Marshy Minturnæ; with Cajeta, rais'd By him she nurs'd; Antiphates' abode; Trachas, by fens encompass'd; Circé's land; And Antium's solid shore. Here when the crew Had with toe flying vessel reach'd, (for now Rough was the main) the god his folds untwines, Glides on in frequent coils, and spires immense; Entering a temple of his sire that stood Close by the yellow beach. The ocean calm'd, The Epidaurian god his father's fane Now leaves; a deity to him close join'd Thus hospitable found: the sandy shore Ploughs in a furrow with his rattling scales: Then, in the steersman confident, he rests On the high poop his head, till they approach Lavinium's city, and her sacred seat, And Tiber's mouth. The people rush in heaps, And crowds of matrons and of fathers rush, Confus'dly hither; even the vestal maids Who guard the sacred fire: and all salute The god with joyful clamor. Then where'er The rapid vessel cleaves th' opposing stream, The incense crackles on the banks, and rais'd Are lines of altars, thick on either shore; The smoke perfumes the air; the victims bleed In heaps, and warm the sacrificial knife. The Roman city now, the world's great head, They enter'd, up erect the serpent rose; From the mast's loftiest summit tower'd his neck, And round he look'd to chuse a fit abode. The waves circumfluent in two equal streams Divide; the isle has thence its name, the arms On either side are stretch'd, land in the midst. Hither the Æsculapian snake himself Betook, departing from the Latian ship; Resum'd his form celestial, and their griefs Dispersing, came health-bearer to the land.

A foreign power he in our temples stands, But Cæsar, in his native town a god Is worshipp'd. In the forum, and the field Fam'd equal: yet not his well-finish'd wars, His triumphs, nor the deeds in peace perform'd So justly chang'd him to an heavenly shape, A blazing star, as did the son he left. For no atchievement Cæsar e'er perform'd Can with the boast to be Augustus' sire Compare. Far greater this than to subdue The sea-girt Britons:--his victorious fleets To seven-mouth'd Nile to lead;--to bring the realms Cinyphian Juba rul'd, 'neath Rome's control, Rebel Numidia; and, puff'd high in pride With Mithridates' glory, Pontus' land; Rich triumphs to have gain'd, and triumphs more To merit, as a man so great produce; To whose presiding care, O bounteous gods! Mankind ye gave, and them completely blest. And lest he seem from mortal seed to spring His sire must mount to heaven, in form a god. This the bright mother of Æneäs saw, And for the priest beheld a mournful fate Prepar'd, and moving saw the arms conspir'd. She trembled, and to every god she met Address'd her: "Lo! what deep and potent plots "Against me they prepare. See, with what art "His life is sought, who sole to me is left "Of my Iülus. Why must I alone "Be harrass'd still with never-ceasing cares? "Whom now Tydides' Calydonian spear "Wounds; now the walls of ill-protected Troy "Lie prostrate. Who my darling son behold "Driv'n to long wanderings; on the ocean toss'd; "Entering the silent mansions of the dead; "Waging fierce war with Turnus; or, if truth "I speak, with Juno rather. Yet why now "Record I former sufferings in my sons? "Terror prevents all memory of the past; "See, where at me their impious swords they point! "O, I conjure you! stay them; and prevent "The horrid deed; lest, spilt the high-priest's blood, "The fires of Vesta be for ever dark." With words like these did troubled Venus move Each power of heaven, in vain; yet all were touch'd, And, though the stern decrees of rigid fate To break unable, tokens plain they gave, That some immense calamity was nigh. They tell, that clashing arms 'mid the black clouds, And dreadful horns and trumpets in the heavens Sounded, to warn us of the impious deed. Full of solicitude the earth beheld The pale wan image of sad Phoebus' face. Torches were often seen 'mid heaven to glare; And from the clouds oft gory drops were shed. Blue Lucifer a dusky hue o'ercast; And Luna's car was sprinkled o'er with blood. Th' infernal owl in numerous places shriek'd, A direful omen! In a thousand fanes The ivory statues wept; the sacred groves Re-echo'd all with songs and threatening sounds. No victim seem'd appeasing; tumults vast Approaching shew'd the entrails; and appear'd The liver always with a wounded head. Around the domes, and temples of the gods Loud howl'd the midnight dogs; the silent shades Flitted along; and tremblings shook the town. Yet could not these forebodings of the heavens Crush the conspiracy, or ward his fate; And in the temple were the weapons drawn: For, but the senate-house, no spot could please The vile assassins for the bloody deed. Then Cytherea smote her lovely breast In anguish; and beneath an heavenly cloud Sought to conceal him: such a cloud as once From furious Menelaüs Paris sav'd; And snatch'd Æneäs from Tydides' sword. Then thus her sire: "O daughter! hast thou power "Th' immutable decrees of fate to change? "To thee 'tis granted to inspect the dome "Of the three sisters; there thou wilt behold "Th' eternal tablets of events engrav'd "On steel and brass, a work of mighty toil. "Safe, they nor fear the clashing of the sky, "Nor rage of thunder, nor of ruin aught. "There wilt thou written find thy offspring's fate "On ever-during adamant. Myself "Have read it, and record it in my mind; "And lest thou should'st be to the future blind, "I will relate it. He for whom thou toil'st, "O Cytherea! has his time fulfill'd; "The sum of years which to the earth he ow'd. "That he a deity in heaven may rise, "And be in temples worshipp'd is thy care, "And his successor's; who his name will take, "And on his shoulders bear the wide world's rule; "On him impos'd. He, of his murder'd sire "Valiant avenger, shall in all his wars "Our favoring influence feel. Mutina's walls, "By him besieg'd, in conquest shall confess "His power, and sue for peace. Pharsalia, him "Shall feel; and, drench'd in Macedonian blood "Again, Philippi. On Sicilia's seas "His mighty name shall conquer. Egypt's queen, "Falsely relying on the nuptial bond "With Rome's triumvir, falls: all vain her threats, "That Tiber should subservient bend to Nile. "Why should I speak to thee of barbarous hordes, "Nations which dwell at either seas' extreme? "Whatever habitable earth contains "Will to his empire bend. Ocean will own "His sway. Peace on th'extended earth bestow'd, "To civil studies will his breast be turn'd; "And laws most equitable will he frame. "By his example curb licentious souls; "And, stretching forward to a future age "His anxious care, which their sons' sons may feel, "His offspring, nurtur'd in a pious womb, "At once his name and station will assume. "Nor shall he touch th' ethereal seats, nor join "His kindred stars till full like him in years. "Meantime his soul, snatch'd from the mangled corse, "Form to a brilliant star, a god divine: "That Julius from his lofty seat may still "Our forum, and our Capitol behold." Scarcely the sire had ceas'd, when Venus, bright, But unperceiv'd by all, stood in the midst Of Rome's assembled senate; from the breast Of her lov'd Cæsar took the recent soul, Nor let it waste in air. Up to the stars She bore it. Rapid as she swept along, She saw it shine with light, she saw it burn; Then from her bosom spring above the moon: Lofty it flies, it shines a glittering star, Dragging a flaming tail's stupendous length. Viewing the glorious actions of his son, Candid he grants them mightier than his own, And thus surpast rejoices. Let him frown, If to his parent's deeds we his prefer; Yet fame quite free will such commands despise, Give him unwish'd-for precedence; and here, And here alone he'll disobedience find. So Atreus yielded to the mighty fame Of Agamemnon; Theseus so surpass'd Ægeus; and Achilles Peleus so. Nay more, examples nearer to themselves If I should use, Saturn submits to Jove. Jove rules th' ethereal sky, the triform world; And all the earth beneath Augustus lies: Each is the sire and ruler of his realm.

O, I implore, ye gods! who did attend Æneäs,--who made fire and sword retreat! Ye native deities of Latium's soil! Quirinus, founder of the walls of Rome! Mars, of Quirinus never-conquer'd, sire! Vesta, held sacred midst the Cæsars' gods! Domestic Phoebus, with chaste Vesta plac'd! And Jove, who guards the high Tarpeiän walls! With all whom pious poets may invoke; Slow may that day arrive, and older far Than what our age may see, when to the clouds His glorious head shall mount, quitting this globe He rules so well, and our beseeching prayers Bending with condescending ear to grant.

Now is my work complete, which not Jove's ire, Nor flame, nor steel, nor gnawing tooth of age, Shall e'er destroy. Come when it will, that day Which nothing, save my mortal frame, can touch. Which ends the being of a dubious life, My better part unperishing shall mount Above the loftiest stars. Eternal still Shall be my name. Where'er Rome's power extends O'er conquer'd earth, my verses shall be read; And, if the presages by poets given Be true, to endless years my fame shall live.

FINIS.

Hayden, Printer, Brydges Street, Covent Garden.