मा०

Sanguis enim errantes animato in corpore venas Dum movet, extremufque regit mihi spiritus artus, (Obteftor metuenda Ægpyti Numina) sævis

Te fequar ufque odiis; Tu fpe languebis ademptâ.

Quin ferias, inquit; nudumque ad vulnera pectus
Expofuit: memoretur in ultima fæcula faftis
Judaicis, Stimulante libidine, DAVIDE natum
Sanguineâ jugulâffe manu, fua gaudia, fervam.

Mox lecto exiliens, trepidus victufque pudore,
Sic mecum: heu! nimio languefcens pectora luxu,
Exere te, SOLOMON, lapfamq; recollige mentem;
Tecum agita, & taciti nafcentur fponte dolores.
Per longam annorum feriem cum vana voluptas
Spes avidas umbrá duxit fugiente, (fuperbum
Sic Fortuna animum illudit) quod pectore toto
Optavi impatiens, habet improba Nympha, negatque.
Ergone me Regem Judæi, mene fatentur
Gentes? & mea vox trepidantia stamina vitæ
Confervat dirimitque, ancillam corpore flexo
Dum veneror, ridetque meas Virguncula vires?

An

For long as Blood informs these circling Veins;
Or fleeting Breath it's latest Pow'r retains';
Hear me to EGYPT'S vengeful Gods declare,
Hate is My Part: be Thine, O King, Despair.

Now ftrike, She faid, and open'd bare her Breast: Stand it in JUDA H's Chronicles confeft, That DAVID's Son, by impious Paffion mov'd, Smote a She-Slave, and murder'd what He lov'd.

Afham'd, confus'd I started from the Bed; And to my Soul yet uncollected faid:

Into Thy self, fond SOLOMON, return;

Reflect again, and Thou again fhalt mourn.

When I through number'd Years have Pleasure sought;
And in vain Hope the wanton Phantom caught;
To mock my Senfe, and mortify my Pride,
'Tis in another's Pow'r, and is deny'd.

Am I a King, great Heav'n! does Life or Death
Hang on the Wrath, or Mercy of My Breath;
While kneeling I My Servant's Smiles implore;
And One mad Dam'fel dares difpute My Pow'r?

Το

An rapiam invitam? fugiat tam turpis Imago!..: Hoc prono pecori Me æquaverit. Anne remittam? O! quas ad terras, atque hei mihi, cujus in ulnas? Illuc quà SOLOMON nunquam veftigia figet; Brachia quà Juvenis ferventia pandet amatus, Cui fervans decus Illa fuum, mea munera fpernit.

Improbe Amor, quales mifero de corde triumphos Sævus agis! quam trifte jugum! quam cufpis iniqua! Illæfus vivit, qui fræna audire recufat;

Et lacerant fidos afperrima vulnera fervos.

En! Tibi Judæa Princeps dat colla; quid optes Nobilius? fpolia unde magis memoranda reportes ? Cur Nympha ufque adeo fævam intractabilis aurem Obftruit oranti, neque regia vota moratur? Nefcio quem vilem populi de fæce Bubulcum Cur petit, ardentefque amplexus DAVIDE nati Contemnit? demens, quæ Principis atria fpernat, Quà pompam inter opefque effufaque gaudia lætus Regnat Amor. Casa nimirùm, Casa fordida, fummo Monte tremens, ventis fævoque obnoxia cœlo, Avocat; hìc vivos compefcet pectoris ignes Res angufta domi, veneremque extinguet egestas.

Ah

To Ravish Her? That Thought was foon deprefs'd, Which must debase the Monarch to the Beast.

To send Her back? O whither, and to whom?
To Lands where SOLOMON muft never come;
To that Infulting Rival's happy Arms,

For whom, difdaining Me, She keeps her Charms.

Fantastic Tyrant of the am'rous Heart;

How hard Thy Yoke! how cruel is Thy Dart!
Those 'scape Thy Anger, who refuse Thy Sway;
And those are punish'd most, who moft Obey.

See JUDAH's King revere thy greater Pow'r: What can'ft Thou covet, or how triumph more? Why then, O LOVE, with an obdurate Ear Does this proud Nymph reject a Monarch's Pray'r? Why to fome fimple Shepherd does She run, From the fond Arms of DAVID'S Fav'rite Son? Why flies She from the Glories of a Court, Where Wealth and Pleasure may Thy Reign support, To fome poor Cottage on the Mountain's Brow, Now bleak with Winds, and cover'd now with Snow: Where pinching Want must curb her warm Defires, And Household Cares fupprefs Thy Genial Fires?

Too

Ah nimis! imperium viresque fatentur Amoris
Sollicitæ Gentes, fanis quæ numen adorant:

Gnara Dei vultus vivo de marmore ducit
Græcia, vel fufo fpirantem oftendit in auro;
Quem Cyprus colit, atque aris imponit honorem.
Arcum dextra minax geftat, lævoque pharetra
Ex humero latus ad medium demiffa, fagittas
Suftinet, immitis lacrymofa Infignia regni.
Infidet ala duplex humeris, quas Ille fugaces
Jam movet accelerans; reduces mox flectere gaudet;
Huc, illuc, utcunque animum regit aura protervum.
Sic mihi, fic fefe Deus obtulit improbus, ex quo
Jam primùm vifâ concepi Virgine flammas.
Transfixit pectus, celerique avertitur alâ;

Dira hominum peftis! pereant, precor, afpera tela,
Quæ fixere meo tantum fub pectore vulnus!
O! utinam mea vota fugam tardare valerent!
Laffatus trepides, pennâ languente moreris,

Ni curfum huc teneas, verfamque reducere Nympham
Approperes, ægro meditans folatia Regi.

[Nymphæ

Dum luctantem animam premerent hæc vincula, Heu! fruftrà cupidam, meditantem oblivia fruftrà; Hinc Ratio admonuit, fed fortiùs inftitit illinc