"Though Death, though Hell, in confequence attend, "Thou shalt with me the genial bed afcend."

He faid, and fudden fnatch'd her beauteous hand;
The goddess finil'd, nor did th' attempt withstand:
But fix'd her eyes upon the hero's bed,
Where foft and filken coverlets were fpread,
And over all a counterpane was plac'd,
Thick fown with furs of many a favage beaft,
Of bears and lions, heretofore his fpoil;
And ftill remain'd the trophies of his toil.

Now to afcend the bed they both prepare,
And he with cager hafte difrobes the fair.

Her sparkling necklace, first, he laid aside;
Her bracelets next, and braided hair unty'd :
And now, his busy hand her zone unbrac'd,
Which girt her radiant robe around her waste ;
Her radiant robe at laft afide was thrown,
Whofe rofy hue with dazzling luftre fhone.

The Queen of Love the youth thus difarray'd,.
And on a chair of gold her veftments laid.
Anchifes now (fo Jove and fate ordain'd)
The fweet extreme of ecstasy attain'd;

And mortal he, was like th' immortals blefs'd,

Not confcious of the goddess he poffefs'd.

But when the fwains their flocks and herds had fed, And from the flowery field returning, led

Their fheep to fold, and oxen to the shed;
In foft and pleafing chains of fleep profound,
The wary goddess her Anchises bound:

Then

Then gently rifing from his fide and bed,
In all her bright attire her limbs array'd.

And now, her fair-crown'd head aloft fhe rears,
Nor more a mortal, but herfelf appears :
Her face refulgent, and majestic mien,
Confefs'd the goddefs, Love's and Beauty's Queen.

Then thus, aloud, the calls: "Anchifes, wake; "Thy fond repofe and lethargy forfake:

"Look on the nymph who late from Phrygia came, "Behold me well---fay, if I feem the fame."

At her first call, the chains of fleep were broke, And, ftarting from his bed, Anchifes woke : But when he Venus view'd without disguife, Her shining neck beheld, and radiant eyes; Aw'd and abafh'd, he turn'd his head afide, Attempting with his robe his face to hide. Confus'd with wonder, and with fear oppress'd, In winged words, he thus the Queen addrefs'd: "When firft, O Goddefs, I thy form beheld, "Whose charms fo far humanity excell'd; "To thy celeftial power my vows I paid, "And with humility implor'd thy aid : "But thou, for fecret caufe to me unknown, "Didft thy divine immortal ftate difown. "But now, I beg thee by the filial love "Due to thy father, Egis-bearing Jove, "Compaffion on my human ftate to fhow ; "Nor let me lead a life infirm below; "Defend me from the woes which mortals wait, "Nor let me fhare of men the common fate :

"Since never man with length of days was bleft, "Who in delights of love a deity poffefs'd."

To him, Jove's beauteous daughter thus replied:
"Be bold, Anchifes; in my love confide :
"Nor me, nor other God, thou need'ft to fear,
"For thou to all the heavenly race art dear.
“Know, from our loves, thou shalt a fon obtain,
"Who over all the realm of Troy fhall reign;
"From whom a race of monarchs fhall defcend,
"And whofe pofterity fhall know no end.
"To him thou shalt the name Eneas give,
"As one, for whofe conception I muft grieve,
"Oft as I think, he to exift began

"From my conjunction with a mortal man.”
But Troy, of all the habitable earth,
To a fuperior race of men gives birth ;
Producing heroes of th' ætherial kind,
And next refembling gods in form and mind.
From thence great Jove to azure skies convey'd
To live with gods, the lovely Ganymede.
Where, by th' immortals honour'd (ftrange to fee!)
The youth enjoys a blefs'd eternity.

In bowls of gold he ruddy nectar pours,

And Jove regales in his unbended hours.

Long did the King, his fire, his abfence mourn,
Doubtful by whom, or where, the boy was borne:
Till Jove at length, in pity of his grief,
Difpatch'd Argicides to his relief;
And, more with gifts to pacify his mind,
He fent him horfes of a deathless kind,
Whose feet outftript in fpeed the rapid wird.

}

Charging

Charging withal fwift Hermes to relate
The youth's advancement to a heavenly state;
Where all his hours are pafs'd in circling joy,
Which age can ne'er decay, nor death deftroy.
Now, when this embaffy the King receives,
No more for abfent Ganymede he grieves;
The pleafing news his aged heart revives,
And with delight his fwift-heel'd steeds he drives.
"But when the golden-thron'd Aurora made
"Tithonus partner of her rofy bed,

"(Tithon us too was of the Trojan line,
"Refembling gods in face and form divine)
"For him the ftrait the thunderer addrefs'd,
"That with perpetual life he might be blefs'd:
"Jove heard her prayer, and granted her request.
"But ah! how rafh was the, how indifcreet!
"The most material bleffing to oinit ;
"Neglecting, or not thinking to provide,

}

"That length of days might be with ftrength supplied; "And to her lover's endless life, engage

"An endlefs youth, incapable of age.

"But hear what fate befell this heavenly fair,
"In gold enthron'd, the brightest child of air.
Tithonus, while of pleafing youth poffefs'd,

"Is by Aurora with delight carefs'd;
"Dear to her arms, he in her court refides,

66 Beyond the verge of earth, and ocean's utmoft tides.
"But when the faw grey hairs begin to fpread,
"Deform his beard, and difadorn his head,

"The

"The goddess cold in her embraces grew,

"His arms declin'd, and from his bed withdrew; "Yet ftill a kind of nurfing care the show'd, "And food ambrofial, and rich cloaths bestow'd: "But when of age he felt the fad extreme, "And every nerve was fhrunk, and limb was lame, "Lock'd in a room her useless spouse the left, “Of youth, of vigour, and of voice bereft. "On terms like thefe, I never can defire "Thou should'ft to immortality afpire.

"Could't thou indeed, as now thou art, remain, 'Thy ftrength, thy beauty, and thy youth retain, "Could't thou for ever thus my husband prove, "I might live happy in thy endless love;

"Nor fhould I e'er have caufe to dread the day,
"When I must mourn thy loss and life's decay.
"But thou, alas! too foon and fure muft bend
"Beneath the woes which painful age attend;
"Inexorable age! whofe wretched state
"All mortals dread, and all immortals hate.

"Now, know, I alfo muft my portion fhare,
"And for thy fake reproach and shame must bear.
"For I, who heretofore in chains of love
"Could captivate the minds of gods above,
"And force them, by my all-fubduing charms,
"To figh and languish in a woman's arms:

46

Muft now no more that power fuperior boast, "Nor tax with weaknefs the celeftial hoft; "Since I invfelf this dear amends have made,

46

And am at last by my own arts betray'd.

"Erring