But 'ftead of Thanks, your Court I am forbid:
Your felf forbad me, faithlefs Fason did!
With none but my two Infants I depart,
And Jafon's Form, that ne'er forfakes my Heart.
At length thy Rev'ling Nuptial Songs furprize
My wounded Ear, thy Nuptial Torch my Eyes;
The Rabble fhout, the Clamour nearer drew,
And as it came more near, more dreadful grew:
My Servants weep in Corners, and refufe
Th' ingrateful Task of fuch unwelcome News!
I yet forbear t'enquire, tho' ftill my Breaft
The dreadful Apprehenfions did fuggeft.
My youngest Boy now from the Window spy'd
The coming Pomp, and jocund thus he cry'd,
"Look Mother, look! fee where my Father rides,
"With fhining Reins his Golden Chariot guides.
At this, my pale forfaken Breast I tore,
Nor fpar'd the Face, whose Beauties charm no more.
Alas! what did I fpare! fcarce cou'd I fpare
My Honour, fcarcely thee, cou'd scarce forbear
To force my Paffage to the Chariot now,
And tear the Garland from thy perjur'd Brow.
Offended Father, now thy Griefs discharge!
My Brother's Blood is now reveng'd at large.
The Man (for whom I fled and injur'd thee!
Whofe Love fole Comfort of my Flight cou'd be)
Th' ungrateful Man has now forfaken me!
I tam'd the Bulls, and cou'd the Serpent bind,
But for perfidious Love no Spell can find: -
The Dragon's baleful Fires my Arts supprest, -
But not the Flames that rage within my Breast.
In Love my pow'rfull'st Herbs are useless made,
In vain is Hecate fummon'd to my Aid;
I figh the Day, the Night in Watches spend,
No Slumbers on my careful Brows descend:
With Poppies Juice in vain my Eyes I steep,
And try the Charm that made the Dragon fleep.
I only reap no Profit from my Charms!
They fav'd, but fav'd thee for my Rival's Arms!
There, 'cause you know the Theme will grateful be,
Perhaps you're fo unjaft t'exclaim on me!
To tax my Manners, rally on my Face,
And make th' Adult'refs Sport with my Difgrace!
Laugh on, proud Dame; but know thy Fate is nigh,
When thou shalt yet more wretched be than I;
When wrong'd Medea unreveng'd fits ftill,
Sword, Flame, and Poison, have forgot to Kill.
If Pray'rs the flinty Jafon's Breaft can move,
My just Complaint will fure fuccessful prove.
Stretch'd at thy Feet a fuppliant Princess fee;
Such was thy Pofture, when fhe pity'd thee.
And tho' a Wife's difcarded Title fail,
My Infants still are thine, let them prevail !
So much th'are thine, so much thy Likeness bear,
Each Look I caft, is follow'd by a Tear.
Now by the Gods, by all our past Delights,
By thofe dear Pledges of our Am'rous Nights,
Restore to me thy Love; I claim my Due;
Be to my Merit, and thy Promise true.
I ask thee not what I perform'd for thee,
To fet me from fierce Bulls and Serpents free;
I only crave thy Love, thy Love restore,
For which I've done fo much, and suffer'd more.
Do'st thou demand a Dow'r?-'twas paid that Day
When thou didst bear the Golden Fleece away:
Thy Life's a Dow'r, and thy dear Foll'wers Health,
The Youth of Greece; weigh these with Creon's Wealth.
To me thou ow'st that thou art Creon's Heir,
That now thou liv'ft to call Creüfa Fair!
You've wrong'd me all, and on you all-but hold,
I form Revenge, too mighty to be told!
My Thoughts are now to th' utmost Ruin bent!
Perhaps I shall the fatal Rage repent.
But on- for I (whate'er the Mischief be)
Shall lefs repent than that I trusted thee !
The God alone that rages in my Breast,
Can fee the dark Revenge my Thoughts fuggeft:
I only know 'twill foon effected be,
And when it comes, be Vaft, and Worthy me.
By Mr. OTWAY.
The ARGUMEN T.
Thefeus, the Son of Egeus, having flain the Minotaur, promised to Ariadne the Daughter of Minos and Pafiphæ, for the Affiftance which she gave him, to carry ber home with him, and make her his Wife: So together with her Sifter Phædra they went on Board and fail'd to Chios, where being warn'd by Bacchus, he left Ariadne, and Married her Sifter Phædra; who afterawards, in Thefeus her Husband's Absencè, fell in Love with Hippolytus her Son-in-Law, who had vowed Celibacy, and was a Hunter: wherefore fince she could not conveniently otherwife, fhe chofe by this Epifle to give him an Account of her Paffion.
F Thou'rt unkind, I ne'er fhall Health enjoy ;
I've much I with to thee, my Lovely Boy:
Read this, and reading how my Soul is feiz'd,
Rather than not, be with my Ruin pleas'd:
Thus Secrets fafe to fartheft Shores may move:
By Letters Foes converfe, and learn to love.
Thrice my fad Tale, as I to tell it try'd,
Upon my fault'ring Tongue abortive dy'd,
Long Shame prevail'd, nor could be conquer'd quite,
But what I blush to speak, Love made me write.
"Tis dang'rous to refift the Pow'r of Love,
The Gods obey him, and he's King above:
He clear'd the Doubts that did my Mind confound,
And promis'd me to bring Thee hither bound:
Oh may he come, and in that Breast of thine
Fix a kind Dart, and make it flame like mine!
Yet of my Wedlock Vows I'll lose no Care:
Search back thro' all my Fame, thou'lt find it fair.
But Love long breeding, to worst Pains does turn;
Outward unharm'd, within, within I burn!
As the young Bull or Courfer yet untam'd,
When yok'd or bridl'd first, are pinch'd and maim'd,
So my unpractis'd Heart in Love can find
No Reft, th' unwonted Weight fo toils my Mind.
When young, Love's Pangs by Arts we may remove,
But in our riper Years with Rage we love.
To thee I yield then all my dear Renown,
And pr'ythee let's together be undone.
Who would not pluck the new-blown blushing Rofe,
Or the ripe Fruit that Courts him as it grows?
But if my Virtue hitherto has gain'd
Efteem for Spotlefs, fhall it now be stain'd?
Oh in thy Love I shall no Hazard run;
'Tis not a Sin, but when 'tis courfely done.
And now fhould Juno yield her Jove to me,
I'd quit that Jove, Hippolytus, for thee:
Believe me too with ftrange Defires I change,
Among wild Beafts I long with Thee to range,
To thy Delights and Delia I incline,
Make her my Goddess too, because she's thine:
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