Dry forrow in his stupid eyes appears,
For, wanting nourishment, he wanted tears :
His eye-balls in their hollow fockets fink.
Bereft of sleep, he loaths his meat and drink.
He withers at his heart, and looks as wan
As the pale fpectre of a murder'd man:
That pale turns yellow, and his face receives
The faded hue of fapless boxen leaves:
In folitary groves he makes his moan,
Walks early out, and ever is alone:
Nor, mix'd in mirth, in youthful pleafures fhares,
But fighs when fongs and inftruments he hears.
His fpirits are fo low, his voice is drown'd,
He hears as from afar, or in a fwoon,
Like the deaf murmurs of a diftant found:
Uncomb'd his locks, and fqualid his attire,
Unlike the trim of love and gay defire:
But full of mufeful mopings, which prefage
The lofs of reafon, and conclude in rage.
This when he had endur'd a year and more,
Now wholly chang'd from what he was before,
It happen'd once, that, flumbering as he lay,
He dream'd (his dream began at break of day)
That Hermes o'er his head in air appear'd,
And with foft words his drooping fpirits chear'd:
His hat, adorn'd with wings, difclos'd the God,
And in his hand he bore the fleep-compelling rod :
Such as he feem'd, when, at his fire's command,
On Argus' head he laid the snaky wand.
Arife, he said, to conquering Athens go,
There fate appoints an end to all thy woe.
The fright awaken'd Arcite with a start,
Against his bofom bounc'd his heaving heart;
But foon he faid, with fcarce-recover'd breath,
And thither will I go, to meet my death,
Sure to be flain; but death is my defire,
Since in Emilia's fight I fhall expire.
By chance he spy'd a mirror while he spoke,
And gazing there beheld his alter'd look;
Wondering, he faw his features and his hue
So much were chang'd, that scarce himself he knew.
A fudden thought then starting in his mind,
Since I in Arcite cannot Arcite find,
The world may fearch in vain with all their eyes,
But never penetrate through this disguife.
Thanks to the change which grief and fickness give,
In low estate I may fecurely live,
And fee unknown my mistress day by day.
He faid; and cloth'd himself in coarse array:
A labouring hind in fhew; then forth he went,
And to th' Athenian towers his journey bent:
One fquire attended in the fame disguise,
Made conscious of his master's enterprise.
Arriv'd at Athens foon he came to court,
Unknown, unquestion'd, in that thick refort:
Proffering for hire his fervice at the gate,
To drudge, draw water, and to run or wait.
So fair befel him, that for little gain
He ferv'd at firft Emilia's chamberlain;
And, watchful all advantages to spy,
Was ftill at hand, and in his mafter's eye;
And as his bones were big, and finews strong,
Refus'd no toil that could to flaves belong;
But from deep wells with engines water drew,
And us'd his noble hands the wood to hew.
He pafs'd a year at leaft attending thus
On Emily, and call'd Philoftratus.
But never was there man of his degree
So much efteem'd, fo well belov'd as he.
So gentle of condition was he known,
That through the court his courtesy was blown :
All think him worthy of a greater place,
And recommend him to the royal grace:
That, exercis'd within a higher sphere,
His virtues more confpicuous might appear.
Thus by the general voice was Arcite prais'd,.
And by great Thefeus to high favour rais'd:
Among his menial fervants first enroll'd,
And largely entertain'd with fums of gold :
Befides what fecretly from Thebes was fent,
Of his own income, and his annual rent:
This well employ'd, he purchas'd friends and fame,
But cautiously conceal'd from whence it came.
Thus for three years he liv'd with large increase,
In arms of honour, and esteem in peace;
To Thefeus' perfon he was ever near;
And Thefeus for his virtues held him dear..
HILE Arcite lives in blifs, the story turns
Where hopeless Palamon in prifon mourns.
For fix long years immur'd, the captive knight
Had dragg'd his chains, and scarcely feen the light:
Loft liberty, and love, at once he bore:
His prifon pain'd him much, his paffion more :
Nor dares he hope his fetters to remove,
Nor ever wishes to be free from love.
But when the fixth revolving year was run,
And May within the Twins receiv'd the fun,
Were it by chance, or forceful destiny,
Which forms in caufes firft whate'er fhall be,
Affifted by a friend, one moonless night,
This Palamon from prifon took his flight:
A pleasant beverage he prepar'd before
Of wine and honey mix'd with added store
Of opium; to his keeper this he brought,
Who fwallow'd unaware the fleepy draught,
And fnor'd fecure till morn, his fenfes bound
In flumber, and in long oblivion drown'd.
Short was the night, and careful Palamon
Sought the next covert ere the rifing fun.
A thick fpread foreft near the city lay,
To this with lengthen'd ftrides he took his way
(For far he could not fly, and fear'd the day).
Safe from purfuit, he meant to fhun the light,
Till the brown fhadows of the friendly night
To Thebes might favour his intended flight.
When to his country come, his next defign
Was all the Theban race in arms to join,
And war on Thefeus, till he loft his life,
Or won the beauteous Emily to wife.
Thus while his thoughts the lingering day beguile,
To gentle Arcite let us turn our stile;
Who little dreamt how nigh he was to care,
Till treacherous fortune caught him in the fnare.
The morning-lark, the meffenger of day,
Saluted in her fong the morning gray;
And foon the fun arose with beams fo bright,
That all th' horizon laugh'd to fee the joyous fight;
He with his tepid rays the rose renews,
And licks the drooping leaves, and dries the dews;
When Arcite left his bed, refolv'd to pay
Obfervance to the month of merry May:
Forth on his fiery steed betimes he rode,
That fcarcely prints the turf on which he trod :
At eafe he feem'd, and, prancing o'er the plains,
Turn'd only to the grove his horse's reins,
The grove I nam'd before; and, lighted there,
A woodbine garland fought to crown his hair;
Then turn'd his face against the rifing day,
And rais'd his voice to welcome in the May.
For thee, fweet month, the groves green liveries
If not the first, the fairest of the year:
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