But Man in Life furcharg'd with Woe before,
Not freed when dead, is doom'd to fuffer more.
A Serpent shoots his Sting at unaware;
An ambush'd Thief forelays a Traveller:
TheMan lies murder'd, while the Thief and Snake,
One gains the Thickets, and one thrids the Brake,
This let Divines decide; but well I know,
Juft, or unjust, I have my Share of Woe,
Through Saturn feated in a lucklefs Place,
And Juno's Wrath, that perfecutes my Race;
Or Mars and Venus in a Quartil, move
My Pangs of Jealoufie for Arcite's Love.
Let Palamon opprefs'd in Bondage mourn,
While to his exil'd Rival we return.
By this the Sun declining from his Height,
The Day had shorten'd to prolong the Night:
The lengthen'd Night gave length of Misery
Both to the Captive Lover, and the Free.
For Palamon in endless Prison mourns,
And Arcite forfeits Life if he returns.
The Banish'd never hopes his Love to fee,
Nor hopes the Captive Lord his Liberty;
'Tis hard to fay who fuffers greater Pains,
One fees his Love, but cannot break his Chains:
One free, and all his Motions uncontroul'd,
Beholds whate'er he wou'd, but what he wou'd be-
[hold.
Judge as you please, for I will hafte to tell
What Fortune to the banish'd Knight befel.
When Arcite was to Thebes return'd again,
The Lofs of her he lov'd renew'd his Pain;
What could be worse, than never more to fee
His Life, his Soul, his charming Emily?
He rav'd with all the Madness of Despair,
He roar'd, he beat his Breast, he tore his Hair.
Dry Sorrow in his stupid Eyes appears,
For wanting Nourishment, he wanted Tears:
His Eye-balls in their hollow Sockets fink,
Bereft of Sleep; he loaths his Meat and Drink.
He withers at his Heart, and looks as wan
As the pale Spectre of a murder'd Man:
That Pale turns Yellow, and his Face receives
The faded Hue of faplefs Boxen Leaves:
In folitary Groves he makes his Moan,
Walks early out, and ever is alone.
Nor mix'd in Mirth, in youthful Pleasure shares,
But fighs when Songs and Inftruments he hears:
His Spirits are fo low, his Voice is drown'd,
He hears as from afar, or in a Swoond,
Like the deaf Murmurs of a diftant Sound:
Uncomb'd his Locks, and fqualid his Attire,
Unlike the Trim of Love and gay Defire;
But full of museful Mopings, which prefage
The Lofs of Reafon, and conclude in Rage.
This when he had endur'da Year and more,
Now wholly chang'd from what he was before,
It happen'd once, that flumbring as he lay,
He dreamt (his Dream began at Break of Day)
That Hermes o'er his Head in Air appear'd,
And with foft Words his drooping Spirits cheer'd:
His Hat, adorn'd with Wings, disclos'd the God,
And in hisHand he bore the Sleep-compelling Rod:
Such as he feem'd, when at his Sire's Command
On Argus Head he laid the Snaky Wand;
Arife, he said, to conqu❜ring Athens go,
There Fate appoints an End of all thy Woe.
The Fright awaken'd Arcite with a Start,
Against his Bofom bounc'd his heaving Heart;
But foon he said, 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 Sight I fhall expire.
By chance he spy'd a Mirrour while he spoke,
And gazing there beheld his alter'd Look;
Wondring, 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 Disguise.
Thanks to the Change which Grief and Sickness
In low Estate I may fecurely live,
And fee unknown my Mistress Day by Day: He faid; and cloath'd himself in course Array; A lab'ring Hind in fhew: Then forth he went And to th' Athenian Tow'rs his Journey bent: One Squire attended in the fame Disguise, Made confcious of his Mafter's Enterprize. Arriv'd at Athens, foon he came to Court, Unknown, unquestion'd in that thick Resort ;
Proff'ring for Hire his Service 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 fpy,
Was still at Hand, and in his Master's Eye ;
And as his Bones were big, and Sinews strong,
Refus'd no Toil that could to Slaves belong;
But from deep Wells with Engines Water drew,
And us'd his Noble Hands the Wood to hew.
He pass'd a Year at least attending thus
On Emily, and call'd Philoftratus.
But never was there Man of his Degree
So much esteem'd, fo well belov❜d as he,
So gentle of Condition was he known,
That through the Court his Courtefie 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 gen'ral Voice was Arcite prais'd,
And by Great Thefeus to high Fayour rais'd
|