Of her preserver. While he sleeps, and pain
Excites no groan to wound her list'ning ear,
Anxiety abates; but passion grows.
Then recollecting his intrepid strides
Through fiery surge, devouring, as he pass'd,
His hair majestic, wreathing round his limbs
In torment, which none else to save her life
Would face, or could endure, unguarded thought
In murm'ring transport issues from her lips.

"To boundless obligation can I show
Less, than unbounded gratitude-Base tongue,
Dar'st thou the name of gratitude profane,
Which is a virtue-Oh! thou impious flame
Within my breast, not gratitude hath blown,
Thee from a spark to so intense a heat.
Deprav'd Acanthè, vagabond impure
Of night, from honour and its laws estrang'd,
A robber's criminal desire of spoil
Thou feel'st, a rage of sacrilege to force
The sanctuary of Hymen, and that fire,
Which law, religion, men, and gods protect,
Quench on his altar by the hand of vice."

She could no more. A parting cloud reveal'd The Moon. Before the silver light she dropp'd On her bare knee, enfeebled by the cold; There fix'd and freezing, from that awful pow'r Of chastity she seem'd invoking help; When, newly-waken'd by her piercing moan, With smarting limbs Themistocles had left His pillow; keener his internal pang, To see an image of despair, the work Of his fallacious art. On his approach, At once the worn remains of spirit fled From her cold bosom, heaving now no more. The twilight glimmers on the rear of night; His painful arms uplift her from the floor, And to her couch with decency of care Commit her lifeless charms. To sense restor❜d, Just as the Morn's exploring eye unclos'd, Acanthè, faint and speechless, by a sign Forbids his presence; cautions he retires..

[saw

Now she indulg'd her agonies of shame And self-reproach. With horrid visions teem'd Her agitated brain; black-rob'd Despair Stalk'd round her curtains, in his double grasp A bloody poniard, and empoison'd bowl, To her sad choice upholding; but ere long That thirsty, parching malady, which boils The putrid blood, and ravages like fire, Invades her frame. Whole days, whole nights she A tender sire beside her pillow mourn, Her beauties wasting hourly in his view. To gentler forms delirium then would change; The Moon, so lately to her aid invok'd, She saw, descending from her lucid sphere, Assume her shape of goddess, who inspir'd A soothing thought to seek for health and peace At her propitious oracle, not rob So kind a father of his only joy.

Meantime the tidings vague of Chalcis burn'd, And great Themistocles destroy'd, had Fame Proclaim'd aloud through each Euboean town, Save where Sicinus, passing to his port Of embarkation, spreads a milder tale, Alarming still. Eretria scarce confines Tisander's falt'ring age; but Cleon thence, From Styra, Lampon hastes; Gereæstus sends Eudemus; Hyacinthus feels no more His own distress, and rapid, as the bird Of Jupiter throughHeav'n's aërial way,

Flies to his guardian friend. Eudora, skill'd In healing juices, condescends to mount Herself the sacred axle, and her state Displays in Chalcis worshipping her wheels.

The archon waits respectful on her steps, When she salutes th' Athenian, still recluse From public view, though nigh restor'd. He bends The knee before her. Him with stately grace She raises, then addresses: "Glad I see Thy convalescence; to impart my help Became a duty. So Diana will'd, By me consulted in her solemn grove Mysterious; where an impulse warn'd my soul, That none, but thou, can set Euboen free, Protect the temples, and her tyrant quell."

He kiss'd her sacred vestment, and replied:
"I now perceive how pow'rful are thy pray'rs.
To them, so favour'd by the gods, I owe
My preservation, which, O learn'd and wise,
Forestalls thy skill! Ah! since thy face hath deign'd
To cheer this city, by a long abode
Complete the blessing. As to ancient Troy
Was that Palladian image sent from Heav'n,
Be thou to Chalcis. At thy presence known
Pale Demonax will shrink. But first apply
Thy lenient succour to my friend's distress,
Whose daughter pines in sickness, and deserves
Thy full regard, most holy and benign."

To sad Acanthè's couch the archon leads
Eudora. Soon from Oreus tidings stern
Awake the native terrours in his heart;
In haste he greets Themistocles: "O guest!
Fierce Demonax assembles all his force,
But first will try an embassy; expect
Within three days the tyrant's fell demands,
Which, not accepted, bring th' avenging waste
Of his redoubled fury on our heads.'

"Is he so poor in counsellors?" began
Th' Athenian, calm. "Amid disabling storms
In this rough season will th' insensate brute
Drag to the field his Asiatic host?

He thinks me dead; remember thou, my friend,
Themistocles is living, nor conceive

The rash, disturb'd, and self-tormenting breast
Of such a tyrant, whom the Furies haunt,
Hath fortitude and conduct to withstand
Themistocles in arms." "" Not half-reviv'd
Subjoins the archon: "Thou, alas! may'st want
The brave auxiliars promis'd to thy arins;
To thee alike unfriendly are the storms
Which lock our harbours; not a bark can sail;
Illustrious Medon dares not plough the surge
From Atalantè; nor on Attic shores

Of our distress can Aristides hear."
"True," answers firm Themistocles, though
stung,

"Nor shall we want him. Is not Cleon here,
Nearchus, Lampon, sharers of success
In my preceding conflicts? Of no price
Is staid Eudemus, Hyacinthus brave?
Is not Eudora present, sacred dame,
Who will her face majestical unveil
Among confederated ranks to bless
The Eleutherian banner, and inspire
Your populace with all religion's flame}
Yon despicable embassy prepare
To answer nobly, or let me be heard.
Now to this chamber summon all my friends."
Timoxenus conven'd them. Swift the chief
Dispatch'd them ardent to their native states,

Thence their collected citizens in arms,
The guardians of Chalcidic walls, to lead.
Three days elaps'd: the embassy arriv'd.
Amid the senate, on his chair of state,
The archon sat. Th' Atheniau's sure support
Behind is planted. Fierce in tone and look
Th' Orean herald represents his lord:

"Ye men of Chalcis, Demonax requires
That you acknowledge Xerxes; that your gates
A Persian garrison admit. Be wise;
Refusal draws perdition on your heads."

Timoxenus turns pale; his falt'ring lips
Make no reply. Th' indignant senate mourn
Their state dishonour'd by a timid chief,
When timely steps Themistocles in sight,
Whose name is murmur'd through th' applauding
court.

As at the aspect of a single cloud,
Known by the trembling seaman to contain
Destructive blasts, the sail he swiftly furls
With anxious wish for shelter in the lee
Of some still shore; the herald thus relax'd
His alter'd features. Arrogance abash'd
Foreboded ruin from that mighty arm,
In vigour brac'd by unexpected health.
In act to speak, the hero stretch'd his hand.
To fear and impotent distress he seen'd
Extending refuge like a poplar tall,

Whose grateful branches cool the green descent
To some pellucid fountain, where his course
Th' o'erweary'd passenger suspends to slake
His eager thirst beneath such friendly shade.
Bent to provoke the tyrant, and mislead
His rashness, thus Themistocles-his look
Transpierc'd the humbled herald while he spake :
Begone, base Greek, from Chalcis. In her name
Defiance bear to Demonax, whose head
Shall on the gate of Oreus be affix'd;
Thine to some trafficker in slaves be sold."

To Oreus back th' astonish'd herald flies,
On whose report his impious lord incens'd
Blasphemes the gods. The Furies he invokes,
To them, a human sacrifice, devotes
His first Chalcidian captives. From his host
Two chosen myriads on the plain he pours.
Brave Mindarus, by duty to his king
Compell'd to service which his sword abhors,
Ariobarzanes, second in command,
Barbarian homicide, whose joy is blood,
The sev'n Geræstians sworn to deeds of Hell,
With Lamachus, of foul mishapen frame,
Attend the tyrant, spreading to rude storms
His banner fell. So Satan from the north
Of Heav'n, his region once, with Moluc grim,
Beelzebub and Nisroc, led the host
Of impious angels, all the destin'd prey
Of Tartarus. Meanwhile th' Athenian sat
Serene in Chalcis; his auxiliar bands
Successively arriv'd. Eretria sent

Twelve hundred spears; Carystus doubled those;
Beneath her standard Amarynthus rång'd
Eudora's vassals; Styra cas'd in steel

The land, the chief disposes here; whose crews
Were menials, train'd to missile weapons light.
Full opposite, and cross the plain, he mark d
A quarry, parent of the domes and tow'rs,
Exalting Chalcis o'er Eubœan towns.
The subterranean passages by all
Inscrutable, but lab'ring hinds, who cleave
Earth's marble womb, he garrisons with bauds
From that rough breed, supported by a force
Of heavy-mail'd Chalcideans, left in charge
To bold Nearchus. So the watchful bees
Within their hive lie dangerous on guard
Against invasion of their precious stores,
Their industry and state. By morn the care
Of active scouts proclaims the adverse host
Not far, though yet unseen. The trumpet sounds
To fight; Eudora mounts her car, and wields
The arms of Dian. Through the spacious streets,
Where under ensigns of their sev'ral states
The warriors blaze in steel, from band to band
She, by her prompter well-instructed, tow'rs
Like new-born Pallas from the head of Jove.
Her voice exhorts, her sentiments inspire,
Her majesty commands them; all are fir'd,
All, but Timoxenus. With armed files
In safe reserve, though destin'd to remain
Behind the walls, he dreads th' important day.
His gen'rous daughter, whose distemper'd mind
Eudora's converse had begun to calm,
Not so debas'd her thoughts; her country's cause
She felt; heroic talents she admir'd;
Him, who possess'd them all, her heart recall'd,
Though with abated passion. All his tale
Of Salamis, the stratagem deriv'd
From conjugal affection, from the sight
Of forms belov'd to animate the brave,
Recurr'd; she summon'd to her languid bed
The most distinguish'd matrons, them besought
To mount the walls, and overlook the fight,
In all its terrours. 66
Imitate," she said,
"The Attic dames, that Chalcis may partake
Of Attic glory." They approving went.

O mortals, born to err, when most your smart
With self-reproach on guilty passion's wound,
Attempt one act of virtue; then your breasts
Will, like Acanthè's now, enjoy a calm.
In supplication thus her wonder breaks:

"Ye lights, who, shining on my darkness, deign
To lift the veil of errour from my eyes,
Protecting pow'rs, accept Acanthè's pray'r
For this her native city, for a sire

Too kind, for great Themistocles, who draws
The sword of justice-Now with purer lips
I sound his name-And, O illustrious dame!
Of all Athenian excellence the flow'r,
Bless'd in a hero's love, the precious gift
Of hymeneal Juno, couldst thou know
What I have suffer'd by an e:vious flame,
What still I suffer, while remorse awakes

A thought of thee, thy gen'rous soul would melt
In pity, ev'n forgiveness, when I vow

To ev'ry chaste divinity invok'd,

This victory accomplish'd, renders back Her virtue late a captive, which recalls Affections pure, and sanctity of mind, Still thoughts, and hope, restorative of peace. But on a diff'rent victory intent Themistocles within Chalcidic walls Contains his ready host; nor means to throw

The portals open, nor display the face
Of battle, till the enemies in sight
Yield full advantage in his choice of time.
So in his deep concealment of green reeds
On Ganges' margin, or the flaggy strand
Of Niger's flood, from Ethiopia roll'd,
The alligator vigilant maintains
His fraudful ambush, that unwary steps
May bring the prey to his voracious jaws.

BOOK XVII.

SICINUS, long by unpropitious winds
Lock'd in Geræstus, to their fickle breath,
Half-adverse still, impatient spread the sail.
Six revolutions of the Sun he spent
To gain Phaleron. To his lord's abode

He swiftly pass'd, when chance his wond'ring eyes
On Aristides fix'd. An open space
Reveal'd the hero, issuing sage commands.
Th' omnipotent artificer of worlds

From chaos seem'd with delegated pow'r
To have entrusted that selected man.
From ashes, lo! a city new ascends,
One winter's indefatigable toil

Of citizens, whose spirit, unsubdu'd, ́
Subdues calamity. Each visage wears

A cheerful hue, yet solemn. Through the streets
Successive numbers from adjacent fields
Drive odorif'rous loads of plants and flow'rs,
Which please the manes. Amaranth and rose,
Fresh parsley, myrtle, and whate'er the Sun,
Now not remote from Aries in his course,
Call'd from the quick and vegetating womb
Of Nature green or florid, from their seats
Of growth are borne for pious hands to weave
In fun'ral chaplets. From the Grecian states,
To honour Athens, their deputed chiefs,
Cleander foremost, throng the public place;
Whence Aristides with advancing speed
Salutes Sicinus: "Welcome is thy face,

Good man, thou know'st; from Athens long estrang'd,
Now doubly welcome. In thy looks I read
Important news." Retiring from the crowd,
Swift in discourse, but full, Sicinus ran
Through all the series of his lord's exploits,
Which drew this question: "Has thy patron ought
To ask of Aristides?" Silent bow'd
Sicinus. Smiling then, the chief pursu'd:
"Do thou attend the ceremonial pomp
Of obsequies to morrow; when the slain
At Salamis receive their just reward
From us, survivors by their glorious fall.
I have detain'd thee from Timothea long,
The first entitled to thy grateful news."

Now to that matron, whom beyond himself
He priz'd, Sicinus hastens. At her loom
He finds her placid o'er a web, whose glow
Of colours rivall'd Iris, where intent

She wove th' achievements of her lord. Her skill
Had just portray'd Sandauce in the arms
Of Artamanes, when her children's doom
Congeal'd her breast. Themistocles in look
Expresses all that subtlety humane,
Which cozen'd Superstition of her prey ;
His godlike figure dignifies the work.
Two boys, two lovely little maids, surround
Th' illustrious artist, while their eyes pursue

Their mother's flying fingers in delight
Attentive. But their tutor once in view,
From absence long regretted, light with joy
To him they bound. Sicinus melts in tears
Of soft affection. They around him lift
Their gratulating voices, on his neck
Cling, and contend for kisses from those lips
Approv'd in kindness; as a flutt'ring brood
With chirping fondness, Nature's sweetest note,
Enclose their feather'd parent, who attunes
Her tender pipe, and spreads endearing plumes.
"Sicinus," cries Timothea, "thou dost bring
Auspicious tidings? from my hero I
Expect no less. Unaided by the state,
A private man, like Hercules he went,
In his own pow'rs confiding, and secure.
Sit down, thou witness of my husband's worth,
Thyself a proof of his discerning choice
In thee, good man, by me and mine rever'd,
Discreet and faithful."-" No," Sicinus spake,
"Thou art that proof, most faithful, most discreet,
Most excellent of women."-" Come," she said,
Suppress my praises; let me bear of none
But his; and copious let thy story flow."
Glad through his whole heroic theme the sage,
By time to Attic eloquence inur'd,
Expatiates large; where loftiness of plan
Sustain'd by counsel, with exhaustless art
Pursu'd, now brought to valour's final proof,
Must end in sure success. His lord's commands
Observing strict, Acanthè's precious worth,
In talents, form, and manners, he describes;
How she the aid of Chalcis had procur'd,
Her favour how Themistocles had won.

"If he pursue to victory his plan," Timothea said, "and borrow from her hand The means of glory, and the gen'ral good, Tell him, that I can imitate with joy Andromachè, who foster'd on her breast Her Hector's offspring by a stol'n embrace." "Not such thy lot, sole mistress of a form Match'd by perfection of the mind alone," Sicinus cheerful answer'd. "I attest To this my firm belief th' all-ruling sire, Let Horomazes be his name, or Jove." "Thou giv'st me transport-Thou hast leave to My good Sicinus," she replies-" But Heav'n I too attest, that transport I conceive Less for my own, than fair Acanthè's sake. So amiably endow'd, so clear in fame, Her purity resigning, she, alas!

[smile,

Had prov'd the only suffrer. Woman fall'n,
The more illustrious once, the more disgrac'd,
Ne'er can resume her lustre. Laurels bide
A hero's wanton lapse. The Greeks would bless
The guile which serves them, but to endless shame
The gen'rous auth'ress of that service doom.
Thou said'st, my husband from Cleander's sword
Solicits help; Cleander is my guest
With Ariphilia; ready in this port

His squadron lies; he plough'd the seas in quest
Of earliest action for the common cause.
Come, they are waiting for the night's repast."
She rose; Sicinus follow'd, and renew'd
In Ariphilia's and Cleander's ear

The wondrous narrative, but cautious veils
Acanthè's love. Timothea's looks approv'd.
He then concluded: "Thus, to battle rous'd,
The force of half Eubœa cas'd in steel
Against the tyrant Demonax I left;