Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

heroes afleep, feized on both their armours, and withdrew in queft of his darlingWotton.

He in the mean time had wandered long in fearch of fome enterprize, till at length he arrived at a small rivulet, that iffued from a fountain hard by, called in the language of mortal men Helicon. Here he stopped, and parched with thirst, refolved to allay it in this limpid ftream. Thrice with profane hands he effayed to raise the water to his lips, and thrice it flipped all through his fingers. Then he ftooped prone on his breaft, but, e're his mouth had kiffed the liquid crystal, Apollo came, and in the channel held his Shield betwixt the modern and the fountain, fo that he drew up nothing but mud: For, although no fountain on earth can compare with the clearness of Helicon, yet their lies at bottom a thick fediment of flime and mud; for fo Apollo begged of Jupiter, as a punishment to thofe, who durft attempt to tafte it with unhallowed lips, and for a leffon to all, not to draw too deep, or far from the fpring.

At the fountain-head Wotton difcerned two heroes; the one he could not distinDd 3 guish,

guish, but the other was foon known for Temple, general of the allies to the ancients. His back was turned, and he was employed in drinking large draughts in his helmet from the fountain, where he had withdrawn himself to reft from the toils of the war. Wotton obferving him, with quaking knees and trembling hands fpoke thus to himself; Ob, that I could kill this deftroyer of our army; what renown should I purchase among the chiefs? but to iffue out against him, man against man, fhield against fhield, and lance against lance, what modern of us dare? for he fights like a god, and Pallas, or Apollo, are ever at his elbow. But, oh, mother! if what fame reports be true, that I am the son of so great a goddess, grant me to hit Temple with this lance, that the ftroke may fend him to bell, and that I may return in fafety and triumph laden with his fpoils. The firft part of this prayer the gods granted at the interceffion of his mother, and of Momus ; but the reft, by a perverse wind fent from fate, was fcattered in the air. Then Woton grafped his lance, and brandishing it

Vid. Homer,

thrice over his head, darted it with all his might, the goddess his mother at the fame time adding ftrength to his arm. Away the lance went hizzing, and reached even to the belt of the averted antient, upon which lightly grazing it fell to the ground. Temple neither felt the weapon touch him, nor heard it fall; and Wotton might have escaped to his army with the honour of having remitted his lance againft fo great a leader, unrevenged; but Apolo enraged, that a javelin, flung by the assistance of fo foul a goddess, should pollute his fountain, put on the fhape of

and foftly came to young Boyle, who then accompanied Temple: he pointed first to the lance, then to the diftant modern that flung it, and commanded the young hero to take immediate revenge. Boyle, clad in á fuit of armour which had been given him, by all the gods, immediately advanced against the trembling foe, who now fled before him. As a young lion in the Lybian

b Boyle was affifted in this difpute by Dean Aldrich, Dr. Atterbury, afterwards Bifhop of Rochester, and other perfons

at Oxford, celebrated for their genius and their learning, then called the Chrift-Church wits.

Dd 4

plains

plains, or Araby defert, fent by his aged fire to hunt for prey, or health, or exercise; he fcours along wishing to meet fome tyger from the mountains, or a furious boar: if chance a wild afs, with brayings importune, affronts his ear, the generous beaft, though loathing to diftain his claws with blood fo vile, yet much provoked at the offenfive noife, which echo, foolish nymph, like her ill-judging fex, repeats much louder and with more delight than Philomela's fong; he vindicates the honour of the forest, and hunts the noify long-ear'd animal. So Wotton fled, fo Boyle purfued. But Wotton heavy-armed, and flow of foot, began to flack his courfe; when his lover Bentley appeared, returning laden with the spoils of the two fleeping antients. Boyle observed him well, and foon difcovering the helmet and fhield of Phalaris, his friend, both which he had lately with his own hands new polished and gilt; rage fparkled in his eyes, and leaving his purfuit after Wotton, he furiously rufh'd on against this new approacher. Fain would he be revenged on both; but both now

fled

a

fed different ways: and, as a woman in a little house, that gets a painful livelihood by fpinning; if chance her geefe be fcattered o'er the common, fhe courses round the plain from fide to fide, compelling here and there the ftragglers to the flock; they cackle loud, and flutter o'er the champain. So Boyle purfued, fo fled this pair of friends: finding at length their flight was vain, they bravely join'd and drew themselves in phalanx. First Bentley threw a fpear with all his force, hoping to pierce the enemy's breaft: but Pallas came unfeen, and in the air took off the point, and clapp'd on one of lead, which, after a dead bang against the enemy's fhield, fell blunted to the ground. Then Boyle, obferving well his time, took up a lance of wondrous length and sharpnefs; and as this pair of friends compacted ftood close fide to fide, he wheel'd him to the right, and, with unufual force, darted the weapon. Bentley faw his fate approach, and flanking down his arms

* This is alfo after the manner of Homer: the woman's getting a painful livelihood by pinning, has nothing to do

with the fimilitude, nor would be excufable without such an authority.

Vid. Homer,

clofe

« AnteriorContinuar »