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On the green fod the friendly bowls were crown'd,
And hafty banquets pil'd upon the ground :
Around the fire they talk; one fhews his scars,
One tells what chance first led him to the wars;
Their stories o'er the tedious night prevail,

And the mute circle liftens to the tale ;

They own they fought, but swear they ne'er could hate,
Deny their guilt, and lay the blame on fate;
Their love revives, to make them guiltier grow,
A fhort-liv'd bleffing, but to heighten woe.
When to Petreius firft the news was told,
The jealous general thought his legions fold.
Swift with the guards, his head-strong fury drew,
From out his camp he drives the hoftile crew;
Cuts clafping friends afunder with his fword,
And ftains with blood each hospitable board.
Then thus his wrath breaks out.
Oh! falfe to Pompey, and the Roman name!
Can ye not conquer, ye degenerate bands?
Oh! die at leaft; 'tis all that Rome demands.
What! will ye own, while ye can wield the sword,
A rebel standard, and ufurping lord ?

Oh! loft to fame!

Shall he be fued to take you into place

• Amongst his flaves, and grant you equal grace? • What? fhall my life be begg'd? inglorious thought! And life abhorr'd, on such conditions bought! • The toils we bear, my friends, are not for life, Too mean a prize in fuch a dreadful ftrife; But peace would lead to fervitude and shame, A fair amufement, and a fpecious name.

• Never had man explor'd the iron ore,

• Mark'd out the trench, or rais'd the lofty tower, Ne'er had the steed in harness fought the plain, Or fleets encounter'd on th' unstable main; Were life, were breath, with fame to be compar'd 'Or peace to glorious liberty preferr'd.

By guilty oaths the hoftile army bound,

. Holds faft its impious faith, and stands its ground; • Are you perfidious, who espouse the laws,

And traitors only in a righteous cause ?

Oh fhame! in vain through nations far and wide, < Thou call'ft the crowding monarchs to thy fide, Fall'n Pompey! while thy legions here betray Thy cheap-bought life, and treat thy fame away.' He ended fierce. The foldier's rage returns, His blood flies upward, and his bosom burns. So, haply tam'd, the tiger bears his bands, Lefs grimly growls, and licks his keeper's hands; But if by chance he taftes forbidden gore, He yells amain, and makes his dungeon roar. He glares, he foams, he aims a defperate bound, And his pale mafter flies the dangerous ground. Now deeds are done, which man might charge aright On stubborn fate, or undiscerning night, Had not their guilt the lawless soldiers known, And made the whole malignity their own. The beds, the plenteous tables, float with gore, And breasts are stabb'd, that were embrac'd before: Pity awhile their hands from slaughter kept. Inward they groan'd, and, as they drew, they wept,

But

But every blow their wavering rage affures,

In murder hardens, and to blood inures.

Crowds charge on crowds, nor friends their friends defcry,

But fires by fons, and fons by fathers die.

Black, monftrous rage! each, with victorious cries,
Drags his flain friend before the general's eyes,
Exults in guilt, that throws the only fhame
On Pompey's cause, and blots the Roman name.

THE

THE FIRST BOOK OF HOMER'S ILIAD.

W

ΤΗΕ DEDICΑΤΙΟ Ν.

HEN I first entered upon this tranflation, I was ambitious of dedicating it to the earl of Halifax ; but being prevented from doing myself that honour, by the unspeakable lofs which our country hath fuftained in the death of that extraordinary perfon, I hope I shall not be blamed for prefuming to make a dedication of it to his memory. The greatnefs of his name will justify a practice altogether uncommon, and may gain favour towards a work, which (if it had deserved his patronage) is perhaps the only one infcribed to his lordship, that will efcape being rewarded by him.

I might have one advantage from such a dedication, that nothing, I could fay in it, would be fufpected of flattery. Besides that the world would take a pleasure in hearing those things faid of this great man, now he is dead, which he himself would have been offended at when living. But though I am sensible, so amiable and exalted a character would be very acceptable to the publick, were I able to draw it in its full extent: I fhould be cenfured very defervedly, fhould I venture upon an undertaking, to which I am by no means equal.

His confummate knowledge in all kinds of business, his winning eloquence in public affemblies, his active zeal for the good of his country, and the share he had in conveying the fupreme power to an illuftrious family famous for being friends to mankind, are fubjects eafy to be enlarged upon, but incapable of being exhaufted. The nature of the following performance more directly leads me to lament the misfortune, which hath befallen the learned world, by the death of so generous and univerfal a patron.

He refted not in a barren admiration of the polite arts, wherein he himself was fo great a mafter; but was acted by that humanity they naturally infpire: which gave rife to many excellent writers, who have caft a light upon the age in which he lived, and will diftinguish it to pofterity. It is well known, that very few celebrated pieces have been published for feveral years, but what were either promoted by his encouragement, or fupported by his approbation, or recompenfed by his bounty. And if the fucceffion of men, who excel in most of the refined arts, fhould not continue; though fome may impute it to a decay of genius in our countrymen; those, who are unacquainted with his lordship's character, will know more juftly how to account for it.

The caufe of liberty will receive no fmall advantage in future times, when it fhall be obferved that the earl of Halifax was one of the patriots who were at the head of it; and that most of those, who were emineit the feveral parts of polite or useful learning,

were

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