Meantime while Venus from her Colian dome,
Which o'er Phaleron cast a holy shade,
Beheld the shatter'd fleet of Xerxes driv'n
To refuge there precarious; from pursuit
Recall'd, the Greeks, observant of their laws,
Applied their pious labour to collect
Their floating dead, and send with honours due
Such glorious manes to the blest abodes.
With artful assiduity remain'd
Themistocles presiding, so to court
Religion's favour. From the solemn toil,
Accomplish'd now, to Salaminian strands
He veers; the slain are landed; then his deck
Himself forsakes. As Neptune, when the winds,
His ministers of anger to o'erwhelm
The pride of daring mortals, have fulfill'd
His stern behests, and shook the vast profound,
At length composing his afflicted reign,
Serene from sated vengeance seeks the arms
Of Amphitrite, watching his return
With soft impatience in her placid grot
Amidst encircling Nereids; so the chief
To his Timothea in triumphant pace
Advances. She that day had never left
The beach; surrounded by Athenian fair,
She rushes forward to his wish'd embrace.
He stops; defil'd by slaughter, robs his heart
Of such delights, and elegantly thus:
O all-surpassing woman, do not dye
That lovely bosom in Barbarian gore;
The blood of Ariabignes, not my own,
Encrusts thy husband's cuirass. She replies:
Since not thy own, but hostile crimson stains
Thy manly chest, Timothea will partake
The honourable dye. O man divine!
Thus for the public with a public kiss
Thee I salute, thee saviour of all Greece,
Thee scourge of Asia; thus will ev'ry wife
Her husband; sisters, daughters thus infold
Their brothers, sires; their tender hands like mine,
Like mine their panting breasts, in transport bear
These glorous marks of victory. Behold
Those damsels pure, whose maidenly reserve
Forbids such rapture; they in smiles, in tears
Of gratitude and gladness, on the heads
Of gallant youths triumphal garlands place.
Laodice is nigh; she quits th' embrace
Of her Aminias, and accosts the chief:
Think'st thou, O son of Neocles, the dames
Of Athens shrink to see Barbarian blood,
Who would have spilt their own, had fortune frown'd;
Had you, our slaughter'd husbands, left your wives
No other choice than servitude or death?
Fair dame, united to the bravest chief,
In smiles he answers, fortune more benign
Preserv'd those husbands for the happiest lot,
Society with you. In holy brine
Of Neptune's flood permit them now to lave,
That love in bridal decency may greet
Athenian wives. Ye men of Athens, vote
That ev'ry youth and ev'ry maid betroth'd
To-night be wedded. This the gen'ral voice
Confirms a law. His winning words dispers'd
Th' obedient fair; each warrior in the deep
Immers'd his limbs, while Phoebe's argent wheels
Their track pursuing through unclouded skies,
Diffuse around serenity and light.
To his Timothea's mansion soon repair'd
Themistocles; Sicinus there he found,
Who earnest thus address'd him: Thrice I hail
My lord victorious; from thy servant's lips
Now hear a tale to melt the stoniest hearts
Of all but Euphrantides, yet with joy
Reward compassion-To the sable grove,
Where yew and cypress veil'd the hoary walls
Of homicidal Bacchus, swift I led
My choice companions; to the seer I told
Thy pleasure; he indignant heard, and forc'd
The victims forward to the fane abhorr'd.
I follow'd careful, still in patient hope
That he, though slow, would uncompell'd submit
To thy commanding will; we enter'd all;
Sandauce there at length her silence broke,
Whom from her infants none so fell to part.
O house of great Darius! where will end
Thy woes? How many of thy sons are fall'n!
Sad Ariana, sacrifice to love!
Thou sleep'st; thy wretched sister lives to see
Her children butcher'd-On the pavement damp
She threw her limbs, she clasp'd her lovely babes;
They shudd'ring view Sandauce in distress;
Too young to know their danger, they bewail
Their mother, not themselves. The captive youth,
Still sedulous and tender, from the spot,
Where as in shackles of despair she lay,
Essay'd in vain to raise her. Now the seer;
Who in my look determination saw,
Approach'd the loathsome idol, foul by age,
In fell presumption utt'ring thus his wrath:
These victims, Bacchus, did my voice devote
To thy neglected altar; of thy spoil
Themistocles defrauds thee; on his head
Let fall thy vengeance, not on mine, stern god!
This heard, the willing captives I remov'd
From that grim seat of terror to these walls
Of hospitality. Sicinus clos'd,
When Aristides enter'd. Hail, he said,
Well hast thou done, Themistocles! behold
Me come attendant on illustrious dead,
Whom on Psyttalia cast I bring to share
The public funeral honours.-I salute
Thee too, the son of Neocles returns;
Our noble strife to serve the public best
We both have well commenc'd. Prepare thee now
To give thy counsel on my new device
For better service still. Our climate holds
All Asia now, her princes, wealth, and arms;
I can detain her, till consuming time
By famine, sword and pestilence, exhaust
Her strength, and cover Greece with Persian graves.
Too high thy ardour mounts, replies the sage;
Forbear to think of strength'ning such a pow'r
By desperation. To the feeble brute
Necessity gives courage. Such a host
Of men and steeds innum'rous on our fields,
By nature's stimulating wants compell'd
To fight for life, might blast our budding hopes.
Ah! rather some new stratagem devise
To send the Persians back; let famine, want,
Let pestilence pursue their tedious flight,
Depriv'd of succour from their vanquish'd fleet,
Which do thou chace and bury in the waves.
Farewell! my post demands me. Since their soil,
I have observ'd the cnemies employ'd
In wild attempts to fill the streight profound
Between Psyttalia and th' Athenian shore.
He gone, these thoughts Themistocles revolves:
I will adopt his counsel, safe for Greece,
Nor less for me; his banishment prolong'd
Will discontent the people, and repeal'd
Place him commander in th' Athenian camp
To rival me. Discouraging the war
By land, confining to the sea our strength,
I shall secure pre-eminence. From thought
To action turn'd, Sicinus he bespake:
Before my presence all the captives bring.
As Bacchus, not Devourer, in a smile
Of heav'nly sweetness, proffer'd soft relief
To Ariadne, when forlorn she sat,
Her fate deploring on the Naxian rock;
So gracious, so consoling were the looks
Themistocles assum'd, in soothing phrase
Accosting thus Sandauce: Thou shalt prove,
So shall thy royal house, afflicted fair!
A cordial friend in me. Sicinus, haste;
Equip the bark which eastern colours dress,
That, ere the moon forsake her lucid path,
Thou mayst transport this princess to the king,
Her infant train, and this ingenuous youth,
With my best greetings. Say, the Athenian chief,
Themistocles, these pledges of his truth
And friendship sends; them rescued I restore,
Him next will save. His Hellespontine bridge
The Greeks vindictive menace to destroy,
An enterprize of horror; this my pow'r,
My dictates singly can and shall impede,
Till he in safety hath regain'd his throne.
Sandauce answers: O thou gen'rous Greek,
To thee, to thine, may fortune ne'er be cold.
But I, partaker of imperial pomp,
In ease, in safety nurtur'd, who have deem'd
My state above the sorrows which torment
Inferior mortals, when my soul reflects
On this new lesson by misfortune taught,
Reflects how lately on a field of blood,
Young as I am, I saw my husband fall,
My children doom'd to sacrifice, myself
To endless bondage, had not heav'n achiev'd
This marvel of compassion in a foe,
I, (O forgive me!) I suspect the lot
Of all, ev'n thine. O prosp'rous, godlike man,
May Horomazes from thy head avert
Vicissitudes like mine! may envious fate
Ne'er bring Sandauce's gratitude to proof!
Thou never want the pity thou hast shewn!
She ceas'd; she wept. When Artamanes spake:
Her debt Sandauce can discharge alone
By grateful tears; but I can promise more.
In Persian thraldom lies a beauteous Greek,
Nam'd Amarantha, Delphian Timon's child;
For that bright maid's redemption I am pledg'd
To her afflicted sire. Thy goodness shower'd
On this excelling princess, shall augment
My zeal the obligation to repay
By Amarantha's freedom; till that hour
Of retribution to thy virtues comes,
We will proclaim them; nations shall admire
Themistocles, and ev'ry heart abhor
Inhuman Euphrantides. Now return'd
Sicinus; him they follow'd. On her breast
The lovely mother hush'd her female babe;
But cold with horror at remembrance deep
Of her unmatch'd calamities that day,
She feebly falter'd o'er the iandy beach;
While Artamanes led in either hand
The tripping boys. Themistocles remain'd
In these reflections, flowing from this proof
Of fortune's changes: Few in Athens long
Sustain their greatness-but to muse on ills
Before they come, both time and thought I waste;
Content at present that esteem procur'd,
By this fair Persian, in her brother's court,
May prove a gain. Timothea now approach'd;
His hand affectionate she press'd and spake:
How sudden thou my hospitable cares
Of their endearing object hast depriv'd!
In woe how graceful is that eastern dame!
How young a mother! On a widow'd bed
How early cast by fortune! Thou hast sent
Sicinus with her; ever-watchful man,
Some new contrivance thou dost bring to birth;
Thou smil'st in silence; listen then to me.
Since Aristides on this isle hath shewn
That face rever'd, when banish'd, his recal
The men of Athens, nay the women wish.
This by Aminias to th' assembled tribes,
Laodice informs me, will be mov'd;
In this expect Myronides the brave,
Xanthippus, Cimon, Æschylus will join.-
So will thy husband, interpos'd the chief;
I will forestall them, not to others leave
Such merit with our people.-She rejoin'd:
All will applaud thee. Now, my anxious lord,
The second watch its measure hath consum'd;
The moon descends, the sprightly birds are still;
Dead sleep hath laid the soldier on his shield;
The active sailor slumbers; all forget
The hardships, rage, and tumult of the day;
All but thyself reposing. Shall that mind
Continue ranging o'er the field of thought,
In pregnancy exhaustless, till the lark
Salute the day-spring with his early song?
Till thou unresting, unrefresh'd, resume
The statesman's troubles, and the soldier's toils?
Be counsell'd; oft the thunder-bearing god
To Juno listens; thou my voice obey.
He hears; serene conducts her to repose.
As Jove on Ida, by Saturnia charm'd,
Confess'd a rapture never felt before,
While lucid dew of odours from a cloud
Of gold distill'd around him; from the turf
Beneath his feet while hyacinths upsprung,
The unctuous lotos, and the crocus gay,
To grace his secret tabernacle there
Of love celestial; so the Attic chief
To his Timothea, in her chamber pure,
With bridal honours deck'd, perfum'd with flow'rs,
Whate'er the meads of Salamis supplied,
His tender flame in winning language breath'd:
Whoe'er had whisper'd on our nuptial day
That I should view thee, in a time remote
From that sweet æra, with superior joy,
I should have held him ignorant of love.
What is the cause, Timothea, that I feel
My bosom pierc'd by transport yet unknown?
That eastern fair, deliver'd from distress,
Appearing then the fairest of her sex,
Thou dost exceed. Timothea smiling spake:
O thou artificer of sweetest wiles,
Wouldst thou seduce me into vain belief,
That I exceed Sandauce's youthful charms?
But wouldst thou know, my husband (solemn here
She modulates her accents), wouldst thou know
Why thou survey'st me with uncommon joy?
It is the conscience of a noble deed,
Of gather'd trophies never match'd before,
Creates this change. The perils of this day
Were new to Athens, to thy race, and me;
Thy sword hath rescued all, increas'd thy fame,
Thy heart exalted; with increas'd delight,
Thro' that bright medium of a happy mind,
Thou look'st on ev'ry object-sure on me
Not less than others. Artless were these words,
By nature prompted, nature's noblest fire.
They ceas'd discourse. Her loftiness of mind,
His valour, talents, policy, to love
Subside. Perhaps the first of human pairs,
Who in the bless'd Assyrian garden met,
Were not more happy in their first embrace,
Than fair Timothea and her conqu'ring lord!
A pleasing stillness on the water sleeps;
The land is hush'd; from either host proceeds
No sound, no murmur. With his precious charge
Embark'd, Sicinus gently steers along;
The dip of oars in unison awake
Without alarming silence; while the moon,
From her descending, horizontal car,
Shoots lambent silver on the humid blades
Which cleave the curling flood. On carpets soft
Sandauce's babes devoid of sorrow lie,
In sweet oblivious innocence compos'd
To smiling slumber. But the mother's breast
Admits no consolation; when they skim
Psyttalia's frith, at memory severe
Of that disast'rous isle, she sudden sinks
A lifeless image in the watchful arms
Of Artamanes, who had studied well
Her sorrows, knew each tender thought and care,
Humanity his tutor. Swift he calls
Sicinus: Friendly pilot, stay thy course;
We must not leave Autarctus in his gore
Behind, lest grief incurable reside
In this fair breast, perhaps eternal shade
In these extinguish'd eyes. Sicinus feels
A sympathizing pain, of Persian stock
Himself a branch, in Attic soil matur'd;
He stops the bark and lands. The Asian tents
Were still erect, whence Aristides comes
In steel accoutred, to salute the dawn,
Then breaking. Him Sicinus humbly greets,
Requests, obtains the body, which convey'd
On board he careful on the deck bespreads
With canvass new. Impell'd by active strokes
Of oars resum'd, the bounding vessel gains
Phaleron's haven. Artemisia there,
Whose vigilance, augmented by defeat,
Had kenn'd the bark while distant, now arrests
Her further progress; but no sooner hears
The sad intelligence Sicinus gives,
Than swift descending where Sandauce lay,
That mourning fair in friendly strains accosts:
O lift thy head, thou daughter of a king!
Our sov'reign's sister, sister to the man
My soul rever'd, to Hyperanthes good,
The flow'r of Asia's princes! In thy woes
I sharing cordial, cordially rejoice
In thy redemption. Leave this doleful keel;
Think of thy duty to approach the king;
Thy other cares entrust to me.-She said;
They row to shore. To Xerxes, then retir'd,
The queen conducts Sandauce and her train.
The princess thus to him amaz'd began:
A widow'd sister, late a wretched slave,
With these three orphans just redeem'd from death,
Sandauce greets her brother; but her tongue
Would be disloyal to obtrude her tale,
Her tedious tale of sorrows on his ear.
The preservation of her king demands
His first attention; that attention grant
To him who comes deputed by a Greek,
Thy friend, my guardian, saviour of those babes;
Oh listen! thy salvation from his lips
Receive. Fast bound by terror was the mouth
Of Xerxes.-Then Sicinus: He who ranks
Among the Greeks superior in command,
In talents, prudence, policy, and arms,
Themistocles, these pledges of his truth
And friendship sends; them rescued he restores;
Thee next will save. Thy Hellespontine bridge
The Greeks vindictive menace to destroy;
An enterprize of horror, which his pow'r,
His dictates singly can and will impede,
Till thou in safety hast regain'd thy throne.
All from his presence straight the king commands,
Save Artemisia; her in broken tones
Addresses: Queen of Caria, singly wise
Among my council, pity, not upbraid
Thy master, suff'ring by his rash neglect
Of thy sage voice unutterable pangs.
He paus'd in torture. Prudent, she replied:
Without a cause the lord of nations droops;
Mardonius well hath counsel'd thy retreat,
Who undertakes to finish, what his sword
Hath well begun thro' Macedon and Thrace,
This mighty war. Thy servant may succeed;
In whose behalf? His master's: Thou wilt reap
His fruits of glory; if Mardonius fail,
He the disgrace. Thy march commence by dawn;
Appoint the fleet's departure swift this night,
To guard with force collected and repair'd
The Hellespontine bridge; with grace accept
The proffer'd service of th' Athenian chief;
Load his returning messenger with gifts
Of royal price, and, O my gracious lord!
Fraternal kindness on Sandauce show'r.
Her gallant lord hath perish'd in thy cause,
Herself been menac'd by a barb'rous priest
To see her children sacrific'd; a doom
Themistocles withstood, and set them free.
As when a timid child perceives a cloud
Obscure the sky, and hears the thunder's peal,
He weeps, he trembles, but the cloud dispers'd,
The clamour ceasing, and the sun restor'd,
His wonted sport resumes, forgetting fear;
So chang'd the monarch. Artemisia, go,
He said; the satraps instantly convene;
Th' Athenian messenger, Argestes' son,
Again before us with Sandauce call;
Ne'er will I deviate from thy counsels more.
First to Sicinus ent'ring he began:
Say to thy sender, I accept well pleas'd
His service pass'd and proffers; thou return;
To him ten golden talents thou shalt bear.
Thee from the depths of sorrow shall the king,
Sandauce, raise; demand a present boon;
Thou canst not ask what Xerxes will refuse.
By gratitude surmounting grief inspir'd,
Mov'd to retaliate kindness in the shape
Herself had prov'd, the gen'rous suppliant thus:
In Persian thraldom is a Grecian maid
Of Delphian lineage, Amarantha nam'd;
Her I demand of Xerxes, that my hand
A captive daughter to a tender sire
May render back; from bondage free his head,
Now in Nicæa, and thus far my debt
Of gratitude discharge. In transport here,
Admiring such perfection of the heart,
Spake Artamanes: Ever live the king!
There is a captive whom the princess nam'd-
Fly thou in search of this requested slave,
Son of Argestes, interrupts the king;
Let none withold her from Sandauce's pow'r.
The female train before the cumb'rous host
Shall move by dawn for Thessaly, there join
The rest of Asia's dames behind us left
On our late march; the guard, ten thousand horse,
Thou, Artamanes, shalt command.-He said;
They all retir'd. A pensive grief o'ercasts
Sandauce, moving with her children slow,
By slaves attended, to the vacant tent
Autarctus late possess'd. Argestes' son
Observes her anguish, penetrates her thoughts,
In guarded words then prossers this relief:
O fairest princess, whose external form
But half displays thy excellence of mind,
Wilt thou forgive thy servant, if he feels
With thee a present sorrow, which the heart
Fobids the tongue to name? Sandauce, trust
My pious service, and those thoughts compose.
She, weeping, looks assent; he speeds away,
But meets the body of Autarctus borne
By Artemisia's soldiers. She at first,
With care conceal'd, had order'd from the bark
His precious reliques; these the noble youth
With equal care delivers to that skill,
Which with Sabæan gums, and scented growths
Of bless'd Arabia, purifies the clay
Depriv'd of life, and Time's consuming breath
Repels. A regal car he next provides,
In full apparel of funereal pomp.

End of the Seventh Book