The thicket's depth, with hurried pace they tread, While round the wood the hostile squadron spread.

With brakes entangled, scarce a path between, Dreary and dark appears the sylvan scene ; Euryalus his heavy spoils impede, The boughs and winding turns his steps mislead; But Nisus scours along the forest's maze, To where Latinus' steeds in safety graze, Then backward o'er the plain his eyes extend, On every side they seek his absent friend, O God, my boy,' he cries, of me bereft, In what impending perils art thou left!' Listening he runs-above the waving trees, Tumultuous voices swell the passing breeze; The war-cry rises, thundering hoofs around, Wake the dark echoes of the trembling ground. Again he turns-of footsteps hear the noise, The sonnd elates--the sight his hope destroys ; The hapless boy a ruffian train surround, While lengthening shades his weary way con

found; Him, with loud shouts the furious knights pursue, · Struggling in vain, a captive to the crew. What can his friend 'gainst thronging numbers

dare? Ah! must be rush, his comrade's fate to share ? What force, what aid, what stratagem essay, Back to redeem the Latian spoiler's prey ? His life a votive ransom nobly give, Or die with him, for whom he wish'd to live! Poising with strength his lifted lance on high, On Lana's orb, he cast his frenzied eye: ‘Goddess serene, transcending every star! Queen of the sky, whose beams are seen afar! By night, Heaven owns thy sway, by day the grove, When, as chaste Dian, here thou deign'st to rove;

If e'er myself, or sire, have sought to grace
Thine altars with the produce of the chase;
Speed, speed, my dart, to pierce yon vaunting

crowd,
To free my friend, and scatter far the proud.'
Thus having said, the hissing dart he fung;
Through parted shades the hurtling weapon sung;
The thirsty point in Sulmo's entrails lay,
Transfix'd his heart, and stretch'd him on the clay:
He sobs, he dies,-the troop in wild amaze,
Unconscious whence the death, in horror gaze;
While pale they stare, through Angus' temples

riven, A second shaft with equal force is driven; Fierce Volscens rolls around his lowering eyes, Veild by the night, secure the Trojan lies. Burning with wrath, he view'd his soldiers fall, • Thou youth accurst, thy life shall pay for all.' Quick from the sheath his flaming glaive he drew, And, raging, on the boy defenceless flew; Nisus no more the blackening shade conceals, Forth, forth, he starts, and all his love reveals; Aghast, confused, his fears to madness rise, And pour these accents, shrieking as he flies : Me, me-your vengeance hurl on me alone 3 Here sheathe the steel, my blood is all your own ; Ye starry spheres! thou conscious Heaven! attest He could not-durst not-lo! the guile confest, All, all was mine,-his early fate suspend, He only loved, too well, his hapless friend; Spare, spare ye chiefs ! from him your raġe remove, His fault was friendship, all his crime was love.' He pray'd in vain; the dark assassin's sword Pierced the fair side, the snowy bosom gored; Lowly to earth inclines his plume-clad crest, And sanguine torrents mantlę o'er his breast;

As some young rose, whose blossom scents the air,
Languid in death, expires beneath the share ;
Or crimson poppy, sinking with the shower,
Declining gently, falls a fading flower;
Thus, sweetly drooping, bends his lovely head,
And lingering beauty hovers round the dead.

But fiery Nisus stems the battle's tide,
Revenge his leader, and despair his guide;
Volscens he seeks amidst the gathering host,
Volscens must soon appease his comrade's ghost;
Steel, flashing, pours on steel, foe crowds on foe,
Rage nerves his arm, Fate gleams in every blow;
In vain, beneath unnumber'd wounds he bleeds,
Nor wounds, nor death, distracted Nisus heeds;
In viewless circles wheel'd his falchion fies,
Nor quits the hero's grasp, till Volscens dies;
Deep in his throat, its end the weapon found,
The tyrant's soul fled groaning through the wound.
Thus Nisus all his fond affection proved,
Dying, revenged the fate of him he loved;
Then, on his bosom, sought his wonted place,
And death was heavenly in his friend's embrace !

Celestial pair! if aught my verse can claim, Wafted on Time's broad pinion, yours is fame! Ages on ages shall your fate admire, No future day shall see your names expire; While stands the Capitol, immortal dome! And vanquish'd millions hail their empress, Rome!

FROM THE MEDEA OF EURIPIDES.

When fierce conflicting passions 'urge

The breast where love is wont to glow, WI mind can stem the stormy surge

Which rolls the tide of human woe?

The hope of praise, the dread of shame, 1r Can rouse the tortured breast no mora zurna et The wild desire, the guilty flame, Absorbs each wish it felt before. ': td.

P. 70 But, if affection gently thrills

The soul, by purer dreams possest, www: The pleasing balm of mortal ills

)1( In love can soothe the aching breast; ?1 If thus thou comest in disguise,

Fair Venus! from thy native heaven, What heart unfeeling would despise

The sweetest boon the Gods have given? But never from thy golden bow

May I beneath the shaft expire,
Whose creeping venom, sure and slow,

Awakes an all-consuming fire;
Ye racking doubts ! ye jealous fears !

With others wage internal war;
Repentance ! source of future tears,

From me be ever distant far.
May no distracting thoughts destroy

The holy calm of sacred love!
May all the hours be winged with joy,

Which hover faithful hearts above;
Fair Venus ! on thy myrtle shrine

May I with some fond lover sigh, Whose heart may mingle pure with mine,

With me to live, with me to die ! My native soil! beloved before,

Now dearer as my peaceful home, Ne'er may I quit thy rocky shore,

A hapless, banish'd wretch to roam;
This very day, this very hour,

May I resign this fleeting breath,
Nor quit my silent humble bower;
A doom to me far worse than death.