The ARGUMEN T. Telemachus enter into the Elyfian fields, where he is known by Arcefius his great grandfather, who affures him that Ulyffes is living, that he will fee him again in Ithaca, and reign there after him. Arcefius gives him a defcription of the felicity which good men enjoy, and especially good kings, who in their life-time ferved the Gods, and were a bleffing to the people they governed. He makes him obferve, that the herces who had excelled only in the art of war, are much lefs happy in a place by themselves. He gives Telemachus fome infirudions, who then returns with Speed to the confederate eamp. WHEN Telemachus came out of this place, he been removed from his breaft; he was fenfible by this relief, of the mifery of thofe who are confined there without hopes of ever being released, and was terrified to fee how much more rigorously kings were tormented than other offenders. What faid he fo many duties, fo many dangers, fo many fnares, many difficulties in getting at the truth in order to guard against others and against one's felf alfo! and fo ar tourmens horribles dans les enfers, après avoir été fi envié, fi agité, fi traversé dans une vie courte ! O infenfé celui qui cherche à régner! Heureux celui qui fe borne à une condition privée & paisible, où la vertu lui eft moins difficile ! En faifant ces réflexions, il se troubloit au-dedans de lui-même, il frémit & tomba dans une confternation, qui lui fit fentir quelque chofe du défespoir de ces malheureux qu'il venoit de confidérer; mais à mesure qu'il s'éloignoit de ce trifte féjour des ténebres, de F'horreur & du désespoir, son courage commença peu à renaître; il refpiroit, & entrevoyoit déjà de loin la douce & pure lumiere du féjour des héros. à peu C'eft dans ce lieu qu'habitoient tous les bons rois qui avoient jufqu'alors gouverné les hommes; ils étoient féparés du refte des juftes. Comme les méchans princes fouffroient dans le Tartare des fupplices infiniment plus rigoureux que les autres coupables d'une condition privée, auffi les bons jouiffoient dans les champs Elyfées d'un bonheur infiniment plus grand que celui du refte des hommes qui avoient aimé la vertu fur la terre. Télémaque s'avança vers ces rois, qui étoient dans des bocages odoriférans, fur des gazons toujours renaiffans & fleuris. Mille petits ruiffeaux d'une onde pure arrofoient ces beaux lieux, & y faifoient fentir une délicieuse fraîcheur. Un nombre infini d'oifeaux faifoient réfonner ces bocages de leurs doux chants. On voyoit tout enfemble les fleurs du printemps, qui naiffoient fous les pas, avec les plus riches fruits de l'automne qui pendoient des arbres. Là jamais on ne reffentit les ardeurs de la canicule; là jamais les noirs aquilons n'oferent fouffler, ni faire fentir les rigueurs de l'hiver. Ni la guerre altérée de fang, ni la cruelle envie, qui mord d'une dent venimeufe, & qui porte des viperes entortillées dans fon fein & autour de fes bras, ni les jalousies, ni les défiances, ni la crainte, ni les vains defirs n'approchent jamais de cet heureux féjour de la paix. Le jour n'y finit point, & la nuit, avec fes fombres voiles, y est inconnue. Une lumiere pure & douce fe répand autour des corps de ces hommes juftes, & les environne de fes rayons comme d'un vêtement. Cette lumiere n'eft point femblable at laft fo many tortures in hell, after one has been fo envied, fo difquieted, fo thwarted during a short life! O how fenfelefs is he that is ambitious of reigning! Happy the man who confines himself to a private and peaceful station; in which he may with lefs difficulty be virtuous! As he made these reflections his foul was difordered, he trembled, and fell into a confternation, which made him feel fomething of the despair of the wretches he had juft feen; but as he went away from this dolefome manfion of darkness, horror and defpair, his courage began infenfibly to revive: He already felt, and had a glimpse of the pure and fweet light of the abode of heroes. Here refided, feparated from the rest of the juft, all the good kings that had ever ruied over mankind. As wicked princes fuffered punishments in Tartarus infinitely more fevere than private offenders; fo good kings enjoyed in the Elyfian fields an happiness infinitely greater than that of other men who had loved virtue on the earth. and Telemachus advanced towards these princes, who were in fragrant groves on an ever-fpringing and flowery turf. A thoufand limpid rills watered, diffufed a delicious freshnefs over thefe enchanting fcenes. An infinite number of birds made the groves ring with their tuneful chantings. One beheld the vernal flowers fpringing beneath one's feet, at the fame time that the richest autumnal fruits were hanging on the trees. There were never felt the raging dogftar's heats; there the lowering boreal winds never durft to breathe the feverities of winter. Neither blood-thirfty war, nor cruel envy that bites with an invenomed tooth, and bears writhen adders in her bofom and around her arms, nor jealousy, nor diffidence, nor fear, nor vain defires, do ever approach this happy manfion of peace. Here the day never ends, and night with her fable veil is a ftranger. A pure and grateful light is diffused around the bodies of thefe righteous men, and invests them with its rays as with a garment. This light does not refem ble |