The Works of Alexander Pope

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated.1824 Excerpt: ... THE FIRST BOOK OF STATIUS'S THEBAIS. Fraternal rage, the guilty Thebes alarms, Th' alternate reign destroyed by impious arms, Demand our song; a sacred Fury fires My ravish'd breast, and all the Muse inspires. O Goddess, say, shall I deduce my rhimes 5 From the dire nation in its early times, Europa's rape, Agenor's stern decree, And Cadmus searching round the spacious sea? How with the serpent's teeth he sow'd the soil, And reap'd an Iron harvest of his toil? 10 Or how from joining stones the city sprung, While to his harp divine Amphion sung? Or shall I Juno's hate to Thebes resound, Whose fatal rage th' unhappy Monarch found? The sire against the son his arrows drew, 15 O'er the wide fields the furious mother flew, And while her arms a second hope contain, Sprung from the rocks and plung'd into the main. But wave whate'er to Cadmus may belong, And fix, O Muse! the barrier of thy song 20 (Edipodae confusa domus: quando Itala nondum Signa, nec Arctoos ausim sperare triumphos, Bisque jugo Rhenum, bis adactum legibus Istrum, Et conjurato dejectos vertice Dacos: Aut defensa prius vix pubescentibus annis 30 Bella Jovis. Tuque o Latiae decus addite famae, Quem nova maturi subeuntem exorsa parentis Sternum sibi Roma cupit: licet arctior cranes Limes agat Stellas, et te plaga lucida coeli NOTES. Ver. 19. But viave tvhate'er. It is plain that Pope was not blind to the faults of Statius; many of which he points out with judgment At CEdipus--from his disasters trace The long confusions of his guilty race: Nor yet attempt to stretch thy bolder wing, And mighty Caesar's conqu'ring eagles sing; How twice he tam'd proud Ister's rapid flood, 25 While Dacian mountains stream'd with barb'rous blood; Twice taught the Rhine beneath his laws to roll, And stretch'd his empire ...