"Two tyrants slain, the third now treat the same, "And end at length the rebel's horrid name.'

THESE words, the presages confirmed on high:
Jove's tawny minister straight soared the sky,
And, 'tween his talons, as he winged his flight,
A serpent bore, conspicuously in sight.
While, with his crooked bill, the eagle tried,
In parts, the struggling reptile to divide,
Securely in his claws remained the head,
And o'er the earth the mangled fragments spread.
THE Omen filled with joy the soldiers' breast:

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At once their steps o'er rocks, through torrents pressed;

Nor forest wide, nor lofty mountains' top,

Could damp their ardour, or their movements stop.

THUS flocks of cranes, with clamour in the air,

From Thrace's chilly clime, on wing repair;

730

The Strymon's banks exchange for Nile's mild breath;
And, 'gainst the Pigmies, carry war and death:
Through ether, LETTERS* with their pinions, trace,
Like those depicted by the human race.

THE troops no sooner near the ocean came,
Than glowed each breast with renovated flame;
On board the ships they flew; the anchors weighed ;
The sails unfurled; the yards aloft displayed;
Th' Etrurian coast resounded with the roar,

And Pisa's port the navy covered o'er.

So when the fleet that Agamemnon led,

T'avenge the Grecian cause, its canvass spread,
The conclamation rent the vaulted skies,

"And Aulis echoed with inciting cries.

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740

The crane, in its flight, is supposed to resemble the Lambda (A)

of the Greek alphabet.

NOR billows' rage, nor signs that storms infer, Nor SOUTH-WIND's whistle, could their minds deter. Unmoor, companions!" cried they, seas explore! "With haste the cable sever from the shore; "In spite of adverse waves, let us proceed, "And make the horrid monster, Gildo, bleed.

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"The tempest will our vessels forward force: "We long, through foaming floods, to take our course; "And, daring OCEAN's surge, reach Africk's strand, "Our shattered navy anch'ring near the land. "What silly fears, O mortals! you betray,

Who watch, if back the corm'rant wings his way; "Or o'er the sandy shore, with fond delight, "The wand'ring er w directs his airy flight. "If SOL in WESTERN skies with spots be seen;

755

"Cold EASTERN winds give Luna muddy mien ; 760 "Stars in disorder dart uncertain beams;

"The NORTHERN KIDS pour down aquatick streams; "The rainy Hyades the BULL attend;

"And huge Orion in the DEEP descend:

"The certain signs of Heav'n are these avowed, 765 "But still Honorius surer is allowed.

"His auspices, to lead o'er liquid plain,

"We troops prefer to BEAR, or CHARLES'S WAIN.

"Bootes with contempt, O pilot, meet,

"And, spite of raging storms, conduct the fleet; 770

"If Libya, winds and waves to us deny :

"On CESAR's fortune firmly we rely.".

Now, o'er the rolling main, the vessels bore:

Upon the right withdrew Liguria's shore;

*Alluding to the famous speech of Julius Cæsar, in Suetonius: "Quid times nauta, Cæsarem vehis et Cæsaris fortunam :" What dost thou fear, seaman? thou carriest Cæsar and his fortune.

Soon on the left Etruria disappeared;

And Corsica's deceitful rocks they cleared.
An island large, like foot of mortal framed,
By husbandmen of old Sardinia named,
In corn most rich, with ports convenient found
For fleets, to Italy or Carthage, bound.
The part, that t'wards the Africk-region lies,
Is full of plains, and shipping's wants supplies;
But on the NORTH rise rocks with rugged peak,
Where billows roar and o'er the summits break,
And lofty mountains, tow'ring to the sky,
Which often sailors with dismay descry.`

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785

Here pestilence o'er man and beast prevails,

And SOUTHERN blasts exclude the NORTHERN gales. The fleet, by weary efforts, scaping these,

Bore round the winding creeks, through surgy seas;

790

Some Sulchi entered, raised by Punick toil :

The rest reached Olbia, built on wave-lashed soil.

Of long extension, facing Libya, stands

The city Calaris, from Tyrian hands;

Amid the frothy tide a mole projects,

795

Which, from tempestuous gusts, the place protects.

The waters, thus compressed, a port assure:

Calm reigns around, from ev'ry wind secure.

With one accord, the vessels thither bore;

Brought to their prows were fastened to the shore; 800 Awhile within the harbour they remained,

"Till fav'ring gales the airy regions gained.

PANEGYRICK

ON THE CONSULSHIP OF

MALLIUS THEODORUS.

PREFACE.

AMID the learned circle spread around,
Composed of characters the most renowned,
O loved Thalia! dar'st thou silence break,
And, feeling glory's sway, presum'st to speak?—
By anxious toil and pain alone retained;
And poignant shame prevailing, if restrained.
To camps inured, has confidence increased?—
The poet's martial ardour fears released?
In these the Roman pillars meet the sight,
The senate's majesty, and Gaul's delight.
Our Muse, the universe is wont to hear;

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O'er earth the strains shall glide from ear to ear;

The high regard we to the consul owe,

Will justify the confidence I show.

GREAT Jove, 'tis said, his realms desired to trace, 15 (To him unknown,) th' extent of NATURE's space;

Two ministers he sent from EAST and WEST:
With equal flight their rapid course they pressed;
The rival birds, upon Parnassus' top,

Where Python died, at once were seen to stop.

OUR prince, by eagles, seeks not earth's expanse:
Th' imperial arms with certainty advance;
Around, the world collected meets my sight,
And ev'ry glory beams with lustre bright.

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