Page:Poems upon Several Occasions.djvu/107

At her Appearance all their Brightness ends,
Those Stars of Beauty set, when she ascends.
Where Love presides, still may she bear the Prize,
But rigid Law has neither Ears nor Eyes;
Charms to which Mars and Hercules wou'd bow,
Minos and Rhadamanthus disavow:
Justice, by nothing biass'd or enclin'd,
Deaf to Perswasion, to Temptation blind,
Determines without Favour, and the Laws
O'erlook the Parties, to decide the Cause.
What then avails it that a beardless Boy
Took a rash Fancy for a Female Toy?
Th' insulted Argives with a numerous Host
Pursue Revenge, and seek the Dardan Coast;
Tho' the Gods built, and tho' the Gods defend,
Those lofty Towers the hostile Greeks ascend,
Nor leave they 'till the Town in Ashes lies,
And all the Race of Royal Priam dies.
The Queen of Paphos mixing in the Fray,
Rallies the Troops, and urges on the Day,
In Person in the foremost Rank she stands,
Provokes the Charge, directs, assists, commands;
Stern Diomed, advancing high in Air
His feather'd Jav'lin, strikes the heav'nly Fair,
The vaulted Skies with her loud Shrieks resound,
And high Olympus trembles at the Wound.
In Causes just, shou'd all the Gods oppose,
'Twere honest to dispute: So Cato chose.

Dismiss