71ie Four Monarchies. 287
And pardon craves for his unwilling ftay,
He fhews his grief, he's forc'd to difobey.
Before his Anfvver came to Babylon^
The thread of Alexanders life was fpun;
Poyfon had put an end to's dayes ('twas thought)
By Philip and Caffander to him brought,
Sons to A^tlipaler, and bearers of his Cup,
Left of fuch like their Father chance to flip;
By others thought, and that more generally.
That through exceffive drinking he did d^'e:
The thirty third of 's Age do all agree.
This Conquerour did yield to defl:in3^
When this fad news came to Darius Mother,
She laid it more to heart, then any other.
Nor meat, nor drink, nor comfort would flie take,
But pin d in grief till life did her forfake;
All friends fhe fhuns, yea, banifhed the light,
Till death inwrapt her in perpetual night/
This Monarchs fame ■" muft lafb whilft world doth' ftand.
And Conquefts be talkt of whileft there is land;
His Princely qualities had he retain'd,
Unparalled for ever had remain'd.
But with the world his virtues overcame,
And fo with black beclouded, all his fame;
Wife Arijiotlc Tutor to his youth.
Had fo inftru6led him in moral Truth:
The principles of what he then had learn'd [158]
Might to the laft (when fober) be difcern'd.
^ This and the five preceding lines are not in the first edition. J Whole famous A<5ls. ^ Ihall.
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