Deprived of sight, by their avenging doom,
Cheerless he breathed, and wandered in the gloom:
Then sunk unpitied to the dire abodes,
A wretch accursed, and hated by the gods!
I brave not heaven; but if the fruits of earth
Sustain thy life, and human be thy birth,
Bold as thou art, too prodigal of breath,
Approach, and enter the dark gates of death."
"What, or from whence I am, or who my sire,"
Replied the chief, "can Tydeus' son inquire?
Like leaves on trees the race of man is found,
Now green in youth, now withering on the ground:
Another race the following spring supplies,
They fall successive, and successive rise;
So generations in their course decay,
So flourish these, when those are past away.
But if thou still persist to search my birth,
Then hear a tale that fills the spacious earth:
"A city stands on Argos' utmost bound—
Argos the fair, for warlike steeds renowned—
Æolian Sisyphus, with wisdom blessed,
In ancient time the happy walls possessed,
Then called Ephyrè,[1] Glaucus was his son;
Great Glaucus, father of Bellerophon,
Who o'er the sons of men in beauty shined,
Loved for that valour which preserves mankind.
Then mighty Prœtus Argos' sceptre swayed,
Whose hard commands Bellerophon obeyed.
With direful jealousy the monarch raged,
And the brave prince in numerous toils engaged.
For him Antea burned with lawless flame,
And strove to tempt him from the paths of fame:
In vain she tempted the relentless youth,
Endued with wisdom, sacred fear, and truth.
Fired at his scorn, the queen to Prœtus fled,
And begged revenge for her insulted bed:
Incensed he heard, resolving on his fate;
But hospitable laws restrained his hate:
To Lycia the devoted youth he sent,
With tablets sealed, that told his dire intent.
Now, blessed by every Power who guards the good,
The chief arrived at Xanthus' silver flood:
There Lycia's monarch paid him honours due;
Nine days he feasted, and nine bulls he slew.
But when the tenth bright morning orient glowed,
The faithful youth his monarch's mandate shewed:
The fatal tablets, till that instant sealed,
- ↑ The same city that was afterwards called Corinth.
