Page:Ovid's Metamorphoses (Vol. 1) - tr Garth, Dryden, et. al. (1727).djvu/254

Her lovely Progeny, that far excell'd,
The Mother's Heart with vain Ambition swell'd:
The happiest Mother not unjustly styl'd,
Had no conceited Thoughts her tow'ring Fancy fill'd.
⁠For once a Prophetess with Zeal inspir'd,
Their slow Neglect to warm Devotion fir'd;
Thro' ev'ry Street of Thebes who ran possess'd,
And thus in Accents wild her Charge express'd:
Haste, haste, ye Theban Matrons, and adore,
With hallow'd Rites, Latona's mighty Pow'r;
And, to the heav'nly Twins that from her spring,
With Laurel crown'd, your smoaking Incense bring,
Strait the great Summons ev'ry Dame obey'd,
And due Submission to the Goddess paid;
Graceful, with Laurel Chaplets dress'd they came,
And offer'd Incense in the sacred Flame.
⁠Mean while, surrounded with a courtly Guard,
The royal Niobè in State appear'd;
Attir'd in Robes embroider'd o'er with Gold,
And mad with Rage, yet lovely to behold:
Her comely Tresses, trembling as she stood,
Down her fine Neck with easy Motion flow'd;
Then, darting round a proud disdainful Look,
In haughty Tone her hasty Passion broke,
And thus began; What Madness this, to court
A Goddess founded meerly on Report?
Dare ye a poor pretended Pow'r invoke,
While yet no Altars to my Godhead smoke?
Mine, whose immediate Lineage stands confess'd⁠$\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,}$
From Tantalus, the only mortal Guest
That e'er the Gods admitted to their Feast.
A Sister of the Pleiads gave me Birth;
And Atlas, mightiest Mountain upon Earth,
Who bears the Globe of all the Stars above,
My Grandsire was, and Atlas sprung from Jove.

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