Dwell near the fountains of the sun, and where
The Nigris pours his dusky waters; wind
Along his banks, till thou shalt reach the fall
Where from the mountains with Papyrus crown'd
The venerable Nile impetuous pours
His headlong torrent; he shall guide thy steps
To those irriguous plains, whose triple sides
His arms surround; there have the Fates decreed
Thee and thy sons to form the lengthen'd line.
Is ought imperfect, ought obscure? Resume
Th' inquiry, and be taught with greater clearness:
I have more leisure than I wish to have,
CHOR. If thou hast ought remaining, ought omitted,
To tell her of her woful wand'rings, speak it:
If all has been declar'd, to us vouchsafe
The grace we ask; what, thou rememb'rest well.
PROM. Her wand'ring in full measure has she heard.
That she may know she has not heard in vain,
Her labours pass'd, e'er these rude rocks she reach'd,
Will I recite, good argument that truth
Stamps my predictions sure: nor shall I use
A length of words, but 'speak thy wand'rings briefly.
Soon as thy foot reach'd the Molossian ground,
And round Dodona's ridgy heights, where stands
The seat oracular of Thesprotian Jove,
And, wond'rous prodigy, the vocal groves,
These in clear, plain, unquestionable terms
Hail'd thee "Illustrious wife of Jove that shall be,"
If that may sooth thy soul. The tort'ring sting
Thence drove thee wand'ring o'er the wave-washed strand
deserts scorched with intolerable heat, till it comes to its last cataract; thence it falls into Egypt, and assumes, the name of the Nile. Stanley—. "Four miles below Cairo it divideth, making of the richest portion of the land a triangular island, named Delta, in that it beareth the form of the Greek "Δ." Sandys.
