ms;
"And stern commanded that the heavenly gift
"Should feed the Grecian fleet. Each as she can
"Escapes. Euboeae two attain, and two
"Fraternal Andros seek. The troops pursue
"And threaten warfare, if withheld the maids.
"Fraternal love was vanquish'd in his breast
"By fear, (that thou this terror mayst excuse,
"Reflect, AEneaes was not there, nor there
"Was Hector, Andros to defend, whose arms
"To the tenth year made Iliuem stand.) And now
"Chains were prepar'd their captive arms to bind.
"While yet unchain'd, those arms to heaven they rais'd,
"O father Bacchus!--crying--grant thy aid.--
"And aid the author of the gift bestow'd:
"If them to lose by an unheard-of mode
"Be aid bestowing. Then could I not know,
"Nor now relate the order of the change
"Which lost their shapes; the summit of my grief
"I know; with plumage were they cloth'd; transform'd
"To snowy doves, thy spouse's favor'd bird."

With these, and tales like these, the feast was clos'd:
The board remov'd, all sought repose. With day
Arising, all Apollo's shrine attend;
Who bids that they their ancient mother seek,
And kindred shores. The king attends them, gives
His presents as they go. Anchises holds
A sceptre, while a quiver and a robe
Ascanius boasts; AEneaes holds a cup,
Erst from Boeoetia's shores to Anius sent,
By Theban Therses. Therses sent the gift;
Sicilian Alcon form'd it, and engrav'd
A copious tale around. A town was there,
And seven wide gates appear'd: for name were these,
What town it was displaying. All without
Its walls were funeral trains, and tombs beheld;
And fires; and piles; and matrons, whose bare breasts,
And locks dishevell'd, shew'd their mournful woe.
Weeping the nymphs appear'd, and seem'd to wail
Their arid streams; the leafless trees were hard;
The goats were browsing on the naked rocks:
And, lo! amid the Theban town was seen
Orion's daughters: this her naked throat
Offering, with more than female courage; that
On the sharp weapon's point forth leaning, dy'd,
To save the people: round the town are borne
Their pompous funerals, they in splendor burn.
Then, lest the race should perish, spring two youths
From out their virgin ashes; which by fame
Are call'd Coronae, and the pomp attend,
When their maternal ashes are interr'd.

Thus far the images on ancient brass
Were grav'n; the bordering summit of the cup