ld nature hears.
For stygian waters that surround the dead,
Enchanted juice, a baleful vapour shed.
640 Black drops of venom--potent herbs she steep'd,
With brazen scythes, by trembling Moonlight reap'd.
And from the filly's infant forehead shorn
A powerful philter from the mother torn.
The Queen her sacred off'ring in her hands,
645 With one foot bar'd, before the altar stands;
Her zone unbound releas'd her flowing vest;
The conscious gods her dying words attest,
The start that bear our fate, and if above
A pow'r remains, that pities injur'd love.

650 'Twas night when o'er the earth in soft repose,
All that exist, the load of life depose;
When woods are hush'd, and murmuring billows done,
When stars descending half their course have run;
In silence all--The beasts, the feather'd brood,
655 That swim the lake, or haunt the thicket wood,
All thro' the silent night, in balmy sleep
Their hearts reliev'd in sweet oblivion steep.
Not wretched Dido--night descends in vain
Her eyes unclos'd, and unrepriev'd her pain;
660 Rest flies her soul, and sleep her couch forsakes;
Care through the livelong night incessant wakes;
Now love, now rage, in midnight silence nurst,
Back on her soal with doubted fury burst.
From wave to wave of boiling passion borne,
665 "What now remains, she cries--despis'd, forlorn,
Must Dido now, poor suppliant wretch, implore,
And court the husband she disdain'd before;
Or must I on their fleet submissive wait;
And from those Dardan lords expect my fate?
670 Oh! yes!--by former favours I may guess
What gratitude they'll feel in my distress.
But if--which way! what means?--What pow'r have I?
How will their pride my humble suit deny?
Oh senseless being! have I yet to know,
675 How far, that perjur'd, Trojan race can go?
And then--alone attend their joyful crew,
Or with my Tyrian force their fleet pursue?
Yes,--and the men I scarce from home could tear,
680 Will they for me again the ocean dare.
No--meet the death you merit.--Let the sword--
'Tis all that's left, this sad relief afford.
Oh, sister, to my tears so weakly kind,
You nurst this fatal error in my mind,
} You wrought my fate, you gave me to my foe;
685 } As Nature free, unshar'd my days might flo