Nauticus adductis fpumant freta verfa lacertis.
Infindunt pariter fulcos, totumque dehifcit.
Convolfum remis roftrifque tridentibus aequor.
Non tam praecipites bijugo certamine campum
Conripuere, ruuntque effufi carcere currus :
Nec fic inmiffis aurigae undantia lora
Concuffere jugis, pronique in verbera pendent..
Tum plaufu fremituque virûm, ftudiifque faventum
Confonat omne nemus: vocemque inclufa volutant
Litora: pulfati colles clamore refultant.
Effugit ante alios, primifque elabitur undis
Turbam inter fremitumque Gyas: quem deinde Cloanthus
Confequitur, melior remis: fed pondere pinus
Tarda tenet. poft hos aequo difcrimine Priftis
Centaurufque locum tendunt fuperare priorem.
Et nunc Priftis habet, nunc victam praeterit ingens
Centaurus nunc una ambae junctifque feruntur
Frontibus, et longa fulcant vada falfa carina.
Jamque propinquabant fcopulo, metamque tenebant:
Cum princeps medioque Gyas in gurgite victor
Rectorem navis conpellat voce Menoeten:
Quo tantum mihi dexter abis? huc dirige greffum.
Litus ama, et laevas ftringat fine palmula cautes;
Altum alii teneant. dixit. fed caeca Menoetes
Saxa timens, proram pelagi detorquet ad undas.
Quo diverfus abis? iterum pete faxa, Menoete,
Cum clamore Gyas revocabat: et ecce Cloanthum.
Refpicit inftantem tergo, et propiora tenentem.
Ille inter navemque Gyae fcopulofque fonantis
207. Leave the right.] The word palmula in the original fignifies the extremity of the oar, which being made broad, refembles a man's hand.
207. Again the land.] Horace has a like expreffion with Littus ama, in the original, amatque janua limen. L. 1. Od. 25.
Turn'd by their labouring oars the furges rise,
And with their fhouts the failors rend the skies,
The foamy tides with equal furrows sweep;
And, opening to the keel, divides the hoary deep.
Not half so swift the fiery courfers pour,
And, as they start, the diftant plain devour;
Nor half fo fierce the drivers, pois'd in air,
Urge the fleet steeds to whirl the flying car,
Throw up the reins, and, bending o'er the yoke,
Shout, lafh, and fend their fouls at every ftroke.
The crowds in parties join; and to the cries
And eager fhouts, the hollow wood replies;
While hills to hills repeat the mingled roar,
And the long echo rolls around the winding shore.
With peals of loud applause from every fide
Firft Gyas flew, and fhot along the tide.
Cloanthus follows, but his pond'rous fhip,
Tho' better mann'd, moves heavier on the deep.
Behind, the Dolphin and the Centaur lay,
At equal distance, on the watry way:
Now darts the rapid Dolphin o'er the main,
Now the vast Centaur wins the day again:
Then, fide by fide, and front by front, they join,
And plow in frothy tracks the ruffled brine.
And now proud Gyas reach'd th' appointed place,
Awhile the victor of the watry race;
Then to Menætes call'd, and gave command,
To leave the right, and steer against the land;
Let others plow the deep; -in vain he spoke;
The cautious pilot dreads the lurking rock,
And turns his prow, and fteers a different road,
And leaves the fhallows for the open flood.
Once more in vain the raging Gyas cry'd,
And lo! that moment, brave Cloanthus fpy'd
Close at his back, who plow'd the nearer tide.
The dangerous way the daring hero took
Between bold Gyaş and the founding rock.
Radit iter laevom interior, fubitufque priorem
Praeterit, et metis tenet aequora tuta relictis.
Tum vero exarfit juveni dolor offibus ingens :
Nec lacrimis caruere genae. fegnemque Menoeten,
Oblitus decorifque fui fociûmque falutis,
In mare praecipitem puppi deturbat ab alta.
Ipfe gubernaclo rector fubit, ipfe magifter:
Hortaturque viros, clavomque ad litora torquet.
At gravis, ut fundo vix tandem redditus imo eft
Jam fenior, madidaque fluens in vefte, Menoetes;
Summa petit fcopuli, ficcaque in rupe refedit.
Illum et labentem Teueri, et rifere natantem:
Et falfos rident revomentem pectore fluctus.
Hic laeta extremis fpes eft accenfa duobus
Sergefto Mnefthique, Gyan fuperare morantem.
Sergeftus capit ante locum, fcopuloque propinquat: 185 Nec tota tamen ille prior praeeunte carina :
Parte prior: partim roftro premit aemula Priftis.
At media focios incedens nave per ipfos
Hortatur Mneftheus: Nunc, nunc infurgite remis,
Hectorei focii; Trojae quos forte fuprema
Delegi comites: nunc illas promite vires,
Nunc animos, quibus in Gaetulis Syrtibus ufi,
Ionioque mari, Maleaeque fequacibus undis.
Non jam prima peto Mneftheus, neque vincere certo. Quamquam ô! fed fuperent quibus hoc, Neptune, dedifti. Extremos pudeat rediiffe. hoc vincite, cives,
229. Loud laugh'd the crowds, &c. Addifon having obferved that pleafantry, or ridiculous images are below the dignity of epic poetry, adds, "That there is but one laugh in the whole Eneid, and that is on this paffage. But this piece of mirth, fays. he, is fo well timed, that the fevereft critic can have nothing to fay against it: for it is in the book of games, where the reader's mind may be fuppofed to be fufficiently relaxed for fuch an entertainment." Spectator, No 279.
Sudden beyond the chief he shoots away,
Clear of the goal, and gains the roomy fea.
Then Gyas wept; and grief and rage enflame
The youth, forgetful of his friends and fame,
From the high ftern, with anger and difdain,
He hurl'd the hoary master in the main ;
Then madly took himself the fole command,
And fir'd his train, and bore upon the land.
Hoary with age, and struggling long in vain,
With cumb'rous vefts, Menætes mounts again;
Trembling he climb'd a lofty rock; and dry'd
His limbs, all drench'd and reeking with the tide.
Loud laugh'd the crowds to fee him fhoot away,
Drink and difgorge by turns the briny fea.
At distance Mneftheus and Sergeftus lie;
Both hope to pass the fiery Gyas by.
The 'vantage first the bold Sergestus took,
With rapid fpeed, advancing to the rock;
But not a length before: the Dolphin rides
With rival speed, and bears upon her fides.
Brave Mneftheus now inflames his naval crew,
As o'er the deck from man to man he flew,
My brave affociates, in whofe aid I trust,
You, whom I chofe, when Ilion funk in duft,
Now fhew the strength and spirit once you fhew'd,
When raging ftorms, and Syrtes you withstood,
Plow'd Malea's tide, and ftem'd th' Iönian flood:
Now, now, my friends, your utmost pow'r difplay,
Rife to your oars, and sweep the watry way:
Nor ftrive we now the victory to gain,
Tho' yet!-but ah! let those the palm obtain,
Thofe, whom thy favours crown, great monarch of
But to return the lags of all the day!
Oh! wipe, my friends, that shameful stain away! 250
Et prohibete nefas. Olli certamine fummo
Procumbunt: vaftis tremit ictibus aerea puppes,
Subtrahiturque folum. tum creber anhelitus artus
Aridaque ora quatit: fudor fluit undique rivis.
Adtulit ipfe viris optatum cafus honorem.
Namque furens animi, dum proram ad faxa suburguet
Interior, fpatioque fubit Sergeftus iniquo;
Infelix faxis in procurrentibus haefit.
Concuffae cautes, et acuto in murice remi
Obnixi crepuere, inlifaque prora pependit.
Confurgunt nautae, et magno clamore morantur;
Ferratafque trudes, et acuta cufpide contos
Expediunt; fractofque legunt in gurgite remos.
At laetus Mneftheus, fucceffuque acrior ipfo,
Agmine remorum celeri, ventifque vocatis,
Prona petit maria, et pelago decurrit aperto.
Qualis fpelunca fubito conmota columba,
Quoi domus et dulces latebroso in pumice nidi,
Fertur in arva volans, plaufumque exterrita pennis
Dat tecto ingentem: mox aëre labfa quieto
Radit iter liquidum, çeleris neque conmovet alas.
Sic Mneftheus, fic ipfa fuga fecat ultima Priftis
Aequora fic illam fert inpetus ipfe volantem.
Ac primum in fcopulo luctantem deferit alto
Sergeftum, brevibusque vadis, fruftraque vocantem
Auxilia, et fractis difcentem currere remis.
Inde Gyan, ipfamque ingenti mole Chimaeram
276. And fmoothly glides.] This line in the original is often quoted, as one of the most beautiful inftances that can be produced of the found's being an echo to the sense;
Radit iter liquidum, celeres neque conmovet alas.
The tranflator has endeavoured to imitate this beauty, and has fucceeded in his attempt. The fimile is drawn from Apol lonius, B. 4.
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