Is lost in anxiousjoy), Be that again,
Be that again proclaim'd, diftinct, and loud.
Loud and diftin&t it was again proclaim'd,
And still as midnight in the rural shade,
When the gale flumbers, they the words devour'd. 286
A while fevere amazement held them mute,
Then, bursting broad, the boundless fhout to heaven
From many a thousand hearts ecstatic sprung.
On every hand rebellow'd to their joy
The fwelling fea, the rocks, and vocal hills:
Thro' all her turrets ftately Corinth * shook,
And, from the void above of fhattered air,
The flitting bird fell breathless to the ground.
What piercing blifs! how keen a sense of fame
Did then, Flaminius! reach thy inmoft foul? 290
And with what deep-felt glory didst thou then
Escape the fondness of transported Grecce ?
Mix'd in a tempeft of fuperior joy,
They left the fports; like Bacchanals they flew,
Each other ftraining in a strict embrace,
Nor ftrain'd a flave; and loud acclaims till night
Round the Proconful's tent repeated rung.
Then, crown'd with garlands, came the feftive hours,
And mufic, fparkling wine, and converse warm,
Their raptures wak'd anew.-"YeGods!"they cry'd,
"Ye guardian Gods of Greece! And are we free? 301
Was it not madnefs deem'd the very thought?
The Ifthmian games were celebrated at Corinth.
"And is it true? How did we purchase chains ? "At what a dire expence of kindred blood? "And are they now diffolv'd? and scarce one drop "For the fair firft of bleffings have we paid? "Courage and conduct in the doubtful field, "When rages wide the ftorm of mingling war, "Are rare indeed; but how to generous ends "To turn fuccefs and conqueft, rarer still; "That the great Gods and Romans only know. "Lives there on earth, almoft to Greece unknown, "A people fo magnanimous, to quit
"Their native foil, traverse the stormy deep,
"And by their blood and treasure, spent for us, 315
"Redeem our ftates, our liberties, and laws!
"There does! there does! Oh! Saviour Titus! Rome!"
Thus thro' the happy night they pour'd their fouls,
And in My laft-reflected beams rejoic'd.
As when the shepherd, on the mountain brow, 320
Sits piping to his flocks and gamesome kids,
Mean time the fun, beneath the green earth funk,
Slants upward o'er the scene a parting gleam,
Short is the glory that the mountain gilds,
Plays on the glittering flocks, and glads the swain;
To western worlds irrevocable roll'd,
Rapid, the fource of light recalls his ray.
Here, interpofing, I,-" Oh Queen of Men!
Beneath whofe fceptre in effential rights
Equal they live, tho' plac'd, for common good,
"Various, or in fubjection or command,
"And that by common choice; alas! the fcene,
"With virtue, freedom, and with glory bright,
"Streams into blood, and darkens into woe."
Thus fhe purfu'd.-Near this great æra, Rome 335
Began to feel the swift approach of Fate,
That now her vitals gain'd; still more and more
Her deep divifions kindling into rage,
And war with chains and desolation charg'd.
From an unequal balance of her fons
These fierce contentions sprung, and, as increas'd
This hated inequality, more fierce,
They flam'd to tumult. Independence fail'd,
Here by luxurious wants, by real there,
And with this virtue every virtue funk,
As with the fliding rock the pile fuftain'd.
A laft attempt, too late, the Gracchi made,
To fix the flying scale, and poise the state.
On one fide fwell'd ariftocratic Pride,
With Ufury, the villain whose fell gripe
Bends by degrees to baseness the free foul;
And Luxury rapacious, cruel, mean,
Mother of vice! while on the other crept
A populace in want, with pleasure fir'd,
Fit for profcriptions, for the darkest deeds,
As the proud feeder bade; inconftant, blind,
Deferting friends at need, and dup'd by foes;
Loud and feditious, when a chief infpir'd,
Their headlong fury; but of him depriv'd,
Already flaves that lick'd the fcourging hand.
This firm Republic, that against the blast
Of Oppofition rofe; that (like an oak,
Nurs'd on feracious Algidum, whose boughs
Still ftronger fhoot beneath the rigid axe)
By lofs, by flaughter, from the fteel itself
Even force and fpirit drew, fmit with the calm,
The dead ferene of profperous fortune, pin'd.
Nought now her weighty legions could oppose.
Her terror once *, on Afric's tawny fhore,
Now fmok'd induft, a ftabling now for wolves, 370
And every dreaded power receiv'd the yoke.
Befides, deftructive, from the conquer'd Eaft,
In the foft plunder came that worft of plagues,
That peftilence of mind, a fever'd thirt
For the falfe joys which Luxury prepares:
Unworthy joys! that wafteful leave behind
No mark of honour, in reflecting hour,
No fecret ray to glad the confcious foul;
At once involving in one ruin wealth,
And wealth-acquiring powers; while stupid Self, 380 Of narrow guit and hebetating fenfe,
Devour the nobler faculties of blifs.
Hence Roman virtue flacken'd into floth,
Security relax'd the foftening ftate,
And the broad eye of Government lay clos'd. 385 No more the laws inviolable reign'd,
And public weal no more; but party rag'd,
And partial power, and licence unrestrain'd,
Let Discord thro' the deathful City loose.
First, mild Tiberius*! on thy facred head
The Fury's vengeance fell; the first whofe blood
Had fince the Confuls ftain'd contending Rome;
Of precedent pernicious! With thee bled
Three hundred Romans; with thy brother, next,
Three thousand more; till into battles turn'd 395
Debates of peace, and forc'd the trembling laws,
The Forum and Comitia horrid grew,
A scene of barter'd power or reeking gore:
When, half-asham'd, Corruption's thievish arts,
And ruffian Force, begin to fap the mounds
And majesty of laws; if not in time
Reprefs'd fevere, for human aid too strong,
The torrent turns, and overbears the whole.
Thus luxury, diffention, a mix'd rage
Of boundless pleasure and of boundless wealth, 405
Want wishing change, and waste-repairing war,
Rapine for ever lost to peaceful toil,
Guilt unaton'd, profufe of blood Revenge,
Corruption all avow'd, and lawless Force,
Each heightening each, alternate shook the state. 410
Mean time Ambition, at the dazzling head
Of hardy legions, with the laurels heap'd
And spoil of nations, in one circling blast
Combin'd in various storm, and from its base
Tib. Gracchus.
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