Of grim blood-thirsty foes: growling along, They stalk indignant; but fierce vengeance still Hangs pealing on their rear, and pointed spears Present immediate death. Soon as the night Wrapt in her sable veil forbids the chase, They pitch their tents, in even ranks around The circling camp. The guards are placed, and fires At proper distances ascending rise, And paint the horizon with their ruddy light. So round some island's shore of large extent, _420 Amid the gloomy horrors of the night, The billows breaking on the pointed rocks, Seem all one flame, and the bright circuit wide Appears a bulwark of surrounding fire. What dreadful bowlings, and what hideous roar, Disturb those peaceful shades where erst the bird That glads the night, had cheered the listening groves With sweet complainings! Through the silent gloom Oft they the guards assail; as oft repelled They fly reluctant, with hot-boiling rage _430 Stung to the quick, and mad with wild despair. Thus day by day, they still the chase renew; At night encamp; till now in straiter bounds The circle lessens, and the beasts perceive The wall that hems them in on every side. And now their fury bursts, and knows no mean; From man they turn, and point their ill-judged rage Against their fellow brutes. With teeth and claws The civil war begins; grappling they tear. Lions on tigers prey, and bears on wolves: _440 Horrible discord! till the crowd behind Shouting pursue, and part the bloody fray. At once their wrath subsides; tame as the lamb The lion hangs his head, the furious pard, Cowed and subdued, flies from the face of man, Nor bears one glance of his commanding eye. So abject is a tyrant in distress! At last within the narrow plain confined, A listed field, marked out for bloody deeds, An amphitheatre more glorious far _450 Than ancient Rome could boast, they crowd in heaps, Dismayed, and quite appalled. In meet array Sheathed in refulgent arms, a noble band Advance; great lords of high imperial blood, Early resolved to assert their royal race, And prove by glorious deeds their valour's growth Mature, ere yet the callow down has spread Its curling shade. On bold Arabian steeds With decent pride they sit, that fearless hear The lion's dreadful roar; and down the rock _460 Swift-shooting plunge, or o'er the mountain's ridge Stretching along, the greedy tiger leave Panting behind. On foot their faithful slaves With javelins armed attend; each watchful eye Fixed on his youthful care, for him alone He fears, and to redeem his life, unmoved Would lose his own. The mighty Aurengzebe, From his high-elevated throne, beholds His blooming race; revolving in his mind What once he was, in his gay spring of life, _470 When vigour strung his nerves. Parental joy Melts in his eyes, and flushes in his cheeks. Now the loud trumpet sounds a charge. The shouts