From godlike Perseus those of Argive race. Unhappy Cadmus' fate who does not know, And the long series of succeeding woe? 320 How oft the furies, from the deeps of night, Arose, and mixed with men in mortal fight: Th' exulting mother, stained with filial blood;[59] The savage hunter and the haunted wood; The direful banquet why should I proclaim,[60] 325 And crimes that grieve the trembling gods to name? Ere I recount the sins of these profane, } The sun would sink into the western main, } And rising, gild the radiant east again. } Have we not seen (the blood of Laius shed) 330 The murd'ring son ascend his parent's bed, Through violated nature force his way, And stain the sacred womb where once he lay? Yet now in darkness and despair he groans, And for the crimes of guilty fate atones. 335 His sons with scorn their eyeless father view, Insult his wounds, and make them bleed anew. Thy curse, oh Oedipus, just heav'n alarms, And sets th' avenging thunderer in arms. I from the root thy guilty race will tear, 340 And give the nations to the waste of war. Adrastus[61] soon, with gods averse, shall join In dire alliance with the Theban line; Hence strife shall rise, and mortal war succeed; The guilty realms of Tantalus shall bleed; 345 Fixed is their doom; this all-rememb'ring breast Yet harbours vengeance for the tyrant's feast."[62] He said; and thus the queen of heav'n returned; (With sudden grief her lab'ring bosom burned) "Must I, whose cares Phoroneus'[63] tow'rs defend, 350 Must I, oh Jove, in bloody wars contend? Thou know'st those regions my protection claim, Glorious in arms, in riches, and in fame: Though there the fair Egyptian heifer fed, And there deluded Argus slept, and bled;[64] 355 Though there the brazen tower was stormed of old,[65] When Jove[66] descended in almighty gold: Yet I can pardon those obscurer rapes, Those bashful crimes disguised in borrowed shapes; But Thebes, where shining in celestial charms 360 Thou cam'st triumphant to a mortal's arms, When all my glories o'er her limbs were spread, And blazing light'nings danced around her bed;[67] Cursed Thebes the vengeance it deserves, may prove: Ah why should Argos feel the rage of Jove? 365 Yet since thou wilt thy sister-queen control, Since still the lust of discord fires thy soul, Go, raze my Samos, let Mycene fall, And level with the dust the Spartan wall;[68] No more let mortals Juno's pow'r invoke, } 370 Her fanes no more with eastern incense smoke, }