And as the next in rank Ormisda stood, } He turned the point; the sword, inured to blood, } Bored his unguarded breast, which poured a purple flood. } With vowed revenge the gathering crowd pursues The ravishers turn head, the fight renews; The hall is heaped with corpse; the sprinkled gore Besmears the walls, and floats the marble floor. Dispersed at length the drunken squadron flies, } The victors to their vessel bear the prize, } And hear behind loud groans and lamentable cries. } The crew with merry shouts their anchors weigh, } Then ply their oars, and brush the buxom sea, } While troops of gathered Rhodians crowd the key. } What should the people do when left alone? The governor and government are gone; The public wealth to foreign parts conveyed; Some troops disbanded, and the rest unpaid. Rhodes is the sovereign of the sea no more; Their ships unrigged, and spent their naval store, They neither could defend, nor can pursue, But grin'd their teeth, and cast a helpless view: In vain with darts a distant war they try, Short, and more short, the missive weapons fly. Meanwhile the ravishers their crimes enjoy, And flying sails and sweeping oars employ: The cliffs of Rhodes in little space are lost, Jove's isle they seek, nor Jove denies his coast. In safety landed on the Candian shore, With generous wines their spirits they restore; There Cymon with his Rhodian friend resides, Both court, and wed at once the willing brides. A war ensues, the Cretans own their cause, Stiff to defend their hospitable laws: Both parties lose by turns; and neither wins, Till peace propounded by a truce begins. The kindred of the slain forgive the deed, But a short exile must for show precede: The term expired, from Candia they remove; And happy each at home, enjoys his love. FOOTNOTES: [Footnote 219: Although this interpretation is invidious, it might have been wished, that Collier, against whom the insinuation is directed, had been less coarse, and somewhat veiled the indecencies which he justly censures.] [Footnote 220: Dryden willingly seizes the opportunity of being witty at the expence of the militia of England, which were then drawn out, and exercised once a month, instead of being formed as at present into permanent fencible regiments; differing from those of the line, only in the mode of raising them, and the extent of service.] ORIGINAL, FROM THE DECAMERON. THE FIFTH DAY. NOVEL I. _Cymon becomes wise by being in love, and by force of arms wins Ephigenia his mistress upon the seas, and is imprisoned at Rhodes. Being delivered from thence by Lysimachus, with him he recovers Ephigenia, and flies with her to Crete, where he is married to her, and is afterwards recalled home._