But mark this menace; since I must resign My black-eyed maid, to please the Powers divine; A well-rigged vessel in the port attends, Manned at my charge, commanded by my friends; The ship shall waft her to her wished abode, Full fraught with holy bribes to the far-shooting God. This thus dispatched, I owe myself the care, My fame and injured honour to repair; From thy own tent, proud man, in thy despite, This hand shall ravish thy pretended right. Briseis shall be mine, and thou shalt see } What odds of awful power I have on thee, } That others at thy cost may learn the difference of degree.-- } At this the impatient hero sourly smiled; His heart impetuous in his bosom boiled, And, jostled by two tides of equal sway, Stood for a while suspended in his way. Betwixt his reason and his rage untamed, One whispered soft, and one aloud reclaimed; That only counselled to the safer side, This to the sword his ready hand applied. Unpunished to support the affront was hard, Nor easy was the attempt to force the guard; But soon the thirst of vengeance fired his blood, Half shone his faulchion, and half sheathed it stood. In that nice moment, Pallas, from above, Commissioned by the imperial wife of Jove, Descended swift; (the white-armed Queen was loath The fight should follow, for she favoured both;) Just as in act he stood, in clouds enshrined, Her hand she fastened on his hair behind; Then backward by his yellow curls she drew; To him, and him alone, confessed in view. Tamed by superior force, he turned his eyes, Aghast at first, and stupid with surprise; But by her sparkling eyes, and ardent look, The virgin-warrior known, he thus bespoke. Com'st thou, Celestial, to behold my wrongs? To view the vengeance which to crimes belongs? Thus he.--The blue-eyed Goddess thus rejoined: I come to calm thy turbulence of mind, If reason will resume her sovereign sway, And, sent by Juno, her commands obey. Equal she loves you both, and I protect; Then give thy guardian Gods their due respect, And cease contention; be thy words severe, Sharp as he merits; but the sword forbear. An hour unhoped already wings her way, When he his dire affront shall dearly pay; When the proud king shall sue, with treble gain, To quit thy loss, and conquer thy disdain. But thou, secure of my unfailing word, Compose thy swelling soul, and sheath the sword.-- The youth thus answered mild:--Auspicious maid, Heaven's will be mine, and your commands obeyed. The Gods are just, and when, subduing sense, We serve their Powers, provide the recompence.-- He said; with surly faith believed her word, And in the sheath, reluctant, plunged the sword. Her message done, she mounts the blessed abodes,