The king once more the solemn rites requires, 
And bids renew the feasts, and wake the fires. 
his train obey, while all the courts around 
With noisy care and various tumult sound. 
Embroidered purple clothes the golden beds; 
This slave the floor, and that the table spreads; 
A third dispels the darkness of the night, 
And fills depending lamps with beams of light.
Here loaves in canisters are piled on high, 
And there in flames the slaughtered victims fry. 
Sublime in regal state Adrastus shone, 
Stretched on rich carpets on his iv?ry throne; 
A lofty couch rcceives each princely guest; 
Around, at awful distance, wait the rest. 
And now the king, his royal feast to grace, 
Acestis calls, the guardian of his race, 
Who first their youth in arts of virtue trained, 
And their ripe years in modest grace maintained; 
Then softly whispered in her faithful ear, 
And bade his daughters at the rites appear. 
When from the close apartments of the night, 
The royal nymphs approach divinely bright; 
Such was Diana?s, such Minerva?s face; 
Nor shine their beauties with superior grace, 
But that in these a milder charm endears, 
And less of terror in their looks appears. 
As on the heroes first they cast their eyes, 
O?er their fair cheeks the glowing blushes rise, 
Their downcast looks a decent shame confessed, 
Then on their father?s rev?rend features rest. 
The banquet done, the monarch gives the sign 
To fill the goblet high with sparkling wine, 
Which Danaus used in sacred rites of old, 
With sculpture graced, and rough with rising gold. 
Here to the clouds victorious Persons flies, 
Medusa seems to move her languid eyes, 
And, ev?n in gold, turns paler as she dies. 
There from the chace Jove?s tow?ring eagle bears, 
On golden wings, the Phrygian to the stars: 
Still as he rises in th? ethereal height, 
His native mountains lessen to his sight; 
While all his sad companious upward gaze, 
Fixed on the glorious scene in wild amaze; 
And the swift hounds, affrighted as he flies, 
Run to the shade, and bark against the skies. 
This golden bowl with gen?rous juice was crowned, 
The first libations sprinkled on the ground, 
By turns on each celestial pow?r they call; 
With Ph?bus? name resounds the vaulted hail. 
The courtly train, the strangers, and the rest, 
Crowned with chaste laurel, and with garlands dressed, 
While with rich gums the fuming altars blaze, 
Salute the god in num?rous hymns of praise. 
Then thus the king: ?Perhaps, my noble guests, 
These honoured altars, end these annual feasts 
To bright Apollo?s awful name designed, 
Unknown, with wonder may perplex your mind. 
Great was the cause; our old solemnities 
From no blind zeal, or fond tradition rise; 
But saved from death, our Argives yearly pay 
These grateful honours to the god of day. 
?When by a thousand darts the Python slain 
With orbs unrolled lay cov?ring all the plain, 
(Transfixed as o?er Castalia?s streams he hung, 
And sucked new poisons with his triple tongue) 
To Argos? realms the victor god resorts, 
And enters old Crotopus? humble courts. 
This rural prince one only daughter blest, 
That all the charms of blooming youth possessed; 
Fair was her face, and spotless was her mind, 
Where filial love with virgin sweetness joined. 
Happy ! and happy still she might have proved, 
Were she less beautiful, or less beloved ! 
But Ph?bus loved, and on the flow?ry side 
Of Nemea?s stream, the yielding fair enjoyed: 
Now, ere ten moons their orb with light adorn, 
Th? illustrious offspring of the god was born; 
The nymph, her father?s anger to evade, 
Retires from Argos to the sylvan shade; 
To woods and wilds the pleasing burden bears, 
And trusts her infant to a shepherd?s cares. 
?How mean a fate, unhappy child ! is thine? 
Ah how unworthy those of race divine? 
On flow?ry herbs in some green covert laid, 
His bed the ground, his canopy the shade,? 
He mixes with the bleating lambs his cries, 
While the rude swain his rural music tries 
To call soft slumbers on his infant eyes. 
Yet ev?n in those obscure abodes to live, 
Was more, alas ! than cruel fate would give, 
For on the grassy verdure as he lay, 
And breathed the freshness of the early day, 
Devouring dogs the helpless infant tore, 
Fed on his trembling limbs, and lapped the gore. 
Th? astonished mother, when the rumour came, 
Forgets her father, and neglects her fame; 
With loud complaints she fills the yielding air, 
And beats her breast, and rends her flowing hair; 
Then wild with anguish to her sire she flies: 
Demands the sentence, and contented dies. 
?But touched with sorrow for the dead too late, 
The raging god prepares t? avenge her fate. 
He sends a monster, horrible and fel