Classic Poem

How early has young Chromius begun
The Race of Virtue , and how swiftly run,
And born the noble Prize away,
Whilst other youths yet at the Barriere stay?
None but Alcides ere set earlier forth then He ;
The God , his Fathers , Blood nought could restrain,
'Twas ripe at first , and did disdain
The slow advance of dull Humanitie ,
The big-limm'ed Babe in his huge Cradle lay,
Too weighty to be rockt by Nurses hands,
Wrapt in purple swadling-bands.
When, Lo, by jealous Juno's fierce commands,
Two dreadful Serpents come
Rowling and hissing loud into the roome.
To the bold Babe they trace their bidden way,
Forth from their flaming eyes dread Lightnings went,
Their gaping Mouths did forked Tongues like Thunderbolts present.

7

Some of th'amazed Women dropt down dead
With fear, some wildely fled
About the room, some into corners crept,
Where silently they shook and wept.
All naked from her bed the passionate Mother lept
To save or perish with her Child ,
She trembled , and she cry'ed , the mighty Infant smil'd .
The mighty Infant seem'd well pleas'ed
At his gay gilded foes,
And as their spotted necks up to the Cradle rose,
With his young warlike hands on both he seis'ed;
In vain they rag'd, in vain they hist,
In vain their armed Tails they twist,
And angry Circles cast about,
Black Blood , and fiery Breath , and poys'onous Soul he squeezes out.

8

With their drawn Swords
In ran Amphitryo , and the Theban Lords ,
With doubting Wonder , and with troubled joy
They saw the conquering Boy
Laugh , and point downwards to his prey,
Where in deaths pangs, and their own gore they folding lay.
When wise Tiresias this beginning knew,
He told with ease the things t'ensue,
From what Monsters he should free
The Earth , the Ayr , and Sea ,
What mighty Tyrants he should slay,
Greater Monsters far then They .
How much at Phlaegras field the distrest Gods should owe
To their great Off-spring here below,
And how his Club should there outdo
Apollos silver Bow, and his own Fathers Thunder too.

9

And that the grateful Gods at last,
The race of his laborious Virtue past,
Heaven , which he sav'ed , should to him give,
Where marry'ed to aeternal Youth he should for ever live;
Drink Nectar with the Gods , and all his senses please
In their harmonious golden Palaces .
Walk with ineffable Delight
Through the thick Groves of never-withering Light ,
And as he walks affright
The Lyon and the Bear ,
Bull, Centaur, Scorpion , all the radiant Monsters there.