The Revenge

High, on the summit of a craggy rock ,
Whose harden'd sides resist the billows' shock;
Whose cliffy brow, mens eyes, with horror, view,
O'erlooking, proudly, land , and ocean , too:
There stands a roomy cave , by nature, made,
To knit , in just embraces, light , and shade :
Its spacious mouth the sun's up-rising greets,
Admits his lustre , but repels his heats!
Arriv'd, incumbent on the ruffled air,
She sees rude globes the floating forest tear:
Her sons, o'er match'd , like men, untaught to yield;
Scud , unresolv'd, about the wat'ry field:
The spacious seas, with scatter'd vessels, charg'd,
To double length, the breaking line enlarg'd.
Averse to fly , nor deaf to safety 's call,
They hang, like scatt'ring clouds, about to fall.
But while the foe , encourag'd at his view,
Pressing, triumphant on, wou'd dare pursue;
Again, united , they the fight restore,
Again, dart vengeance , fiercer, than before:
Again, the big-mouth'd cannon rends the sky,
And the unconquer'd suff'rers rush to die.

Thus, while the hunted panther , spent, with fight ,
Looks round, distrest , and meditates a flight;
If then prevented, he, with sudden roar,
Turns back, and dyes the field, with hostile gore;
Disdaining life, upon the spears , he flies,
And, heap'd on piles of victims, proudly dies.
All this the trembling nymph , with grief, beheld;
At length, her care the victor's force repell'd:
Then, wastes no time, the ruin'd to deplore,
But guides the rich remainder safe to shore:
Thence, to the cave , with threat'ning transport, flew,
Revolving, what her hop'd revenge shou'd do!
There, while depress'd with melancholy thought,
Her working fancy diff'rent projects taught;
From heav'n's bright orb, a youth , divinely fair,
With wings extended, cleav'd th' enlighten'd air;
Just, at the mourning charmer's feet, he stay'd,
Look'd lovely on her, bow'd him low, and said:

Mourn not this little loss , nor blame thy fate;
Decreed revenge shall on thy wishes wait:
Look up, bright maid! read R AMELIES , writ there,
And pay thyself large int'rest, for this care!
He said: and, strait, his wings their plumes advance,
And bear him, glitt'ring, thro' the wild expanse
The ravish'd nymph beholds his starry flight,
And, fill'd with promis'd glory, blest the sight.
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