PHOSEON Lib. X. PHOSES. Book X. 351
Fab. XII Venus £f Adonis.
THE ARGUMENT.
After the Chafe Venus invites Adonis to a Poplar Shade, where she
warns him of his Danger in hunting Lions ? Wild-Boars, and fuch for-
midable Creatures: She relates upon this Occafion her Revenge on Hip-
pomenes and Atalanta who were transformed into Lions.
PArce meo, juvenis, temerarius effe pe~
riclo: 5^45
Neve feras, quibusarma dedit "Natura^lacejfe:
Stet mihi ne magno tua gloria, non movetaetas,
Nec fades, nec quae Verier em mover e, leones,
Setigerosquefues,oculosque,animosqueferarum.
Fulmen habent acres in aduncis dentibus
apri: 550
Impetus eft fulvis, & vafia leonibus ira:
Invijumque mihi genus eft. Quae caujfa ro-
ganti,
&icam, ait i Gf veteris monftrum mirabere
culpae.
Sed labor infolitus jam me lajfavit: & ecce
Opportuna fua blanditur populus um-
brkc 555
& at que torum cefpes. libet hac requiefcere te-
cum ,
Et requievit, humo : prejjitque & gramen
& ipjum.
Inque Jinu jwvenis pofita cervice renidens
Sic ait: ac mediis interferit ojcula verbis.
Tom. II
OLovely Youth! in harmlefs Sports de-
light;
Provoke not Beafts, which, arm'd by Nature,
fight.
For me, if not thy felf, vouchiafe to fear;
Let not thy Thirft of Glory coft me dear.
Boars know not how to (pare a blooming Age;
No fparkling Eyes can footh the Lion's Rage.
Not all thy Charms a favage Bread can move,
Which have Co deeply touch'd the Queen of Love.
When briftled Boars from beaten Thickets fpring,
In grinded Tusks a Thunderbolt they bring.
The daring Hunters Lions rouz'd devour,
Vaft is their Fury, and as vaft their Pow'r:
Curft be their tawny Race! If thou would'ft hear
What kindled thus my Hate ; then lend an Ear:
The woud'rous Tale I will to thee unfold,
How the fell Monfters rofe from Crimes of old.
But by long Toils I faint: See ! wide-dhplay'd,
A grateful Poplar courts us with a Shade.
The grafly Turf, beneath, fb verdant fhows,
We may iecure delightfully repofe.
With her Adonis here be Venus bleft":
And fwift at once the Grafs, and him fhe preft.
Then fweetly fmiling, with a raptur'd Mind,
On his lov'd Bofom fhe her Head reclin'd,
And thus began; but mindful ftill of Blifi,
Seal'd the fort Accents with a fofter Kifs.
N FAB.
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Fab. XII Venus £f Adonis.
THE ARGUMENT.
After the Chafe Venus invites Adonis to a Poplar Shade, where she
warns him of his Danger in hunting Lions ? Wild-Boars, and fuch for-
midable Creatures: She relates upon this Occafion her Revenge on Hip-
pomenes and Atalanta who were transformed into Lions.
PArce meo, juvenis, temerarius effe pe~
riclo: 5^45
Neve feras, quibusarma dedit "Natura^lacejfe:
Stet mihi ne magno tua gloria, non movetaetas,
Nec fades, nec quae Verier em mover e, leones,
Setigerosquefues,oculosque,animosqueferarum.
Fulmen habent acres in aduncis dentibus
apri: 550
Impetus eft fulvis, & vafia leonibus ira:
Invijumque mihi genus eft. Quae caujfa ro-
ganti,
&icam, ait i Gf veteris monftrum mirabere
culpae.
Sed labor infolitus jam me lajfavit: & ecce
Opportuna fua blanditur populus um-
brkc 555
& at que torum cefpes. libet hac requiefcere te-
cum ,
Et requievit, humo : prejjitque & gramen
& ipjum.
Inque Jinu jwvenis pofita cervice renidens
Sic ait: ac mediis interferit ojcula verbis.
Tom. II
OLovely Youth! in harmlefs Sports de-
light;
Provoke not Beafts, which, arm'd by Nature,
fight.
For me, if not thy felf, vouchiafe to fear;
Let not thy Thirft of Glory coft me dear.
Boars know not how to (pare a blooming Age;
No fparkling Eyes can footh the Lion's Rage.
Not all thy Charms a favage Bread can move,
Which have Co deeply touch'd the Queen of Love.
When briftled Boars from beaten Thickets fpring,
In grinded Tusks a Thunderbolt they bring.
The daring Hunters Lions rouz'd devour,
Vaft is their Fury, and as vaft their Pow'r:
Curft be their tawny Race! If thou would'ft hear
What kindled thus my Hate ; then lend an Ear:
The woud'rous Tale I will to thee unfold,
How the fell Monfters rofe from Crimes of old.
But by long Toils I faint: See ! wide-dhplay'd,
A grateful Poplar courts us with a Shade.
The grafly Turf, beneath, fb verdant fhows,
We may iecure delightfully repofe.
With her Adonis here be Venus bleft":
And fwift at once the Grafs, and him fhe preft.
Then fweetly fmiling, with a raptur'd Mind,
On his lov'd Bofom fhe her Head reclin'd,
And thus began; but mindful ftill of Blifi,
Seal'd the fort Accents with a fofter Kifs.
N FAB.
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33
33
33
33
33
33
33
3)
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