* . DUKE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY The Glenn Negley Collection of Utopian Literature - THE ADVENTURES O F TELEMACHUS, THE SON of ULYSSES. Tranflated from the F r e n g h -of Mefiire Francois Salignac dc la Mothe* Fenelon, Archbifhop of Cambray. B Y T. SMOLLETT, M. D. VOL. i. LONDON Printed for S. Crowder, T. Longman, G. Robinson, Ri Baldwin, and E. Johnston, mdcclxxvi. THE P332?$ v.i nU ADVENTURES O F TELEMACHUS. BOOK I. THE A R G U M E N T. TelemachuS) conduced by Minerva under the figure of Mentor, after being Jbipwrecked, gets ajhori in the if and of the goddefs Galypfo, vjho fill la- mented the departure of XJlyffes. The goddefs gives him a favourable reception, becomes en* amour ed of him, offers him immortality, and de~ feres to knovj his aaventures. He entertains her with a relation of his voyage to Pylos and Lace* dcemon ; his Jhipwreck on the coa/l cf Sicily ; the rifque he ran of being facri feed to the manes of Anchifes ; the affjlance which Mentor gave Acefles during an incur/ton of the barbarians ; and the king's gratitude for that fervice* in bejlovjing upon them a Tynan Jkip to return to their country* ^"^ALYPSO remained inconfolable for the ^-^ departure of UlyfTcs. Thus aiilicled,, '{he found herfelf miserable in bein^ immortal. Vol. L B He* 2 THE ADVENTURES Her grotto no longer refounded with her jbngs. Her attendant nymphs were afraid to fpeak to her : fhe often walked folitary upon the flowery turf, which a perpetual fpring had diffufed around her ifland. But thefe charming retreats, far from afTwaging her grief, ferved only to re- call the melancholy remembrance of UlyfTes, by whom fhe had been fo often accompanied. Fre- quently did (he {land motionlefs on the beach of the fea, which (he watered with her tears, and her face was always turned towards that quar- ter, where the fhip of UlyiTes, ploughing the waves, had difappeared from her eyes. All of a fuaden fhe perceived the wreck of a vefTel, which had jufl perimed ; the banks of rowers broke in pieces, the oars fcattered here and there upon the fand, together with the rudder, mart, and cordage floating along; the beach Then fhe defcried two men at a diftance, one of them feemingly in years ; the other, though a youth, bore a ftrong refemblance to Ulyfies, He had all his fweetnefs of countenance, mingled with his lofty look, together with his majeftic make and portly demeanour. The goddefs immedi- ately difcovcred that it was Telemachus, the foil of that hero ; but though the gods far furpafs mankind in knowledge, (lie could not recognife that venerable man by whom Telemachus was accompanied. For the fuperior gods conceal what- OF TELEMACHUS. 3 whatever they pleafe from the inferior deities ; and Minerva, who accompanied Telemachus in the form of Mentor, was refolved to remain unknown to Calypfo. Mean while this goddefs rejoiced at the fhipwreck which had thrown on her ifle the fon of UlyfTes fo much the image of his father. Advancing towards him without pretending to know who he was, " Whence," faid {he, " proceeds this rafhnefs, of landing on my ifland ? Know, young ftranger, that no per- fon enters my empire with impunity." Under thefe threatning words fhe endeavoured to con- ceal the joy of her heart, which, in fpite of all her efforts, fparkled in her eyes. Telemachus thus replied, cc O you, whofoever you are, mor- tal, or goddefs, though by your appearance you can be no other than a divinity, will you not fympathize with the misfortune of a fon, who, in queft of his father, tofTed at the mercy of the winds and waves, has ken his vefTel wrecked upon your rocks ?" " Who is that father you are in queft of ?" refumed the goddefs. " His name is UlyfTes," faid Telemachus ; " one of thofe kings who, after a ten years fiege, have laid the famous city of Troy in afhes. His name was celebrated all over Greece and Afia for his va- lour in battle, but flill more for his wifdom in council. At prefent roving through the whole extent of ocean, expofed to the moft dreadful B 2 perils, 4 THE ADVENTURES perils, his country feems to fly before him. His wife Penelope, and I, who am his fon, have loft all hope of feeing him again. I undergo the fame dangers in order to learn where he is : But what do I fay ! perhaps he is now buried in the profound abyfs. Have pity on our mif- fortunes, O goddefs ! and if you know what the deflinies have accomplished, either to fave or deftroy UlyiTeS) vouch fafe to make his fon Te- lemachus acquainted with his fate/' Calypfo aftonifhed, and affected by fo much wifdom and eloquence in fuch early youth, fur- veyed him in filence, as if her eyes could never be fatisfled. At length, " I am impatient to know them, make hafte and favour me with the relation." In fine, fhe preffed him fo much, that he could no longer refift her importunity, and fpoke to this effect : * c I fet fail from Ithaca, to learn tidings of my father, from the other kings that were returned from the fiege of Troy. My mother Penelope's lovers were furprifed at my departure, which I had carefully concealed from them r becaufe I was well aware of their treachery. Neither Neftor, whom I vifued at Pylos, nor Mene- laus, who received me kindly at Lacedsemon,. could inform rne whether or no my father was ftill alive. Tired of living always in fufpence and uncertainty, I refolved to go to Sicily, where I v/as told my father had been thrown by contrary winds. But the fage Mentor, whom you fee here prefent, oppofed that ram defign,. He reprefented on one fide the Cyclops, thofe monftrous giants, who feed on human flefri ; on the other, the fleet of JEneas and the Trojans, which OF TELEMACHUS. i$ which was cruifing on that coaft. " Thofe Trojans, faid he, are exafperated againft all the Greeks : but they would have peculiar plea- sure in fhedding the blood of the fon of Ulyf- fes. Return to Ithaca : added he, perhaps, your father, favoured by the gods, will be there as foon as you : but if the deftinies have de- creed that he fhould perifh, if he is never more to fee his native country, at leaft you muft go thither to revenge him, to deliver your mother, difplay your wifdom to the nations, and let all Greece behold in you a king as w T orthy to reign as ever was UlyfTes himfelf." This was a fa- lutary remonftrance, but I was not wife enough to profit by it : I gave ear to nothing but my paffion. The fage Mentor carried his affection for me fo far as to attend me in a rafh voyage which I undertook againfl his advice ; and the gods allowed me to commit one fault, which was to ferve as a leffon to correct, my preemption.'* While Telemachus delivered himfelf in thefe terms, Calypfo furveyed Mentor with an eager look : me was aftonifhed at his appearance, under which, me thought, me perceived fome- thing more than human ; but as me could not unravel the confufion of her thoughts, me was- filled with fear and fufpicion, at fight of this perfon unknown : then apprehenfive that her perturbation would be obferved, ilie faid to Te- lemachus, H THE ADVENTURES lemachus, " Proceed and fatisfy my curiofity." Telemachus thus refumed the thread of his nar- ration. " For fome time we had a favourable wind for Sicily, but at laft a gloomy tempeft fhrouded the face of heaven, and we were wrap- ped in the profoundeft darknefs. By the flames of the lightning, however, we perceived a number of other mips expofed to the fame dan- ger, and foon difcovered them to be the fleet of iEneas, which were no lefs dreadful to us than the rocks themfelves. Then I difcerned, tho* too late, that which the ardour of my impru- dent youth had hindered me from confidering with due attention. In this emergency, Men- tor appeared not only firm and intrepid, but even more gay than ufual. It was he who en- couraged me, and I perceived he infpired me with invincible fortitude. He gave all the di- rections with eafe and tranquillity, while the pilot was under the moft violent perturbation. It was then I faid to him, " Dear Mentor, why did I refufe to follow your advice ? How wretch- ed am I in having obflinately trufted to my own judgment, at an age which has neither forefight for what is to happen, nor experience of what is pafl, nor moderation to conduct the prefent ? O if ever we efcape this ftorm, I fhall diftruft myfelf as the moft dangerous enemy j and in you, Mentor, I fhall always confide." Mentor replied OF TELEMACHUS. 15 replied with a fmile, " I have no intention to reproach you with the fault you have commit- ted ; it is enough that you perceive it, and that it will ferve to make you more temperate an- other time. But perhaps when danger is pair, your prefumption will return. Mean while we muft fupport ourfelves by our courage : we ought to forefee and be apprehenfive of danger before we expofe ourfelves to it ; but once we are engaged, nothing is to be done but to face it with contempt. Approve therefore yourfelf a fon worthy of Ulytfes, and fhew you have a heart ftill fuperior to the evils that aflail you/' I was charmed with the courage and affability of the fage Mentor ; but ftill more furprifed to fee with what addrefs he delivered us from the Trojans. At that very moment when the fkies began to clear, and the Trojans, having now a nearer view, would not have failed to difcover us, he obferved one of their veffels not unlike our own, which the ftorm had feparated from the reft, having her poop garnifned with flow- ers. He forthwith prepared garlands of the fame flowers, which he faftened on our poop with fillets of the fame colour as thofe ufed by the Trojans. He ordered all our rowers to ftoop as much as poftible along their banks, that they might not be known by the enemy. In this manner we paffed thro' the middle of their fleet, while 16 THE AD V ENTURES while they fhouted with joy, as at fight of one of her conforts which they had given up for loft. We were even compelled by the violence of the fea, to keep them company for fome length of time ; at laft we dropt aftern, and while they were driven by the impetuofity of the wind towards Afric, we exerted all our endea- vours to reach, by dint of rowing, the neigh- bouring coaft of Sicily. There indeed we ar- rived, but what we had- lb eagerly fought to find, was not lefs fatal to us than the fleet which we had ftrove to avoid. We found on this part of the coaft another neft of Trojans, ene- mies to the Greeks, governed by old Aceftes, who came from Troy. Scarce had we reached the more, when the inhabitants, believing we were either people of another nation of the ifland, who had taken arms to furprife them, or ftran- gers come to invade their territories, burnt our veffel in the firft tranfports of that apprehenfion, butchered all our companions, and only preferv- ed Mentor and me to be prefented to Aceftes, that he might learn from our own mouths whence we came, and what were our defigns. We en- tered the city, with our hands tied behind our backs ; and our death was only delayed* in order to furnifh out a fpectacle for a barbarous people, as foon as ever it. mould be known that we were of the Greek nation. We were immediately prefented OF TELEMACHUS. 17 prefented to Aceftes, who, with a golden fceptre in his hand, was adminiftering juflice to his peo- ple, and preparing for a great facrifice. He afk- ed with a fevere accent what country we were of, and what was the occafion of our voyage. Mentor inftantly replied, faying, " We come from the coaft of the great Hefperia, and our country is far from thence." Thus he avoided dif- covering that we were Greeks. But Aceftes, without hearing more, taking it for granted that w r e were Grangers who concealed their true de- fign, ordered us to be fent to a neighbouring fo- reft, to (ervQ as flaves under thofe who tended his flocks. Such a condition appearing to me more wretched than death, I exclaimed : " O king, let us rather die, than treat us with fuch indignity : know that I am Telemachus fon of the fage UlyfTes king of Ithaca : I am in queft of my father thro' the whole extent of feas ; and as I can neither find him, nor return to my na- tive country, nor avoid flavery, I beg to be de- prived of life, which I cannot fupport." Scarce had I pronounced thefe words, when all the peo- ple cried with the utmoft emotion : " Perifh the fon of that cruel UlyfTes, whofe arts have over- thrown the city of Troy !" " Son of UlyfTes, faid Aceftes, I cannot refufe your blood to the manes of fo many Trojans whom your father hath fent untimely to the banks of the black Cocytus : i8 THE ADVENTURES Cocytus : you and your conductor fhall die. ,f At that fnftant an old man of the multitude propofed to the king, that we fhould be facri- ficed upon the tomb of Anchifes. " Their blood, faid he, will be agreeable to the made of that hero : ./Eneas himfelf, when he mall hear of the facrifice, will be pleafed to find that you pay fuch refpecl: to, that which he held moft dear in life," This propofal met with univerfal applaufe; and nothing now was thought of but the facri- fice. Already we were conducted to the tomb of Anchifes, where they had raifed two altars, on which the facred fire was kindled : the fword that was to fhed our blood already glanced be- fore our eyes ; we were crowned with garlands of flowers ; and no companion could avail to fave our lives : our fate feemed fixed, when Men- tor with great tranquillity demanded an audience of the king, and addrefled him in thefe words: iC O Aceftes, if the misfortunes of young Tele- machus, who never carried arms againft the Trojans, cannot excite your companion, at lead have fome regard to your own intereft. By the fkill which I have acquired in prefages, and in forefeeing the will of heaven, I am enabled to foretell, that before three days fhall be elapfed, you will be attacked by barbarous nations, rufh- ing like a torrent from the tops of the moun- tains, to deluge your city, and lay your whole dominions OF TELEMACHUS. 19 dominions wafte. Make hafte then to prevent them : put your people under arms, and lofe not a moment to fecure within your walls the numerous flocks that you have in the open country. If my prediction prove falfe, you will be at liberty to facrifice us in three days j if, on the contrary, it be verified, remember you ought not to deprive of life thofe to whom you owe your own exiilence." Aceftes was aftonifhed at thefe words, which Mentor pronounced with fuch an air of confidence as he had never ob- ferved in any other man. " I plainly perceive, O ftranger," replied he, " that the gods, by whom you are fo indifferently provided with the gifts of fortune, have in recompence granted you that wifdom which is more valuable than all the wealth of profperity." At the fame time he delayed the facrifice, and diligently iflued out the neceflary orders to prevent the threatened attack. Nothing was now feen on every fide, but trembling women, decrepid old men, and little children all in tears, hurrying into the city : the lowing oxen and bleating fheep, in numerous herds and flocks, quitting the rich paflures, without finding flails fufficient to put them under cover. On every fide were heard the confufed noife of people crowding together, without being able to hear diftinclly what each other faid, who, in the midft of their pertur- bation, 20 THE ADVENTURES bation, took any unknown ftranger for their friend, and ran along without knowing whither they were going. But the principal inhabitants of the city, believing themfelves wifer than the reft, looked upon Mentor as an impoftor, who had uttered a falfe prediction to fave his own life. Before the clofe of the third day, while they amufed themfelves with thefe reflections, a cloud of duft was perceived upon the declivity of the neighbouring mountains ; then appeared a vaft multitude of armed barbarians : thofe were the Hymerians, a favage race, together with the nations which inhabit the mountains of Nebro- des, and dwell upon the fummit of Agragas, where reigns an eternal winter, which the ze- phyrs have never foftened nor fubdued. Thofe who defpifed the prediction loft their flaves and flocks. As for the king, addrefling himfelf to Mentor, V I forget that you are Greeks,'' faid he ; " our enemies are now become our faithful friends : the gods have fent you hither to fave us from deftruction : I expect no lefs from your valour than the wifdom of your advice ; make hafte and fly to our afliftance." Mentor's eyes fparkled with fuch vivacity of courage as con- founds the boldeft warriors. He feizes a buck- ler, helmet, fword, and lance : he arranges the foldiers of Aceftes, and marching at their head, advances in good order againft the enemy. Aceftes, OF TELEMACHUS. 21 Aceftes, tho' full of courage, could not in his old age keep pace with them, but followed at a diftance ; for my part, I kept clofer to him, • but could not equal him in valour : in the fight his cuirafs (hone like the immortal aegis. Death ftalked from rank to rank wherever he directed his blows. Like a Numidian lion impelled by fiivage hunger, who rufhes amidft a flock of feeble fheep, he tears, he flays, he fwims in blood ; and the fhepherds, far from aflifting their flock, fly trembling to efcape his fury. Thofe barbarians who hoped to furprife the city, were themfelves furprifed and utterly difconcerted. The fubjecls of Aceftes, animated by the voice and example of Mentor, exerted a vigour of which they thought themfelves incapable. I overthrew with my lance the {on of the king who reigned over that hoftile nation : he was about my own age but taller than me ; for, thofe people were defcended from a race of giants who had the fame origin as the Cyclops. He defpifed an enemy who appeared fo weak ; but without being confounded by his prodigious ftrength, or his fierce and brutal air, I thrufr. my lance into his breaft, and made him vomit up his foul in fable torrents of blood. He had like to have crufhed me in his fall : the found of his arms echoed from the mountains : I feiz- ed his fpoils and returned to Aceiles. Mentor having 22 THE ADVENTURES having completed the diforder of the enemy, cut in pieces a great number, and drove the fugitives into the foreft. In confequence of fuch unexpected fuccefs, Mentor was looked upon as a man favoured and infpired by heaven. Acef- tes, moved by the warmeft fentiments of gratitude, communicated the apprehenfions he had on our account, {hould the fleet of JEneas return to Sicily. He therefore fupplied us with a fhip, that we might return without delay to our own country, loaded us with prefents, and prefled us to depart, in order to prevent all the misfor- tunes which he forefaw from our ftay : but he would not give us either a pilot or rowers of his own nation, left they (hould be too much ex- pofed upon the coafts of Greece. He manned us however with a crew of Phoenicians, who, as they carried on an open trade with all the world, had nothing to fear ; and they were to bring back the (hip to Acefles, after having land- ed us fafe in Ithaca. But the gods, who make fport of human defigns, referved us for other dangers." END OF THE FIRST BOOK. THE ADVENTURES O F TELEMACHUS, BOOK II. THE ARGUMENT. Telemachus recounts the manner in which he was taken in the Tyrian veffel, by the fleet of Sefoflris, and carried captive into Egypt- He defcribes the beauty of that country ■, and the wifdcm of the kings adminijhation. He proceeds to tell how Mentor was fent as a flave into /Ethiopia : that he himfelf was reduced to the condition of a jhep- berd in the defart of Oafs : that Termojyris priefl of Apollo confoled h'un in his dijlrefs by teaching him to imitate the example of Apollo, zvho had been formerly a Jhepherd under king Admetus \ that Sefo/lris had at lajl been informed of all the wonders he had wrought among the JJjephsrds ; that, convinced of his innocence, he had recalled him to his court, and pronufei to fend him fafe to Ithaca : but the death of this king involved him in frejh difaflers ; that he was im- prifoned in a tower upon the fea-Jl)ore, from whence 24 THE ADVENTURES whence he beheld the nevj king Bocchoris lofe his life in a battle againft his own fubj 'eels , who had rebelled^ and were ajjijled by the Tyrians. H^HE Tyrians by their pride, had attracted •*- the refentment of king Sefoftris, who reigned in Egypt and fubdued fo many realms. The wealth they had acquired by commerce, and the ftrength of the impregnable city of Tyre, which was built in the fea, had inflated the hearts of thofe people : they refufed to pay the tribute which Sefoftris impofed upon them in his return from his conquefts $ and they furnifh- ed troops to his brother, who had formed a de- fign to afTa (filiate him at his arrival in the midft of the rejoicings of a great feftival. Sefoftris, in order to abafe their pride, had refolved to in- terrupt their commerce in all the different feas* His (hips of war cruifed every where in queft of the Phoenicians. An Egyptian fleet fell in with us, v juft as we began to lofe fight of the moun- tains of Sicily. The harbour and the land fcem* ed to fly behind us, and lofe themfelves in the clouds, when we defcried the Egyptian navy approaching like a floating city. The Phoenici- ans foon difcovered what they were, and endea^ voured to bear away ; but it was too late. Their tackle was better than ours ; the wind favoured them, and their rowers were more numerous. They OF TELEMACHUS. 2S They boarded, took, and carried us prifoners in- to JEgypt. In vain did I reprefent to them that we were not Phoenicians > fcarce would they deign to hear me j they looked upon us as flaves, of whom the Phoenicians make a traffic, and thought of nothing but the profit that fuch a prize would produce. Already we obferved the white colour of the fea occafioned by a mixture of the waters of the Nile, and difcerned the coafi: of /Egypt almoft on a level with the ocean. We afterwards arrived at the ifland Pharos in the nei2hbou.rhood of the city of No, from whence we failed up the Nile as far as Memphis. If the grief arifing from our captivity had not rendered us infenfible to every fpecies of pleafure, we fhould have been delighted with the view of this fertile country of ./Egypt, which refembled a delicious garden watered with an infinite num- ber of canals. We could not call our eyes on cither banic, without .perceiving opulent cities, country-houfes agreeably fituated, lands that were every year covered with golden harveits without ever lying fallow, rich paftures filled with flocks, pcafants loaded with the fruits which the earth discharged from her bofom, and fhepherds who made all the neighbouring ecchoes reibund with the agreeable notes of their flutes and paftoral pipes. " Happy, faid Mentor, are the people Vol, I# C governed 26 THE ADVENTURES governed by a fage monarch ! They live happy in the midit of abundance, and love their prince from whom their happinefs is derived. It is thus, added he, O Telemachus, that you mud reign, and make your people rejoice, if ever the gods grant you polTeflion of your father's kingdom : love your fubjecls as your own children, enjoy the pleafure of being beloved by them j and be- have in fuch a manner that they fhall never be fenfible either of peace or happinefs without re- membering that it is their good king to whom they owe thefe rich prefents. Thofe kings whofe fole endeavour is to excite the fear of their fub- jecls, that in being deprelTed they may become more fubmiflive. are in effect, the plagues of the human race : feared they are as they defire to be, but at the fame time they are hated, deterred, and have flill more caufe to dread their fubjecls, than their fubjecls have to be afraid of them." I replied to Mentor, "Alas ! the bufinefs now is not to think of maxims by which we ought to reign. With rcfpecl to us Ithaca is now no more : never more fhall we behold our country or Penelope ; even mould UlyiTes return to his kingdom full of glory, he never will enjoy the pleafure of feeing me, nor I that of learning to govern, by praclifing obedience to his commands. Let us die, dear Mentor, we have nothing elfe to OF TELEMACHUS. s; to think of : let us die, ilnce the gods have no piry on our misfortunes." While I thus fpoke, my words were interrupted with profound fighs : but Mentor, who dreaded misfortunes before they befell him, no longer feared them when they aftually happened. " Unworthy fon of the fage Ulyfles !" cried he, "What ! allow yourfelf to be overcome by this difafler ! No, young man, you will one day return to Ithaca and fee your mother Penelope. You will even fee, in his priftine glory, him whom you never knew ; the invincible UlyfTes, whom adverfe fortune never could deprefs, and whofe difafters, ltill greater than yours, ought to teach you never to defpair. O ! if it was poflible for him to learn, in thofe remote countries to which he has been driven by the ftorfnj that his fon is incapable to imitate either his patience or his courage, thefe tidings would overwhelm him with fhame, and afflidt him more feverely than all the misfortunes he had fullered fo IcnQ-.'"' Mentor afterwards made me remark the joy and abundance that overfpread the whole coun- try of ^Egypt, in which he reckoned no lefs than two and twenty thoufand cities. He admired the wife police of thofe cities, the juftice exer- cifed in favour of the poor againft the rich, the proper education of the children, who were ac- cudomed to obedience, to labour, and fobriety, C 2 tO 28 THE ADVENTURES to the love of arts and literature ; the precifion with which all the ceremonies of religion were performed; the difinterefcednefs, the love of ho- nour, the honefty in their dealings with men, and the reverence for the gods, which every fa- ther infufed into his children. There was no end of his admiring this excellent order. " Hap- py the people, faid he, ^without ceafing, who are thus governed by a wife fovereign ! but hap- pier ft 111 is the king who makes fo many nations happy ; and who finds his reward in his own virtue ! he holds mankind by a tie a hundred times flronger than that of fear, namely, the bond of love. He is not only obeyed, but obey- ed with pleafure. He reigns in every heart ; and each individual, far from wifhing to be rid of his dominion, would lay down his own life to fave that of his fovereign." I attentively lifren- ed to what Mentor faid $ and felt my heart re- infpired with frefh courage at every word which that fugacious friend pronounced. As foon as we arrived at the opulent and magnificent city . pf Memphis, the governor ordered us to proceed to Thebes, that we might be prefented to king Sefoftris himfelf, who was refolved to examine every thing by his own fenfes, and was parti- cularly incenfed againft the Tyrians. We there- fore went farther up the Nile, to that famous Thebes with an hundred gates where this great king OF TELEMACHUS. 29 king refided. The city appeared of a vaft ex- tent, more populous than the moft flourifhing towns of Greece. There the police is carried to perfection, with refpect to the neatnefs of the flreets, the courfe of the canals, the convenience of the baths, the cultivation of the arts, and the fohty of the public. The fquares are adorned with fountains and obeliiks, the temples are built wtth marble, in a tafte of architecture Ample yet majeftic. The prince's palace alone appears like a great city ; for nothing is feen but marble columns, pyramids, and obeli fks, col offal fta- tutes, and furniture of maffy gold and filver. Our captors told the king that we had been found on board a Phoenician fhip. Every day, at certain hours, he gave audience to all thofe of his fubjecls who had either complaints to make, cr advice to offer. No perfon whatever met with either contempt or repulfe : he looked up- on himfelf as raifed to the throne for no other purpofe but the good of his fubjects, whom he loved as his own children. As for (hangers* he received them with affability, believing that he fhould always learn fomething ufeful in being made acquainted with the manners and cufloms of remote countries. This curiofity was the occafion of our being prefented to the kin°\ He was feated upon a throne of ivory with a golden fceptre in his hand ; already advanced in years, C 3 but 3 o THE ADVENTU but agreeable, with a mixture of nnjefly and fweetnefs in his countenance j every day he heard cauf:s with fuch patience and fagacity as were admired without adulation. After having fa- tigued hirafelf all day in regulating his affairs and adminiftering impartial juftice, he unbent himfelf in the evening, in hearing the difcourfes of learned men, or in converfing with the mod virtuous individuals, whom he well knew how to chufe, as companions worthy to be admitted into his familiarity. In his whole life he could not be juitjy reproached for any thing, except for having triumphed with too much pride over the kings whom he had vanquifhed, and with having befrowed his confidence on one of his fybjeptfj whom I mall prefently defcribe. When he faw me, he feemed touched with my youth, :ind afked my name and country ; while we ftood ait on idled at the wifdom which flowed from his lips. I anfwered, " O mighty king, you have heard of the fiege of Troy which lafted ten years ; and its deflruction, v/hich cofl fuch feas of blood to all the ftates of Greece : my father Ulyfles, is one of the principal kings who deftroyed that city. Ke now wanders through the watery main, without being able to regain the ifland of Ithaca, which is his kingdom : I being in queft of him, have, by misfortune that refembles his own, hecn taken and made captive. Reftore me to my father OF TELEMACHUS, 31 father and country ; fo may the gods preferve you to your children, and make them fenfible of their happinefs in living under the protection of fuch a worthy father.'* Sefoftris ftill furveyed me with an eye of pity: but, determined to know if what I faid was true, he fent us to the houfe of one of his officers, whohadoiders to enquire of thofe who took our fhip, whether we were really Greeks or Phoenicians." If they are Phoe- nicians, faid the king, they muft be punifhed with double feverity, not only as our enemies, but ftill more for having attempted to impofe upon us by falfe pretences. If, on the contrary, they are Greeks, it is my pleafure that they fhould be favourably treated, and fent back to their own country in one of my fhips ; for I love Greece, where divers /Egyptian legiflitora have flourifiied : I am no flranger to the virtue of Hercules ; the glory of Achilles has reached our dominions ; and I have heard with admi- ration what is reported of the wifdom of the un- fortunate Ulyffes : it is my greatefl pleafure to fuccour virtue in diftrefs.'' The officer to whom the king referred the examination of our affair, had a foul as deceitful and corrupt, as that of Sefoflris was generous and fincere. His name was Metophis. The queftions which he put, were made with a view to furprize us in fome contradiction ; and as he perceived Mentor's an- C 4 fwers 32 THE ADVENTURES fwers favoured more of wifdom than mine, he looked upon him with averfion and diftruft ; for the wicked are always incenfed againft the vir- tuous. He parted us therefore ; and from that time I never could learn what was become of Mentor. I was thunder-ftruck at this fepara- tion. Metophis ftill hoped that interrogating us apart, he fhould find us contradicting one another : in particular, he thought to dazzle me with flattering promifes, and make me con- fefs what Mentor would have conceded. In a word, he did not really defire to know the truth ; but wanted to find fome pretext for telling the king that we were Phoenicians, that he might be able to enroll us in the number of his own flaves. And indeed, in fpite of our innocence, in fpite of the king's own wifdom, he found means to deceive him ! alas ! to what mifreprefentations a king is expofed ! even the wifeft are often thus deceived. They are furrounded by artful and interefted men : the virtuous withdraw, becaufe they can neither fawn nor flatter : they wait till they are called, and few princes know where to find them. On the contrary, the wicked are bold, deceitful, infinuating, and complying, expert in diflimulation, and ready to fly in the face of honour and of conscience to gratify the paflions of their fovereign. How wretched is the monarch expofed to the arts of wicked minifters ! ruin OF TELEMACHUS. 33 ruin is infallibly his portion, if he has not for- titude enough to refift flattery, and if he does not efteem thofe who boldly fpeak the truth. Such were the reflections I made in my misfor- tune $ for I recollected all that I had heard Mentor obferve upon the fubjec"t. Mean while Metophis fent me with the flaves to the moun- tains in the defart of Oafis, as their fellow-fer- vant in feeding his numerous flocks of meep." Here Calypfo interrupted Telemacbus, faying, " Well, what ftep did you then take, you, who in Sicily had preferred death to flavery ?" " My misfortune," replied Telemachus, " every day increafed ; and I had no longer the wretched con- folation of chufing between flavery and death : I was compelled to be a flave, and to exhauft, if I may be allowed the expreflion, the whole fe- verity of fortune : not the leaft dawn of hope remained, and I could not even fpeak one word with a view to effect my own deliverance. Men- tor has fince told me, that he was fold to certain Ethiopians, whom he attended as a flave to their country. As for me I arrived in thofe fright- ful defarts, where the plains are covered with burning fands -, and the fnows that never melt, form an eternal winter upon the tops of the mountains. Nothing is to be found but fome herbage among rocks thatferves to feed the flocks. Abcut midway up thefe fleepand frightful moun* C 5 tains, 34 THE ADVENTURES tains, the vallies are fo deep, as fcarce to be penetrable by the light of day. I found nobody in this country but fhepherds as favage as the defart itfelf. There I pafTed the night in bewail- ing my misfortune, and the day in tending my flock, that thus I might avoid the brutal fury of the firft Have, who in hopes of obtaining his liberty, accufed inceilantly the red, in order to make a merit with his mailer of his zeal and at- tachment to his intereft. His name was Butis. I had like to have funk under my misfortune on this occafion : opprefled with grief I one day forgot my flock, and ftretched myfelf upon the grafs hard by a cavern, where I refolved to wait for death, no longer able to fupport the weight ©f my affliction!. At that inftant I beheld the whole mountain tremble ; the oaks and pines feemed to defcend from its fu remit ; and not a breath of wind was heard ; then a hollow voice ifTuing from the cavern, addreiTcd me in thefe words : " Son of the fage Ulyfies, thou muft, like him become great by the exercife of patience.. Princes who have never known adverfity, are feldcrn worthy of their good fortune : they are corrupted with effeminacy, and intoxicated with pride. Flow happy wilt thou be, after having furmounted thy misfortunes, provided thou doit not lofe the remembrance of what thou haft un- dergone ! thou fhalt revifit Ithaca, and thy glo- ry OF TELEMACHUS. 35 ry mall afcend to heaven. When thou (hall become matter of the lives of other men, remem- ber thou thyfelf haft been as weak, and poor, and miferable as they : take pleafure in relieving their necefHties : love thy people ; deteft flattery ; and know that thou can'ft only be great in propor- tion to thy moderation, and the victory thou fhall obtain over thy own pa/lions." Thefe divine words made a deep imprefiion upon my heart j and re-infpired it with joy and frefh courage : I felt none of that horror which makes the hair ftand on end, and the blood run cold in the veins, when the gods difclofe themfelves to mor- tals : I calmly rofe, and kneeling with uplifted hands, adored Minerva, to whom I thought my- felf indebted for this oracle. At once I found myfelf a new man ; my mind was enlightened by wifdom ; and I felt within me an agreeable energy fufficient to moderate all my pafiions, and reftrain the impetuofity of my youth. I acquired th^ love of all the fhepherds of the defart j my affability, patience, and the exact difcharge of my duty appeafed at laft the cruel Butis, who* was vefted with authority over the other Haves, and feemed at firft inclined to treat me with the utinoft rigour. The better to fupport the cha- grin of captivity and folitude, 1 endeavoured to find books, for I was overwhelmed with melan- choly for want of fome inftruciion to fupport C 6 my 36 THE ADVENTURES my mind, and animate my fpirits. " Happy are thofe," /aid I, "who, difgufted with violent plea- fures, have philofophy enough to be fatisfied with the fweets of an innocent life ! happy are thofe who find amufement in fearch of inftruclion, and take pleafure in cultivating their underftanding with fcience ! wherefoever they are thrown by adverfe fortune, they flill carry along with them a fund of entertainment, and that chagrin, that preys on other men even in the midft of plea- sures, is unknown to thofe who can employ themfelves with reading. Happy are thofe who love reading, and are not, like me, deprived of books !" While I was engrofTed by thefe reflec- tions,, I loft myfelf in a gloomy foreft, where all of a fudden, I beheld an old man with a book, in his hand. His forehead was ample and bald, but a little wrinkled ; his white beard flowed down to his middle ; his ftature was lofty and majeftic ; his complexion ftill frefh and rofy ;. his eyes ftill keen and fparkling ; his voice me- lodious, and his words fraught with the moft engaging fimplicity. I never beheld fuch a ve- nerable old man : he was called Termofiris, and being prieft of Apollo, he officiated in a marble temple which the kings of ^gypt had confecrat* ed to the god in this foreft. The book which, he held in his hand was a collection of hymns in honour of the gods. He accofted me in the moll OF TELEMACHUS. 37 moll friendly manner, and we entered into con- verfation : he recounted events fo naturally that they ieemed to pafs before your eyes ; but his narrative was fo fuccinct that I was never tired with hearing him : he dived into futurity by means of that profound fagacity which made him acquainted with the characters of mankind, and the defigns of which they are capable. With all this prudence, he was gay, complacent, and in his decline of age had all that graceful eafe by which the moll fprightly youth is diftinguifh- ed. He likewife loved young people when they had the fpirit of docility, and a difpofition to virtue. In a little time he conceived a tender affection for me, fupplied me with books for my amufement j and favoured me with the appel- lation of fon. I often faid to him, " Father, the gods who deprived me of Mentor, have taken pity of my fufferings, and afforded me another fupport in you»" This man, like Orpheus or Linus, was doubtlefs infured by the gods. He recited to me veries of his own compofing ; and favoured me with others, the works of feveral excellent poets, the favourites of the Mufes„ When he put on his flowing robe of fnowy white, and began to touch his ivory lyre, the tygers, bears, and lions came to fawn upon him, and lick his feet. The fatyrs quitting the forert, danc- ed around him ; the trees themfelves feemed af- fected i 3& THE ADVENTURES fected j and you would have thought that even the rocks, fofcened by the charms of his en- chanting notes, were going to defcend from the fummits of the mountains to the plain. He fung no other themes but the greatnefs of the gods, the virtue of heroes, and the vvifdom of thofe men, who prefer true glory to the delights of fenfual pleafure. He bid me often take cou- rage, for the gods would never abandon UlylTes nor his fon. He then allured me that I ought, after the example of ApolJo, to teach the fwains to cultivate the Mufts. " Apolio, faid he, fee- ing with indignation, that Jupiter with his thun- der overcaft the fairefc days, rcfolved to take vengeance on the Cyclops who forged his bolts, and flew them with his arrows. Immediately mount iEtna ceafed to difcharge its curling ilieets of flame ; no longer was heard the din of thofe terrible hammers, which ftriking on the anvil, made the caverns of the earth and the abyfs of fea refound with horrid noife. The iron and the brafs no longer poiimed by the Cyclops began to ruft. Vulcan enraged fal'ied from his fmithv ; though lame he foon afcends to the iummit of Olympus, and entering the aflembly of the gods all covered over with fweat and duft, prefers his bitter plaints. Jupiter, incenfed againft Apolio, exiles him from heaven and throws him headlong down to earth. But his empty cha- riot, OF TELEMACHUS; 39 riot, performed of itfelf its ufual courfe, that mankind might (till enjoy the fucceflion of night and day, together with the regular change of feafons. Apollo, fhorn of his rays, was obliged to turn fhepherd, and tend the flocks of king. Admetus. While he played upon his flute, all the other fhepherds came to liften under the fhade of elms, on the banks of a tranfparent ftream. 'Till that period they had led a brutal and a favage life. All they knew was how to> tend their flocks, to (hear their flieep, to millc their ewes, and convert their milk into cheefe. The whole country was no better than a fright- ful defart. Apollo foon taught thofe fwains the arts that ferve to render life agreeable. He funo- of the flowers that crown the fpring ; the per- fumes that it diftufes around, and the verdure that moots up under its feet. Then he def- cantcd on the delightful nights of fumr^er, when the cool zephyrs aiTwage the heat, and the dew refrelhcs the thirfty earth. He mingled alfo in his themes, the golden fruits v/ith which au- tumn rewards the hufbandman's toil, and the quiet repofe of winter, during which the fpright- ]y youth of both fexes dance round the fire. In fine, he defcribed the gloomy forefts that fhroud the mountains-, and the crooked vallies through which the rivers wind in a thoufand meanders amidft the flowery meads. He likewife taught the 40 THE ADVENTURES the fwains to know the charms of a country life, and to enjoy every delight which fimple nature can produce. In a little time, the fwains with their flutes found themfelves happier than kings j and their cottages attracted in crowds thofe pure pleafures that fly from gilded palaces. The fports, the laughing loves, and graces wan- toned in the train of the innocent fhepherdeiTes. Every day was holiday : nothing now was heard but the warbling of birds, the foft breath of ze- phyr fporting among the boughs of trees, the murmuring lapfe of a tranfparent ftreamlet Aid- ing down fome rock, and the fongs with which the Mufes infpired the fwains that followed the footfleps of Apollo. This God taught them to win the prize in running, and to pierce with arrows the flags and fallow deer. The gods themfelves grew jealous of the fhepherds : that life appeared to them more agreeable than all their glory, and they re-called Apollo to Olym- pus. Son," continued he, " this ftory ought to ferve you for inftruclion : fince you are now in the fame ftation which Apollo filled, cultivate thefe lands that never felt the plough, like him make the defart flourifh, and teach all thofe fhepherds the charms of harmony ; foften their favage hearts ; difplay the amiable fide of virtue, and make them fenfible how happy it is to enjoy amidft their folitude, thofe innocent pleafures which OF TELEMACHUS. 41 which nothing can deprive them of. One day, my fon, one day, the pains and cruel cares that environ royalty, will make you think with re- gret of a fnepherd's life, even while you fit upon a throne." So faying, Termofiris prefented me with a flute of fuch a mellow tone, that the echoes of all thofe mountains that refounded on every fide, foon collected around me all the neighbouring fwains. My voice acquired a melody divine : I found myfelf tranfported by a fupernatural impulfe to fing thofe beauties with which na- ture has adorned the country. We pafied whole days, and even part of the nights, in finging to- gether. The fwains, forgetting their cottages and flocks, flood motionlefs in pleafing fufpence around me, while I poured forth inftruction : nothing favage now appeared amidft thofe de- farts. All was agreeable and chearful : the very lands themfelves feemed to improve in propor- tion as the inhabitants were civilized. We often aflembled to facrifice in the temple of A- pollo, where Termofiris officiated as prieft : thi- ther the fwains repaired with crowns of laurel in honour of the god : while the fhepherdefTes went dancing all the way, adorned with chap- lets of flowers, and bearing facred prefents in bafkets on their heads. After the facrifice, we formed a rural feail : our moft delicate dimes wex 42 THE ADVENTURES were compofed of the milk of our goats and fheep, which we purfelves had milked, with frefli fruit gathered by our own hands, fuch as dates, and figs, and grapes : the green turf ferved us for feats ; and the tufted trees afforded us a made more agreeable than the gilded roofs of royal palaces. But the following adventure ferved to render me completely famous among our fhep- herds. One day a hungry lion rufhed upon the flock. Already he began a dreadful (laughter, I had nothing in my hand but my fheep-hook, neverthelefs 1 boldly advanced : the lion bridling up his mane, difclofed his teeth and claws, and opened wide his throat all parched and inflamed : his blood-fhot eyes feemed all on lire, while he lamed his fides with his long extended tail. I overthrew him on the plain : the light coat of mail, which I wore according to the cufrom of the ^Egyptian fhepherds, fecured me from his claws : three times I threw him on the earth, as oft he rofe again, and roared fo loud that all the forefts echoed with the found. At length I flirted him in my grafp, and the fhepherds who were witnelTes of my victory, infilled upon my wearing the fpoils of that terrible animal. The fame of this exploit, and the happy change I had effected among the fhepherds, diffufed itfelf thro' all yEgypt, and even reached the ears of king Sefoftris, He was informed that one of the two captives OF TELEMACHUS. 43 captives, who were taken for Phoenicians, had recalled the golden ace airiidft his almoir unin- habitable defarts. He refolved to fee ■ me ; for be loved the Mufes, and his great heart was touched by every thing that could improve man- kind. He faw and heard me with pleafure ; he difcovered that Metophis had deceived him thro' avarice : he condemned him to perpetual imprifonment, and ftriped him of all the wealth he fo unjuftly poflefTed. " How wretched are kings," laid he, " in being placed fo far above the reft of mankind ! it is not often that they can fee the truth with their own eyes ; and they are funounded by individuals who carefully hinder it from reaching the throne : it is the intereffc of every one to deceive the fovereign ; and each cloaks his own ambition under the appearance of zeal. They pretend to love the king, when in fact they have no attachment but to the riches which he beftows : far from loving him, they, in order to obtain his favours, fir ft flatter and then betray him/' Sefoftris in the fequel, treated me with moll tender friendfhip, and refolved to fend me home to Ithaca, with (hips and forces fuf- flcient to deliver Penelope from the fnares of all her lovers. The fleet was already equipped, and all our thoughts employed about the embarkation. I could not help admiring the fudden turns of fortune, which fuddenly raifes thofe whom it had before 44 THE ADVENTURES before the moft deeply deprefled. My own ex- perience infhired ms with hope that Ulyfles would return to his kino-dom at the loner run, how tedious foever his fufFerings firft might be, I likewife flattered myfelf with the opinion, that I fhould fee Mentor again, altho' he had been carried away into the mod remote province of ./Ethiopia. While I delayed a little my depar- ture, endeavouring to learn tidings of him, Se- foftris, who was very much advanced in years, died fuddenlv, and his death re-involved me in frefh difafters. All iEgypt appeared inconfolable upon this occafion : every family thought they had loft their beft friend, their protector, and their father. The old men lifting up their hands to heaven exclaimed : " Never before had iEgypt fuch an excellent king : never more fhall me behold his fellow, O ye gods ! ye mould either not have fhewn him at all to mankind, or never have deprived them of the blefiing : wherefore fhould we farvive the great Sefoftris !" The young people on the other hand, obferved : " The hopes cf JEgypt are now blafted : our fathers were happy in living under the protection of fuch a worthy king : as for us, we havejuft feen enough of him to be fenfible of the lofs we fuftain by his death." His domeftics palled the night and day in lamentation. When his funeral obfequies were performed for forty days, the people from the OF TELEMACHUS. 45 the moft diftant provinces flocked thither. Every individual was defirous of feeing once more the body of Sefoftris, that he might preferve in his remembrance the idea of his fovereign 5 and ma- ny wifhed to be interred with him in the fame tomb. What ftill increafed their grief for the lofs of him, was, that his fon Bocchoris pofleiT- ed neither his humanity towards Grangers, nor his tafte for the fciences, nor his efteem for virtuous men, nor his love of glory. His fa- ther's greatnefs had' contributed to render him fo unworthy to reign : he had been bred up in effeminacy and brutal pride : he counted men-as nothing, believing that they were made for no other purpofe but to ferve him, and that he himfelf was of a fuperior nature. He thought of nothing but how to gratify his paflions, to diflipate the immenfe treafures that his father had faved with fo much care 5 to opprefs his fubjecls, and fuck the blood of the unfortunate ; in a word, to follow the flattering advice of fome fenfe- lefs young men that furrounded him, while he removed with contempt all the ancient fages who had enjoyed the confidence of his father. He was a monfler, not a king : all iEgypt groaned beneath his yoke ; and altho' the name of Se- foftris, fo dear to the /Egyptians, induced them to bear with the weak and cruel conduct of his fon, that fon ran headlong to his ruin 3 and a prince 46 THE ADVENTURES prince fo unworthy of the throne could not pof- fibly reign for any length of time. For my part, I loft ail hopes of returning to Ithaca : but I remained in a tower on the fea fide near Pelufium, where our embarkation was to have taken place if Sefoftris had not died. Metophis having had the addrefs to obtain his difcharge from prifon, and even to re-eftablifh his influ- ence with the new king, ordered me to be con- fined in this tower, by way of revenging himfelf for his difgrace, which I had occafioned. I now paffed my days and nights in a ftate of profound melancholy. All that Termofiris had predicted to me, and all that I had heard in the cavern, feemed now no other than an idle dream. I was plunged into an abyfs of the moft exquifite for- row. I contemplated the billows, as they came to lafli the foot of the tower where i was pri- soner. I often amufed myfelf with looking at the tempeft- beaten fhips which were in danger of being Shattered among the rocks on which the tower was built. Far from pitying thofe men threatened with fhipwreck, I envied their con- dition. " In a little time," faid I to myfelf, " the misfortunes of their lives will end, or they will arrive in fafety in their own country. Alas ! as to me, I cannot hope for either part of that alternative." While I thus wafted myfelf in unavailing forrow, I perceived a feerning foreft of OF TELEMACHUS. 47 of fhip-mafts. The fea was covered with fails inflated by the winds, while the water foamed beneath the nrokes of oars, innumerable con- fufed cries afiailed my ears on every fide: J per- ceived on the fhore a body of ^Egyptians run- ning to arms in a fright, while others feemed to advance as friends to meet that navv which approached the coafc. In a little time I difco- vered that thofe foreign (hips were partly from Phoenicia, and partly from the ifland of Cyprus ; for my misfortunes began to make me fkilful in every thing that relates to navigation. The Egyptians appeared divided among themfelves. I could eafily conceive that the fenfelefs Boccho- ris, had, by the violence of his conduct, occa- fioned a rebellion of his fubjects, and kindled the torch of civil war. I ftood< upon the top of the tower fpeclator of a bloody battle. The ./Egyptians who had called the foreigners to their affiftance, after having favoured their defcent, at- tacked their countrymen, who were headed by the king in perfon. I faw that prince encouraging his men by his example, dreadful as the o-od of war. Streams of blood gufhed around him \ his cha- riot wheels were dyed with purple gore conceal- ed and foaming. Scarce could they make their way over the heaps of bodies which they had crufhed to death. The young monarch was vi- gorous and handfome, of a proud and lofty mien, 43 THE ADVENTURES mien, and his eyes fparkled with fury and def- pair : he was like a beautiful horfe unbroke ; his courage impelled him to rufh forwards at random, for his valour was not regulated by wifdom. He could neither reclify his faults, nor give ditrincl orders, nor forefee the evils by whfch he was threatened, nor retain the good will of his people when he had the greater!: oc- fion for their attachment. Not that he was def- titute of genius : his capacity was equal to his courage-, but he had never received the leflbns of adverfity. His difpofition, naturally good, had been poifoned by the flattery of his matters. He "was -intoxicated with his power and good for- tune ; and believed that all things ought to yield to his impetuous defires. He was inflamed to rage by the Lead (hadow of oppofition : then away with reafon ; he was transported befide himfelf : his furious pride metamorphofed him into a favage beaft : he was at once abandoned by his natural good humour, as well as by his rational powers : his moft faithful fervants were compelled to leave him j and he loved none but thofe who flattered his pafiions. Thus he rafli- ly took his refolutions in extremes, ever con- trary to his true intereft : and obliged every man cf fenfe and virtue to deteft his frantic conduct. For a long time his valour fuppcrtcd him again ft the multitude of his enemies ; but at laft he Was OF TELEMACH U S. 49 was overwhelmed; I faw him fall : a Phoenician javelin pierced his bread 5 the reins dropped from his hands ; and he fell from his chariot under the horfes' feet. A Cyprian foldier cut off his head, and feizing him by his gory locks, ex- pofed it as a trophy to the whole victorious ar- my. I mall all my life remember the difmal fight of that head flowing with blood ; the eyes clofed and extinguiihed j the vifage pale and disfigured ; the mouth half open, as if to com- plete the unfinifhed words ; and the 1. threatning air, which death itfelf could not ef- face. While I live, this picture will appear be- fore my eyes ; and if ever the gods grant me to reign, 1 mall not forget fo fatal an example, that a king is only worthy to command, and happy in his power, in proportion as he hinf- felf fubmits to the reftraints of realon. Ah ! how wretched is that man defined to reign the good of the public, if he thinks he is maf- ter of fo many lives for no other reafon but to make them miferable ! THE END OF THE SECOND BOOK. Vol. I. D T H E ADVENTURES O F TELE M A C H U S. BOOK III. THE ARGUMENT. Telemachus proceeds to r 'elate that the fucceffor of Bocchoris, rejloring all the Tyrian prifoners i he (Telemachus) was carried to Tyre on hoard the JJ.np of Narlal, who commanded the Tyrlan fleet ; that this Narbal defer tied to him their king Pyg- tndliori) from ivhofe avarice every thing was to he feared : that Narbal afterwards made hl/n ac- quainted with all the regulations of the Tyrian commerce : that he was jufl going to embark on hoard a Cyprian vefjely that he might fail from the i 'find of Cyprus to Ithaca, when Pygmalion dij covering that he was a foi eigncr^ rcflvcd to detain him captive : that when he was thus re- duced to the brink of ruin, Jfiarbe^ the tyrant's miftref, had faved his life, in order to fieri fee in his place a- young man who had incurred her nfment by t? eating her with contempt. C A- OF TELEMACHUS. 51 CALYPSO liilened with aftonlfhment to words fraught with fuch fngacitv. W.tet chiefly pleafed her, was to find Telemachus in- genuouily recounting the faults he had commit- ted through precipitation and want of due atten- tion to the advice of the fage Mentor. She dif- tinguifhed a furprifimg magnanimity in this young man, who frankly owned his own errors, and fecmed to have profited fo much by his indis- cretion, as to become wife, provident, and mo- deft. " Proceed, faid fhc, my dear Telema- chus, lam impatient to know how you quitted ./Egypt, and where you found again the fage Mentor, the 3ofs of whom you (o jufcly regret- ed." Telemachus thus refumed the thread of his difcourfe. c< The mod virtuous and loyal part of the /Egyptians happened to be the weaker J:de, and feeing their monarch flain, were con- strained to fixbmit. A 1 w king, called Te?m«- tis, was raifed to the throne. The Phoenicians, together with the troops of Cyprus, retired, af- ter having concluded an alliance with the new Sovereign. Pie on his fide reitored all' the Phoe- nician prifoners, in which number I was in- cluded. Being releafed from the tower, I em- barked with the reft, and hope once more be- gan to dawn within my bread. The favourable X) 2 52 THE ADVENTURES wind already fvvelled our fails ; the rowers cleft the foaming billows : the vail ocean was covered with our fhips ; the mariners fhouted with joy; the coafl; of /Egypt feemed to fly far behind us, and the hills and mountains diminifhed gradually to our view. We now fcarce beheld any thing but fky and water, while the fun rifmg feemed to ifTue from the ocean with all his vivid fires : the tops of the mountains, frill vifibie a little •above the horizon, were gilded with his rays ; •and the whole flty exhibiting an expanfe of deep azure, feemed to promife an happy voyage. Al- though I had been embarked as a Phoenician, I was not known to any one perfon on board. Narbaj, who commanded the fhip to which I was allotted, afked me my name and country. ci From what town of Phoenicia are you, faid he ?" " I am not of Phoenicia : I replied ; but the Egyp- tians took me at fea on board of a Phoenician vefTel : I have been detained captive in /Egypt as a Phoenician ; under that name I have fuffer- ed a long captivity ; under that name I am now delivered;" " Of what country are you then ?" lefumed Narbal. I thus replied : " I am Te- Jemachu?, the fon of Ulyfles, king of Ithaca in Greece ; my fuLher is one of the mod renowned of all the kmt?s who befiep-ed the city of Troy : O O.J but the o;ods have not granted him the favour of returning to his native country. I have fought him OF TELEMACHUS. 53 him indifferent parts of the world, but, like hi n, I am perfecuted by fortune ; and you fee in me an unhappy youth, who longs for nothing (o much 2s the pleafure of returning to his friends, and finding his father fafe.'' Narbal furveyed me with furprize ; and thought he perceived in me certain happy traits proceeding from the gift of heaven, which are not to be found in the common run of mankind. Naturally generous and fmcere, he was touched with my misfor- tunes, and fpoke to me with a freedom and con- fidence infpired by heaven, in order to fave me from the moft imminent danger. " Telemachus," faid he, <{ I do not doubt but you have told me the truth ; I cannot doubt your veracity : that air of mildnefs and virtue fo confpicuous in your countenance, will not fuffer me to harbour the lead fufpicion or diftruft. Nay, 1 perceive that you are beloved by the gods whom I have al- ways ferved, and that it is their pleafure that I fhould like wife love you, as if you were my own fon. I will now give you fome falutary advice, and require of you nothing but fecrecy in re- turn." " Fear not," faid I to him, " 'that I {hall have any difficulty in keeping filence on every fubjecl: you mail pleafe to communicate to me in confidence. Young though I be, I am grown old in the praclice of never difclofing my own fecrets 3 much lefs betraying on any account D 3 what- 54 THE ADVENTURES wbatfoever, the fecrcts of other men." " How have you been able," faid he, " toaccuftom your- felf to fecrecy in fuch early youth ? I mould be clad to know by what means you acquired that good quality, which is the foundation of the wifeft conduit, and without which all other ta- lents are vain and ufelefs." w When UlyfTes," I replied, "departed on his expedition to Troy, he fet me on his knees and prefled me to his brcaft\ as I have been informed : having em- braced me tenderly, he pronounced thefe words, though I was then too young to underftand them : 4C O my fon ! may the gods never grant me the pleafure to fee thee again ; may the fhears of the fates cut the thread of thy days, which is fcarce yet formed, as the reaper with his fickle cuts the tender opening flower; may our enemies prevail and crufli thee under the eyes of thy mother, and even in my view, rather than that thou fhouldft one day be corrupted and abandon the paths of virtue ! O my friends," added he, " I leave in your hands this child, fo dear to my af- fection ; watch over his infancy with care : if you love me, remove far from him the pernicious band of flatterers, teach him to gain a conquefl over his pailions : let him be like a young plant frill tender, which will take any bent in order to be improved. Above all things, ufe all your endeavours to make him upright, beneficent, fine ere. OF TELEMACHUS. 55 fincere, trufty, and fecret. He that can lie is unworthy to be called a man ; and the prince who cannot keep his own counfel, deferves not to petgn." I mention thefe words to yon, be- pi life care was taken to repeat thern often in my hearing, until they penetrated to the very bottom of my heart. Nay to this hour I often repeat them to royfslf. My father's friends took care to ex- ercife me betimes in the practice of fecrccy. Even in my tender years, they communicated to me all the afiTicHon they felt in feeing my mother expofed to a great number of. info lent pretenders who wanted to efpoufe her. From thencefor- ward I was treated as a rcafonable and trufty man. I was in private confuked on affairs of the greated importance, and made acquainted with all the fteps that were taken to remove thofe troubiefome fuitors. I was charmed with thofe marks of confidence, in confequenee of which I thought myfelf already a man complete. Never did I abufe their truft : never did one word efcape me that could difcovcr the leaft fe- cret : thofe pretenders often endeavoured to draw mc into difcourfe, hoping that a child could not pofhbly conceal whatever circumfhnce of im- portance he might have heard : but I well knew how to arlfwer them without lying, yet without telling them a tittle of that which it was my du- ty not to difclofe." Narbal then fpoke to this D 4- effect.. 56 THE ADVENTURES effect. M You fee, Telemachus, the great power of the Phoenicians, who are formidable to all the neighbouring nations by their numerous :s. From the trade they carry on as far as the Pillars of Hercules, they derive fuch wealth, as furpaffes that of the rnofl fiourifhing nations. The great king Sefoftris, who could never have vanquiihed them by fea, found great difficulties >n fubduing them by land, with his armies which had conquered all the Eafl : he impofed upon us a tribute, to the payment of which we did not long fubtnit. The Phoenicians were too rich and powerful to bear patiently the yoke of fub- j eel ion. - We vindicated our liberty ; and death did not give Sefoftris time to rinifh the war againft us. True it is, we had every thing to fear, more from his wifdom than his power ; but that power devolving to his fon, who was totally def. titute of difcretion, we concluded that we had nothing farther to apprehend. And, indeed, the ./Egyptians, far from re-invading our country in an hoftile manner, in order once more to fub- due us, have been obliged to call us in to their afliltance, in order to deliver them from that brutal, impious tyrant. Accordingly we have acted as their deliverers ; and thus added glory to the liberty and opulence of the Phoenicians. But while we deliver others, we are flaves our- felves. O Telemachus ! beware of falling into the OF TELEMACHUS. 57 the hands of our king Pygmalion : he has bath- ed thofe cruel hands in the blood of Sicheus his filler Dido's hufband. Dido enflamed with the defire of revenge, cfcaped from Tyre with feve- ral (hips ; and being followed by the majority of thofe who had any regard to liberty and vir- tue, fhe has founded a noble city, called Carthage, on the coaft of Afric. Meanwhile Pygmalion, tormented by an infatiable thirit after riches, becomes every day more and more miferable and hateful to his fubjccTts. To be wealthy at Tyre is criminal : avarice rendering him diftruftful, fufpicious, cruel, he perfecutes the rich, and fears the poor. of being aflaffinated. He is a ftranger to every fweet enjoyment \ and to friendmip, the fweetefi of all : if any one exhorts him to in- dulge in pleafure, he declines the attempt j fenfible that joy flies far from him, and will not take pofleffion of his heart. His eyes that fiercely gleam with cruel fire, incefTant roll about on every fide : alarmed by the lead noife that ftrikes his ear, he turns pale, and Hands aghaft ; and black corroding care is ever painted on his wrin- kled face. Fie fpeaks little, fighs often, fetch- ing deep groans from the bottom of his heart,, and unable to conceal the remorfe that preys up- on his vitals. The moft exquifite difbes can give him no pleafure; and his children, far from, being the objects of his hope, excite his fears, and thus become his moil: dangerous enemies : he has not been one moment during his whole life OF TELEMACHUS; 59 life ia fecurity and free from danger, and it is only by making away with all thofe whom he dreaded, that he hath hitherto preferred himfelf. Fool I not to fee that the cruelty, in which he trufta for his fafety, will one day prove his ruin ! Some one of his domeftics, as diftruftful as himfelf, will not fail foon to deliver the world from fuch a monfter. As for myfelf, I fear the gods ; be the confequence what it will, I will be faithful to the king whom they have fet over me. I had rather lofe my own life than take away his, or even refufe to affift in defending him, As for you, O Telemachus, beware of letting him know that you are the fori of Ulyfles ; for as he would not doubt but that UlyiTes on his return to Ithaca would give him a great fum of money for your ran loin, he would certainly com- mit you to prifon," When we arrived at Tyre, I followed Nar- bal's advice, and found that all he had told me was ftriclly true. I thought it was hardly pof- fible for a man to render himfelf fo completely miferable as Pygmalion appeared. A fight fo frightful and unufual furprifed me,, and I faid to myfelf: " here is a man that flattered himfelf with the hopes of happinefs in the poifeffion of riches and abfolute power ; fhefe he has attained, and yet has made himfelf miferable by them. Was he a fhepherd, as I have lately been, he D 6 would 60 THE ADVENTURES would be as happy as I then was ; he would enjoy the innocent pleafures of the country, and thofe without remorfe, without the terror of ei- ther ileel or poifon. He would love mankind, and be beloved by them in his turn. Though he would not poffefs that prodigious wealth, which is of no more fervice to him than as much fand, fmce he dares not touch it,, yet he would enjoy without conftraint the fruits of the earth, nor feel the inconvenience of any real want. He does in appearance whatever he pleafes, and yet this is far from being the cafe j for, he is a flave to his p anions, and is continually preyed upon ei- ther by avarice, fear, or fuipicion. He feems to command all other men, and yet has not the command of himfelf, He has as many matters and executioners, as he has violent and unruly paflions." Thefe were my thoughts concerning Pygmalion, though I had never feen him ; for he never appeared ; all that was feen were thole lofty towers furrounded day and night with guards-, in which he had flint himfelf up with his trea- fures as in a prifon, and thefe were beheld with terror. I could not help comparing fuch an in- vifible king with Sefoftris, fo humane, fo accef- . ft be, fo affable, fo eager to fee flrangers, fo ready to hear every body, and fo defirous to dive into men's hearts in order to difcover the truth, which is generally concealed from kinjs. "Sefoftris,," laid OF TELEMACHUS. 61 faid I, " dreaded nothing, and had nothing to dread ; all his fubie£ts had accefs to him, for he regarded them as his children : but this man dreads every body, and with good reafon ; he is every moment expofed to a violent death, tho' fhut up in an inacceffible palace, furrounded with guards : on the contrary, the good king Sefoftris lived in fecurity amidft his numerous fubjec'ts, as a tender parent in his own houfe amidft his family." Pygmalion having given orders to fend home the troops of the iile of Cyprus, which had come to join his in confequence of the alliance be- tween the two nations, Narbal laid hold of that opportunity to fet me at liberty. He made me pafs for one of thofe foldiers when they were reviewed ; for Pygmalion's iealoufv extended to the moft trivial circumilances. It is the foible ofgocd-natured indolent princes to repofe a blind, unlimited confidence in corrupt artful favourites ; but the foible of this tyrant, on the contrary, was to diflruft men of the greatelr. honour and integrity. As he was not capable of diftinguifh- ing honed and upright men who act without • difguife, fo he had never feeii any fuch, they always keeping at a diflance from princes of fo odious a character. Then he found in thofe whom he had employed fince his acceilion to the throne, fo much dilTimulation, and treachery, fuch 62 THE ADVENTURES fuch execrable vices difguifed under the appear- ance of virtue, that he regarded all men as knaves and hypocrites. He thought there was no fuch thing in nature as fincerity and integrity, and confequently confidered all men as much of a piece. When he found a man falfe and corrupt he did not give himfelf any trouble to look out for a better, perfuaded the inquiry would be to no purpofe. Nay, the good were accounted by him worfe than the mod openly vitious j becaufe he looked upon them as equally abandoned, and more deceitful. But to return to myfelf. I pafTed for a Cyprian, and by that means got off unfuf- pe£fced by the king, notwithstanding his watch- ful jealoufy. Narbai trembled fbr fear, left I fhould be difcovered, as it would have coil us both our lives. He was alfo extremely impatient to fee us gone, notwithflanding we were oblig- ed to remain a long time at Tyre,, in confequence of contrary winds. This delay I laid hold of to make myfelf acquainted with the manners of the Phoenicians, a people fo famous in all nations. I could not help admiring the happy fituation of Tyre, in an ifland in the middle pf the Tea. The neighbouring coafr. is extremely beautiful and pleafant in confequence of its fertility, the ex- quinte fruits which it produces, the number of towns and villages that are almoit joined one to another; OF TELEMACHUS. 63 another, and laftly by the temperature of the climate j for it is fcreened from the fcorching fouth winds by mountains, and fanned by the north wind that blows from the fea. It lies at the foot of Lebanon, whofe lofty top towering up to the ftars is hid among the clouds : its brow is covered with everlafling ice, and rivers fwelled by fnow fall with amazing rapidity from the rocks furrounding its fummit. Lower down is fcen a vaft foreft of ancient cedars, that feem to vie with the ground on which they {land for ao-e, and whole lofty branches reach almoft to the clouds -, below the foreft towards the bot- tom of the mountain are rich paftures, in which are feen bulJs lowing and roaming about, and ftieep with their tender lambs bleating and fkip- ping upon the grafs : here likewife appear a thou- fand {beams of water, clear and tranfparent, glid- ing alone:. In fine,, the foot of the mountain next to thefe paftures is like a garden, in which the fpring and autumn make their appearance to- gether, the one with its flowers, and the other with its fruits. Neither the peftilent breath of the fouth-wind, that parches and burns up every thinp, nor the boifterous cold blafts of the north have ever been able to tarnim the lively colours of that garden. Near this delightful coaft lies that ifland, on which the city of Tyre is built. That great city feeras to float on the furface of the 64 THE ADVENTURES the waters, and to be queen of the Tea. Mer- chants from all parts of the world refort to it, nor are there any more renowned in the univerfe than its own inhabitants. Upon entering it, one is apt to imagine it is a city that appertain- ed not to one people in particular, but to all nations in general, and the centre of their com- merce. It is provided with two vafl: moles ftretch- ing out into the fea like two arms, forming the harbour, which is fecured againft all winds. Here we fee a foreft of marts, and fuch is the number of the fhips, that fcarce can any of the fea be feen en which thev float. All the citi- zens apply themfelves to commerce, nor do their great riches ever produce in them an averiion to the labour neceffary to increaie their ftore. In every part of the city may be feen the fine linen of ./Egypt, and Tyrian purple twice dyed, of marvellous beauty : and (o durable is this dou- ble dye, that time cannot efface it : it is ufed only in cloth of fine wool, which they further adorn with gold and filver embroidery. They carry on a trade with all nations as far as the ftraits of Cadiz ; nay they have even penetrated into the ocean that furrounds the whole earth : they alfo navigate the Red Sea, by which they pafs to unknown iilands, bringing home gold., fpices, and diverfe animals, not to be met with, elfevvhere. I was never weary with furveying that OF T E L E M A C H U S. 65 that great city, where all was in motion. There I faw none of thofe idle curious men, who in Greece are continually either going in quefl of news to the forum, or gazing at the {tranters who arrive in the port. But there, on the con- trary, they are conflantly employed either in un- loading their mips, tranfporting or felling their meichandize, laying them up in exact order in their warehoufes, and keeping regular accounts of what was owing to them by their correfpondents in foreign countries. As for the women, they too are never idle, but either fpinning wool, mak- ing defigns for embroidery, or folding rich fluffs. " Whence is it,'' faidl to Narbal, *lion dreads every thing both from {Gran- gers and his own fubjecls. Inftead of opening his ports according to ancient ufage to all na- tions, even the molt remote, without the leaffc conftraint, he infiits upon knowing the number of {hips that enter them, and from what coun- try, the names of all on board, the nature of their trade, the price and fpecies of their mer- chandize, and the time they muft remain at Tyre. But that is not the worft part of his conduct, he often employs artifice to enfnare the merchants, and conflfcate their goods. He is perpetually plaguing thofe of them that he fuppofes to be rich, and introducing under va- rious pretexts new impofts : he will be a mer- chant himfelf, though every body is afraid to have any connexion or dealings with him. Thus our commerce begins to languifh and decline. Stran- gers by degrees forget the way to Tyre, though for- OF TELEMACHUS, 69 formerly 10 well known to them ; 10 that if Pygmalion does not alter his conduct, our power and glory mud Toon pafs from us to a people better governed than we." I then afked Nar- bal by what means the Tyrians had rendered themfelves fo powerful by fea, for I had a defire to know every thing that regarded the good go- vernment of a kingdom. " We have," faid he, " the forcfts of Lebanon to fupply us with {hip- timber, and we carefully referve them for that ufe ; they are never touched but for the public ; and for the building of fhips, we have the moll expert and able workmen r" "How, or where," faid I, " did you find thefe workmen ?" " They were formed," he replied," by degrees in the coun- try. When thofethat diftinguifh themfelves in any art are properly rewarded, fome individuals are al- ways found, who carry them to the hi^heil decree of perfection ; for men of ingenuity and ability Will always apply themfelves to thofe arts to which thegreateft advantages are annexed. Here we /hew a particular regard to thofe who excell in the arts and fciences that contribute to the improvement of navigation. We eileem a o-ood o geometrician, or an able aftronomer ; nor ij a pilot that is eminent in his way, neglected ; nay, we do not think a good carpenter unworthy of our notice ; on the contrary, he is well paid and well treated ; dexterous rowers too are lure of being: o 70 THE ADVENTURES being confidcred according to their merit, and of being handfomely rewarded for their fervices : they are well fed, and when Tick, carefully tend- ed ; and during their abfence, their wives and families are not forgotten. If they happen to perim by fhipwreck, their families are maintain- ed by the public, and after. having ferved a cer- tain limited time, they are entitled to their dif- charge. In confequence of this treatment, we are never at a lofs for them when there is occa- fion. Fathers are eager to breed their fons to fuch an agreeable calling, and therefore lofe no time, but begin as early as poffible to teach them to handle the oar, to manage the tackle, and to brave the winds and waves. Thus it is that men are led without conitraint or reluctance by good treatment and good order. Authority alone will never do, nor is a bare fubmrflion fuincient ; men's hearts mud be won, and they mu(c be made to find their account in a chearful compliance wherever their fervice is wanted/' After this con- verfation, Narbal fhewed me all the magazines, arfenals, and artizans concerned in the building and equipment offhips. I begged of him a par- ticular account of everything, which I fet down in writing, for fear I ihould forget fome material circumftancc. In the mean time Narbal, who knew Pygmalion, and loved me fincerely, waited with impatience for my departure, being afraid I fhould OF TEL EM AC H US. 71 I fhould be discovered by the tyrant's fpies, who were continually going about the city, day and night : but the winds ftiil prevented our embark- ing. While we were employed in attentively examining the harbour, and interrogating diverfe merchants, we faw one of Pygmalion's officers, .ince towards us, who thus acceded Narbal ; 44 The king has been informed by one of the Captains of the (hips that came from JEgypt wi-:h \c .1, that you brought a ftranger with you, who Pes for a Cyprian : he hath ordered him to be apprehended, that he may learn with certainty of what country he is ; and you muft anfwer for him on pain of lofing your head." At that in- ftant 1 was at a little diftance, attentively exa- mining the proportions of a £hip which had been but lately built with fo much (kill and exaclnefs in all her parts, that fhe was reckoned the beft failer that had ever entered the harbour, and afking fome queftions of the builder concerning her. Narbal, difconcerted and confounded, made anfwer : " I will go immediately in queft of this ftranger, who is of the ifle of Cyprus." But no fooner had he loft fight of the ofHcer, than he came running to advertife me of my danger. M My dear Telemachus," faid he, ** what I but too certainly fore faw, hath happened ; we are undone. The king, whom diilruft haunts and tortures day and night, fufpedts that you are no Cyprian ; 72 THE ADVENTURES Cyprian ; he hath ordered you to be arretted ; 1 mull deliver you up to him, or lofe my head. O God ! what (hail we do ! infpire us with wif- dom to extricate ourfelves from our prefent dan- ger. Telernachus, I am obliged to carry you to the king's palace, but be fure to maintain you are a Cyprian, of the city Amalontum, the Ton of a ftatuary of Venus, and I will declare that I formerly knew your father : perhaps, the king, without enquiring further into the matter, will ]et you go : this is the only expedient I can think of to fave your life and mine." My re- ply to Narbal was this : " Do not give yourfelf any trouble, or run any rifk for the fake of an unhappy wretch devoted to deftru&ion ; I am rot afraid, my dear Narbal, of death, and I am under too great obligations to you, to fufter you to endanger your life on my account. I- cannot prevail upon myfelf to tell a lie. I neither am a Cyprian, nor will affirm that I am. The gods are witnefTes of my fincerity ; they, if they will, prcferve my life ; but I am determined not to fave it by a lie." To this declaration Nar- bal replied : " There is nothing, Telernachus, criminal in fuch a lie ; the gods themfelves can- not condemn it : nobody will fuffer by it, and it will fave the lives of two innocent perfons ; while the king is deceived merely to prevent hi* committing a heinous crime. You carry the love OF TELEMACHUS. 73 love of virtue and the fear of wounding religion too far." " It is enough," faid I, M that falfehood is falfehood, to be unworthy of a man who fpeaks an the prefence of the gods, and who ought to fa- crifice every confideration to virtue. He who trefpaffes againft the truth, offends the gods, and even himfelf, by fpeaking againft his con- fcience. Forbear, Narbal, to propofe to me what is unworthy both of you and me. If the gods (hall have pity on us, they can eafily deliver us : if it is their will that we fhould perifh, we (hall then fall the victims of truth, and leave to mankind an example, that unblemifh'ed virtue is to be preferred to long life. As for mine, it hath lafted already too long, feeing it hath been fo wretched. It is for you alone, my dear Nar- bal, that I am concerned : alas ! that your friend- ship for an unhappy ftranger fhould have occa- fioned you fo much trouble." In this manner we contefted a confiderable time, till at laft we faw a man come running up to us out of breath. He was another of the king's officers, difpatched to us by Aftarbe. That woman was beautiful as a goddefs 5 to the charms of her perfen (he joined fome engaging qualities of the mind -, be- ing fprightly, obliging, and infinuating. Bur, notwithstanding thefe deceitful charms, fhe, like the fyrens, had a cruel and malignant heart, the depravity of which fhe knew how to difguife by Vol. I, E deep 74 THE ADVENTURES deep artifice and difiimulation. By her beauty, her wit, her fine voice, and her fkill in touching the lyre, fhe had captivated the heart of Pygma- lion, who, in confequence of his blind patTion for her, had forfaken his queen Topha, and ftuck at nothing to gratify the defires of the ambitious Aftarbe. His love for that woman was almoft as fatal to him as his exceftive avarice ; but not- withstanding the violence of his paflion for her, fhe felt nothing but averfion and contempt for him. However, fhe concealed her real fenti- ments, and pretended to love him above all things, at the fame time that (he hated him in the high- eft degree. There was at Tyre a young Lydian, named Malachon, of extraordinary beauty, but foft, effeminate, and debauched. He thought of nothing but how to preferve the delicacy of his complexion, to adjuft his fine flaxen hair that luxuriantly overfpread his fhoulders, to fcent himfelf with perfumes ; to give^a graceful air to his long flowing robe ; and to chant his amours to the found of the lyre. Aftarbe faw, and loved him to diffraction ; but he neglecled her advances with difdain, being pafiionately fond of another woman. Befides, he was afraid ofexpofing himfelf to the cruel jealoufy of the king. Aftarbe feeing herfelf flighted, gave way to her refentment In her defpair me took it into her head that fhe might be able to make Mala- OF TELEMACHUS. 75 Malachon pafs for the ftringer, whom the king wanted to fee, and whom, fhe was told, Narbal had already brought to the palace. She actually perfuaded Pygmalion, that Malachon was he ; at the fame time bribing all thofe who might have undeceived him. As he had no regard for good men, and did not know how to diitinguim them, thofe about him were all mercenary and artful, ftill ready to execute his fanguinary and tyran- nical commands. As they alfo dreaded the au- thority of Airai be, they helped her to deceive the king, leif, by refufing, they fhould incur the difpleafure of a haughty woman who had got entire poiTefTion of his confidence. Thus Mala- chon, though known by the whole city to be a Cretan, was taken up indeed of the ftranger whom Narbal had brought from iEgypt with him, and clapt in prifon. Aflarbe, in the mean time, afraid left Narbal fhould go the king, and difcover the trick put upon him, fent the officer immediately to Narbal with this meflage. " It is Aftarbe's pleafure that you forbear telling the king who that U ranger that you have with you, is ; all that fhe requires of you is filence ; and fhe pro- miles to fatisfy the king with regard to you : however, you muft lefe no time in fending away along with the Cvprians the young ft ranger, fo that he may no more be feen in the city." Nar- bal tranfported with joy that he fhould now be E 2 able 76 THE ADVENTURES able to fave both his own life and mine, pro* mifed fecrecy, and the officer fatisfied with hav- ing gained my anient, returned to Aftarbe to give an account how he had executed his commiflion. Narbal and I could not help admiring the good- nefs of the gods in rewarding our fincerity, and in protecting thofe who hazard their lives for the fake of virtue. We were ftruck with horror at the thoughts of a king entirely delivered up to pleafure and avarice* *' That prince," faid we, * c who is fo extremely afraid of being deceived, deferves to be fo, and generally is fo in the grofs- eft manner. He is diftruftful of the good, and beftows an unreferved confidence on mifcreants : he is the only perfon from whom the truth is hid. Obfcrve Pygmalion, he is the fport of a woman loft to all fhame. However^ the gods make ufe of the infincerity and falfehood of the wicked to fave the lives of the good, who would rather die than utter falfehood." In the mean time we perceived the wind was changed and be- come favourable for the Cyprian fleet. " The gods," cried Narbal, " declare themfelves ; they are determined to remove vou out of all danger : fly then from this cruel and accurfed land. Happy he, who could follow you to regions the mofr. un- known ! happy he who could live and die with you ! but my cruel deftiny con-fines me to this unhappy country j I muft be content to fuffer with OF TELEMACHUS. 77 with it, and perhaps to be buried under its ruin;. : it matters not, provided I always fpeak the truth, and maintain in my heart an invariable love for what is juft and right. As for you, my dear Telemachus, may the gods, who lead you as it were by the hand, beftow upon you the mod precious of all gifts, pure and unfpotted virtue, to the end of your days. May you live to return to Ithaca, comfort Penelope, and deliver her from thofe infolent fuitors. May your eyes fee, and your arms embrace the fage UlyfTes ; and may he find in you a fon no ways inferior to himielf in wifdom. But amidft your happinefs forget not the unhappy Narbal, nor ever ceafe to love me." When he had thus fpoken, I embraced him and fhed a flood of tears, without beino; able to make him any reply, my fpeech was inter- rupted by heaving fighs : our embraces were attended with a profound filence. He then ac- companied me to the fhip, and continued on the fhore looking earneftly at me, whofe eyes were fixed on him, till we loft fight of one another. THE END OF THE THIRD BOOK, E 3 THE ADVENTURES O F TE LEMACHUS. BOOK IV. THE A R G U M E N T, Calfvfo interrupts Telemachus, that he may take fome repoje. Mentor reproves him in Jeer et for hav- ing undertaken to relate his adventures, but at the fame t'rme bids him proceed in his recital f nee .he had begun, Telemachus tells boiv he had a d) cam in his pajjage from -Tyre to the ifle of Cy- prus, in which he faiv Minerva protecting him againfl Venus and Cupid ; that he afterwards imagined he faiv Mentor, who exhorted fpeedily to quit the ife of Cyprus : that when he aivoke, the Jkip would have been lofl in a florm, had he not taken the management of the helm him f elf, for that the Cyprians, being intoxicated with wine, were altogether incapable of faving her ', that up- on his arrival in the ifland, he had feen examples of the moji dangerous and contagious nature ; but that Hazael, a Syrian, whofe Jlave Mentor ivas become, happening alfo to be there, had re-united the OF TELEMACHUS. yq the two Greeks^ and carried them with him on board his Jhip to Crete ; and that in the pajjage they had been highly delighted with feeing Amphi- trite in her c:ir f drawn by fea-horfes. /^ALYPSO, who had thus far heard Tele- ^-^ machua recount his adventures, with the utmoft attention and tranfport, now interrupted him, that he might take a little repofe. " It is time, 1 ' faid (lie, " that you refrefh yourfelf with a little reft after fuch immenfe fatigue. Here you have nothing to make you uneafy ; all is friendly and favourable. Let your heart then give way to joy; let it relifh the quiet, and all the ether gifts which the gods are going to pour down upon you. To-morrow, when Aurora with her rofy fingers fliall begin to unlock the gilded gates of the eaft, and the horfes of the fun iffuing from the briny waves, fliall fpread abroad the light of day, driving before them all the ftars of heaven, you fhall refume the recital of your misfortunes. Your father is much your inferior in point of wifdom and courage. Nei- ther Achilles, who vanquished Heclor ; nor The- feus, who returned from the infernal regions ; nor even the great Alcides, who delivered the earth from fo many monfters, ever difcovered fuch fortitude and prowefs as you have difplayed. May balmy ileep make this night feem fhort to E 4 you. So THE ADVENTURES you. But alas ! how tedious will it feem to me ! how fhall I long to fee you again, to hear you, to make you repeat what I already know, and to be informed of what I do not know ! with- draw, my dear Telemachus, with the fage Men- tor, whom the gods have reftored to you, with- draw into this retired grotto, which is furnifhed wkh every necelTary for your repofe. May Morpheus med his gentle {lumbers on your weary eye-lids, transfufe a divine balm into all your iatigued members, and fend you pleafant dreams; that, fluttering about you, may amufe your fenfes with the mod agreeable images, and drive far from you every thing that might awake you too loon." The goddefs herfelf conducted Tele- machus into the detached grotto, which had as much the appearance of ruftic fimplicity, and was as agreeable as her own. A fountain ifTu- 'in^ from one of the corners, produced a gentle murmuring that ferved to invite repofe. There were two beds of a foft verdure prepared by the nymphs, on which were fpread two fine fkins, on one that of a lion for Telemachus, and on the other that of a bear for Mentor. Before Mentor fuffered fleep to clofe his eyes, he thus addrefled himfelf to Telemachus : " The plea- fure of recounting the flory of your life, hath fed uced your heart ; you have charmed the god- defs by your account of the dangers from which you OF TELEMACHUS. Si you have been delivered by your own courage and dexterity : thus have you more and more inflamed her paflion ; and prepared for yourfelf a more dangerous captivity. How can you ex- pecl: that fhe will fuffer you to quit her ifland, now that you have filled her with joy and admi- ration by the recital of your adventures ? the pafllon of vain glory hath betrayed you into this imprudence. She, having engaged to tell you ftcries, and to acquaint you with the fate of Ulyfles, made fhift to talk a long time without faying any thing to the purpofe, and yet there- by induced you to inform her of all that fhe wanted to know ; fuch are the arts of deceitful women who indulge their paflions. When, O Telemachus, will you be fo wife, as never to fpeak out of vanity ; but to conceal whatever tends to your own praife, when your intereffc does not require that you mould, difclofe it. Others admire your wifdom at an age, when the Want of it would be pardonable ; as for me, I cannot pardon you any thing ; I am the only one who knows you, and wHo loves you fo, as to advertife you of all your faults. How far fhort are you yet of your father's wifdom !" " What then/' faid Telemachus," could I refufe Calypfo the recital of my misfortunes r" " No," replied Mentor, " I do not difapprove of your relating them, but then it ought to have been E 5 done 82 THE ADVENTURES done (o as to excite her companion alone. You might very properly have told her how you was fome time wandering from one place to another, fome time a prifener in Sicily, and tome time in ./Egypt. This was all you ought to have told her. The reft hath ferved only to increase the poifon that preys Upon heart. May the gods preferve your's from the like infection." " But," faid Telemachus, with an humble fubmiffive ac- cent, " what am I to do then ?" " It is now too late," replied Mentor, " to conceal from her what remains of your adventures : me al- ready knows fo much of them, that it is impof- fible to deceive her with refpect to what remains ; your referve would only ferve to inflame her cu-- riofky : proceed therefore to-morrow to give her an account of what further the p^ods have done in your favour, and learn another time to fpeak more modeftly of what you may have done de- ferving in any meafure ofapplaufe." Telemachus taking this wholefome advice in good part, they both went to reft. No fooner had Phcebus fpread abroad his frft rays upon the earth, than Mentor, hearing the goddefs call her nymphs in the wood, awoke Telemachus. r * It is time," laid he, " to fhake off fleep ; come, let us re- turn to Calypfo : but be upon your guard againft her dcluiive words ; beware of laying open your heart to her j dread the flattering poifon of her praife* OF TELEMACHUS, 83 praife. Yeftcrday fhe extolled you above your fage father, the invincible Achilles, the renowned Thefeus, and Hercules exalted to a god. Was not you fenfible how extravagant thefe praifes were ? did you believe what fhe faid ? be aflured flie did not even believe it herfelf. She praifes you for no other reafon but becaufe fhe looks upon you as a fimpleton, and vain enough to fuffer yourfelf to be impofed upon by praifes al- together difproportioned to your actions.'* Af- ter thefe words of Mentor's, they went together to the place where the goddefs waited for them. She fmiled upon feeing them, difguifmg, under an appearance of joy, the fear and uneafinefs that preyed upon heart ; for fhe forefaw that Tele- machus, being conducted by Mentor, would ef- cape from her as UlyfTes had done. " Come," faid fhe, " Telemachus, make haite and fatisfy my curiofity ; I thought all night that I faw you departing from Phoenicia, and following your deftiny to the ifland of Cyprus : pray then let me know, without Iofs of time, what befell you in that voyage." Upon this they all fat down up- on the grafs, that was interfperfed with violets, under the fha.de of a thick grove. Calypfo could not help continually eyeing Telemachus in a ten- der and paffionate manner, nor being 'tranfported with indignation upon obferving that Mentor narrowly watched her looks. All the nymphs E 6 leaned 84 THE ADVENTURES leaned forward in filence, forming a kind of fe- micircle, the better to hear and fee ; and the eyes of the whole company were ftedfaftly fixed upon young Telemachus, who, blufhing with a downcaft look, thus, in a very graceful manner, purfued the ftory of his adventures. " Scarce had the favourable breeze filled our fails, when the coaft of Phoenicia began to difappear. As the manners of the Cyprians, with whom I now was embarked, were unknown to me, I refolved with myfelf to obferve in filence all that pafTed > and to act with the utmoft discretion, in order to recommend myfelf to their efteem. While I thus kept filence, a deep fleep ftole infenfibly upon me ; my fenfes were all locked up and fuf- pcnded ; a delightful quiet took poflefTion of my heart. In a moment I thought I faw Venus cleav- ing the clouds, and defcending thro' the air in her chariot, drawn by two turtle doves. She ap- peared to me with all that fuperlative beauty, that blooming youth, thofe tender graces, that adorn- ed her when (he fprung from the froth of the ocean, and dazzled the eyes of Jupiter himfelf.. She feemed to come with a rapid flight clofe up. to me, when laying her hand with a fmile upon my moulder, and calling me by name, fhe thus addrefTed me. , finging her praifes as they went along : grace, beauty, joy, and the love of pleafure, were equally difplayed in all their countenances ; but there was too much affectation in their air : it had nothing of that noble fimplicity, of that amiable modefty, which is the greateft recom- mendation of beauty. Every thing that I ob- ferved about thefe women difgufted me : their ftudied and effeminate airs, their gay, gau- dy attire, their languid gait, their looks that ftrove to catch the attention of the other fex, their jealous emulation to excite the more vio- lent pafHons ; on all thefe accounts I could not help defpifing them : what was intended to at- tract my love and admiration, ferved only to infpire difguft. I was conducted to a temple of the goddefs : fhe has many in the ifland ; for inftance, at Cythera, Idalium, and Paphos, where fhe is particularly honoured. It was to that of Cythera 90 THE ADVENTURES Cytherae that I was conduced. It is built en- tirely of marble, and is an exae~r periftile. It is a very majeftic edifice, the columns being large and lofty : above the architrave and frize, an each fide, are grand pediments, in which are reprefented in bas relief all the moil pleafant adventures of the goddefs. At the gate of the temple is continually to be (qqii a great crowd of people, come to make their offerings. No vic- tim is ever flain within the facred precincls of the temple ; nor is the fat of heifers and bulls confumed by fire ; nor is their blood ihed on thefe altars. The bealts to be offered are only prefented ; and none can be fo prefented but fuch as are young, white, and without blemifh. They are covered with fillets of purple embroi- dered with gold, and their horns gilt and adorn- ed with odoriferous flowers, After having been prefented before the altar, they are conveyed to a particular place detached from the temple, and flaughtered for the entertainment and feafting of the priefts. All forts of perfumed liquors are alfo offered, and wine more delicious than nec- tar. The priefts, who are clad in long white robes, with girdles, and fringes at the bottom of their robes, of gold, burn day and night on the altars the mod exquifite perfumes of the Eaft, which form a cloud as they afcend to heaven. All the columns of the temple are adorned with bang- OF TELEMACHUS. 91 hanging feftoons : all the veflels ufed in facri- ficing, are of gold ; and a facred wood of myr- tles furrounds the edifice. None but young men Ind damfels of fingular beauty can prefent the vicYims to the priefts, or light the fire upon the altars ; but a temple fo magnificent is difgraced by difiblutenefs and obfcenity. At firft. I could not behold thefe things without abhorrence, but that wore ofF infenfibly. Vice no longer mock- ed me : every company infpired me with a greater propenfity to debauchery, by rallying me up- on my innocence ; for my continence and mo- defty ferved only for fubjects of mirth and ridi- cule to that abandoned people. They ftuck at nothing to ftir up my paflions, to enfare me, and to awaken in me a love of pleafure. I found myfelf grow lefs firm and refolute every day ; the virtuous education I had received, was no longer able to fupport me : all my good purpofes were forgotten ; I faw it would be impoflible for me to refill: the evil that afTailed me on all fides ; nay, I was even abfurd enough to be afhamed of virtue. My cafe not a little refembled that of a man fwiming in a deep rapid river ; at firft he items the torrent, and advances : but, if the banks are fteep and rocky, fo that he cannot climb, and reft himfelf upon the fhore ; he grows tired by degrees ; his ftrength fails him ; his wea- ried limbs become ftifF, and he is carried away by 92 THE ADVENTURES by the current ; thus did my eyes become dim, my heart feeble and irrefolute, and I could nei- ther recover the ufe of my reafon, nor recall the memory of my father's virtues : fo that the dream in which I fancied I had feen Mentor in the Elyfian fields, difcouraged me quite from making any further efforts. A fecret foothing languor took poffefiion of my foul. I was now .enamoured of the agreeable poifon that infinuat- ed itfelf from vein to vein, and penetrated to the very marrow of my bones. Neverthelefs I could not help ftill fetching deep fighs, weeping bit- terly, and roaring, in my phrenfy, like a lion. * c O the wretchednefs of youth !" cried I ; who exerts himfelf to the utmoft to fupport the authority of reafon. Should a neighbouring warlike prince attack this king, perhaps he would not find him very fkilful in encamping an army, or drawing it up in order of battle, or in direct- ing a fiege ; but he would find him invincible in numbers, in courage, in bearing fatigue with patience, and enduring poverty from habit ; by his courage in time of aelion, and his virtue, which adverfity cannot fubduc. Moreover, fuch a king, if he wants experience to command his armies in perfon, will make choice of pro- per perfons for that purpofe, without expofing himielf to any danger of lofing his authority. Refides, he would be affiled by his allies, and his own fubjecls, rather than fall under the do- minion of a prince of a violent defpotic tem- per, would fupport him with their lives and for- tunes. In iine, the gods themfelves would fight G 4 for 128 THE ADVENTURES for him. Such would his refources be amidfr. the greater! dangers. To conclude, a pacific prince, who is unacquainted with the art of war, is defective in his qualifications, fince he can- not perform one of the principal functions of his office, namely, that of fubduing his enemies ; yet, I maintain that he is far fuperior to the war- rior who is well verfed in military affairs alone, and has no capacity to conduct matters properly in time of peace." I perceived that thefe no- tions were not relifhed by many in the affembly ; for the greater part of mankind, dazzled with the fplendor of fhining aftions, prefer them to what is fimple, calm, and folid, as are the arts of peace and good government. However, all the old judges declared, that Minos was of the fame way of thinking as I. Then the chief of them exclaimed : " I perceive that an oracle of Apollo, well known all over this ifland, is now accomplished. Minos having confulted that god to know how long his defendants would reign, according to the laws he had enacted, was an- fvvered thus : " Thy offspring will ceafe to reign, when a ftranger fhall come into thy ifle, to put thy laws in force." We were apprehen- five left the meaning of this fhould be, that a ftranger would come and make a conqueft of the ifland ; but the misfortune of Idomeneus, and the wifdom of the fon of Ulyffes, who under- stand s OF TELEMACHUS. 129 itands the laws of Minos better than any other perfon, have discovered to us the true fenfe of the oracle. Why do we then delay to offer him the crown, whom the fates have ordained to be our kino; ?" J*ND OF THE FIFTH BOOK, .0 5 THE ADVENTURES O F TELEMACHUS BOOK VI. THE A R G U M E N T. iTelemachus relates that he refufed the crown of Crete, in order to return to Ithaca : that he pro- pofed their elecling Mentor, who likewife excufed himflf: that at laji, the ajfembly importuning Mentor to chufe for the whole nation, he acquaint- ed them with what he had heard of the virtues of Ariftodemus j who, in confequence of that recom- mendation, zvas immediately proclaimed king ; that Mentor and he then embarked for Ithaca ; but that Neptune, to gratify Venus, whom they had offended, had wrecked their JJAp, when they were received by the goddefs Calypfo in her if 2nd, ~^HE old men immediately quitted the facred -"- grove, and the chief of them taking me by the hand, acquainted the people, who waited with impatience for their decifion, that I had gained OF TELEMACHUS. 131 gained the prize. Scarce had he done /peak- ing, when a confufed noife ran through the whole afTembly. Every one fhouted for joy. The whole coaft, and neighbouring mountains, echoed with thefe words : " May the fon of Ulyfles, who refembles Minos, reign over the Cretans." After waiting a while, I made a fig a with my hand, to intimate my defiretobe heard. In the mean time, Mentor whifpered thus in my ear : "Are you going to renounce your coun- try ? Will the ambition of being a king, make you forget Penelope, who longs for you as her only remaining hope; and the great Ulyfles, whom the gods intended to reftore to you r" Thefe words ftung me to the heart, and fortified me ao-ainft. the vain defire of a crown. But ob- o fervino- that a profound filence had now taken the place of tumult in the afTembly, I thus ad- dreffed them : " O illuftrious Cretans, I am not worthy of being your king. The oracle, that was mentioned, exprefsly declares, that the race of Minos will ceafe to reign, when a ftrari- ger mall come into the ifland, and enforce the laws of that wife monarch. But it docs not fay that the ftranger (hall be king. It is not im- probable that I may be the ftranger meant by the oracle ; fince I have accomplished the pre- diction. I came a ftranger into the ifiand, a J have {hewn the true fenfe and import of the laws, G 6 and i 3 2 THE ADVENTURES a nd I wifh my explication may have the efTe£fc *o make them reign under him whom you mail choofe for your king. For my part, I prefer my country, the poor petty ifland of Ithaca, to the hundred cities of Crete, and all the glory and opulence of this kingdom. Allow me to fulfil my deftiny : if I entered the lifts as a com- batant in your games, it was not with any hope or view of being your king, but only to recom- mend myfelf to your eiteem and companion, and in confequence of that, be furnimed with the means of returning fpeedily to my native land. I had rather execute the commands of my fa- ther UlyfTes, and adminifter comfort to my mo- ther Penelope, than be fovereign of the whole univerie. Thus, O Cretans, have I communi- cated to you my real fentiments : we mufl part ; but while I live, I will never forget my obliga- tions to you. Yes, to his laft breath fhall Te- lemachus love the Cretans, and think himfeLf no lefs concerned to promote their glory, than his own/' I had no fooner done fpeaking, than a confufed noife enfued, like that of the waves of the Tea, rolling over one another in a ftorm. Some faid : " Is it not a god under the form of a man ?" Others affirmed, that they had feen me in other countries, and knew me again. There were others that would have com- pelled me to be king. At length, I refolved to fpeak OF TELEMACHUS. 133 fpeak to them again, and no fooner did they perceive my defign, than they all immediately forbore talking, not knowing whether I might not be going to accept of what I had before re- fufed. I fpoke to this effect : " Allow me, O Cretans, to difclofe my fentiments to you. You are of all nations the wifeft : yet, methinks, there is a precaution dictated by wifdom, which you overlook. It is not the man who argues bell: concerning laws, but he who is mofl: fteady and exact in the obfervance of them, whom you ought to choofe for your king. As for me, I am young, and confequently without ex- perience, and expofed to the violence of palHon. At prefent, it is more proper that I mould learn, by obeying, how to command one day, than I mould command immediately. Let not then the man, who has gained the victory in the games in refpect both of body and mind, be your choice ; but he that has gained a con- quefl over himielf ; look out for a man who has your laws written in his heart, and who has made them the rule of his conduct: through his whole life ; let your choice be determined by actions, and not words.'* All the old men, charmed with what I had faid, and finding the applaufe and admiration of the people frill in- creafing, thus accofted me : " Since the gods do not permit us to hope to have you for our king, i 3 4 THE ADVENTURES king, you will at leaft affift us in finding one that will obferve and enforce our laws. Know you any perfon capable of government with fuch wifdom and moderation ?" " Yes," faid I, M and it is the man to whom I am indebted for all that you admire in me ; it was his wifdom, and not my own, that taught me all I have been faying to you ; and the anfwers I made to the feveral queftions you propofed to me, flowed from the fame fource." The eyes of the whole af- fembly were now T fixed upon Mentor, to whom I directed them by taking him by the hand, when I made the above reply. I told them how careful he had been of me, while a child ; from what dangers he had delivered me ; what mis- fortunes had befallen me, when I did not follow his advice. Before, ihey had not taken any no- tice of him, by reafon of his plain, unadorn- ed drefs, his modefty, his almoft uninterrupted filence, and his cold referved air. But when they examined him more attentively, they dif- . covered in his countenance fomething great and refolute : they took notice of the vivacity of his eyes, and the fpirit he difplayed even in the moft trivial matters : they put fome queftions to him, which he anfwered in fuch a manner as to ex- cite their admiration, and induce them to make him an offer of the crown. He declined it without any emotion : he faid, he preferred the charms OF TELEMACHUS. 135 charms of a private life to the fplendor of roy- alty | he obferved, that the belt of kings were unhappy, in that they hardly ever did the good they wiflied to do, and often, milled by the ar- tifice and importunity of flatterers, did the ill they wifhed to avoid. He added, that if fla- very was mifery, royalty was no lefs fo, fince it was only flavery ditguifed. " A king," faid he, « depends on all thole whom he muft em- ploy to execute his orders, and maintain his authority. Happy they who are not obliged to wear a crown ! it is to our country alone that we are bound to facrifioe our liberty, when, for the public good, we are vetted with power and au- thority}' The Cretans then, ftill more furprifed than before, afkcd him, whom he would have them choofe for their king." " I would have you," faid he, " choofe one who knows you well, as he is to be your king ; and who, not- withstanding, is afraid to take the charge upon him. He that defires to be a king, knows not what royalty is : and how is he like to difcharge the duties of it, who is an utter flranger to its nature ? He defires it for his own fake ; but the man you ought to wifli for, lliould be one that accepts it for your fake alone." The Cretans were all amazed to fee two Grangers refufe a crown, which the generality of mankind covet fo much, and they had a great curiofity to know 136 THE ADVENTURES know with whom they came into the ifland. Nauficrates, who had conducted us from the port to the circus, where the games were cele- brated, fhewed them Hazael, with whom we came from the ifle of Cyprus. But their afto- nifhment was ftill much greater, when they un- derftood that Mentor had been Hazael's flave, and that Hazael, {truck with his wifdom and virtue, had made him his deareft friend and counfellor ; that this flave, now free, was the fame who had juft refufed their crown, and that Hazael, from his love of wifdom, was come from Damafcus in Syria to make himfelf acquaint- ed with the laws of Minos. The old men then addrefTed Hazael in thefe terms : " We dare not venture to propofe to you the accepting of our crown, as we conclude, that your fentiments are the fame as thofe of Mentor. You feem to defpife men too much, to charge yourfelf with the government of them ; nor do you value riches and the fplendor of royalty enough, to purchafe them with the toils infeparable from government." Hazael replied : " Do not ima- gine, O Cretans, that 1 defpife mankind. No, no ; I know how noble and praife- worthy a thing it is, to labour to make them good and happy : but that labour is attended with great danger and trouble. The pomp and fplendor annexed to it, are vain and frivolous, and can dazzle none but OF TELEMACHUS. 137 but weak minds. Life is fhort, and greatnefs inflames the paffions more than it can gratify them : it was to learn how to be eafy without thefe fpurious bleflings, and not how to attain them, that I came fo far from home. Adieu. I have no thoughts but about returning to a life of privacy and retirement, where wifdom may nourim my heart, and where the hopes, that we derive from virtue, of a happier life after death, may fupport and comfort me under the infirmities of old age. Had I any thing further to wifh for, it would be, not that I might be a king* but that I might never be feparated from thefe two men there." The Cretans then again applied to Mentor : " Tell us," faid they, " O thou, the wifefr. and greater! of all men, tell us, who we (hall chufe for king. We will not fufFer you to depart hence, till you have told us who it is that we ought to make choice of." To this declaration he replied : " While I was in the crowd among the fpec"tators, I obferved a man, who appeared quite calm and unconcerned. Fie was old, but vigorous. I afked who he was, and was anfwered, that his name was A- riftodemus. I afterwards heard them tell him, that his two fons were in the number of the combatants ; but he difcovered no joy at the news ; he faid, that as for one of them, he did not wifh him the dangers that attend royalty; and 138 THE ADVENTURES and that he loved his country too well ever to confent to the other's being a king By that fpecimen, I perceived, that he had a rational affection for one of them, who was virtuous, and that he did not flatter the other in his ir~ regularities. My curiofity being roufed, I a(k- ed, in what manner the old man had fpent his days. One of your countrymen made anfwer : " He carried arms a long time, and his body is covered all over with wounds : but his fmcerity, and averfion to flattery, rendered him difagree- able to Idomeneus ; and for that reafon he did not carry him with him to the fiege of Troy. He drended a man v/ho would give him wife counfel, which he had not the virtue or rcfolu- tion to follow : he was even jealous of the glory that he would undoubtedly foon have acquired ; he therefore forgot all his former fervices, and left him behind him, poor, and defpifed by the worthlefs and undifcerning, who value nothing but riches : yet, though he is poor, he is chear- ful and contented, and lives in a retired part of the ifland ; where he cultivates his fmall farm with his own hands. One of his fons lives with him, and aflifts him in his labour ; and the greatcfr. harmony fubfifts between them : their frugality and induftry render them happy, hav- ing thereby plenty of every neceflary that a plain fimple way of life requires. The good old man diftri- OF TELEMACHUS. 139 eliflributes among the Tick poor of his neighbour- hood, all that his Ton or himfelf can fpare. He fets all young people to work 5 exhorts, and in- ftrucis them : he determines all the differences in his neighbourhood, and is the father of ever/ family around. He is unfortunate, however, in having one fon, who will take none of his advice. He bore with him a long time, in hopes of reclaiming him ; but was at laft obliged to banifh him from his houfe. This youth is ex- tremely debauched and difiblute, and has a fool- ifh abfurd ambition. Such, O Cretans, was the information I received : how far it is true, you bell can tell. But if he is fuch as he is repre- sented, what occafion had you to ordain games, and aiTemble fuch a number of Grangers ? You have among you a man who knows you, and whom you know ; who is acquainted with war, and who has manifefted his courage, not only againfr. darts and arrows, but againft poverty and want ; who fcorned to acquire wealth by flattery ; who loves labour and induftry ; who knows of what advantage agriculture is to a irate : who detefls pomp and vain glory ; who does not fuffcr himfelf to be milled by a blind partiality for his children, but loves the virtue of the one, and condemns the vices of the other ; in fine, a man who is already the father of his country. This is he whom you ought to make your king, if 140 THE ADVENTURES if you really wifh to fee the laws of the fage Mi- nos duly enforced and executed." All the peo- ple cried — " It is true ! Ariftodemus is indeed fuch as you have defcribed him, and therefore deferves the crown." Then the old men order- ed him to be called. After fome fearch, he was found in the crowd, among the dregs of the peo- ple. When he was told that he had been pitch- ed upon for king, he difcovered no emotion at the news, but faid : « I will confent to it, on- ly upon three conditions. Firft, that I fhall be at liberty to refign the crown after two years, if I cannot make you better than you are at pre- fent, and find you unwilling to fubmit to the laws : fecondly, that I be permitted to continue in my fimple and frugal courfe of life : thirdly, that my children fhall not be intitled to any rank or diftinction j and that after my death, they fhall be on the fame footing with the other citi- zens, and treated according to their merit. " He had no fooner pronounced thefe words, than the air refounded with fhouts of joy. The chief of the old men, who were guardians of the laws, fet the crown upon his head, and facrifices were offered to Jupiter, and the other fuperior gods. He made us prefents, noble and valuable indeed, but without the magnificence ufual among kings. He gave Hazael a collection of the laws of Mi- nos, written by the hand of Minos himfelf, and a com- OF TELEMACHUS. 141 a complete hiftory of Crete, from the time of Saturn and the golden age ; he ordered his fhip to be ftored with all the beft forts of fruits that grew in Crete, but not in Syria ; and offered to fupply him with every thing that he might have occafion f r in his voyage. As Mentor and I were in hafte to be gone, he ordered a veffel to be got ready for us with good rowers, fome arm- ed men, cloaths, and provifions. No fooner were thefe fteps taken, than the wind began to blow fair for Ithaca, but being againft Hazael, he was obliged to wait. As we were now ready to go on board, he took his leave of us, as of friends, whom he fhould never fee again. " The gods," faid he, " are juft ; they are witneffes of a friendship, that is not founded on intereft : one day they will again bring us together, and in thofe happy fields, where the juft are faid to en- joy an eternal peace after death, {hall our fouls be reunited, never to be parted any more. O that my allies might in like manner be united to yours ! as he fpoke thefe words, a flood of tears ran down his cheeks, and his voice was ftiflsd with fobbing. He then accompanied us on board, while v/e were no lefs affected, and wept as bitterly as he. As for Ariftodemus, he addreffed us thus: c< It is you, who have railed me to the throne : remember, in what a dangerous iituation you have placed me. Pray to the gods to infpire me 142 THE ADVENTURES me with true wifdom, and that I may as far fur- pafs other men in moderation, as 1 do in power and authority. On my part, I pray, that you may be conveyed in fafety to your native coun- try j that the infolence of your enemies may be humbled ; and that you may fee UlyfTes reign- ing in peace with his dear Penelope. I have given you, Telemachus, a {tout mip, full of rowers and armed men, which you may employ again ft thole wicked fuitors that are fo trouble- some to your mother. As for you, Mentor, your wifdom is fuch, that I have nothing left to wifh you. Adieu ! live happy together ; re- member Ariftodemus ; and if ever the Ithacians fhould want the aiiiftance of the Cretans, you may depend upon me to my laft breath. He then embraced us tenderly ; we thanked him for his kindnefs, and fried many tears. The wind now fwelling up our fails, we promifed our- felves a happy voyage. We focn loft fight of the coaft, and mount Ida appeared like a little hill, while T at the fame time, the coaft of Pelo- ponnefus feemed advancing to meet us in the fea. But all on a fudden a black ftorm overcaft the fkics, and roufed all the billows of the main. The day was changed into night, and death prefented itielf before our eyes. It was you, O Neptune, who, by your awful trident, excit- ed all the waters of your vaft domain. For Ve- nus, OF TEL EM AC H US. 143 nus, to be revenged of us for having defpifed her even in her temple at Cythera, had recourfe to that god ; (he appeared before him in great .affliction ; her beautiful eyes were bathed in tears : at lead, I was told fo by Mentor, who is well acquainted with divine matters. " Will you fuffer," faid fhe, " thefe impious wretches to make light of my power with impunity ? the gods themfelves feel it ; and yet thefe audacious mortals have dared to condemn every thing that is done in my ifland. They pique themfelves upon a wifdom that is proof again ft all tempta- tion ; and love by them is accounted foily. Have you forgot that I was born in your empire ? why do you then delay a moment to bury in your profound abyfs thofe two men, whom I cannot endure ?" She had no fooner done fpeaking, than Neptune lifted up his billows to the ikies ; at which fhe laughed, thinking that v/e could not poffibly avoid (hipwreck. Our pilot, greatly alarmed, declared that it was not in his power to prevent our being driven by the fury of the winds againfl the rocks : a dreadful fquall car- ried away our maft, and immediately after we ftruck on the rocks, the iharp points of which entered the bottom of the (hip. The water then rufhed in on all hands, and the veiT.1 founder- ed : while the mariners invoked the gods in moft lamentable cries. As for myfelf, I embraced Mentor, 144 THE ADVENTURES Mentor, faying, " Death, you fee, is now at hand ; let us meet it undaunted. The gods have delivered us from fo many dangers, only that we might perifh to day Let us 6ie, Men- tor, let us die. It is a comfort to me that I fhall die with you ; it would be in vain to at- tempt to fave our lives in fuch a tempeft." Men- tor replied : " True courage always finds fome refource. We ought not only to be ready to meet death, when unavoidable, with intrepidity, but likewife to ufe our utmoft efforts to efcape it. Let us then, both together, lay hold of one of thefe huge rowers' banks. While thefe men, in terror and perplexity, lament their fate, with- out endeavouring to find any expedient to fave themfelves, let us not lofe a moment in trying to preferve our lives. So faying, he feized a hatchet, and cuts away the mail, which being already broke, and hanging down into the fea, had laid the fhip on her fide ; then pufhing it into the fea, he fprung upon it ; gets amidft the raging waves ; thence calling me by name, and encouraging me to follow his example.- As a huge tree affaulted by the united winds, ftands firm and fteaJy, fixed its roots profound, fo that the ftorm can only make its leaves, thus did Mentor, calm and intrepid, feem to com- mand both the winds and waves. I leaped into the fea ; and who would not have- done it, en- couraged OF TELEMACHUS. 145 couraged as I was by him ? We both then clung to the maft, and it was of great fervice, by af- fording us wherewithal to reft upon : for with- out it, our ftrength would have been foon ex- hausted in fwimming, and struggling with xhs waves : but the raging of the fea continually rolling it about, we were often plunged into the abyfs. We then fwallowed the fait water in abundance, and great quantities of it ran from our mouths, ears, and noitrils. Thus over- turned, we were oft obliged to ftruggle fome time with the waves, before we could recover the mart. Sometimes a lofty billow, like a mountain, breaking over us, we were under a neceffity of grafping it with all our ftrength, Jeft, lefing our hold in fuch a violent fhock, we ihould not be able to retrieve the only fupport on which our whole dependence was placed. While we remained in this dreadful fituation, Mentor, who was as unconcerned as he now is, fitting upon that turf, accofted me thus : " Do you imagine, Telemachus, that your life is now at the mercy , of the winds and waves ? Do you imagine, they can deprive you of it, without the order or permiilion of the gods ? No, no ; it is the gods who difpofe of every thing. It is the gods then, and not the fea, that you ought to be afraid of. Was you at the bottom of the deep, the hand of Jupiter could bring you thence in Vol. I. H fafety. 146 THE ADVENTURES fafety. Was you in Olympus, and faw the ftars under your feet, Jupiter could plunge in the abyfs, or throw you headlong into the difmal flames of Tartarus." I heard, I admired thefe words of Mentor, which yielded me fome com- fort ; but I was not enough matter of myfelf, to make him any anfwer. It was now night, which we paffed fhivering with cold, and half- dead, neither feeing one another, nor knowing whither we were driven by the temped. At laft the wind began to abate, and the bellowing fea might be compared to one who had been long in a high paflion, but who, after his rage has fubfided, feels only a gentle emotion, the re- mains of his former perturbation. Thus there remained in the fea no other fymptoms of the ftorm, befides a grumbling noife, and her bil- lows were now no higher than ridges in a plough- ed field. In the mean time, Aurora came to open the gates of heaven to Phcebus, and cheer- ed us with the profpedt of a fine day. The eaft was all on fire, and ihe ftars, which had been fo long hid from our eyes, made their appear- ance again, but fled immediately upon the ap- proach of Phoebus. We defcricd the land at a diftance, and the wind gently wafted us towards it. Hope began now again to fpring up in my heart, and I looked about to fee if I could dis- cover any of our companions, but could not. It OF TELEMACHUS, &c. 147 It is likely they all gave way to defpair, and were fwallowed up in the deep, together with the fhip. When we drew near the land, the Tea drove us againft fome pointed rocks, which would have been fatal to us, if Mentor had not pre- sented the end of the maft to them, of which he made the fame ufe, that an expert pilot does of a good helm. Thus did we avoid thefe fright- ful rocks, and found at laft a fmooth open beach, whither we fwam, and landed on the fliore. It was there that you, O mighty goddefs, who inhabit this ifle, firft faw us ; and there it was you favoured us with an hofpitable reception. THE END OF THE SIXTH BOOK. H 2 THE ADVENTURES O F TELEMACHUS. BOOK VII. THE ARGUMENT. Crflypfoy Jtruck with admiration of Telemachus and his adventures, ufes all the means fie can think of, to prevent his Quitting the ijland, and to captivate his heart. Mentor, by his remon— Jirances, enables Telemachus to baffle both the artifices of the goddefs, and of Cupid, whom Ve- nus had fent to her ajfi/iance, Nevcrthelefsy 'Telemachus and the nymph Eucharis become 'mu- tually enamoured of one another j vjhich excites fifl the jealoufy, and aftcrivards the anger of Calypfo againfl the tzvo levers. She fvje.irs by Styx, that Tele?nachus Jhall quit her ifle. Cu- pid comes and comforts her, and engages her nymphs to go and burn the bark which Mentor had built \ and to which he was then in a man- ner dragging Telemachus, in order to put him on board, and carry him off, Telemachus feels a ficret joy at feeing the bark on fire ; which Men- tor OF TELEMACHUS. 149 tor perceivings pufies bin: into the fea, and throws hi mf elf in after bim, in order to fwim to another fiipi that was but a little way f rem the Jhore. ■\TrHEN Telemachus had finimed the reci- * ^ tal of his adventures, the nymphs, who had never taken their eyes off him ail the time, and had been extremely attentive, now ftared at one another. " Who," faid they to one an- other, greatly furprifed, tc are thefe two men, fo much favoured by the gods ? Were ever fuch marvellous adventures heard of before ? The fon of Ulyffes already furpaffes his father in eloquence, wifdom, and valour. What an air ! what beauty ! what fweetnefs ! what modefty ! nay, and what noblenefs and magnanimity ! if we did not know he is a mortal, we fhould be apt to take him for Bacchus or Mercury, or even the great Apollo ! but who is that Mentor, who has the appearance of a plain, fimple, ordinary per- fon ; yet, upon a nearer view, there appears in him fomething more than human ?" Calypfo could not hear them talk in this man- ner without betraying great uneafmefs. She was continually gazing, one while at Mentor, and another at Telemachus. Sometimes fhe would have the latter enter on the long dory of his adventures anew ; then fhe would begin to fay fomething, and immediately break off. At laff, H 3 ftart- 150 THE ADVENTURES ftarting up, fhe took Telemachus haftily by the hand, and conduced him all alone into a myr- tle grove, where (he was extremely inquifitive,. in order to learn from him, whether Mentor was not a divinity under the form of a man. But Telemachus could not fatisfy her curiofity ; for Minerva had never difcovered herfelf to him, whilfl fhe accompanied him under the appearance of Mentor, on account of his youth. She did not, as yet, confide enough in his fecrecy, to commu- nicate to him her defiens. Befides, (lie intended to put him to the proof, by expofing him to the greateft. dangers ; but had he known that Mi- nerva was his attendant, that would have fup- ported him, and the moft alarming accidents would have made no impreffion upon him. But as it was, he knew nothing of Mentor's being Minerva, and therefore all the artifice employed by Calypfo to difcover it, was altogether in- cited! ual. In the mean time, all the nymphs crowding about Mentor, were bulled in afking him ques- tions. One begged to know what happened to him in his travels to ./Ethiopia ; another was curious to learn what he had feen at Damafcus ; and a third afked him if he was acquainted with UlyfTes, before he went to Troy. He anfwered them all with good nature and affability, and cxpreiTed himfelf in a flmplc, yet graceful man- ner. OF TELEMACHUS. 151 ner. Calypfo Toon returned and joined them ; and while the nymphs were gathering flowers, and fino-ino; to divert Telemachus, (lie took Mentor aiide, to trv if fhe could engage him to make a difcovcry. Balmy fleep does not more fweetly deal upon the heavy eves, and diffufe its healing virtue through weary limbs, than did the flattering words of the goddefs iniinuate themfelves to deceive and enfnare Mentor. But fhe always found in him a certain fecret energy, that repelled all her efforts, and baffled the force of her charms. Like a high towering rock, whole fummit is hid among; the clouds, and which the moft furious winds alTail in vain, did Mentor remain unfhaken in his purpofes againft all the attempts of the goddefs. Sometimes he would make her fancy that me fhould be able to entangle him by her queftions, and extract the fecret from the inmoft recefs of his foul. Bur, tiie moment (lie fondly hoped her curiofity would be fatisfied, all her hopes vanifhed. What fhe thought fhe had a faft hold of, in an inftant flipped away : and fome concife reply of Men- tor, reinvolved her in all her doubts and un- certainty. Thus, fhe pafTed days, fo.T.etimes flattering Telemachus, fometimes in endeavour- ing to detach him from Mentor, whom fhe now defpaired of inveigling into a confeflion of the truth. She employed her moft beautiful nymphs H 4 to i 5 i THE ADVENTURES to kindJe the flame of love in the heart of young- Telemachus, and a divinity more powerful than fcerftlf came, to aflift her in obtaining her wifh. Venus, Hill glowing with refentment for the contempt which Mentor and Telemachus had fhewn of the worfhip paid her in the iflc of Cy- prus, was extremely mortified to find that thefe two raft mortals had efcaped the fury of the winds and waves, in the florm raifed by Nep- tune. She made heavy complaints of it to Ju- piter ; but the father of the gods would not let her know that the fon of UlyfTes had been faved by Minerva, under the appearance of Mentor : he only fmiled, and gave her permiifion to fearch new expedients for completing her revenge. Thus authorized, fhe quitted Olympus, and mounted her chariot drawn by doves -, but in- Head of fleering her courfe for Paphos, Cythera, or Idalium, where fweet perfumes are burnt on her altars, fhe went and called her fon, and thus accofted him, while grief difTufed new charms upon her lovely countenance. " Do you fee, my fon, thefe two men, who defpife both your power and mine ? Who for the future will be our votaries ? Go down with me to that ifland, and with thy arrows transfix thefe two unfeeling hearts, while I difcourfe with Calypfo." She had no fooner uttered thefe words, than cleaving the air in a golden cloud, {he prefented herfelf before OF TELEMACHUS. 153 before Calypfo, who was then all alone by a fountain, at a confiderable diftance from her grotto. " Unhappy goddefs IV faid (he, " you was defpifed by the ungrateful UlyfTes ; and now his fon, ftill more infenfible, would treat you in the fame manner : but Cupid himfelf is come to revenge you on him ; I (hall leave him with you ; he will be among your nymphs, as the infant god Bacchus was formerly among the nymphs of Naxos, by whom he was nurfed. Telemachus will look upon him as no more than a child ; he will entertain no fufpicion of him, though he will foon be made fenfible of his power." Thus {he fpoke, and immediately regained the gilded cloud from which fhe had defcended, leaving behind her an ambrofial odour, with which all Calypfo's groves were perfumed. 7'he god of love remained in the arms of Ca- lypfo, who, though a goddefs, found that the flame had reached her heart. To eafe herfelf, fhe gave him to the nymph who was next to her, named Eucharis. But alas ! how heartily did fhe afterwards repent of having thus difpofed ef him. At firft, nothing appeared more innocent, gentle, amiable, frank, and good-humoured than that child. To fee him always fprightly, oblig- ing, laughing, one would have thought that he never could be the occafion of any uneafinefs : but no fooner was any confidence placed in his H 5 cardies, i 5 4 THE ADVENTURES carefTes, than they were found to convey a kind of poifon to the heart. The falfe malicious child employed thofe arts only, in order to be- tray, and never laughed-, but on account either of the mifchief he had done, or wifhed to do. Mentor's feverity frightened him, fo that he was afraid to go near him, having found him proof againft all his arrows, and abfolutely invulner- able. As for the nymphs, all of them foon felt the flames that the treacherous Cupid had light- ed up ; but they carefully concealed the deep wounds that rankled at their hearts. In the mean time, Telemachus, feeing the child play- ing with the nymphs, was ftruck v/ith his beauty and good humour. Taking him up 3 he fome- times hugged him in his arms, fometimes dan- dled him on his knees. But he foon felt an un- eafinefs, the caufe of which he could not dif- cover ; the more he fought innocent amufement, the more uneafy he grew, and the lefs refolution he had. ci Have you obferved," faid he to Mentor, an oath at which the gods themfelves tremble* But know, Telemachus, thy misfortunes are not at an end : ungrateful boy ! thou fhalt quit my ifle, only to be the prey of new difafters ; and thou fhalt live to regret Calypfo in vain : I'll be revenged ! Neptune, ftill incenfed againft thy father, who offended him in Sicily, and fol- licited by Venus, whom thou haft treated with contempt in the ifle of Cyprus, is preparing more ftorms for thy devoted head. Thy father is not dead, and thou wilt fee him again; but thou fhalt fee him, without knowing who he is $ nor (halt thou join him in Ithaca again, till after having been the fport of the moft cruel, unrelenting for- tune. Qo : may the celeftiai powers be my avengers ! Mayft thou, hanging from a rock in the middle of the fea, and blafted by the thunder, in vain invoke Calypfo, who will be over-joyed at thy fufferings." Having thus vented her indignation, fuch was the diffraction and fluctuation of her mind, that (he was ready to take new refolutions, directly contrary to the former. Cupid again excited in her heart a defire to detain Telemachus. ** Let him live," faid fhe to herfelf, " let him continue here ; perhaps, he will at lafl: be fenfible how much he is indebted to me, Eucharis cannot, like me, beitow upon him immortality. O Vol. I. I ftort- 170 THE ADVENTURES fhort-fighted Calypfo ! you have ruined yourfelf" by your oath : you are now faft bound ; and as you have fvvorn by the waters of Styx, there re- mains no more hope for you." Nobody heard thefe words : but the furies appeared in her countenance, and all the poifon of black Cocytus feemed to exhale from her heart. Telemachus was ftruck with horror at the fight of her. This fhe perceived, (for what is there that can efcape the penetration of a lover ?) and his horror ferved only to increafe her rage. As a bacchanal, who fills the air with howling until the lofty mountains of Thrace re-echo with the found, fo did the goddefs traverfe the woods with a dart in her hand, calling all her nymphs, and threatening to put to death who- ever did not follow her. Terrified with this menace, they all ran after her together. Even Eucharis followed with tears in her eyes, look- ing at Telemachus, to whom me no longer durft fpeak. The goddefs fhuddered when fhe faw her among the reft ; and inftead of being ap- peafed by her fubmiffion, fhe became more out- rageous, finding that Eucharis's beauty was heightened by diftrefs. In the mean time, Telemachus, being left alone with Mentor, fell down before him, and clafped his knees j for he was afraid to embrace him other wife, or even to look at him. He fhed a flood OF TELEMACHUS. 171 a flood of tears, and would have fpoke, but his voice faultered. Befides, he did not know what he fhould fay, or do, nor indeed what he was doing, or what he would be at. At laft he ex- claimed, " O Mentor ! my true father, deliver me from fo many woes. I am not able to pre- vail upon myfelf either to forfake you, or to fol- low you. Deliver me from (o many woes : de- liver me from myfelf, and put me to death." Mentor embraces, comforts, and encourages him, and without: flattering his paflion, teaches him to fupport his character. He addrefTed him thus : ** Son of the fage UlyfFes," faid he, " whom the gods have fo much loved, and ftill regard, it is in confequence of that regard you -now fufFer fuch dreadful woes. He who is a Granger to his own weaknefs, and the violence of his paflions, cannot be faid to be wife ; as he is unacquainted with himfelf, and knows not what it is to diftruft himfelf The gods have led you, as it were, by the hand, to the very brink of the precipice ; to (hew you the height of it, without fufTering you to fall down. You may now learn what, without experience, you never would have comprehended Ic would have been in vain, before to have talked to you of the de- lufions of love, which flatters only to deitroy, and which, under an appearance of pleafure, conceals the moft exquifite pain and uneaiinefs. I 2 The 172 THE ADVENTURES The charming boy Cupid came attended with fmiles, fports, and graces. You faw him : and when he ftole your hearty you was pleafed with the theft. You induftrioufly fought pretences to render you infenfible of the wound he had made in your heart. You endeavoured alfo to deceive me, while you flattered yourfelf, and you had no apprehenfion of any danger. Behold now the effects of your rafhnefs : you wifh for death, and from that alone you hope relief. The dif- tracled, defpairing goddefs raves Jike an infernal fury, and Eucharis is confumed by a flame more infupportable than the agonies of death. All the nymphs are ready> from jealoufy, to tear one another in pieces, and thefe are the doings of* the treacherous Cupid, who yet appears fo in- nocent and engaging* Refolve to be no longer a flave, and to acl with your wonted courage and refolution. How much do the gods love you, fince they point out a way to you, by which you may efcapo from Cupid, and once more fee your native land ? Calypfo hath bound herfelf by oath to banifh you from her ifle, and the fhip' is quite finifhed and ready : why then do we delay a morneiu to quit this ifle, where virtue cannot inhabit ?" So faying, Mentor took him by the hand, and pulled him towards the more. Telemachus fol- lowed with reluctance, continually looking be- hind, OF TELEMACHUS. 173 hind, and gazing at Eucharis as (he withdrew. As he could not fee her face, he marked her fine braided hair, her flowing robe, and noble mien. He would have thought himfelf happy, could he have killed her footfteps. After he had loft fight of her, he liftened attentively, fancying he heard her voice, and though he faw her no more, thought me was yet before him. She was frill prefent to his imagination, and he even imagined he was talking to her, no£ knowing where he was, nor hearing Mentor, when he fpoke to him. At lafl, waking as from a deep deep, he thus accofted Mentor : " I am de- termined to go along with you, but I have not yet bid adieu to Eucharis. I would rather die, than depart in fuch an ungrateful manner. Wait till I fee her once more, and bid her an eternal farevvel. At lead, fairer me to fay thus much to her : " O nymph, the cruel gods, jealous of my happinefs, oblige me to depart : but foon- er 111 all they make me ceafe to live, than ceafe to remember you." O my father, either grant me this fo reafonable requeft and confolation, or put an end to my life this inftant. No, 1 will neither abide in this ifland, nor abandon myfelf to love. It is not love, but only friendfhip and gratitude that my heart feels for Eucharis. Al- low me to bid her only once adieu, and I will go along with you without any farther delay. I 3 " How i74 THE ADVENTURES " How much I pity you !" faid Mentor : *' your paflion is fo violent, that you are not fenfible of it. You pretend your heart is alto- gether unaffected, and yet fay, you would rather die than not fee her once more. Can you have the affurance to maintain, that love has not made a conqueft of you, when you cannot bear the thoughts of parting from the nymph ? You nei- ther fee nor hear any thing but her : to every thing elfe you are blind and deaf. Thus does a man in the delirium of a fever, fay, I am not fick. O Telemachus, how has love blind- ed you ! you would have renounced Penelope, who longs for your return ; Ulyfl'es, whom it is decreed that you fhall fee again ; Ithaca, where you are one day to reign ; and the glory and high deftiny, which it appears that the gods have in referve for you, by the many miracles they have wrought in yonr favour ! all thefe great and good things would you have renounced, to live in difhonour with Eucharis ! and will you, af- ter all, deny that you are in love with her ? What is it then that makes you uneafy ? Why do you wifh for death ? How came you to fpeak with fuch emotion before the goddefs ? I do not accufe you of falfehood and infincerity, but la- ment your blindnefs. Fly, Telemachus, fly. It is only by flight that love is to be overcome. Againft fuch an enemy, to fear and to fly, is true OF TELEMACHUS. 175 true courage ; and to fly too, without deliberat- ing, and without ever taking time fo much as to look back. You have not, I hope, forgot with what care and anxiety I have watched over you fince you was a child, and how many dan- gers you have efcaped by following my advice : either be guided by me, or let me go, and leave you to yourfelf. Did you know how it grieves me, to fee you run thus to ruin ; did you know what I fuffered, while I forbore fpeaking to you ; you would allow that the pangs of the mother which bore you, were' fhort of mine : I de- voured my chagrin, and was filent, ftill hoping that you would, of your own accord, repent and return to me. O my fon, my dear fon, com- fort my heart, and give me back again that which is dearer to me than life. Give me back Telemachus, whom I have loft, and refume again the command of yourfelf, which you have loft. If your vvifdom fhall get the better of your love, I fhall live and be happy ; but if love (hall tri- umph over your wifdom, Mentor cannot fur- vive." While Mentor fpoke thus, he was ftill ad- vancing towards the more ; and though Tele- machus was not yet fo much mafter of himfelf as to follow him of his own accord, yet he was calm enough to fuffer himfelf to be led along without making any refiftance. Minerva ftill I 4 dif- j 7 6 THE ADVENTURES difguifed under the figure of Mentor, by cover- ing Telemachus with her aegis, though invifible, and difFufing a ray of divinity around, infpired him with a fpecies of fortitude and refolution, that he had never experienced fince he came into the ide. They at laft arrived at a part of the fea-coaft that was fteep and craggy, a rock, con- tinually beaten by the foaming waves. From the top of this, looking to fee if the fhip, that Mentor had built, was ftill in the fame place, they beheld a difmal fpe«Stacle. Cupid was extremely chagrined to find that the old ftr3nger not only bid defiance to his darts himfdf^ but had refcued Telemachus from his fnares. He wept with vexation, and went in queft of Calypfo, who was roaming through the gloomy forcfts. At fight of him (he fhuddered ; and found all the wounds in her heart began to bleed afrefh. Cupid accofted her thus : " You are a goddefs, and yet you fufTer yourfelf to be overcome by a weak mortal, who is a prifoner in your ifle. Why will you fufTer him to ef- cape ?" " O, mifchievous Cupid !" fhe replied, M I will no longer liften to thy pernicious coun- sels : it is thou, who haft robbed me of a pro- found and fweet tranquillity, to plunge me in- to an abyfs of mifery. Nay, I cannot, if I would, liften to thee ; for I have fworn by the waters of Styx, that I will let Telemachus go : and even OF TELEMACHUS. 177 even Jupiter himfelf, with all his power, dare not infringe that tremendous oath. Telemachus, begone out of my ifle ; and thou, mifchievous boy, take thyfelf likewife away ; thou haft done me more prejudice than he." Cupid, wiping away his tears, replied with an ironical and mali- cious fneer : " Here is a mighty difficulty indeed ! I do not defire you fhould break your oath, or oppofe his departure ; only oppofe not me. Nei- ther I, nor your nymphs, have fworn by the wa- ters of Styx, that we will let him go. I will perfuade them to fet nre to that fhip which Mentor has built in fuch a hurry. His dili- gence, which furprifed you, will fignify nothing. He fhall be furprifed in his turn, and fhall not have it in his power to deprive you of Tele- machus. Thefe flattering words infpired the heart of Calypfo with frefh hope and joy. The fame effecT: produced by the cooling zephyr, in refrefli- ing the panting flocks that faint beneath the fummer's heat, on the banks of a tranflucent frream, now flowed from his propofal in footh- in£ the anguifh of the eoddefs. Her looks re- fumed their ferenity, her eyes their fvveetnefs ; and the violent uneafinefs that preyed upon her heart, was for a little while fufpended. She paufed > fmiled, and careffed the gamefome, little 1 $ god > 178 THE ADVENTURES god -, and by thofe carefifes brought new trouble on herfelf. Cupid, glad that he had obtained her confent, went next in queft of the nymphs, in order to engage them in the defign. They were difperfed all over the mountains, like a flock of fheep, purfued by famimed wolves, and driven far from the fhepherd. Cupid brought them together, and accofted them thus : " Telemachus is ftill in your power. Hafte, burn the vefTel which the prefumptuous Mentor has built to convey him hence." They forthwith light the torches ; and ran raging to the fhore, fcreaming aloud and toning their difhevelled locks like bacchanals. Already the curling flame afcends and preys up- on the veffel, compofed of dry, feafoned timber, fmeared with pitch ; a cloud of mingled fmoke and fire mounts upwards to the clouds. From the fummit of the rock, Telemachus and Mentor beheld the flames, and heard the fhouting nymphs. Telemachus felt fomething like joy on this occation j for his heart was not yet cured 5 and Mentor perceived his paffion, like a fire ill-extinguifhed, which breaks out from time to time, from underneath its allies, and fiercely fparkles as it burns. M Now," faid Telemachus, "am I again entangled in the toils of love. No hope remains of being able to quit this Me." Mentor OF TELEMACHUS. 179 Mentor faw plainly that Telemachus was going to relapfe into all his former weaknefTes, and that there was not a moment to be loft. He perceived a little out at fea a (hip at anchor, not daring to approach the ifland, as all the. pi- lots knew it was inacceiftble to every mortal. The fage conductor, without further hefitation, pufhed Telemachus into the fea, as he fat up- on the edge of a rock, and threw himfelf head- long into the fame abyfs. Telemachus, at firft, being quite confounded and difconcerted with the fall, was tofTed about by the waves, and fwallowed bitter draughts of fea-water. But, recollecting himfelf, and feeing Mentor holding out his arm to aflift him in fwimming, he thought of nothing now, but vigoroufly to cleave his way far from this fatal ifle. The nymphs, who thought they held their captives fafe, now feeing that they could not hinder their efcape, broke out in furious excla- mations. Calypfo, inconfolable, retired within her grotto, which echoed with her difmal (hrieks and lamentations. Cupid, finding his promifed triumph changed into a fhameful overthrow, fprang upwards to the middle air, and with ex- panded wings flew to the Idalian grove ; where his cruel mother waited his return. Her off- fpring ftill more cruel, confoled himfelf by laughing with her for the mifchief they had I 6 doner 1S0 THE AD VENTURES, &c. done. In proportion as Telemachus advanced from the ifland, he found his courage and his love of virtue revive, f manners* THE 1 82 THE ADVENTURES *""ir*HE (hip at anchor, towards which they **■ fwam, was from Phoenicia, and bound to Epirus. The people on board had feen Tele- machus in the paffage from Egypt to Tyre, but they could not recognize him amidft the waves. Mentor, having approached near enough the fhip to be heard, raifed his head above the water, and, with a loud voice, thus addrefl'ed himfelf to thofe on board : " O Phoenicians, whofe humanity is known to all nations, refufe not to fave the lives of two men, who expect it from your goodnefs. If you entertain any ve- neration for the gods, take us on board ; we will accompany you whitherfoever you are bound.'* The matter of the (hip replied thus : " We will take you on board with pleafure ; we are not to learn, how much it is our duty to fuc- cour ftrangers in fuch diftrefs." Accordingly they took them on board. They were fcarce admitted^when, their breath being quite exhauft- ed, they fainted away ; having fwam a great way, and ftruggled hard with the waves. By degrees, however, they recovered their ftrengtli and fpirits, after having changed their cloaths, which were fo thoroughly wet, that the water poured from them in abundance. As foon as they were in a condition to fpeak, the Phoenici- ans crowded about them, impatient to hear their advea- OF TELEMACHUS, 183 adventures ; and the matter addrefTed them in thefe terms : " How did you get footing in that ifland, from whence you came ? It is faid to be inhabited by a cruel goddefs, who fuffers no- body to land in it. Befides, it is furrounded with frightful rocks, againil which the fea beats furioufly, fo that there is no approaching it with- out being fhipwrecked. Mentor replied : " We were caft upon it ; we are Greeks, and the place of our nativity is Ithaca, which is not far from Epirus, whither you are bound. If you do not intend to put into Ithaca by the way, you are welcome to> carry us to Epirus j we will find friends enough there to convey us to Ithaca, as it is not far off, and we fhall always think ourfelves obliged to you, for our feeing again, what we long for above all things in the world." Thus Mentor was the fpeaker, and Telema- chus kept filence, without taking offence ; for the faultinefs of his conduct in the ifle of Calyp- fo, had made him much wifer and more cautious than he was before. He was more fenfible of his own weaknefs, and faw how necefTary it was for his happinefs, always to follow the fage counfels of Mentor - y fo that when at any time it was not proper to afk his advice, he confut- ed his eyes, anJ endea^ured thereby to difcover his fentiments, The I»4 THE ADVENTURES The Phoenician commander fixing his eyes up« on Telemachus, thought he remembered to have feen him before, but could not recollect when or where. " Allow me," faid he, ■" to afk you, if you remember to have feen me before, as I have a notion that I have feen you. Your face is fo familiar to me, that it fhuck me at firfr, fight ; but I know not where I might have feen you : perhaps, your memory is better than mine, and will clear up the difficulty." Telemachus replied with furprize and joy: " The fight of you has the fame effect upon me. I have (etn you fomewhere ; I remember your features : but I cannot recollect whether it was at Tyre or in Egypt." Then the Phoenician, like a man, who, when he wakes in the morn- ing, by degrees recollects the fleeting dream that had vanimed with his fleep, exclaimed imme- diately : " You are Telemachus, for whom Narbal conceived a friendfhip, in our pafTage from Egypt. I am his brother ; without doubt, he muft have often fpoke of me to you. I left you with him in Tyre, after our return from Egypt, being obliged to embark for the famous Boetica, near the Pillars of Hercules, far beyond the fea. Thus having had but juft a fight of you, it is no wonder if I could not eafily recollect you." " I find," faid Telemachus, " you are Adoam. I had fcarce an opportunity of feeing, yoii OF TELEMACHUS. 185 you at that time ; but I know you by the con- verfation I had with Narbal. O what joy it gives me, that I can be informed by you con- cerning a man, that fhall ever be dear to me ! is he ftill at Tyre ? Is he not fuffering fome cruel treatment from the jealous, barbarous Pyg- malion ?" Adoam interrupted him, and replied : ** Telemachus, be allured, fortune hath put you into the hands of one, who will take the utmofl care of you. I will carry you to the ifle of Ithaca, before I go to Epirus ; and you fhall find as good a friend in NarbaPs brother, as you did in Narbal himfelf." As he fpoke thus, per- ceiving that a breeze, which he waited for, was fpringing up, he ordered the anchors to be weigh- ed, the fails to be hoifred, and the oars to be plied. Then he retired to have fome private converfation with Mentor and Telemachus, which he opened in this manner. " I am now going, Telemachus, to fatisfy your curiofity. Know then, that Pygmalion is now no more ; the juft gods have delivered mankind from that tyrant. As he trufted in nobody, fo nobody could truft in him ; the good contented themfelves with lamenting and guard- ing againft his cruelties, but would not be con- cerned in any defign upon his life. On the other hand, the wicked thought they could not otherwife fecure their own lives, but by putting an 186 THE ADVENTURES an end to his. There was not a perfon at Tyre, that was not every day in danger of becoming an object of his jealoufy ; but his guards were, in a particular manner, expofed to this danger. For, as his life was in their hands, he dreaded them much more than others; and, upon the leaft fufpicion, facrificed them to his fears. Thus, by endeavouring to fecure his perfon againft all danger, he expofed it to the greateft. His guards lived in continual apprehenfions, in confequence of his jealoufy ; and they had no other way to rid themfelves of that, than by cutting off the tyrant." " The firft, however, that formed a defign to take away his life, was the wicked Aftarbe, of whom you mull have often heard. She being paflionately in love with a rich young Tyrian, named Joazar, flattered herfelf with the hopes of being able to fet him upon the throne. In order to fucceed in this defign, fhe made the king believe, that his eldeft fon, named Pha- dael, from an impatience to mount the throne, had confpired againft his life ; and fhe procured falfe witnefTes to confirm the information by oath. The unhappy king, in confequence of this in- telligence, put his innocent fon to death. The fecond fon, named Baleazar, was fent to Samos, in order, as was pretended, to inftruct himfelf in the manners and fciences of Greece - 3 but in reality, OF TELEMACHUS. 187 reality, becauie Aftarbe had told the king, that it was neceiTary to fend him away, to prevent him forming connections with the malecontents. But, when the fhip, in which the prince had embarked, had got out to fea, thofe that com- manded on board, having been bribed by the cruel Aftarbe, made fhift to fink her in the night ; they threw the young prince into the fea, and then fwam to fome foreign barks that waited to take them up. " In the mean time, nobody was unacquainted with Aftarbe's amours, but Pygmalion alone; who imagined that he was the only object of her love. Thus did that prince, otherwife fo dif- truftful, blindly repofe an entire confidence in that wicked woman ; and this was owing to the violence of his paflion. In the mean time, his avarice prompted him to feek pretexts for put- ting to death Joazar, with whom Aftarbe was fo defperately in love ; and the defire of getting poiTeftion of the young man's wealth was his only motive. "While Pygmalion was thus a prey to avarice, love, and diftruft, Aftarbe was contriving how to make away with him. She was apprehenfive that he might, perhaps, have made fome difco- very with regard to her intrigues with Joazar : befides, fhe knew that avarice alone was fuffici- ent to determine him to take off that young man, and *88 THE ADVENTURES and therefore (he refolved to lofe no time, to be beforehand with him. The principal officers about court, (he faw were ready to imbrue their hands in the king's blood ; and fhe heard every day of fome new confpiracy : however, (he was afraid to communicate her defign to any indi- vidual, left (lie mould have been betrayed. She refolved therefore to take him off by poifon, as the furefl and fafeft: way. He had generally no- body at table with him, befides her, and what he intended for his own eating, he dreded him- felf, as he could not trull: any other perfon. In order the better to conceal his diftruft, and that he might not be feen while he was drefling his victuals, he fhut himfelf up in the mod retired part of his palace ; and thus was he obliged to forego almoft all the pleafures of the table, being entirely confined to fuch diflies as he knew how to prepare himfelf. Confequently he was excluded from all paftry and ragouts, prepared by the hands of profefTed cooks ; nay, he durfc not even make any ufe of wine, bread, fait, oil, milk, or other ordinary food, but was fain to content himfelf with the fruits which he gather- ed with his own hands in his garden, or pulfe which he had fown and boiled for his own eat- ing. His only drink was water, which he drew himfelf from a well in a corner of the palace, that had a door leading to it, the key of which he OF TELEMACHCJS. ig 9 he always kept. Whatever confidence he might feem to repofe in Aftarbe, he took care to guard againft any ill defigns fhe might have ; for he made her always firft tafte whatever he was to eat or drink, that if he was poifoned, fhe might be fo too ; and not have any hopes of furviving him. But, having taken an antidote, which an old woman, who was the confidante of her amours, and, ftill more wicked than herfelf, had furnifhed her with, fhe was no longer afraid to give the king poifon. The manner in which fhe executed her purpofe, was this. The old Woman, whom I juft now mentioned, all of a fudden made a noife at the gate, at the very in- irant they were fitting down to table. The king, always apprehenfive of a defign upon his life 5 was alarmed, and ran immediately to the gate, to fee if it was faft. In the mean time, the old woman had retired, and the king was in great perplexity, not knowing what to make of it, and not daring to open the gate to fee what was the matter. Aftarbe endeavours to compofe his fears, careffing him, and prefHng him to eat ; for fhe had thrown fome poifon into his golden cup, while he went to the gate. Pygmalion, according to cuftom, bid her drink firft, which fhe did without hefitation, truiting to the anti- dote. He then drank himfelf, and foon after fwooned away. As iVftarbe knew, that he would make 190 THE ADVENTURES make no fcruple to put her to death upon the leaft fufpicion, fhe immediately fell a-tearing her cloaths, and hair, and fhrieking moft hi- deoufly ; fhe embraced the dying king, and hugged him in her arms, fhedding at the fame time a flood of tears, which fhe had at com- mand, and coft her nothing. At laft, when fhe faw that the king was, in appearance, ready to expire, and almoft in the agony of death, to prevent all poflibility of his recovering, and at- tempting to take away her life, fhe pafTed in a moment from carefles, and the ftrongeft outward marks of tendernefs, to the moft favage fury ; for fhe flew directly upon him, and ftrangled him. Then taking the ring from his finger, and the diadem from his head, fhe fent for Joa- zar, and gave them to him ; flattering herfelf, that all thofe, who had been her adherents, would indulge her paflion, and proclaim him king. But thefe, her adherents, were a fet of mean, mer- cenary wretches, altogether incapable of a fincere attachment. Befides, they were deftitute of cou- rage, and dreaded the effects of the popular ha- tred, that Aflarbe had drawn upon herfelf ; and flill more, her own haughtinefs, diflimulation, and cruelty. In fine, every one, for his own fe- curity, wifhed, that a woman fo rro!ligate and abandoned, might be cut off. « The OF TELEMACHUS. 191 and endeavoured to make him eafy, by giving him all the praife that he deferved. But Achitoas was not fatisfied : for he perceived that Mentor furpafTed him ft ill more in modefty than in his talent for mufic. Mean while Telemachus turned to Adoam : " I re- member," faid he, " you mentioned a voyage you had made to Bastica, after your return from Egypt. Baetica is a country, of which fuch won- ders are told, as feem fcarce credible. Be fo kind as to inform me, what credit is due to thefe ftories." " I will with pleafure," faid Adoam, " give you an account of that famous country j it is defervedly an object of your cu- riofity ; for it even far exceeds what fame hath publifhed concerning it." Accordingly, he thus b^gan : f* The river Baetis runs through a fertile country, and the climate is always ferene and temperate. From this river, which falls into- the great Ocean, near the Pillars of Hercules, where, once upon a time, the impetuous fea,. breaking over its bounds, parted the land of Tarfis from the vaft continent of Africa, docs the country take its name. In it the golden age feems ftill to exift : for the winters are mild - 3 , the cold north winds never blow $ and in fu ai- mer.. OF TELE M AC H US. 205 mer, the air is always cooled and tempered by refrefhing breezes that fpring up about noon. Thus the whole year feerns to confift of fpring and autumn, without any other intervening fea- fon. " The lands, both in the vallies, and wide extended plains, bear, every year, two crops - x and the high-ways are lined with laurels, pome- granates, jelTamines, and other trees, always- green, and always in bloifom. The mountains are covered with flocks of fheep, whofe fine wool is in great requeft amongft all nations ; and there are feveral mines of gold and filver in the coun- try. But, the inhabitants, fimple in their man- ners, and happy in that firnplicity, do not rec- kon them as any part of their wealth. They account nothing fuch, that does not ferve to fupply the real wants of men.. When we firft began to trade with them, we found gold and filver employed for the fame purpofes as iron 5 as, for inftance, to make plough-fhares. Defti- tute of foreign traffic, they had no occafion for money. They are all either fhepherds, or hui- band men. 1 here are but few artificers to be feen in the country, for no other arts are allowed, but fuch as rninifter to the real wants of life.. The inhabitants being moftly hufbandmen and and fhepherds,, and leading a fimple, frugal life, have generally fkili enough, to perform them- ielvea 206 THE ADVENTURES felves all the handicraft work they have occafion for. and it muft be owned, they have a great deal, though their manners are fimple. The lands are not the property of individuals, but common to all 9 and every family is governed by its chief, who is in reality its king. Every father of a family may punim any of his children or grandchildren? for any mifdemeanor ; but, before he does (o 9 he always takes the advice of the reft of the family. But fuch punifhments are rare ; for that happy country is the habitation of innocence, fincerity, obedience to parents, and abhorrence of vice* It would feem, that Aftraea, who is faid to have quitted the earth, and retired to heaven, is ft ill in this lower world, and concealed among that people. They have no occafion for judges, be- ing judged by their own confciences. Every thin? is common amono- them : and the fruit of the trees and of the earth is in fuch plenty, to- gether with the milk of herds and flocks, and the people are fo fober, and fo eafily fatisfled, that there is no neceflity to make any partition. Every family moves from one part of this charming country to another, after having confumed the fruits and pafturage of the place where they had- pitched their tents. Thus, having no oppofite interefi* OF TELEMACHUS. 209 Jjiterefts to purfue, they love one another with a brotherly affection, that is never interrupted. And, it is to their contempt of fuperfluities, and delufive pleafures, that they are indebted for this their union, peace, and liberty. They are all free, and all equal ; there being no other dif- tinclion to be found among them, but what re- sults from the experience of the ancient fages, or the uncommon wifdom of fome young men, who are not inferior to thefe fages in confum- mate virtue. In this happy country, the horrid, cruel voice of fraud, violence, perjury, chicane, and war, is never heard. Never did human blood ftain the land ; and even that of lambs but feldom. When they are told of the bloody bat- tles, the rapid conquefts and revolutions that happen in other nations, they are quite loft in wonder and amazement. " What," fay they, " are not mankind fhort-lived enough by na- ture, but they mull hurry one another to a pre- mature death ! life is fhort, yet it would feeni to appear to them too long. Was it to maflacre, and make one another miferable, that they were fent into the world ?" "Again, thefe inhabitants of Baetica cannot con- ceive how conquerors, and fuch as bring mighty empires under their yoke, come to be i'o much admired. What madnefs, fay they, to place one's happincfs in ruling ftrangers 5 a tafk fo difficult and 210 THE ADVENTURES and troublefome, if it is performed according to the dictates of reafon and juftice ! but how can they take pleafure in compelling them to fubmit to their government ? It is all a wife man c?n be fuppofed to do, to fubmit to govern a traceable people, over whom the gods have fet him ; or a people who folicit him to be their father and ruler. But to aflume the government of a peo- ple by force, is to make one's felf very miferablr, to have the falfe glory of keeping them in fub- jedtion. A conqueror is a man, whom the gods, incenfed againft mankind, have, in their wrath, fent into the world, to ravage kingdoms, to fpread far and wide terror, mifery, arid defpair ; and to banifli liberty from the earth. If a man is am- bitious of glory, will he not find fufficient, in ruling, with wifdom, thofe whom God hath com- mitted to his charge ? Does he imagine, that, to merit praife, he muft become unjuft, violent, proud, a tyrant, and an ufurper ? War ought never to be thought of, but for the defence of liberty. Happy he, who is neither a flave him- felf, nor is madly ambitious of making flaves of others. Thefe mighty conquerors, of whofe glory fo much is faid, may be compared to rivers, which have overflowed their banks, and appear fo majeftic ; though, at the fame time, they have defolated all thofe fields which they ought only to have watered and fertilized.'' After Adoam had OF TELEMACHUS. 211 had thus defcribed Baetica and its inhabitants, Telemachus, who was charmed with the defcrip- tion, put feveral queftions to him. cc Do thefe people," faid he, " drink wine ?" " They never drink any," replied Adoam, " nor make any ; not that they want grapes, for there is no coun- try that produces better ; but they are fatisfied with eating them, as they do other fruits, and are afraid of wine, as tending to corrupt the human race. It is, fay they, a kind of poifon, that makes men mad ; and though it does not kill them, it turns them into beads. Health arid frrength may be preferved without it j but thofe who indulge it, not only endanger their health but their morals." Telemachus then faid : " I mould be glad to know what are the rules in regard to mar- riage in that country." " No man,'' faid A- doam, " muft have more than one wife j and he muft keep her as long as me lives. The honour of the men, in that country, depends as much upon their fidelity to their wives, as the honour of the women in other countries depends upon their fidelity to their hufbands. In no nation are married perfons truer to one another, or more jealous of the honour of the marriage bed. The women are beautiful and agreeable, but without diffimulation ; modefr. and indubi- ous. The confequence of marriage in that coun- 212 THE ADVENTURES country is a numerous iffue, tranquillity, and unfpoited chaftity. The hufband and wire Teem to be but one perfon in two bodies, and each of them bears a part in all the cares and concerns of the family. The hufband manages every thing without doors, and the wife confines herfelf to the ceconomy of the houfhold within : fhe ftu- dies to eafe and comfort her hufband ; and her whole ambition is to pleafe him ; thus fhe gains his confidence, and engages his affection more by her virtue, than her beauty ; and their mu- tual tendernefs and attachment continue unim- paired till death. The people are long lived, being fubject to few difeafes, in confequence of their fobriety, moderation, and regularity. Old men may be feen aged a hundred, or a hundred and twenty years, who are flili hearty and vi- gorous." " I have one queftion more to afk,'' faid Te- lemachus, " and that is, by what means they guard againft wars with their neighbours." "Na- ture," faid Adoam, " hath feparated them from other nations -, on one fide by the fea, and on the other by high mountains towards the north : befides, the neighbouring nations refpecl them on account of their virtues. It hath often hap- pened, that the neighbouring flates, when they could notamicably terminate their differences, have chofenthem for arbitrators, and as fuch, put them in OF TELEMACHUS. 213 in pofTeffion of the controverted territories and cities. As they never infult or incroach upon their neighbours, thefe entertain no fort of jea- loufy of them. They cannot forbear laughing, when they are told of kings, who cannot agree in fettling their frontiers. " Are they afraid," fay they, «« that the earth mould become too fcanty for its inhabitants ? There will always be more land than can be cultivated. As long as there are among us lands unoccupied and uncul- tivated, we would not even defend thofe we pof- {c(s, fhould our neighbours think proper to feize them." As the people of Boetica are entirely free from pride, vanity, deceit, and all defire of extending their territories, their neighbours have nothing to apprehend from them ; and, indeed, as little to hope from attacking them -, and there- fore they never make the leafl attempt a°-ainft them. They would fubrnit to the lois of their lives or their country, rather than be made flaves. They are equally incapable of enflaving others, and of being enflaved themfelves ; in confequencc of which difpofition, a profound peace fubfifts between them and their neighbours." Adoam concluded with an account of the trade which the Phoenicians carried on with Baetica. d he, " to fee ftrangers come by fea from a country fo remote ; and 2i4 THE ADVENTURES and they gave us liberty to build a city in ifle of Cadiz. We were treated with great kindnefs, and had part of all their effects, without paying any thing for it. Further, they generoufly offered us gratis all the wool that they fhould not have occafion for themfelves, and actually fent us a very valuable prefent or it. They take pleafure in giving away their fuperfluities to ftrangers. As for their mines, they yielded them up to us without the leaft hefitation ; for they were of no ufe to them. They thought thofe men had no great pretenfions to wifdom, who, with fuch infinite labour, penetrated into the bowels of the earth, in queft of what could not make them hippy, nor fatisfy any real want " tc Do not," faid they to us, " dig fo deep into the earth ; be contented with ploughing it, and it will yield you true riches, by fupplying you with food ; the fruits it will produce, are of more value than gold or filver, fince it is to procure food for the fupport of life, that thefe metals are co- veted." '* We have often offered to teach them naviga- tion, and to carry their young men with us to Phoenicia ; but they would never confent to their learning to live in our manner. " They would," iaici they, " thereby learn to want whatever is become neceffary to you. They could not dif- penfe OF TELEMACHUS. 215 pcnfe with them ; and would therefore quit the path of virtue, and take indirect methods to ob- tain them. They would become like a man, who had good legs, but wh j, by not ufing them, and being carried about like a Tick man in a chair, thinks at laft he cannot live without that convenience'. As for navigation, they admire the ingenuity and induftry of it ; but think it of dangerous tendency, " If," fay they, " thofe nations who practife it, have, in their own coun- try, wherewithal to fatisfy nature, what do they go to other countries for ( For what do they feek more than is fufiicient to fupply their real wants ? They deferve to perim, who rifk their lives amidft ftorms and tempelrs, to glut the avarice of merchants, and flatter the pafiions of other men." Telemachus liftened to Adoam with infinite pleafure ; and was very glad to find that there was yet a people on the earth, who, by fcl low- ing nature and right reafon, were, at the fame time, fo wife, and fo happy. " O how widely," faid he, " do the manners of thefe people differ from the filly, conceited, and affected manners of thofe nations that are accounted the wifeff. To fuch a degree are we fpoiled and corrupted, that we can hardly believe, that a Simplicity, fo agreeable to nature, is any where to be found. We 216 THE AD VENTURES, &c We regard defcriptions of the manners of fuch a people, as entertaining fables ; and they, on their part, may well regard ours as wild extra- vagant dreams. '* END OF THF EIGHTH BOOK. THE THE ADVENTURES O F TELEMACHUS. BOOK IX. THE ARGUMENT. Venus, Jilll breathing revenge agalnjl Tele?nachus y affiles to Jupiter^ to have him de/lrcysd. But the fates, not allowing of that : , fie goes and con- fults with Neptune , how to prevent his reaching Ithaca , whither Adoam VJas carrying him. In order to this they employ a deceitful divinity to miflead the pilot Athamas ; who, while he imagin- ed he was arrived at Ithaca, entered the port of the Valentines on full fail, Idomeneus, the king of that people, receives Telemachus in his new city, where he was bufy in making preparations for a fieri fee , to he offered to Jupiter, for fuccefs in a war agalnjl the AAandurians. 'The briefly upon confuliing the intrails of the victim, pro* tnifes Ido?neneus great fuccefs ; and tells him, that he would be indebted for it to the two Jir angers* who were jujl arrived. Vol. I. ' L WHILE 218 THE ADVENTURES WHILE Telemachus and Adoam were thus engaged in converfation, never thinking of fleep, nor perceiving that the night was al- ready half fpent ; a malicious, deceitful divinity carried them far from Ithaca, which the pilot Athamas endeavoured to make in vain. Nep- tune, though he favoured the Phoenicians, yet could not digeft Telemachus's efcape in the tem- ped:, which had driven him upon the rocks in Calypfo's ifle. Venus was {till more exafperated againft him, for his having triumphed over Cu- pid, and all the powers of beauty. So violent was her chagrin, that fhe bid adieu to Paphos, Cythera, Idalium, and all the honours which are paid her in the ifle of Cyprus. She could no longer bear the fight of thofe places in which Telemachus had made light of her power. She afcends towards the bright Olympus, where the o;ods were afTembled .about the throne of Jupiter, From thence the heavenly bodies are feen re- volving under their feet. This globe appears no bigger than a little mole hill, and the immenfe feas upon it, look like drops of water. The largeft empires are but as grains of fand upon the furface of it ; and the vafteft multitudes, and moft numerous armies, appear but as ants con- tending about a blade of grafs. The immortal gods make a jeft of the moft ferious and important affairs, OF TELEMACHUS. 219 affairs, with which weak mortals are agitated., and count them no better than children's play. What men call grandeur, glory, power, and deep policy ; n the eye of thefe fupreme divini- ties, is nothing more than mifery and folly. It is in this exalted region that Jupiter hath fixed his immoveable throne ; his eyes penetrate the abyfs, and illuminate the darkeft corners of the heart ; as his fmiles diffufe joy and peace throughout the whole univerfe. On the other hand, when he makes his awful locks, both the heaven and the earth tremble. Even the gods, dazzled with the glory that furrounds him, can- not approach him without awe and dread. The celeftial divinities were then afTembled around him, when Venus, adorned with every grace and charm, prefented herfelf before his throne. Her flowing robe difplayed a greater and brighter variety of colours, than all the tints of Iris, whren (he appears amidit the dark gloomy clouds, to give notice to affrighted mor- tals of the cefTation of tempefts, and the return of fair weather. It was bound by that famous girdle, which is the feat of the graces. Her hair hung down with a graceful negligence behind, tied with a golden fillet. The gods were all ftruck with admiration of her beauty, as if they had never feen her before ; and their eyes were dazzled in the fame manner as thofe of mortals L 2 are, 220 THE ADVENTURES are, when, after a long night, the rays of PhcebuS fuddenly flafh upon them. They looked at one another quite amazed, though they could hardly take their eyes off Venus. But they quickly perceived, that me fhed tears, and that grief was evidently exprefied on her countenance. In the mean time, me advanced towards the throne of Jupiter, with foft, but hafty fteps ; as a bird, in its rapid flight, darts through the immenfe fpace of air. He beheld her with a foft complacent fmile, and rifing, received her with a tender em- brace. " My dear daughter," faid he, " what occafions your uneafinefs ? I cannot beheld your tears without emotion. Unbofom yourfelf to me without constraint. You are no ftranger to my tendernefs and indulgence." Venus replied in a foft accent, interrupted by deep fighs : C{ Fa- ther of gods and men ! can you, who fee all things, be ignorant of the caufe of my uneafinefs ? Mi- nerva, not fatisfied with having razed to the found- ations the fiiperb city of Troy, which I defend- ed, and with having revenged hcrfelf on Paris, who preferred my beauty to hers ; conducts, over the whole face of the earth, by fea and land, the fon of Ulyfles, that cruel defrroyer of Troy. Telemachus is accompanied by Minerva - } and this is the true reafon, why me does not now appear to fill her place., among the other divi- nities. OF TELEMACHUS. 221 nities. She brought the ram youth into the iflc of Cyprus, in ' order to affront me : there he flighted my power, and would not fo much as deign to burn incenfe upon my altars. He tefti- fied an abhorrence of the feftivals that are cele- brated to my honour, and fhut his heart againfl all the pleafures of love. In vain did Neptune, at my requeft, purfue him with winds and waves : for, after he had been call:, by a dreadful tern- pefr, upon the ifle of Calypfo, he triumphed over Cupid himfelf, whom I fent thither on purpofe to try to make an impreflion upon his heart. Neither the youth nor charms of Calypfo, and her nymphs, nor the fiery darts of Cupid, have been able to defeat the ftratagems of Minerva, or prevent her carrying him off the ifland. Thus have I been baffled ; and thus a boy hath tri- umphed over all my power !" Jupiter, in order to affuage her grief, replied : expands its green leaves ; and, when it blows, difplays in its fragrant flowers, a thoufand charming co- lours, fo as to difclofe new beauties every mo- ment. So did the new-built city of Idomeneus fiourim upon the margin of the fea. Every day, and every hour it became more magnificent, and exhibited to thofe at a diftance on the fea new ornaments of architecture towering up to hea- ven.. The whole coaft echoed with the noifc of the workmen, and the found of hammers* Stones were feen fufpended in the air bv. ropes, and cranes. At break of day, all the chiefs of the people attended, to animate and encourage them in the profecution of the works -, and even Idomeneus went about and gave orders himfelf,. fo that they advanced in a furprifing manner.. As foon as the Phoenician fhip arrived, Tele- machus and Mentor were received by the Cre- tans with marks of. the fincereft friendship ; and a me.C OF TELEMACHUS. 229 a meflenger was immediately difpatched to ac- quaint Idomeneus with their arrival. " What," faid he, " the Ton of Ulyfles arrived ? Of Ulyfles, that dear friend of mine, that wife hero, through whom we at laft laid Troy level with the ground ! bring him hither, that I may let him fee how much 1 loved his father." Accordingly Telemachus was brought and prefented to him ; when he told him his name, and begged his protection. Idomeneus, with a ferene fmiling countenance replied : " Though I had not been told who you was, I believe I fhould have known you. In you I behold UlyiTe3 himfelf; his piercing eyes, and ftedfaft look; his firft appearance breathing cold referve, which yet concealed a rich fund of vivacity and ele- gance. I recognize that artful fmile, that care- lefs demeanour, that elocution fo foft, fo fimple, yet infinuating, which w T on aflent ere caution had time to be upon its guard. Yes, you are undoubtedly the fon of UlyiTes, and you fhall be mine alfo. O my fon, my dear fon ! what ac- cident hath brought you hither ? Are you in quefl of your father ? Alas ! I can give you no account of him- Both he and I have been per- fecuted by unrelenting fate : his misfortune con- fids in not being able to find hib country, and mine in finding it only to feel the heavy indigna- tion 2 3 o THE ADVENTURES tion of the gods." While Idomeneus fpoke thus, he eyed Mentor attentively, as a man whofe face he knew, though he could not re- collect his name. Meanwhile, Telemachus, while the tears bedewed his cheeks, replied. the judice of the war ; then tell us with whom it is to be carried on ; and ladly, on what forces and refources your profpecl: of fuccefs is found- ed." Idomeneus replied to this efTecfc ; " At our arrival upon this coaft, we found it inhabited by a favage race, who roamed through the foreds, and lived by hunting, and the fruits which the trees fpontaneoufly produced. Thefe people, who are called Mandurians, were greatly fur- prifed and alarmed at fight of our fhips and arms. They retired to the mountains : but our fol- diers, going to view the country, and hunt deer, were met by fome of shefe favage fugitives, whofe chiefs accoded them thus : M We quitted, for you, the pleafant fea-coad; {o that we have no- thing left but thefe almod inacceflible moun- tains : of thefe, at lead, we might reafonably expect you would leave us the free and undif- turbed poiTerlion. We have found you drag- gling up and down, and unable to defend your- felves againd us, fo that we might, if we had a mind, cut you all to pieces; and even take fuch precautions as would prevent your com- panions from having the lead intimation of your misfortune. But we will not embrue our hands in the blood of thofe who are men like our- felves. Go, and remember that you owe your lives OF TELE M AC H US. 247 lives to our humanity, and that it was a people, whom you call rude and favage, that treated you with fo much gentlenefs and generofity." Thofe of our men, who had been di (miffed in this man- ner by thefe barbarians, returned to our camp and gave an account of what had happened to them. Our foldiers were greatly enraged and mortified, that Cretans fliould owe their lives to a parcel of fugitives, who appeared to them to refemble bears more than men. They went, therefore, a-hunting in greater numbers than before, and provided with all forts of arms. In a fhort time they met and attacked the fava^es : the encounter was obftinate and bloody, and the arrows fell thick on both fides, as hail flones in a field during a ftorm. But at lafl the fa- vagcs were obliged to retire to their craggy moun- tains, whither our men durft not hazard the purfuit. " In a little time after this tranfa&ion, thefe people deputed to me two of their wifeft old men, to fue for peace. They brought me fome prefents, confiding of the fkins of wild beafts, and the fruits of the country. When they had delivered thefe prefents, they addreffed me thus : " O king, we have, you fee, in one hand the fword, and in the other an olive branch. (And they a&ually had both in their hands.) We offer you either peace or war, chufe which you M 4 Will. 248 THE ADVENTURES will. We, for our part, mould prefer peace. It was on that account we were not afhamed to leave you in poflefiion of the pleafant fea-coaft, which the fun fertilizes, and which produces fo many fine fruits. But peace is fweeterthan thefe fruits, and on that account we retired to thefe lofty mountains, which are always covered with ice and fnow, and where neither the flowers of the fpring, nor the rich fruits of autumn, are ever feen : we abhor that brutality, which, un- der the gaudy names of ambition and glory, madly ravages whole provinces, and fheds the blood of men, who are all brethren. If you are ambi- tious of this falfe glory, we envy you not, but pity you, and pray to the gods we may be pre- fcrved from the like madnefs. If the fciences, to which the Greeks apply themfelves fo clofely, and the politenefs on which they value them- felves fo highly, infpire them with fuch an ab- furd, deteftable ambition, we cannot but think ourfelves happy in being deftitute of fuch ad- vantages. We will always glory in being igno- rant barbarians, while, at the fame time, we are juft, humane, faithful, and difinterefted ; Can be fatisfied with a little, and defpife that vanity and delicacy that cannot be gratified with- out wealth. The things we value are thefe ; health, frugality, liberty, and vigour of body and mind $ the love of virtue, the fear of the gods, a kind OF TELEMACHUS, 249 a kind difpofition towards our neighbours, attach- ment to our friends, fidelity to all the world, moderation in profperity, fortitude in adverfity, courage always boldly to fpeak the truth, and abhorrence of flattery. Such is the people, whom we offer you for neighbours and allies. If the offended gods fo far blind you, as to make you reject the offer of peace, you will find, when it is too late, that the people who are moderate and lovers of peace are the moft formidable when obliged to engage in war." " While thefe old men harangued in this man- ner, I could not help furveying them with in- fatiabie curiofity. Their beards were long, and uncombed ; their hair fhorter, but white ; they had thick eye-brows, lively eyes, and a bold refolute look ; they fpoke with gravity and au- thority, and their manners were fimpie and in- genuous. The furs, with which they were clad, were tied together about their fhoulders ; fo that their arms being naked, we obferved they were more brawny and mufcular than thofe of our flouted wre filers. In annver to what they had propofed, I told thein I was defirous of peace. Accordingly we agreed on federal articles, with a fin cere intention to obferve them ; which we called all the gods to witnefs. The- after hav- ing received fome prefents from me. they returned home. But the gods, who had driven me from M 5 the 250 THE ADVENTURES the throne of my anceftors, were not yet weary of perfecuting me. That very day, a party of our men, who had been hunting, and whom it was not poflible fo foon to apprize of the peace which had been concluded, met a confiderable number of thefe barbarians, as they were return- ing with the two envoys from our camp, at- tacked them furioufly, killed fome, and drove the reft into the woods. Thus the war was renewed. The barbarians thought they could not depend either upon our promifes, or oaths. The better to enfure fuccefs in this war, they have called to their affiftance the Locrians, Apulians, Luca- nians, Brutians, together with the inhabitants of Crotona, Neritus, and Brundufium. The Lucanians come in chariots armed with fcythes ; the Apulians are clad, each with the fkin of fome wild bead: which he hath flain. They are armed with huge knotty clubs, pointed with iron. Their ftature is almoft gigantic, and fo robuffc are they in confequence of the laborious exercifes to which they are accuftomed, that the very fight of them is terrible. The Locrians, who came originally from Greece, ftill retain fomething of the manners of that country, and are more civilized than the reft : but to the exact difci- pline of the Greeks they have joined the vigour and hardinefs of the barbarians ; fo that they are invincible. They ufe light bucklers made of ozier OF TELEMACHUS, 251 ozier covered with fkins, and fwords of an im- moderate length. The Brutians are fwift of foot, and in running equal the ftag or deer. They feem hardly to touch the grafs they run over, and the print of their feet is fcarce vifible in the fand. They fall upon their enemies like light- ning, and difappear as fuddenly. The people of Crotona are dexterous bowmen. An ordinary man among the Greeks could not bend the bows commonly ufed by the Crotoniates ; if they mould ever apply themfelves to our exercifes, they would certainly carry off the prizes at the games. Their arrows are dipped in the juice of certain herbs, which, it is faid, grow on the banks of Avernus, and contain a mortal poifon. As for the inha- bitants of Neritus, MefTapium, and Brundufium, they are remarkable for nothing but ftrength of body and artlefs valour. At fi2;ht of their ene- my, they yell in a hideous frightful manner. They are pretty expert {lingers, darkening the air, when they engage, with mowers of ftones j but they fight without any order. Thus, Men- tor, I have endeavoured to give you the fatis- faction you required. You now know the oc- cafion of the war, and who and what our ene- mies are." After this explanation, Telemachus, impatient for the fight, was going directly to take arms j but Mentor flopped him, and thus addreiFed Ido- M 6 meneus ; 2 5 2 THE ADVENTURES meneus : " I fhould be glad to know, how it happens that the Locrians, who came originally from Greece, have joined the barbarians againfr. the Greeks ; and how it happens, that fo many Greek colonies flourifh on this coaft, without haying the fame wars to maintain as you. O Idomeneus ! you fay that the gods are not yet weary of pei fecuting you : but I fay, they have not yet fmifhed your inftruction. The many misfortunes you have undergone, have not yet taught you how to act in order to prevent a war. What you have faid yourfelf of the good faith of thefe barbarians plainly fhews that you might have lived in peace with them : but pride and haughtinefs give rife to the moft dangerous wars. You might have exchanged holrages ; and you might have eafily fent fome of your officers along with their envoys to conduct them fafely back to their country. Even after the war had broke out afrefh, you might have eafily pacified them, by reprefenting to them, that thofe by whom they had been attacked were ignorant of the al- liance which had been concluded. You fhould have offered them all the fecurity they could de- fire, and threatened to punifh thofe with the utmoft feverity v/ho fhould be guilty of the lead infraction of the treaty. But, pray wiiat hath happened fince the war was renewed ?'' cc I thought," replied Idomeneus, " it would bet floop- OF TELEMACHUS. 253 {looping too low, to endeavour to pacify thefe barbarians, who had now muftered all their peo- ple that were able to carry arms, and lent to implore the amftance of all the neighbouring ftates, in whom they excited a hatred and jea- loufy of us. I refolved, therefore, as the moil prudent ftep I could take, immediately to make fure of certain pafTes in the mountains which were but flightly guarded. We got pofTeflion of them without any difficulty, and confequently have it in our power to lay wafte their country. I have fortified them with towers, from whence the garrifons can eafily overpower with darts all that attempt to enter our country from the moun- tains. On the other hand, we can invade their country whenever we have a mind, and ravage their principal fettlements. Hence, with forces far inferior, we can refift that innumerable mul- titude of enemies that furround us. And now it is become very difncult to bring about a peace betwixt us : for v/e cannot evacuate thefe forts, without expofing ourfelves to their incurfions ; and they look upon them as citadels, built with a view to inflave them.*' Mentor made this reply to Idomeneus : " You are a wife king, and defire to have the truth told you without difVuife. You are not one of thofe weak men, who are afraid of it, and who, as they have not the greatnefs of mind to 254 THE ADVENTURES to own and correal their errors, employ ail their authority to fupport the faults they have com- mitted. Know then, that thefe barbarians gave you an admirable lefTon, when they came to fue for peace. Was it from a fenfe of their weak- nefs that they made it their requeft ? Did they want courage, or refources wherewith to main- tain the war againft you ? You fee they do not,, fince they are fo brave a people, and fupported by fo many formidable neighbours. Why did not you imitate their moderation ? But a falfe fhame, and falfe notions of honour, led you into this error and misfortune. You was afraid of making your enemy proud and infolent, but you was not afraid of making them too powerful, by bringing fo many ftates to unite againft. you, in confequence of your haughty, unjufl: conduct. What purpofe can thefe forts, of which you boaft fo much, ferve, but that of laying all your neighbours under a neceffity either of deftroying you, or being themfelves deftroyed, to prevent their being made flaves. You erecled them, with a view to fecure you againft all danger, and yet you have thereby expoled yourfelf to the greateft. The beft bulwarks to a ftate arc juftice, moderation, good faith, and the confidence of your neighbours, that you are incapable of encroaching upon their territories. The ftrongeft walls may be demolifhed by many unforefeen ac- cidents, OF TELEMACHUS. 255 cidents, and fortune is very capricious and in- conftant in war. But the love and confidence of your neighbours, when once they have expe- rienced your moderation, fecure your dominions from being fubdued, and almoft from being at- tacked. But if they mould be attacked by an unjuft neighbour, all the reft, who are interefted in protecting them, immediately take arms for their defence. Thus fupported by fo many ftates, who would have found it their intereft to efpoufe your caufe, you would have been much more powerful than thefe forts can make you ; which, in fact, render your misfortunes irretrievable. If you had taken care at firfr, not to give any umbrage to your neighbours, your new city would have flourifhed in a happy peace, and all the nations of Hefperia would have referred their differences to your decifion. But let us now confider, how you are to acl: for the future, in order to repair paft errors. You told me, I think, that there were feveral Greek colonies fet- tled upon this coaft. Thefe, I mould imagine, would be inclined to affiit. you. They cannot have forgot, either the great name of Minos, the fon of Jupiter, or your exploits at the fiege of Troy, where you diftinguimed yourfelf fo much among the other chiefs in the common caufe of Greece. Why then do not you endea- vour 256 THE ADVENTURES vour to engage thefe colonies to arm in your de- fence ?" " They have all," replied Idomeneus, M taken a refolution to ftand neuter. They had, it is true, fome inclination to aflift me ; but the pro- mifing appearance of this city, from its founda- tion, alarmed them. Thefe Greek colonies, as well as the other ftates, were apprehenfive that we had a defign upon their liberty. They were perfuaded, that if we mould fubdue thefe favages of the mountains, we would be ambitious of ex- tending our conquefts ftill farther. In fhort, they are one and all againft us. Even thofe who are not avowedly againft us, yet would be glad to fee us humbled : fo that jealoufy has not left us a fingle ally." " What an extremity !" exclaimed Mentor : " by aiming at appearing too powerful, you have ruined your power ; for, while abroad, you are the object of the hatred and jealoufy of your neighbours, you exhauft yourfelf at home in the efforts and preparations neceftary to maintain a war againft them. O unhappy, doubly unhappy Idomeneus, whom fuch a dangerous fituation- hath but half inftrucled ! muft you fall a fecond time to learn to foreiVe the dangers that threaten the greateft kings ? But leave me to a£l for the beft : meanwhile, give me a particular account of thefe Grecian cities." « The OF TELEMACHUS. 257 " The chief," replied Idomeneus, " is Ta- rentum ; it was founded three years ago by Pha- lantus, who, for that end, afTembled in Laconia a great number of young men, the offspring of thofe wives, that, during the war of Troy, had forgot their abfent hufbands. When the huf- bands returned, the wives thought of nothing but pacifying them, and difavowing their faults. Hence that great number of young men, who were born out of wedlock, being difowned both by father and mother, became extremely licen- tious and abandoned. But the magiftrate inter- pofing and checking thefe diforders, they made choice of Phalantus, a bold, intrepid, ambitious, artful man, for their conductor, came and fettled on this coaft, and of Tarentum have made a fe- cond Lacedsemon. On another part of the coaft, but in the neighbourhood, hath Philocletes, who gained fo much glory at the fiege of Troy, by carrying thither the arrows of Hercules, built the city Petilia ; lefs powerful indeed, but bet- ter governed than Tarentum. Finally, we have, at no great diftance from us, Metapontum, which was founded by the fage Neftor, and his Pylians." c i What," faid Mentor, " have you Neftor in Hefperia, and yet could not engage him in your interefts ? Neftor, who faw you (o often en- counter the Trojans, and was then your friend ?" " I loft him," replied Idomeneus, " by the ar- tifice 2 5 3 THE ADVENTURES tifice of thofe people who are barbarians only in name. They had addrefs enough to perfuade him that I wanted to bring all Hefperia under my yoke." " We will undeceive hjm," replied Mentor. wife, in cafe he mould reject his offers of peace. Take care then, that by fo doing, you do not give him an opportunity of charging you, in his turn, with being in the wrong. Should peace and juftice now folicit in vain, they will certainly have their revenge. In that cafe,, N 6- Idome- 276 THE ADVENTURES Idomeneus will have the gods, whom before he had reafon to fear were offended at him, on his fide, and Telemachus and I will fight on the fide of juftice. I take all the gods, celeftial and infernal, to witnefs the fair and juft pro- pofals I have made." As he pronounced thefe laft words, Mentor lifted up his arm, to fhew the feveral nations there affembled the olive-branch, which he held in his hand as a fignal of peace. The chiefs, who flood near him, were dazzled and amazed at the divine fire that fparkled in his eyes. He appeared with an air of majefty and authority, far fuperior to that which diftinguifhes beyond anything of the greateft among the fons of men. There was a force and magic in his words that rendered them altogether irrefiftible. They re- fembied thofe charms, which, in the dead of night, controul the moon and ftars, appeafe the ruffled fea, filence the winds and waves, and avert the moft rapid rivers in tbeir courfe. Mentor, in the midft of thofe furious nations,- refembled Bacchus furrounded by fierce tygers, which, forgetting their natural cruelty, and tamed by the irrefiitible power of his eloquence, came and licked his feet, and fawned upon him, ia token of fubmiffion. At firft, the whole army was hufhed in profound filence. The chiefs looked at one another, as they could neither xiM OF TELEMACHUS. 277 refifl his eloquence, nor conceive who he was y, and the troops flood all motionlefs, with their eyes fixed upon him. They were afraid to fpeak, left he fhould have yet fomething to fay, and they fhould prevent his being heard ; and, though they could not conceive what he might have to fay further, yet they were forry he had done fpeaking. All that he had hitherto faid, waf^ in a manner, engraved upon their hearts. By fpeaking, he gained both their love and their afTent ; and every one difcovered the utmoft eagernefs and attention to catch every word that fell from his mouth. At laft, after a pretty long filence, a gentle murmur was heard fpreading itfelf on all hands* It was not now the confufed harm noife occa- fioned by rage and indignation ; but, on the con- trary, a foft, gentle murmur. There was a ferenity and fatisfaclion vifible in every counte- nance. The Mandurians, who, but a little be- fore were fo much enraged, now felt themfelves infenfibly difarmed ; and the fierce Phalantus, with his Lacedaemonians, were amazed to find their own hearts fo mollified. Nor were the other nations, that compofed the army of the allies, lefs favourably difpofed. Philocletes in particular, who had fufFered (o much by war, was fo overjoyed at the profpecl of peace, that he could not refrain from tears, Neftor was fo much 278 THE ADVENTURES much affected with what Mentor had faid, tha§ he could not utter one word -, but embraced him tenderly. And all the multitude, as if by concert, exclaimed : u O venerable fage ! you have difarmed us quite, — peace ! peace ! now happy peace fhall be reftored !" A little after this exclamation, Neftor was going to fpeak j but the whole army, impatient for peace, and apprehenfive that he was about to ftart fome new difficulty, cried out again, Peace ! peace ! nor could they be filenced till all the commanders had joined them in the cry. Neftor, perceiving it would be in vain to at^ tempt to make a regular fpeech, faid only, *' You fee, Mentor, how powerful the words of the wife and virtuous are. When wifdom and virtue fpeak, they eafily triumph over all the p?ffions. Our juil refentment is now changed into a fincere defire of amity and peace, and we accept of that which you have offered." At the fame time, all the chiefs immediately held out their hands, to fignify their confent and appro- bation. Then Mentor haflening to the gate of Salen- tum, ordered it to be opened, and fent word to- Idomeneus to come out direclly, without the leaft hefitation or fear. Neftor, in the mean, time, embracing Telemachus, " Amiable fon of the wifeft of all the Greeks/' faid he ? . OF TELEMACBUS,. a.79 ** may you be as wife, and more happy than your fire : but have you never yet made any difcovery with refpect to his fate ? The remem- brance of your father, whom you greatly re- ferable, hath contributed to ftifle our indignation." Philantus, though naturally fierce and hard- hearted, and though he never faw UlyfTes, yet could not help fympathizing with his- misfor- tunes, and thofe of his fon. And now they were preffing Telemachus to relate his adven- tures, when Mentor returned with. Idomeneus^ attended by all the Cretan youth. At fight of Idomeneus, the indignation of the allies was re-kindled anew : but Mentor fur- thered the flame, jutf ready to blaze out. " Why," faid he, " do we delay concluding this folemn treaty, of which the gods will be witnefTes and guarantees ? Should any impious wretch ever dare to violate it, may the gods take vengeance on him ; and while thofe nations that are inno- cent, and have been true to their engagements, live in peace and fafety ; may all the horrible calamities of war overtake that execrable, ambi- tious, perjured prince, who mall break the facred bands of this accommodation. May he be de- tefted both by gods and men ; may he never en- joy the fruits of his perfidy ; may the furies, under the moil hideous figures, drive him to defpair and difbaclion : may he fall unpitied, with- ago THE ADVENTURES without hope of fepulture ! may his body be a prey to dogs and vultures, and may he in the infernal regions and profound abyfs of Tartarus fufFer more cruel tortures than Tantalus, Ixion, and the daughters of Danaus, But rather may this peace be lalting, like the rocks of Atlas that fupport the canopy of heaven ; may all nations revere it, and reap the fruits of it, from gene- ration to generation ; may thofe who made it be held in efteem and veneration by our lateft pofterity ; may this peace, founded on juflice, and good faith, be the model of all thofe that fhail henceforth be concluded in any part of the world ; and may all thofe ftates who mail, for the future, refolve to make themfelves happy by re-eftabliming peace and friendfliip, propofe for their imitation the people of Hefperia." After this folemn atteftation, Idomeneus and all the other kings fwore to fulfil the articles of the peace, as they had been agreed upon, and twelve hoftages were reciprocally given. Tele- machus, at his own defire, was one of thofe whom Idomeneus pledged : the allies, however, would not confent that Mentor mould be an- other j but infilled on his remaining with Ido- meneus, to fuperintend his conduct, and that of his counfellors, till the treaty mould be executed in its full extent. Between the city and the army of the allies,, were facrificed an hundred heifers,, OF TELEMACHUS. 281 heifers, and as many oxen, white as fnow, whofe horns were gilded and adorned with flowers. The frightful bellowings of the vi&ims, as they fell under the facred knife, were re-echoed from the neighbouring mountains, and the reeking blood gufhed out in rivulets on every fide. Abundance of exquifite wine was poured in li- bations, and the arufpices confulted the intrails of the victims, while they were ftill panting. The fmoke of the incenfe that was burnt by the priefts upon the altar, formed a thick cloud ; and the fweet odour of it perfumed the air all around. In the mean time, the foldiers on both fides, no longer regarding one another as enemies, began mutually to relate their adventures, to. enjoy themfelves after their toils, and to tafte already the fweets of peace. Divers individuals, who had followed Idomeneus to the fiege of Troy, recognized fome of thofe belonging to Neftor, who had ferved in the fame war. They tenderly embraced one another, and mutually recounted all that had happened to them, fince the fack and destruction of that proud city, the moft mag- nificent in all Afia. Having adorned their heads with chaplets of flowers, they laid themfelves down upon the grafs, and made merry with the wine that was brought from the city in large veifels, to celebrate fo happy a day. Men tori 2 82 THE ADVENTURES Mentor, in the midft of their exultation, fud- denly harangued them to this effect : " O ye kings and commanders, here afTembled ! your feveral nations for the future will be but one, under different names and governors. Thus it is, that the juft gods, who formed and love the human race, would have them united in an ever- lafting bond of perfect amity and concord. All mankind are but one family difperfed over the face of the whole earth, and all nations are bre- thren, and ought to love one another as fuch. May fhame and infamy overtake thofe impious wretches who feek a cruel unnatural glory, by fhedding the blood of their brethren, which they ought to regard as their own. War, it is true, is fometimes neceffary : but it reflects difgrace on human nature, that it mould be unavoidable on certain occafions. O ye kings I do not fay that it is defirable for the fake of acquiring glory ; for true glory cannot exift independent of hu- manity. Whoever gratifies his paffion for glory, at the expence of humanity, is a proud mon- fter, and not a man : and the glory that he ac- quires muft be falfe ; for true glory can be ac- quired only by moderation and goodnefs. His ridiculous vanity may be flattered ; but when people difclofe their real fentiments in private, they will always fay ;