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Resolv'd to sail, in sleep he pass'd the night; And order'd all things for his early flight. To whom once more the winged god appears; His former youthful mien and shape he wears, And with this new alarm invades his ears: "Sleep'st thou, O goddess-born! and canst thou drown Thy needful cares, so near a hostile town, Beset with foes; nor hear'st the western gales Invite thy passage, and inspire thy sails? She harbors in her heart a furious hate, And thou shalt find the dire effects too late; Fix'd on revenge, and obstinate to die. Haste swiftly hence, while thou hast pow'r to fly. The sea with ships will soon be cover'd o'er, And blazing firebrands kindle all the shore. Prevent her rage, while night obscures the skies, And sail before the purple morn arise. Who knows what hazards thy delay may bring? Woman's a various and a changeful thing." Thus Hermes in the dream; then took his flight Aloft in air unseen, and mix'd with night. Twice warn'd by the celestial messenger, The pious prince arose with hasty fear; Then rous'd his drowsy train without delay: "Haste to your banks; your crooked anchors weigh, And spread your flying sails, and stand to sea. A god commands: he stood before my sight, And urg'd us once again to speedy flight. O sacred pow'r, what pow'r soe'er thou art, To thy blest orders I resign my heart. Lead thou the way; protect thy Trojan bands, And prosper the design thy will commands." He said: and, drawing forth his flaming sword, His thund'ring arm divides the many-twisted cord. An emulating zeal inspires his train: They run; they snatch; they rush into the main. With headlong haste they leave the desert shores, And brush the liquid seas with lab'ring oars. Aurora now had left her saffron bed, And beams of early light the heav'ns o'erspread, When, from a tow'r, the queen, with wakeful eyes, Saw day point upward from the rosy skies. |