Book XI

titude, was immoveably fixed upon him; and every tongue was held silent, for fear he should have flill something to say, which the words of another might prevent from being heard. Though they conceived nothing that could be added to what he had said already, yet they wished that he had not been silent fo soon; and his words might be said to be engraven upon their hearts. His elocution made him not only believed, but beloved; and held, in fufpenfe, all the faculties of those that heard him, who fcarce dared even to breathe, left they lliould lose the leafl: word that iflued from his lips.

This filcnce was succeeded by a kind of low murmur, which gradually difFufed itself through the whole afTembly: it was not the confufcd found of inarticulate indignation, but rather the whifper of gentlenefs and complacency, which were before filently cxprelTed in every countenance. The Mandurians, who had been fo lately tranfported with rage, now let their weapons fall from their hands; and the fierce Phalanthus, with his Lacedemonians, wondered to find themfelvcs foftened into kindncfs: the refl of the united nations began to figh after the peace, which had been held up before them; and Philoifletes, whose fcnfibility had been increased by misfortune, could not refrain from tears. Neftor, who was fo tranfported with admiration and delight at the discourse of Mentor, that he was unable to speak, embraced him with ineffable tenderness: and the whole multitude a-icd out together, as if by a signal, '^) stranger! thy wisdom has difarmed us. Peace! Peace!" hi the first interval of silence, Neftor attempted to speak: but the troops fearing he might start some difficulty, again cried out, with the iitmoft impatience, " Peace! Peace!" and the chiefs found no way of putting them to filencc, but by joining in tlic exclamation.

Neftor, n o o K XI.

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Neftor, perceiving that a set discourse could not be heard, contented himself with saying, " You see, O Mentor! what wonders the words of a good man can produce. When wisdom and virtue speak, every pafTion is calm: our refentmenr, however just, is changed into friendship; and our impatience for war, into a desire of perpetual peace. The peace that you have offered, we accept." The chiefs, at the fame time, stretched out their hands, in token: of theu' consent.-.

Mentor now ran towards the gate of Salentum, to get it opened," and to acquaint Idomeneus that he might leave the city without fear. In the mean time, Neftor went up to TEi.EMACHus'and embraced him: " My amiable young friend, said he, thy father was the wifeft of all the princes of Gxeece: mayfl thou be- favoured with equal wisdom, and with better fortune. The fimilitude of your persons is great; and. the remembrance of Ulysses which that has revived, contributed to foften our refentment." Phalanthus, though he was by nature fierce and unfeeling, and though be had never seen Ulysses, v/as notwithflanding touched at his misfortunes, and those of his son: and the chiefs gathering round Telemachus, were prefling him to relate his adventures, when- Mentor returned with Idomeneus, and the Cretan youth who followed in his train..

At the fight of Idomeneus, the refentment of the^confederate>' nations began to revive; but Mentor extinguifhed the fire, before it broke out: " Why do we delay, said he, to conclude this -sacred alliance, which the powers of Heaven shall witness and defend? May the Gods avenge its violation^ by whomfoever it shall be violated! And may all the horrors of war, averted from the faithful and the innocent, dcfcend upon the perjured and execrable head of

D d him».

3o;l B O O K XI.

him, whose ambition shall dare to trample upon the sacred rights of this alliance! may he be detefted both in Heaven and upon

. earth; may he derive no advantage from his perfidy; may the infernal furies, in the most horrid forms, excite in his breast everlailing rage and despair! let him perish, without hope of burial;

, let his limbs be the prey of vultures and of dogs! when he descends to the infernal regions, jnay the gulph of Tartarus receive him; and may he there fuiFer feverer torments, than those of Tantalus, Ixion, and the Danaides, for ever and for ever! But may this peace rather remain unfhaken, like the mountains of Atlas that fuflain the ikies! may it be revered by every nation upon the earth, and its blessings defccnd from generation to generation! may

■the names of those who have made it, be held in admiration and love by our latcft posterity! let it stand as a model for every peace, that shall be hereafter founded upon equity and good faith '. and let all nations that desire to secure happiness by imanimity, follow the example of the people of Hefperia!"

Idomeneus, and the rest of the princes, then ratified the peace, upon the conditions that had been proposed, by an oath j and.twelve hoftages were interchanged between them. Telemachus, -by his own choice, was one of those given by Idomeneus; but the allies would not consent that Mentor should be another; infifting, that he should remain with Idomeneus, that he might answer for his condudl, and fuperintend his council, till his engagements should be perfectly fulfilled. An hundred heifers as white as snow, and an hundred bulls of the fame colour, having their horns gilt and adorned with garlands of flowers, were then sacrificed between the camp and the city. The bellowing of the vidtims that fell under the sacred knife, refounded from the neighbouring hills; their iblood flowed in a fmoking torrent on.every fide; and the most

.3 <i€xquifitP exquifite wines were poured abundantly, in libations to the Gods: the arufpices consulted the entrails, still panting with the remains ©f life; and the priests burnt an incense upon the altar, which rose in a cloud of fragrance, and perfumed all the plain.

In the mean time, the soldiers on both sides forgot that they had been enemies, and began to entertain each other with their adven-tures: they resigned themfclves to a pleasing relaxation after their labours, and tailed the fweets of peace by anticipation. Many of those who had followed Idomeneus to the siege of Troy, recolle<rted their acquaintance in the soldiers of Neftor, with whom they had fought in the fame cause: they embraced each other with great affedlion; and mutually related all that happened to them, after they had laid the magnificent city, that was the glory of Asia, in ruins: they laid themselves down upon the grafs, crowned themfclves with flowers, and rejoiced over the wine which had been brought in large vafes from the city, to celebrate the blessings ofthe day*

During this scene of chearfulncfs and amity, Mentor cried out, as by a sudden impulse, " Henceforth, O ye kings and leaders! these assembled nations, although difguifed by various names, and governed by dififerent chiefs, shall be one people! Thus do the Gods, who love the creatures of their power, delight to become the band of union between them. What is the race of man, but cMie family widely scattered upon the earth?' All men by nature are brothers, and Ihould be mutually endeared by a brother's love: aecurfed be those impious barbarians, who fcek for glory in the kindred blood, which differs but in name from their own! War, indeed, is sometimes necessary; but the necessity of war, is the reproach of man. Let ambitious royalty no more pretend, that; war is to be desired as the means of glory; for nothing can be

D d 2 glorious glorious that is inhuman. He, that would acquire glory at the expence of humanity, is a monfter, and not a man; nor can true glory be thus acquired.- glory is nothing more than the radiance of virtue; and the. virtue of a prince, is moderation and benevolence. The incense of adulation, may be offered to the vanity and the folly of a tyrant; but even those that offer it, confess, in the secret language of their heart, that glory is less deserved, in proportion as it is diflioneflly fought. He ought to be lightly efteemcd of men, by whom men are fo lightly esteemed, that, to gratify a brutal vanity, he will deluge the earth with their blood. Happy is the prince, who loves his people, and is beloved by them; who has confidence, in his neighbours, and whose neighbours have confidence in him; who is fo far from making war against them, f that he prevents their making war againll each other; and who. can excite envy in foreign states, only by the happiness which he diffufcs through his own! Let your affcmblies, then, O ye powers of Hefperia! be frequent: let all the princes that are now present, meet at least once in three years, to confirm the present peace by, a reiterated vow; to repeat your mutual promises, and deliberate upon-your common interests. While you possess the plenty of this delightful country, united by the bands of peace, you will at home be glorious, and abroad invincible. Difcoi'd only, that infernal fury, who afcends from hell to torment mankind, can.interrupt the felicity which is designed you by the Gods!"

*' Our readinefs to conclude a peace, replied Neftor, is a sufficient tpftimony, that we have been far from engaging in a war from vain glory, or with an unjuil design of aggrandizing, ourselves at the expence of our neighbours. But what.can be done, when, among the princes that furround us, there is one who a6ls by no law but his own interest, and loses no opportunity of invading the domi- .jiions of others? po not imagine, that I am now fpe,aking of Idomeneus;

niencus; for, to him, I no longer impute such a characler: our danger now rises only from Adrallus, the king of the Daunians. This tyrant defpifes the Gods; and believes, that all the people upon earth are born only to contribute to his glory, by the mod abje(5t servitude: he does not desire fubje<5ls, to whom he would Hand in the double relation of king and father; he delires only ilaves and worfliipcrs, and has directed divine honours to be paid him. The blind caprice of fortune has hitherto profpered his undertakings. We were haftening to attack Salentum, that we might fupprefs a power in its infancy, likely to become formidable, and be at liberty to turn our whole force againll Adraftus, who is already a powerful enemy. He has taken several towns from our allies, and has defeated the Crotonians in two battles. He fcruples nothing to gratify his ambition; and if hecancrufli his enemies, he cares not whether it be by fraud or force: he has amafFcd great treasures, his troops are well difciplined and inured to war, he has experienced officers, and is well served: he fuperintends himself whatever is done by his orders; he severely punishes the least fault, and rewards services with great liberality. He fuftains and animates his troops by his own courage; and if his condudt was regulated by equity and good faith, he would be a moil accompliftied prince: but he fears neither the vengeance of the Gods, nor the reproaches of conscience; and heconfiders reputation itself, as a mere phantom, by which weak minds only can be influenced. In his eflimation, there is no real and fubllantial good, but the pofl^effion of great riches, the power of infpiring terror, and of trampling mankind under foot. His army will very soon enter our dominions; and if we cannot acquire strength to resist him by a general confederacy, all hope of liberty mufl cease for ever. It is not less the interell of Idomeneus, than of other powers, to oppose this tyrant, who will fuifer nothing to be free that his power

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9 o o K xr.

power can enflave. If we should be vanquifhed, Salentum must fall with us: let us, therefore, unite for our common defence, without delay." While Neftor was thus speaking, they advanced towards the city; for Idomeneus had invited all the kings and principal officers, to pass the night within the walls.

The E N D of the ELEVENTH BOO K.

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O. On^mor^^Z^ xir.

THE allies had now pitched their tents; and the field was covered with rich pavilions of all colours, in which the weary Hefperians resigned themselves to sleep. In the mean time, the princes and their retinue having entered the city, were struck. with allonifliment, to see fo many magnificent buildings, which had risen in fo short a time; a city, of which fo formidable a war had retarded neither the growth nor the decoration.

They admired the wisdom and vigilance of Idomeneus, who had founded fo splendid a kingdom; and concluding, that the confederacy againfl the Daunians, would acquire great llrength by the acceflion of such an ally, they invited him to come into it. Idomeneus thought it reasonable to comply, and promifcd them troops; but as Mentor was perfedtly acquainted with all that was necefifary to render a kingdom flourishing, he had reason to believe, that