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ims: "Whence Grecian poets name me." Neptune nods, Assenting to her prayer; and from their limbs Abstracts the mortal portion; on their forms Breathes majesty; and with their alter'd mien, Their names he changes too; Palaemon he, Now stil'd, his mother as Leucothoe known. The princess' anxious comrades trac'd her steps With care; the last with arduous search they found, Just on the giddy brink, nor dubious deem'd Her fate a moment. Cadmus' house they wail; With beating hands their tresses tear, and robes; And highly Juno blame, as one unjust: Too ireful for the hapless sister's fault. Juno, fierce flaming, these reproaches stung;-- "Ye too," she cry'd, "shall monuments become "Of the fierce ire ye blame!" Deeds words pursu'd. The nymph who most her hapless queen held dear, Exclaim'd;--"deep in the roaring main I'll plunge, "To join her fate,"--and sprung to take the leap; But motionless she stood,--fixt to the rock! Her wounding blows, upon her bosom one Strives to renew, as wont; her striving arms Stiffen'd to stone she sees. This tow'rd the waves Her hands extends; a rocky mass she stands, In the same waves far stretching. Lifted high, The locks to rend, the fingers might be seen Stiffen'd, and rigid with the hair become. In posture whatsoever caught, each nymph, In that same posture stands. Thus part are chang'd: The rest, to birds transform'd, by wings upborne, Skim o'er the surface of the neighbouring sea. Cadmus, the wond'rous change which rais'd his child, And his young grandson to the rank of gods, Yet knew not. By his load of grief o'erwhelm'd; A chain of woes; and supernatural scenes, So numerous which he sees; the founder quits His town, suspicious that the city's fate, And not his own, misfortune on him showers. Borne o'er the main, his lengthen'd wanderings end, When with his exil'd consort, safe he gains Illyria's shores. Opprest with grief and age, The primal fortunes of their house, with care They scan, and in their converse all their woes Again recounting, Cadmus thus exclaims;-- "Was then that serpent, by my javelin pierc'd, "When driven from Tyre; whose numerous teeth I sow'd, "Sacred to some divinity?--If he "Thus, vengeful for the deed, his anger pours, "May I a serpent stretcht at length become." He said,--and serpent-like extended lies! Scales he perceives, upon his harden'd
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