Page:Ovid's Metamorphoses (Vol. 1) - tr Garth, Dryden, et. al. (1727).djvu/134

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Sore wept the Centaur, and to Phœbus pray'd; But how could Phœbus give the Centaur Aid? Degraded of his Pow'r by angry Jove, In Elis then a Herd of Beeves he drove; And wielded in his Hand a Staff of Oak, And o'er his Shoulders threw the Shepherd's Cloak; On sev'n compacted Reeds he us'd to play, And on his Rural Pipe to waste the Day. As once, attentive to his Pipe, he play'd, The crafty Hermes from the God convey'd A Drove, that sep'rate from their Fellows stray'd. The Theft an old insidious Peasant view'd, (They call'd him Battus in the Neighbourhood) Hir'd by a wealthy Pylian Prince to feed His fav'rite Mares, and watch the gen'rous Breed. The thievish God suspected him, and took The Hind aside, and thus in Whispers spoke; "Discover not the Theft, whoe'er thou be, "And take that milk-white Heifer for thy Fee. "Go, Stranger, cries the Clown, securely on, "That Stone shall sooner tell, and show'd a Stone. The God withdrew, but strait return'd again, In Speech and Habit like a Country Swain; And cries out, "Neighbour, hast thou seen a Stray "Of Bullocks and of Heifers pass this Way? "In the Recov'ry of my Cattle join, "A Bullock and a Heifer shall be thine. The Peasant quick replies, "You'll find 'em there "In yon dark Vale; and in the Vale they were. The Double Bribe had his false Heart beguil'd: The God, successful in the Tryal, smil'd; "And