Page:Ovid's Metamorphoses (Vol. 1) - tr Garth, Dryden, et. al. (1727).djvu/207

Book 4. In deaf'ning Shouts the glad Applauses rise, And Peal on Peal runs ratling thro' the Skies. The Saviour-Youth the Royal Pair confess, And with heav'd Hands their Daughter's Bridegroom bless. The beateous Bride moves on, now loos'd from Chains, The Cause, and sweet Reward of all the Heroe's Pains. Mean time, on Shore triumphant Perseus stood; And purg'd his Hands, smear'd with the Monster's Blood: Then in the Windings of a sandy Bed Compos'd Medusa's execrable Head. But to prevent the Roughness, Leafs he threw, And young, green Twigs, which soft in Waters grew. There soft, and full of Sap, but here when lay'd, Touch'd by the Head, that softness soon decay'd The wonted Flexibility quite gone, The tender Scyons hardened into Stone. Fresh, juicy Twigs, surpriz'd, the Nereids brought, Fresh, juicy Twigs the same Contagion caught. The Nymphs the petrifying Seeds still keep, And propagate the Wonder thro' the Deep. The pliant Sprays of Coral yet declare Their stiff'ning Nature, when expos'd to Air. Those Sprays, which did like bending Osiers, move, Snatch'd from their Element, obdurate prove, And Shrubs beneath the Waves, grow Stones above. The great Immortals grateful Perseus prais'd, And to three Pow'rs three turfy Altars rais'd. To Hermes this, and that he did assign To Pallas: The mid Honours, Jove, were thine. He hastes for Pallas a white Cow to cull, A Calf for Hermes but for Jove a Bull. Then seiz'd the Prize of his victorious Fight, Andromeda, and claim'd the Nuptial Rite. Andromeda alone he greatly sought, The Dowry Kingdom was not worth his Thought. Pleas'd