Page:Ovid's Metamorphoses (Vol. 1) - tr Garth, Dryden, et. al. (1727).djvu/307

Book 7. Our Fountains too a dire Infection yield, For Crowds of Vipers creep along the Field, And with polluted Gore, and baneful Steams, Taint all the Lakes, and venom all the Streams. The young Disease with milder Force began, And rag'd on Birds, and Beasts, excusing Man. The lab'ring Oxen fall before the Plow, Th' unhappy Plow-men stare, and wonder how: The tabid Sheep, with sickly Bleatings, pines; Its Wooll decreasing, as its Strength declines: The warlike Steed, by inward Foes compell'd, Neglects his Honours, and deserts the Field; Unnerv'd, and languid, seeks a base Retreat, And at the Manger groans, but wish'd a nobler Fate: The Stags forget their Speed, the Boars their Rage, Nor can the Bears the stronger Herds engage: A gen'ral Faintness does invade 'em all, And in the Woods, and Fields promiscuously they fall. The Air receives the Stench, and (strange to say) The rav'nous Birds, and Beasts avoid the Prey: Th' offensive Bodies rot upon the Ground, And spread the dire Contagion all around. But now the Plague, grown to a larger Size, Riots on Man, and scorns a meaner Prize. Intestine Heats begin the Civil War, And Flushings first the latent Flame declare, And Breath inspir'd, which seem'd like fiery Air. Their black dry Tongues are swell'd, and scarce can move, And short thick Sighs from panting Lungs are drove. They gape for Air, with flatt'ring Hopes t'abate Their raging Flames, but that augments their Heat. No Bed, no Cov'ring can the Wretches bear, But on the Ground, expos'd to open Air, They lye, and hope to find a pleasing Coolness there. The suff'ring Earth, with that Oppression curst, Returns the Heat which they imparted first. In