Page:The works of Anne Bradstreet in prose and verse.djvu/301

 The Four Monarchies. 215

'T would be no pleafure/ but a tedious thing

To tell the fa6ts of this moft bloody King,

Feared of all, but lov'd of few or none,

All wifht^ his fhort reign paft before^ 'twas done.

At laft two of his Officers he hears

Had let one Smerdis up, of the fame years.

And like in feature to his brother '' dead.

Ruling, as they thought beft^ under this head.

The people ignorant of what was done,

Obedience yielded as to Cyrus fon.''

Toucht with this news to Perjia he makes.

But in the way his fword juft vengeance takes,

Unfheathes, as he his horfe mounted on high.

And with a mortal thruft wounds him ith' thigh.

Which ends before begun his home-bred" warr:

So yields " to death, that dreadfull Conquerour.

Grief for his brothers death he did exprefs, [97]

And more, becaufe he died IlTuelefs.

The male line of great Cyrus now had end,

The Female to many Ages did extend.

A Babylon in Egypt did he make.

And Meroe built for his fair Sifters fake.'"

Eight years he reign'd, a fhort, yet too long time

Cut off" in's wickednefs in's ftrength and prime.

And only for his fathers faithful! nefle,

Who faid but what, the king bad him expreffe.

" pleafant. / thought. ? long, till. '' the Smerdis.

■s good. i This and the preceding line are not in the first edition.

« the Perjian. » Yeelding.

w And built fair Meroe, for his lifters fake.

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