Page:Ovid's Metamorphoses (Vol. 2) - tr Garth, Dryden, et. al. (1727).djvu/40

He with a gracious Ear the suppliant heard,
And sav'd her Life; then what he was declar'd,
And own'd the God. The Neighbourhood, said he,
Shall justly perish for Impiety:
You stand alone exempted; but obey
With Speed, and follow where we lead the Way:
Leave these accurs'd; and to the Mountain's Height
Ascend; nor once look backward in your Flight.
They haste, and what their tardy Feet deny'd,
The trusty Staff (their better Leg) supply'd.
An Arrow's flight they wanted to the Top,
And there secure, but spent with Travel, stop;
Then turn their now no more forbiden Eyes;
Lost in a Lake the floated Level lies:
A watry Desart covers all the Plains,
Their Cot alone, as in an Isle, remains.
Wondring with weeping Eyes, while they deplore
Their Neighbours Fate, and Country now no more
Their little Shed, scarce large enough for two,
Seems, from the Ground increas'd, in Height and Bulk to grow.
A stately Temple shoots within the Skies,
The Crotchets of their Cot in Columns rise:
The Pavement polish'd Marble they behold,
The Gates with Sculpture grac'd, the Spires and Tiles of Gold.
Then thus the Sire of Gods, with Looks serene,
Speak thy Desire, thou only just of Men;
And thou, O Woman, only worthy found
To be with such a Man in Marriage bound.
A while they whisper; then, to Jove address'd,
Philemon thus prefers his joynt Request:
We crave to serve before your sacred Shrine,
And offer at your Altar Rites Divine:
And since not any Action of our Life
Has been polluted with Domestick Strife;

We