Ancient Epic Poem. 125 



other gods lend their succour to the Greeks, 

 awake their courage, and the Trojans sink 

 under their united attack. Jupiter, at length 

 recovering from the lethargy of lust and sleep, 

 beholds the sad reverse, which his Trojans had 

 experienced during this fatal interval, and in- 

 dignant at the imposition, which had been put 

 upon him, he threatens the seductive author of 

 it with all his vengeance. Here another trait 

 of moral mind in this divine consort of the 

 super-divine Jove presents itself. To her 

 husband's accusation of her having instigated 

 Neptune to take up arms in behalf of the dis- 

 pirited Greeks, during his own amorous deli- 

 rium, she swears to as great a falsehood as 

 ever issued from the mouth of woman in her most 

 pressing exigence. She confirms the lie by the 

 strongest adjurations, by the dread power of 

 Jove, by Styx, and more than alJ, — by that 

 unbroken vow, her virgin bed, — that at no 

 instigation of her's had Neptune turned the 

 current of war in favour of Greece. But such 

 is her own obstinate malice against Troy, that 

 having withdrawn from the presence of Ju- 

 piter, to whose will she had vowed submis- 

 sion, while alarmed for her own safety, she in- 

 stantly endeavours to effect her purpose by 

 exciting the whole assembly of the gods to an 

 open conspiracy and rebellion against the 



