fhe only could have fubdued his Heart. He represented to her the certain Destruction that hung over Troy, and the little Probability there was of her being happy with a Lover of that devoted City.

The ungrateful Creffida, influenced by these felfifh Motives, forgot, or did not regard, her Vows of everlasting Faith to Troilus, and charmed with the Perfon, Valour, and exalted Dignity of her new Adorer, yielded, at length, to his Sollicitations; nor was the infulting Greek fatisfied with thus triumphing in fecret over his unhappy Rival: A rich Jewel which Troilus had given to Creffida at parting, and the abandoned Fair had now bestowed on Diomede, he wore upon his Armour in the Battle, as a Trophy of his Victory, and the Trojan Prince's Difgrace.

Troilus, ftill pining with Defire, and förfaken as he was by Creffida, yet not capable of thinking her falfe, nourished the fatal Flame that preyed upon his Heart, with vain delufive Hopes of her return; which though every fuc-. ceeding Day proved to be ill-grounded, yet fond of the deceit he ftill hoped on, and, like a drowning Wretch, grafped eagerly at every faint Relief, to avoid that Death which was, notwithstanding, inevitable.

Leaning anxiously one Day over the Walls of the City, from whence he fent many a longing Look towards the Grecian Camp, and breathed Heart-breaking Sighs at the Remem

brance

brance of his Creffida, he faw a Coat of Mail carried in Triumph before his Brother Deiphobas, as he was returning from the Field of Battle.

This Sight would have had but little Effect on the Heart of the now inglorious Youth, funk as he was in the soft Lethargy of Love, confuming away with fruitlefs Wishes, and languishing with difappointed Hope, but a Jewel that blazed upon its Sleeve was no fooner observed than it claimed all his Attention; the Shape and Size, recalling to his Mind the Pledge he gave his Creffida at parting. With trembling Impatience, he fixed his eager Eyes upon it, his Heart took the alarm and beat as if it would have left his Breaft; cold Damps bedewed his fhivering Limbs, a mortal Paleness overspread his Face; yet ftill infatiate of the Sight, he gazed and trembling prayed it might not be what he feared; at length a near Approach put it past a doubt that it was the fame Jewel, that, wet with his Tears, and hallowed by a thousand tender Invocations he had given his Creffida at the fad Moment of their parting; thunderftruck at this Conviction of her Falfhood, wildly he raised his haggard Eyes to Heaven, then ftriking with his Hands his groaning Breaft, "Oh! Creffida, he cried, where, where is now thy Faith?"

Fixed, for a while, he ftood in filent fad Defpair; then fuddenly, looking up he demanded of fome of the Soldiers, whofe Armour that was which his Brother Deiphobas had won; they

replied

replied, it was Diomedes. Grief giving way to Fury at the Sound of that detefted Name, he ran transported with a Defire of Vengeance to his Palace; there, arming himself with a tumultuous Hafte, he rufhed into the Field, and, with loud Cries, called upon Diomede; feeking his Rival amidst the thickest ranks of his Foes, madly he raged about the hoftile Field, provoking Death, and facrificing whole Hecatombs of laughtered Greeks to his Revenge; Rage and Defpair rekindling all his martial Heat, fent him each Day with more than mortal Courage to the Fight,

Pale Greece with horror beheld the matchless Chief thinning their Ranks, and driving whole Squadrons before his conquering Sword, but Diomede the partial Gods denied to his Revenge. Rivals alike in Glory as in Love, they often met, oft fought, but neither vanquifhed. The Son of Tideus was referved by Fate to meet a more ignoble End at Home, and Troilus could only fall by the refiftlefs Force of Achilles.

FABLE

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FABLE

O F

Troilus and Crefida.

CReffida, the Daughter of Calchas, a Trojan

of Diftinction, who had fled to the Grecian Camp, is in Love with, and beloved by Troilus, one of the Sons of Priam King of Troy. Pandarus, her Uncle, follicits her in behalf of Troilus, and gives her up to his Emoraces.

The Greeks having taken Antenor Prifoner, a Trojan Nobleman of great Merit, Calchas petitions them to exchange him for Creffida his Daughter, whom he had left behind him in Troy. His Request is granted, the Lovers are obliged to part, and Diomede, when the Exchange is made, conducts Creffida, with whom he falls paffionately in Love, to the Grecian Camp. Helton