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Threatens to crush him from on high,
And scare his proud felicity. 94

Thus still in unavailing strife95
He drags a weary load of life,
The fourth sad instance of destructive pride ^[1]
Whose hand th' ambrosial food convey'd
(Which had himself immortal made)
To earthly guests beside.100
Then hope not, mortal, e'er to shun
The penetrating eye of Heaven;
For lo! the rash offender's son
Far from the happy haunts is driven
To join his kindred shortlived train,105
And wander o'er the earth again. 108

But when the thick and manly down
His black'ning chin began to crown,
From Pisa's lord he seeks to prove
Highborn Hippodamia's love.110
Full often near the hoary flood
The solitary lover stray'd,
And shrouded in nocturnal shade,
Invoked the trident-bearing god;
Who, ready the loud call to greet,115
Stood near the youthful suppliant's feet—

ishments (iii. 991, seq.,) appears to have had this passage in his mind, when he says,

"Nec miser impendens magnum timet, aëre, saxum


Tantalus, ut fama est, cassa formidine torpens;
Sed magis in vita Divom metus urguet."

Our own Spenser, too, has the same allusion, speaking of old Malbeceo, who lives
"In drery darkenes, and continuall feare


Of that rock's fall; which ever and anon
Threates with huge ruine him to fall upon,
That he dare never slepee."


Faery Queene.
1. The other three being Sisiphus, Tityus, and Ixion.