Page:Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral.djvu/114

"Phœbus! behold, thy mother in disgrace,
"Who to no goddess yields the prior place
"Except to Juno's self, who reigns above,
"The spouse and sister of the thund'ring Jove.

"Niobe sprung from Tantalus inspires

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"Each Theban bosom with rebellious fires;
"No reason her imperious temper quells,
"But all her father in her tongue rebels;
"Wrap her own sons for her blaspheming breath,

"Apollo! wrap them in the shades of death."

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Latona ceas'd, and ardent thus replies,
The God, whose glory decks th' expanded skies.

"Cease thy complaints, mine be the task assign'd
"To punish pride, and scourge the rebel mind."

This Phœbe join'd.—They wing their instant flight;

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Thebes trembled as th' immortal pow'rs alight.

With clouds incompass'd glorious Phœbus stands;
The feather'd vengeance quiv'ring in his hands.