Run furious, and impatient of confine

Scour through the field, and threat the furthest line.

Yet must they ne'er obliquely aim their blows;

That only manner is allowed to those

Whom Mars has favored most, who bend the stubborn bows.

These glancing sidewards in a straight career,

Yet each confined to their respective sphere,

Or white or black, can send the unerring dart
Winged with swift death to pierce through every part.
The fiery steed, regardless of the reins,

Comes prancing on; but sullenly disdains

The path direct, and boldly wheeling round,
Leaps o'er a double space at every bound:

And shifts from white or black to different colored ground.
But the fierce Queen, whom dangers ne'er dismay,

The strength and terror of the bloody day,

In a straight line spreads her destruction wide,
To left or right, before, behind, aside.

Yet may
Sweep to the battle like the fretful Horse;
But unconfined may at her pleasure stray,
If neither friend nor foe block up the way;
For to o'erleap a warrior, 't is decreed
Those only dare who curb the snorting steed.
With greater caution and majestic state
The warlike monarchs in the scene of fate
Direct their motions, since for these appear
Zealous each hope, and anxious every fear.
While the King's safe, with resolution stern
They clasp their arms; but should a sudden turn
Make him a captive, instantly they yield,
Resolved to share his fortune in the field.

she never with a circling course

He moves on slow; with reverence profound
His faithful troops encompass him around,
And oft, to break some instant fatal scheme,
Rush to their fates, their sovereign to redeem;
While he, unanxious where to wound the foe,
Need only shift and guard against a blow.
But none, however, can presume to appear
Within his reach, but must his vengeance fear;
For he on every side his terror throws;
But when he changes from his first repose,
Moves but one step, most awfully sedate,
Or idly roving, or intent on fate.

These are the several and established laws;

Now see how each maintains his bloody cause.

Here paused the god, but (since whene'er they wage
War here on earth the gods themselves engage
In mutual battle as they hate or love,
And the most stubborn war is oft above)
Almighty Jove commands the circling train
Of gods from favoring either to abstain,
And let the fight be silently surveyed;
And added solemn threats if disobeyed.
Then called he Phoebus from among the Powers,
And subtle Hermes, whom in softer hours
Fair Maia bore youth wantoned in their face;
Both in life's bloom, both shone with equal grace.
Hermes as yet had never winged his feet;
As yet Apollo in his radiant seat

Had never driven his chariot through the air,
Known by his bow alone and golden hair.
These Jove commissioned to attempt the fray,
And rule the sportive military day;

Bid them agree which party each maintains,

And promised a reward that's worth their pains.
The greater took their seats; on either hand
Respectful the less gods in order stand,
But careful not to interrupt their play,
By hinting when to advance or run away.
Then they examine who shall first proceed
To try their courage, and their army lead.
Chance gave it for the White, that he should go
First with a brave defiance to the foe.
A while he pondered which of all his train
Should bear his first commission o'er the plain;
And then determined to begin the scene
With him that stood before to guard the Queen.
He took a double step: with instant care
Does the black Monarch in his turn prepare
The adverse champion, and with stern command
Bid him repel the charge with equal hand.
There front to front, the midst of all the field,
With furious threats their shining arms they wield ;
Yet vain the conflict, neither can prevail
While in one path each other they assail.
On every side to their assistance fly
Their fellow-soldiers, and with strong supply
Crowd to the battle, but no bloody stain
Tinctures their armor; sportive in the plain.
Mars plays a while, and in excursion slight
Harmless they sally forth, or wait the fight.

But now the swarthy Foot, that first appeared
To front the foe, his ponderous javelin reared
Leftward aslant, and a pale warrior slays,
Spurns him aside, and boldly takes his place.

Unhappy youth, his danger not to spy!
Instant he fell, and triumphed but to die.
At this the sable King with prudent care
Removed his station from the middle square,
And slow retiring to the furthest ground,
There safely lurked, with troops intrenched around.
Then from each quarter to the war advance
The furious Knights, and poise the trembling lance :
By turns they rush, by turns the victors yield,
Heaps of dead Foot choke up the crimsoned field:
They fall unable to retreat; around

The clang of arms and iron hoofs resound.

But while young Phoebus pleased himself to view His furious Knight destroy the vulgar crew, Sly Hermes longed to attempt with secret aim Some noble act of more exalted fame.

For this, he inoffensive passed along

Through ranks of Foot, and midst the trembling throng Sent his left Horse, that free without confine

Roved o'er the plain, upon some great design

Against the King himself. At length he stood,
And having fixed his station as he would,
Threatened at once with instant fate the King
And the Indian beast that guarded the right wing.
Apollo sighed, and, hastening to relieve

The straitened Monarch, grieved that he must leave
His martial Elephant exposed to fate,

And viewed with pitying eyes his dangerous state.
First in his thoughts, however, was his care
To save his King, whom to the neighboring square
On the right hand he snatched with trembling flight;
At this, with fury springs the sable Knight,

Drew his keen sword, and, rising to the blow,
Sent the great Indian brute to shades below.
O fatal loss! for none except the Queen
Spreads such a terror through the bloody scene.
Yet shall you ne'er unpunished boast your prize,
The Delian god with stern resentment cries;

And wedged him round with foot, and poured in fresh supplies.

Thus close besieged, trembling he cast his eye
Around the plain, but saw no shelter nigh,

No way for flight; for here the Queen opposed,
The Foot in phalanx there the passage closed :
At length he fell; yet not unpleased with fate,
Since victim to a Queen's vindictive hate.
With grief and fury burns the whitened host,
One of their Towers thus immaturely lost.
As when a bull has in contention stern

Lost his right horn, with double vengeance burn
His thoughts for war, with blood he 's covered o'er,
And the woods echo to his dismal roar,

So looked the flaxen host, when angry fate
O'erturned the Indian bulwark of their state.
Fired at this great success, with double rage
Apollo hurries on his troops to engage,

For blood and havoc wild; and, while he leads
His troops thus careless, loses both his steeds:
For, if some adverse warriors were o'erthrown,
He little thought what dangers threat his own.
But slyer Hermes with observant eyes
Marched slowly cautious, and at distance spies

What moves must next succeed, what dangers next arise.