{195}
A fierce contest ensued, and Perseus must have fallen a victim to the fury
of Phineus, had he not employed the same arms which had proved so
successful against Atlas.
"Fierce Phineus now repents the wrongful fight,
And views his varied friends, a dreadful sight;
He knows their faces, for their help he sues,
And thinks, not hearing him, that they refuse,
By name lie begs their succour, one by one,
Then doubts their life, and feels the friendly stone.
Struck with remorse, and conscious of his pride,
Convict of sin he turn'd his eyes aside;
With suppliant mien to Perseus thus he prays,
'Hence with the head, as far as winds and seas
Can bear thee: Hence; oh! quit the Cephan shore
And never curse it with Medusa more;
That horrid head which stiffens into stone,
Those impious men who daring death, look on:
I warred not with thee out of hate or strife,
My honest cause was to defend my wife,
First pledged to me; what crime could I suppose
To arm my friends, and vindicate my spouse?
'Twas thine to conquer by Minerva's power,
Favoured of heaven, thy mercy I implore,
For life I sue, the rest to thee I yield:
In pity from my sight remove the shield!'
Phineus turned to shun the shield,
Full in his face the staring head he held,
As here and there he strove to turn aside,
The wonder wrought, the man was petrified,
All marble was his frame, his burned eyes,
Dropped tears which hung upon the stone like ice;
In suppliant posture, with uplifted hands
And fearful look, the guilty statue stands."