FABLES, Fab. XXVII. Of the File and the Viper. *%^ T""^T T" As't ill-advifing Hunger did perfuade, / / Or Anger,that fondVifer to invade A horrid File^ which had an iron husk Scorn'd the Sharks tooth,defi'd the wild Boars tusk : It had a skin fo hard, and rough, As that infernal coat of Buff The Luciferian General had on In the firft grand R ebellion : W hich no Celeftial arm Could harm, Or pierce, But his, who guids the Stars, and rules the Univerle. But Anger gave the caufe he fo miftook ; He knew the fweating Artift was no Cook, W7ho with this File that clay had polilhed The Snakes which Periwig the w Gorgon's- head, And had fiPd down the fpeckled Mail, Which ihining arm'd th' old Dragon's Tail: He thought thofe Snakes alive had been, And ftrange Tortures he had fcen. Since on the Man he could not light To bite, He glides Raging with venom'd tooth,to pierce ftxonglr on fides. ( *) We cannot better defcribe the Cordons head than in the words of Si-donitu jiffilUnarii, EfithaUm. Gorgo t Ettranc s medium , f.iBura s; nitet hfidiofa /- The km re File, whilft he did gnaw and bite, Smiling lay ftill; at length it laugh'd out-right; Finding his Foe no Eftridge weapons had, Tomurther Horle-ilioos, and devour a Gad. L Then The Gargcns head, which guards her bofom, would h Changs thee to Statue flionldft thou it behold. The treacherous face fliines proudly and though dead, Lifes beaut)- keep .- Snakes matted round her head, Jn fncckled curies voluminoufly And biting trefles dirclv hifsih" breath. " It was the head of Meduf* cat off by/'/>, while (he was aflp and was carried afterwards in the midii of Mmnvj, (hield , according t0 l!;e defcriptionsof it by Homir and VW-