So flank'd with tow'rs, befiegers n'ote avail;
So wide, fufficient harvests they enclose :

But where might yields, there ftratagems prevail.
Faithlefs Euphrates thro' the city flows,

And through his channel pours the unexpected foes.

XXIII.

He fails along in many a wanton fpire;

Now floats at length, now proudly rears his creft:
His sparkling eyes and fcales, inftinct with fire,
With fplendor as he moves, the waves ore keft:
And the waves gleam beneath his flaming breast.
As through the battle, fet in full array,
When the fun walks in radiant brightnefs drefs'd;
His beams that on the burnish'd helmets play,
The burnifh'd helms reflect, and fpread unufual day.

XXIV.

So on he fares, and ftately wreaths about,
In femblaunce like a feraph glowing bright;
But without terror flash'd his lightning out,
More to be wonder'd at, than to affright.
The backward stream foon led the masker right
To the broad lake, where hanging ore the flood
(Narciffus like, enamour'd with the fight
Of his own beauties) the fond Pfyche stood,
To mitigate the pains of lonely widowhood.

XXV. Un

XXV.

Unkenn'd of her, he raught th' embroider'd bank;

And through the tangled flourets weft afide
To where a rofiere by the river dank, {
Luxuriant grew in all its blowing pride,
Not far from Pfyche; arm'd with fcaly hide
He clamb the thorns, which no impression make;
His glitt'ring length, with all its folds untied,
Plays floating ore the bush: then filence brake,
And thus the nymph, aftonish'd at his fpeech, befpake.

XXVI.

" O faireft, and moft excellent compleat
"In all perfections, fov'reign queen of nature!
"The whole creation bowing at thy feet

"Submiffive pays thee homage! wond'rous creature,
"If ought created thou! for every feature
"Speaks thee a goddess iffued from the skie;
"Oh! let not me offend, unbidden waiter,
"At aweful distance gazing thus !-But why
"Should gazing thus offend? or how unbidden I ?

XXVII.

"The fun that wakes thofe flourets from their beds,
és Or opes these buds by his soft influence,

"Is not offended that they peep their heads,
"And fhew they feel his pow'r by their quick sense,

"Off'ring at his command, their sweet incense; "Thus I, drawn here, by thy enliv'ning rays, (Call not intrufion my obedience !)

Perforce, yet willing thrall, am come to gaze,

"To pay my homage meet, and bafk in beauty's blaze."

XXVIII.

Amaz'd fhe flood, nor could recover foon:

From contemplation fuddenly abraid :

Starting at speech unufual: yet the tune
Struck footly on her ear, and concert made

With her own thoughts. Nor with less pleasure stray'd
Her eyes delighted o'er his gloffy skin;

Yet frighted at the thorn on which he play'd: Pleasure with horror mixt! the hung between Sufpended; yields, recoils, uncertain where to lin.

XXIX.

At length fhe fpoke: Reptile, no charms I know "Such as you mention: yet what e'er they are,

(And nill I leffen what the gods bestow)

"Their is the gift, and be the tribute their !! "For them these beauties I improve with care, "Intent to them alone from eve to morn.

1

"But reed me, reptile, whence this wonder rare, "That thou haft fpeech, as if to reason born? "And how, unhurt you sport on that forbidden thorn ?”

XXX." Say,

XXX.

Say, why forbidden thorn? the foe replied:
infect free,

"To every reptile, every

Has malice harfh to thee alone denied "The fragrance of the rofe enjoy'd by me?"

tr

-'Twas love, not malice, form'd the kind decree, (Half-wroth, fhe cried :) "Thine all these bufkets are, "Thine fruit and flow'r, were Cupid's words to me: "But oh! I charge thee, love, the rofe forbear; "For prickles fharp to arm the dang'rous rofiere,

XXXI.

"Prickles will pain, and pain will banish love:
"I charge thee, Psyche, then the rose forbear.
"When faint and fick, thy languors to remove,
"To yon ambrofial fhrubs, and plants repair;
"Thou weetest not what med'cines in them are.
"What wonders follow their repeated ufe

"N'ote thy weak fenfe conceive, should I declare:
"Their labour'd balm, and well-concocted juice,

"New life, new forms, new thews, new joys, new worlds

Thy term of tryal paft with conftancy,

"Thy wimpling flough shall fall like filth away;

"On pinions broad up-lifted to the skie,

Thou shalt, aftert, thy ftranger felf furvey.

C &

"Together,

1

"Together, Pfyche, will we climb and play;
"Together wander through the fields of air,
"Beyond where funs and moons mete night and day.
"I charge thee, O my love, the rofe forbear,

"If thou wouldst scathe avoid, Pfyche, forewarn'd, beware!

XXXIII.

Out burft the frannion into open laugh:

She blush'd, and frown'd at his uncivil mirth.
Then, foften'd to a fmile, as hiding half
What mote offend if boldly utter'd forth,
He feem'd t' affay to give his answer birth :
But ftop'd; and chang'd his fmiles to looks of ruth.
"Is this (quoth he) fit guerdon for thy worth?

"Does Cupid thus impofe upon thy youth? "Dwells then in heav'n fuch envy, void of love and truth?

XXXIV.

"Is this the inftance of his tenderness,

"To envy Pfyche what to worms is given?
"To cut her off from present happiness

"With feign'd reverfion of a promis'd heav'n?

"By threat'nings falfe from true enjoyments driven!
"How innocent the thorn to touch, he knows :
"Where are my wounds or where th' avenging levin ?
"How foftly blush these colours of the rofe?

"How sweet (and div'd into the flow'r) its fragrance flows?

XXXV. "Difad