CORYDON These branches of a stag, this tusky boar (The first essay of arms untried before) Young Micon offers, Delia, to thy shrine: But speed his hunting with thy pow'r divine; Thy statue then of Parian stone shall stand; Thy legs in buskins with a purple band. THYRSIS This bowl of milk, these cakes (our) country fare), For thee, Priapus, yearly we prepare, Fair Galatea, with thy silver feet, O, whiter than the swan, and more than Hybla sweet, Tall as a poplar, taper as the bole, Come, charm thy shepherd, and restore my soul! Come, when my lated sheep at night return, And crown the silent hours, and stop the rosy morn! CORYDON 80 And, while she loves that common wreath to wear, Nor bays, nor myrtle boughs, with hazel shall compare. THYRSIS 90 THE EIGHTH PASTORAL OR, PHARMACEUTRIA THE ARGUMENT This pastoral contains the songs of Damon and Alphesibous. The first of 'em bewails the loss of his mistress, and repines at the success of his rival Mopsus. The other repeats the charms of some enchantress, who endeavor'd by her spells and magic to make Daphnis in love with her. THE mournful Muse of two despairing swains, The love rejected, and the lovers' pains; To which the salvage lynxes list'ning stood, The rivers stood on heaps, and stopp'd the running flood; The hungry herd their needful food refuse Of two despairing swains, I sing the mournful Muse. Great Pollio! thou, for whom thy Rome prepares The ready triumph of thy finish'd wars, In numbers like to thine could I rehearse Thy lofty tragic scenes, thy labor'd verse, The world another Sophocles in thee, Another Homer should behold in me. Amidst thy laurels let this ivy twine: Thine was my earliest Muse; my latest shall be thine. Scarce from the world the shades of night withdrew, Scarce were the flocks refresh'd with morning dew, When Damon, stretch'd beneath an olive 20 30 "The pines of Mænalus, the vocal grove, Are ever full of verse, and full of love: They hear the hinds, they hear their god complain, Who suffer'd not the reeds to rise in vain. Begin with me, my flute, the sweet Mænalian strain. "Mopsus triumphs; he weds the willing fair: When such is Nisa's choice, what lover can despair! Now griffons join with mares; another age Shall see the hound and hind their thirst assuage, Promiscuous at the spring. Prepare the lights, 40 O Mopsus, and perform the bridal rites. Scatter thy nuts among the scrambling boys: Thine is the night, and thine the nuptial High on the planted hedge, and wet with morning dew. Then scarce the bending branches I could win; The callow down began to clothe my chin. I saw; I perish'd; yet indulg'd my pain. Begin with me, my flute, the sweet Mænalian strain. "I know thee, Love! in desarts thou wert bred, And at the dugs of salvage tigers fed; 60 And Circe chang'd with charms Ulysses' friends. Verse breaks the ground, and penetrates the brake, And in the winding cavern splits the snake: Verse fires the frozen veins.-Restore, my charms, My ling'ring Daphnis to my longing arms. "Around his waxen image first I wind 101 Three woolen fillets, of three colors join'd; Thrice bind about his thrice-devoted head, Which round the sacred altar thrice is led. Unequal numbers please the gods. - My charms, Restore my Daphnis to my longing arms. "Knit with three knots the fillets; knit 'em straight; And say: These knots to love I consecrate.' |