Now of his iv’ory Lune the cusps drew near, 48

Now of his iv’ory Lune the cusps drew near, with might and main th’ indomitable Boy, who fired at Tethys more than any fair, for-that was she to love the coyest coy. Now of its arrows is the quiver bare, nor lives in sea-plain Nymph her life to ’joy; and, if the wounded breathe a living breath ’tis but to savour that they strive with Death.

Give way, ye tall cerulean waves, give way! for look ye, Venus brings her medicine, showing the snow-white belly’ing sails that stray o’er swelling crests of billows Neptunine: That thou reciprocal response convey, Oh ardent Love! to longings feminine, an honest modesty must ne’er withstand whatever Venus deigneth to command.

Now the fair Nereid-choir itself enrol’d; and side by side the gentle bevy sped with tripping dances, usance known of old, straight for that Island whither Venus led: And there the Goddess ’gan to all unfold her thousand feats of loving hardihed: They, to be victims of sweet Love preparèd, each trick would try and dare whate’er she darèd.

Cutting the broad highway the vessels ride o’er ample Ocean seeking Home’s dear shore, wishing but cool sweet water to provide for their long voyage briny waters o’er: When all attonce with start of joy descried Love’s Isle rise lovely stretched their eyes before, as bursting radiant through the morning air rose Memnon’s Mother delicately fair.

The bien and bonny Isle afar they hail, by Venus wafted through the wavy flood, (e’en as the Zephyrs waft the snow-white sail) whither the sturdy Fleet fast sailing stood; and lest unheeding pass the crews, and fail there to take harbour as she willed they should, right on their courses threw her lovely bower that Acidalian of omnip’otent power.

Firm and immobile she disposed it where she saw the seamen seek and shape their way; so fixt stood Delos when Latona bare Phœbus and her who joys in forestry. Thither the hurrying Prores thro’ Ocean tare where bends the seaboard in a little bay quiet and curved, upon whose snow-white sand her rosy shells strewed Cytheréa’s hand.

Three fairy hillocks threefold headlets showèd swelling superbly gracious to the sight, whose greeny clothing grass-enamel’d glowèd, in that fair joyous Island of Delight: While glassy-clear three limpid fountains flowèd from peaks with gleaming verdure deckt and dight; and from the milk-white rocks derivèd flow fugitive wavelets, prattling as they go.

Down a sweet dale that dints the hillocks, glide the sparkling waters to their trysting-place, and make a table of so fair a tide; never could Fancy such a landskip trace: O’erhang it graceful groves on ev’ry side like one who bendeth pranking form and face, and in the chrystal mirror joys to view his proper semblance and resemblance true.

Skywards a thousand trees rise tall and straight, apple’d with od’orous fruitage passing rare: Here th’ Orange painteth on her dainty freight the hues that burnt in Daphné’s burnisht hair: Droops low crusht earthwards by her juicy weight, the Citron glowing with her saffron gear: Lemons with scented spherelets deckt and drest mock budding honours of the maiden’s breast.

The forest-growths that clothe the hillocks trine with frondent ringlets fronts and heads array; Alcides’ Poplars with the Laurels twine loved by the laurel’d fair-faxt Lord of Day: and Cytheræa’s Myrtles with the Pine of Cybelé, to strange amour a prey: The spiring Cypress pointeth to the skies, where man hath built his air-based Paradise.

Pomona’s choicest gifts spontaneous grow, and all in diff’erent taste and gust abound; no want of cult’uring hand these arbours know, withouten culture better fares the ground: Cherries with Tyrian tincture purpled glow; and Morus eke that mimicks Amor’s sound; while from her patrial Persia-land the Pome flourisheth fairer in her foreign home.

Gapes the Granado tints incarnadine whereby, O Ruby! shent is all thy sheen; ’braced by her husband-Elm the happy Vine beareth her berrièd birth, here red, there green. And ye, O Pears! if long your boughs design with luscious pyramids to deck the scene, busk ye to ’dure what hurt and harm may wreak to your soft flanks the Bird’s injurious beak.

The gorgeous tapestry, rare colours blending and robing rustick earth with rainbow dye, makes Achæmenia’s webs the less resplending, yet softer shades on sombre vales to lie. Here the Cephisian flow’er his head low bending eyeth the lakelet lucid as the sky: There Cinyras’ grandson-son still bleeds in bloom, and, Paphian goddess! still thou wail’st his doom.

’Twere hard, in sooth, to judge which case be true, where sim’ilar splendours mantle earth and air, if fair Aurora lend the flow’ers her hue, or if the flowers lend her hues so fair. There Zephyr aided Flora to bestrew Vi’olet with colours Love-wan lovers wear; with Iris red and freshest blooth of Rose, which on the Damsel’s cheek all beauteous glows:

The snow-white Lily with the rory tear of Dawntide dripping, and the Mangerona: Letters on hyacinthine leaves appear, Hyacinth loved by son of lone Latona: Each fruit and flow’ering Daisy shows full clear, that fain would Chloris rival with Pomona. Then, if the Birds disport on airy wing Earth has a joyaunce for each four-foot thing.

Along the streamlet sings the snowy Swan, percht on her spraylet answereth Philomel: Startled Actæon stands no more to scan his horny forehead where the waters well; Here the fast lev’ret flies the hunter-man from densest thicket, or the shy gazelle: There hurrying homewards to her darling brood the light-wing’d Birdie bears the grateful food.

’Mid such a freshness swift-foot sprang aground our second Argonauts, far-left the Fleet, where in the wood-depths willing to be found strolled the fair Nymphs as though no fear they weet; These waked the Zitter’s soft pathetic sound, those made the Harp and Flute sing song as sweet; and bearing golden bows appeared a few the prey pursuing they did not pursue.

Thus taught their Tut’oress in such teaching wise, to scatter careless o’er the hill and plain; so might the Barons see’ing a doubtful prize, first burn with hot desire the prize to gain. Some maids whose natural charms the veil despise, in pride of soveran Beauty justly vain, casting all Art’s adulteries aside, bathe their pure bodies in the pearly tide.

But the stout seamen when their feet were set ashore, all hastenèd to greet the strand; nor was there any who his ship had quit sans hopes of finding game upon the land: None think such game that needs ne springe ne net on those fair hillocks thus would come to hand;— so bien, so bonny, so benign a prey by Venus cast love-wounded in their way.

Some with the spingard armed and arbalest, hoping to slay the horny hart or hind, in sombre bosques and valleys hotly prest, determined Vert and Venerie to find: Others in shadows that high noon arrest from scorching verdant turf, to walk incline’d along the gentle riv’ulet’s grassy reach, o’er the white pebbles purling to the beach.

Begin with sudden start the Youths to ’spy variegate colours glance through greeny boughs; colours that catch the judgment of man’s eye as not of nat’ural bloom, ne flow’er, ne rose; but fleecy laine and silk of diff’erent dye, Dress, that with double force Desire endows, wherein the human Rose herself enshrines, and, Art enhancing Nature, brighter shines.

Loud cries Velloso, marv’elling at the sight: “My masters! wondrous game,” quoth he, “is this; if yet endure that olden Pagan rite, the Grove be sacred to the Goddesses: Here meet we more than what the human Sprite ever desirèd; and right well we wis excellent wonders and great things here lie by Nature veiled from Man’s imprudent eye.

“Follow we fast these Goddesses, and speer an they be Fantasm or divine indeed!” Thus he; and, fleeter than the fleet-foot deer, all follow coursing o’er the riv’erine mead. Between the branches flying Nymphs appear, haply with more of hurry than of speed; and, slack’ening pace with shrieks and laughter gay, each yields her graces as her greyhound’s prey.

From this the breezes golden tresses blow, from that the robe’s frail hem is reft aside: High burns Desire, enkindled by the snow of living loveliness so sudden ’spied. One falls apurpose, and her fall doth show by loving languor more than plaint or pride, she wills her follower stumble, falling o’er the lovely quarry on the pebbly shore.

Others seek other places where the stream reveals of bathing Nymphs the secret charms: who startled ’gin to fly with shriek and scream, as though surprized by rude assault of arms. While others feigning to feel less esteem for fear and shame than force, veil false alarms, plunge in the brake and give to greedy eyes denied to grasping hands the goodly prize.

That, who in hurry to resume contrives the modesty that marks the Hunter-maid hides in the wave her limbs; another strives to snatch the garment on the stream-bank laid. Youngling there is who in the river dives all clad and booted (lest too long delay’d by doffing garments he should miss the game), to quench in water Love’s consuming flame.

As Hound of Hunter, crafty beast and ware, taught cripples to retrieve from brook or tarn, seeing the steely tube upraised in air; cov’ering the well-known quarry, duck or hern; ere heard the crack, uneath the sight to bear he plungeth, certain praise and prize to earn, and swimmeth barking: Thus the Brave made free to seize the Fair,—no Phœbus’ sister she!

Le’onard, a soldier whom good gifts adorn, a knightly Belamour and delicate, who was not once the prey of Cupid’s scorn, but ever dree’d Love’s life-long spite and hate; he, who so long believed he was not born to Love-luck being e’er unfortunate, not that he held all Hope beyond his range when Destiny shall deign his doom to change:

Here willed his Fortune, he should wing his way chasing the fairest Daughter of the Wave, Ephýre, lief to make him dearly pay that which for giving Nature to her gave. Spent by the race he stayed his steps to say:— “O thou too beauteous cruelty to crave, when of my life the palm to thee is dight, ah! wait this body since thou hast its sprite!”

“All rest of running weary, Nymph divine! Each yields her wishes to her en’emy’s will; Why to the wood alone fly only mine? Who told thee I am I, who chase thee still? If told thee so mine angry doom malign, which allwheres dogs me always to mine ill, believe it not, e’en I when I believèd, each hour a thousand times my heart deceivèd.

“Tire not thyself, to tire me; for if I must chase those flying charms and chase in vain, such is my Fortune an thou wait and try her will perverse shall never gar me gain. Wait! if thou will I would again descry, what subtle mode of ’scape for thee remain, and thou in fine shalt note, and fain confess so, Tra la spiga e la man qual muro è messo.

“Ah, fly me not! E’en so may Time foot-fleet ne’er from thy youthful beauties urge his flight! For only stay the twinkling of thy feet and thou shalt vanquish Fortune’s dure despight. What Emp’eror, nay what mighty Host dare meet the force array’d by Chance’s furious might, which in whate’er I wished still hounds my way, this canst thou do, thou only, an thou stay?

“Wouldst in my roll of foes thyself enrol? To back the stronger is not bravely done! Wouldst steal my lib’eral heart that was so whole? Loose it me then, the faster thou shalt run! Burthens thee not this Soul, my mesquin Soul, which in those threads of glancing gold bespun, tangled thou bearest? or thus won the prize, hast lightened Fortune which so heavy lies?

“In this sole Esp’erance thee, my Fair, I chase; that or thou weary her sad load to bear; or haply shall thy Beauty’s magick grace have power to change her sour malignant Star: And if thus change she, cease this useless race, for Love shall smite thee, gentle Ladye fair: And thou shalt wait when Love shall smite thee sore; and if thou wait what wait I, want I more?”

No longer fled the lovely Nymph, to play her sad pursuer’s heart, her pow’er to try; as still to revel in the lovely lay which told the soldier’s loving agony: Bending her brow that beamed a holy ray, all bathed with sweetest smiles of gentle joy, she falls a victim at the victor’s feet, melted with purest love by dear defeat.

Ah me! what hungry kissings wake the wood! What choirs in suavest unison acclaim! What pretty pettings! What coy pettish mood which pleasant laughter presently became! What Morn and Noontide saw and understood, as Venus joyed her lovers’ joys to ’flame, were better far t’ experience not to judge, yet judge it he whose Fate such boon shall grudge.

This way in fine conform the fair and bright Nymphs, and each Bride with love her Groom endowers, all heads are crowned with chaplets of delight, of bays and gold and amaranthine flowers: Their soft white palms they prest in wedded plight: With formal phrase and stipulating powers that pledge for endless time their mutual Faith, honour and joyaunce, till life end in Death.

One, chiefest She, whose mandate proudly led the Nymphs, obedient vassals of her throne, Cœlus and Vesta’s progeny ’twas said, as by her queenly bearing might be known; who over Earth and Ocean glamour shed, the noble Captain, digne such boon to own, with honest princely pomp comes forth to greet as for such great egregious Ladye meet:

And, told the station and the name of her, in high exordium with high grace ornate, her cause of coming ’gan to him prefer, by the high influ’ence of immobile Fate; and ope before his eyne the gen’eral sphere of vasty regions, seas unnavigate, the secret knowledge couched in prophecy, which he and his alone deserved to see;

Taking his hand in hers she guides her guest straight to a tow’ering head of Hill divine, whereof a splendid Pleasaunce is the crest, plated with purest gold and chrystal shine. Therein the greater part of day they rest where loving play and lasting pleasures reign: The Queen enjoys her loves in palace-bowers, the Nymphs in sylvan shades amid the flowers.

Thus Fair and Brave in fittest union meet, while minute by the merry hours of light; and taste the genial gladness rare as sweet which their long labours and dark days turn bright: Man’s high heroick deed, and daring feat of famous force, the World shall aye requite with guerdon merited, and boon sublime,— a Name and Fame that stand the test of Time.

For, all our Ocean-maids so fair, so sprightful, Tethys, and eke her Isle of angel-ground, None other thing be they, but the delightful Honours that make our human life renown’d: That high pre-em’inence and that glory rightful are but the Triumphs, and the brows becrown’d with Palms and Bay-wreaths, wond’ering gaze and praise: Such the delights my fabled Isle displays;

These Immortalities,—in young world feignèd by men who cherisht toils of noble aim, there on Olympus’ star-lit heights, attainèd on inclyt wings that soar to deathless Fame, whose Deeds of Derring-do the guerdon gainèd, by dint of endless toil and moil we name the Path of Virtue, stony, steep t’ ascend, but joyous-glad, delicious-sweet at end:

Were nought but prizes brother-men impart in change for Feats immortal, sovereign, to that baronial Host, whose Arm and Art made to be Gods that had been only men: Jupiter, Phœbus, Mercury, and Mart, Æneas, Rom’ulus, and the Theban twain, Ceres, Diana, Juno, Pallas, were but human flesh to human weakness heir.

Yet Fame, that trumpet of Man’s high emprize, on Earth bestowed them names of strange estate, Godheads, and deathless Semi-deities, Indigetes and Heroes, “Grand” and “Great.” Wherefore, oh, ye! who Fame’s fair guerdon prize, if in the World with these ye lief would mate, awake from Slumber, shake off Sloth ignave that sinks Man’s freeborn soul to soul of slave.

And bridle Av’arice-sin with iron bit, rein that Ambition which o’er-reigns your race in thousand fashions, and the base conceit of vicious Tyr’anny breeding vile disgrace: Such tinkling honours, gold so counterfeit, to true and honest worth ne’er raised the base: Better to merit and the meed to miss, than, lacking merit, every meed possess.

Or give us Peace, and Laws impartial deal, that baulk the rich from plund’ering poorer men; or cloak your forms in coats of flashing steel, and crush the law of hostile Saracen: Thus shall your valour raise the Commonweal all gaining ampler, none a smaller gain; deservèd riches shall to you be rife with Honours, alt-relief of human life.

Thus shall ye serve the King ye love so dear now with your proffer’d counsels sagely bold then by the Sword, that shall your names uprear to dizzy heights where trod your sires of old: To ’tempt impossibilities forbear; who wills aye finds a way; and thus enrol’d, your names shall rival this heroick band, and gain fair greeting in Dame Venus’ land.