Hero and Leander and Other Poems | Page 5

his parentage, would needs discover?The way to new Elysium. But she,?Whose only dower was her chastity,?Having striven in vain, was now about to cry,?And crave the help of shepherds that were nigh.?Herewith he stay'd his fury, and began?To give her leave to rise: away she ran;?After went Mercury, who us'd such cunning,?As she, to hear his tale, left off her running;?(Maids are not won by brutish force and might?But speeches full of pleasure, and delight;)?And, knowing Hermes courted her, was glad?That she such loveliness and beauty had?As could provoke his liking; yet was mute,?And neither would deny nor grant his suit.?Still vow'd he love: she, wanting no excuse?To feed him with delays, as women use,?Or thirsting after immortality,?(All women are ambitious naturally,)?Impos'd upon her lover such a task,?As he ought not perform, nor yet she ask;?A draught of flowing nectar she requested,?Wherewith the king of gods and men is feasted.?He, ready to accomplish what she will'd,?Stole some from Hebe (Hebe Jove's cup fill'd),?And gave it to his simple rustic love:?Which being known,--as what is hid from Jove?--?He inly storm'd, and wax'd more furious?Than for the fire filch'd by Prometheus;?And thrusts him down from heaven. He, wandering here,?In mournful terms, with sad and heavy cheer,?Complain'd to Cupid: Cupid, for his sake,?To be reveng'd on Jove did undertake;?And those on whom heaven, earth, and hell relies,?I mean the adamantine Destinies,?He wounds with love, and forc'd them equally?To dote upon deceitful Mercury.?They offer'd him the deadly fatal knife?That shears the slender threads of human life;?At his fair feather'd feet the engines laid,?Which th' earth from ugly Chaos' den upweigh'd.?These he regarded not; but did entreat?That Jove, usurper of his father's seat,?Might presently be banish'd into hell,?And aged Saturn in Olympus dwell.?They granted what he crav'd; and once again?Saturn and Ops began their golden reign:?Murder, rape, war, and lust, and treachery,?Were with Jove clos'd in Stygian empery.?But long this blessed time continu'd not:?As soon as he his wished purpose got,?He, reckless of his promise, did despise?The love of th' everlasting Destinies.?They, seeing it, both Love and him abhorr'd,?And Jupiter unto his place restor'd:?And, but that learning, in despite of Fate,?Will amount aloft, and enter heaven-gate,?And to the seat of Jove itself advance,?Hermes had slept in hell with Ignorance.?Yet, as a punishment, they added this,?That he and Poverty should always kiss?And to this day is every scholar poor:?Gross gold from them runs headlong to the boor.?Likewise the angry Sisters, thus deluded,?To venge themselves on Hermes, have concluded?That Midas' brood shall sit in Honour's chair,?To which the Muses' sons are only heir;?And fruitful wits, that inaspiring are,?Shall discontent run into regions far;?And few great lords in virtuous deeds shall joy?But be surpris'd with every garish toy,?And still enrich the lofty servile clown,?Who with encroaching guile keeps learning down.?Then muse not Cupid's suit no better sped,?Seeing in their loves the Fates were injured.
THE SECOND SESTIAD
THE ARGUMENT OF THE SECOND SESTIAD
Hero of love takes deeper sense,?And doth her love more recompense:?Their first night's meeting, where sweet kisses?Are th' only crowns of both their blisses.?He swims t' Abydos, and returns:?Cold Neptune with his beauty burns;?Whose suit he shuns, and doth aspire?Hero's fair tower and his desire.
By this, sad Hero, with love unacquainted,?Viewing Leander's face, fell down and fainted.?He kiss'd her, and breath'd life into her lips;?Wherewith, as one displeas'd, away she trips;?Yet, as she went, full often look'd behind,?And many poor excuses did she find?To linger by the way, and once she stay'd,?And would have turn'd again, but was afraid,?In offering parley, to be counted light:?So on she goes, and, in her idle flight,?Her painted fan of curled plumes let fall,?Thinking to train Leander therewithal.?He, being a novice, knew not what she meant,?But stay'd, and after her a letter sent;?Which joyful Hero answer'd in such sort,?As he had hoped to scale the beauteous fort?Wherein the liberal Graces lock'd their wealth;?And therefore to her tower he got by stealth.?Wide-open stood the door; he need not climb;?And she herself, before the pointed time,?Had spread the board, with roses strew'd the room,?And oft look'd out, and mus'd he did not come.?At last he came: O, who can tell the greeting?These greedy lovers had at their first meeting??He ask'd; she gave; and nothing was denied;?Both to each other quickly were affied:?Look how their hands, so were their hearts united,?And what he did, she willingly requited.?(Sweet are the kisses, the embracements sweet,?When like desires and like affections meet;?For from the earth to heaven is Cupid rais'd,?Where fancy is in equal balance pais'd.)?Yet she this rashness suddenly repented,?And turn'd aside, and to herself lamented,?As if her name and honour had been wrong'd,?By being possess'd of him for whom she long'd;?Ay, and she wish'd, albeit not from her heart,?That he would leave her turret and depart.?The mirthful god of amorous pleasure smil'd?To see how he this