Hero and Leander | Page 6

the sun that through th' horizon peeps,?As pitying these lovers, downward creeps,?So that in silence of the cloudy night,?Though it was morning, did he take his flight.?But what the secret trusty night concealed?Leander's amorous habit soon revealed.?With Cupid's myrtle was his bonnet crowned,?About his arms the purple riband wound?Wherewith she wreathed her largely spreading hair.?Nor could the youth abstain, but he must wear?The sacred ring wherewith she was endowed?When first religious chastity she vowed.?Which made his love through Sestos to be known,?And thence unto Abydos sooner blown?Than he could sail; for incorporeal fame?Whose weight consists in nothing but her name,?Is swifter than the wind, whose tardy plumes?Are reeking water and dull earthly fumes.?Home when he came, he seemed not to be there,?But, like exiled air thrust from his sphere,?Set in a foreign place; and straight from thence,?Alcides like, by mighty violence?He would have chased away the swelling main?That him from her unjustly did detain.?Like as the sun in a diameter?Fires and inflames objects removed far,?And heateth kindly, shining laterally,?So beauty sweetly quickens when 'tis nigh,?But being separated and removed,?Burns where it cherished, murders where it loved.?Therefore even as an index to a book,?So to his mind was young Leander's look.?O, none but gods have power their love to hide,?Affection by the countenance is descried.?The light of hidden fire itself discovers,?And love that is concealed betrays poor lovers,?His secret flame apparently was seen.?Leander's father knew where he had been?And for the same mildly rebuked his son,?Thinking to quench the sparkles new begun.?But love resisted once grows passionate,?And nothing more than counsel lovers hate.?For as a hot proud horse highly disdains?To have his head controlled, but breaks the reins,?Spits forth the ringled bit, and with his hooves?Checks the submissive ground; so he that loves,?The more he is restrained, the worse he fares.?What is it now, but mad Leander dares??"O Hero, Hero!" thus he cried full oft;?And then he got him to a rock aloft,?Where having spied her tower, long stared he on't,?And prayed the narrow toiling Hellespont?To part in twain, that he might come and go;?But still the rising billows answered, "No."?With that he stripped him to the ivory skin?And, crying "Love, I come," leaped lively in.?Whereat the sapphire visaged god grew proud,?And made his capering Triton sound aloud,?Imagining that Ganymede, displeased,?Had left the heavens; therefore on him he seized.?Leander strived; the waves about him wound,?And pulled him to the bottom, where the ground?Was strewed with pearl, and in low coral groves?Sweet singing mermaids sported with their loves?On heaps of heavy gold, and took great pleasure?To spurn in careless sort the shipwrack treasure.?For here the stately azure palace stood?Where kingly Neptune and his train abode.?The lusty god embraced him, called him "Love,"?And swore he never should return to Jove.?But when he knew it was not Ganymede,?For under water he was almost dead,?He heaved him up and, looking on his face,?Beat down the bold waves with his triple mace,?Which mounted up, intending to have kissed him,?And fell in drops like tears because they missed him.?Leander, being up, began to swim?And, looking back, saw Neptune follow him,?Whereat aghast, the poor soul 'gan to cry?"O, let me visit Hero ere I die!"?The god put Helle's bracelet on his arm,?And swore the sea should never do him harm.?He clapped his plump cheeks, with his tresses played?And, smiling wantonly, his love bewrayed.?He watched his arms and, as they opened wide?At every stroke, betwixt them would he slide?And steal a kiss, and then run out and dance,?And, as he turned, cast many a lustful glance,?And threw him gaudy toys to please his eye,?And dive into the water, and there pry?Upon his breast, his thighs, and every limb,?And up again, and close beside him swim,?And talk of love.?Leander made reply,?"You are deceived; I am no woman, I."?Thereat smiled Neptune, and then told a tale,?How that a shepherd, sitting in a vale,?Played with a boy so fair and kind,?As for his love both earth and heaven pined;?That of the cooling river durst not drink,?Lest water nymphs should pull him from the brink.?And when he sported in the fragrant lawns,?Goat footed satyrs and upstaring fauns?Would steal him thence. Ere half this tale was done,?"Ay me," Leander cried, "th' enamoured sun?That now should shine on Thetis' glassy bower,?Descends upon my radiant Hero's tower.?O, that these tardy arms of mine were wings!"?And, as he spake, upon the waves he springs.?Neptune was angry that he gave no ear,?And in his heart revenging malice bare.?He flung at him his mace but, as it went,?He called it in, for love made him repent.?The mace, returning back, his own hand hit?As meaning to be venged for darting it.?When this fresh bleeding wound Leander viewed,?His colour went and came, as if he rued?The grief which Neptune felt. In gentle breasts?Relenting thoughts, remorse, and pity rests.?And who have hard