The Passion of of Byblis



9:580 Let the sad fate of wretched Byblis prove
9:581 A dismal warning to unlawful love;
9:582 One birth gave being to the hapless pair,
9:583 But more was Caunus than a sister's care;
9:584 Unknown she lov'd, for yet the gentle fire
9:585 Rose not in flames, nor kindled to desire,
9:586 'Twas thought no sin to wonder at his charms,
9:587 Hang on his neck, and languish in his arms;
9:588 Thus wing'd with joy, fled the soft hours away,
9:589 And all the fatal guilt on harmless Nature lay.

9:590 But love (too soon from piety declin'd)
9:591 Insensibly deprav'd her yielding mind.
9:592 Dress'd she appears, with nicest art adorn'd,
9:593 And ev'ry youth, but her lov'd brother, scorn'd;
9:594 For him alone she labour'd to be fair,
9:595 And curst all charms that might with hers compare.
9:596 'Twas she, and only she, must Caunus please,
9:597 Sick at her heart, yet knew not her disease:
9:598 She call'd him lord, for brother was a name
9:599 Too cold, and dull for her aspiring flame;
9:600 And when he spoke, if sister he reply'd,
9:601 For Byblis change that frozen word, she cry'd.
9:602 Yet waking still she watch'd her strugling breast,
9:603 And love's approaches were in vain address'd,
9:604 'Till gentle sleep an easy conquest made,
9:605 And in her soft embrace the conqueror was laid.
9:606 But oh too soon the pleasing vision fled,
9:607 And left her blushing on the conscious bed:
9:608 Ah me! (she cry'd) how monstrous do I seem?
9:609 Why these wild thoughts? and this incestuous dream?
9:610 Envy herself ('tis true) must own his charms,
9:611 But what is beauty in a sister's arms?
9:612 Oh were I not that despicable she,
9:613 How bless'd, how pleas'd, how happy shou'd I be!
9:614 But unregarded now must bear my pain,
9:615 And but in dreams, my wishes can obtain.

9:616 O sea-born Goddess! with thy wanton boy!
9:617 Was ever such a charming scene of joy?
9:618 Such perfect bliss! such ravishing delight!
9:619 Ne'er hid before in the kind shades of night.
9:620 How pleas'd my heart! in what sweet raptures tost!
9:621 Ev'n life it self in the soft combat lost,
9:622 While breathless he on my heav'd bosom lay,
9:623 And snatch'd the treasures of my soul away.

9:624 If the bare fancy so affects my mind,
9:625 How shou'd I rave if to the substance join'd?
9:626 Oh, gentle Caunus! quit thy hated line,
9:627 Or let thy parents be no longer mine!
9:628 Oh that in common all things were enjoy'd,
9:629 But those alone who have our hopes destroy'd.
9:630 Were I a princess, thou an humble swain,
9:631 The proudest kings shou'd rival thee in vain.
9:632 It cannot be, alas! the dreadful ill
9:633 Is fix'd by Fate, and he's my brother still.
9:634 Hear me, ye Gods! I must have friends in Heav'n,
9:635 For Jove himself was to a sister giv'n:
9:636 But what are their prerogatives above,
9:637 To the short liberties of human love?
9:638 Fantastick thoughts! down, down, forbidden fires,
9:639 Or instant death extinguish my desires.
9:640 Strict virtue, then, with thy malicious leave,
9:641 Without a crime I may a kiss receive:
9:642 But say shou'd I in spight of laws comply,
9:643 Yet cruel Caunus might himself deny,
9:644 No pity take of an afflicted maid
9:645 (For love's sweet game must be by couples play'd).
9:646 Yet why shou'd youth, and charms like mine, despair?
9:647 Such fears ne'er startled the Aeolian pair;
9:648 No ties of blood could their full hopes destroy,
9:649 They broke thro' all, for the prevailing joy;
9:650 And who can tell but Caunus too may be
9:651 Rack'd and tormented in his breast for me?
9:652 Like me, to the extreamest anguish drove,
9:653 Like me, just waking from a dream of love?
9:654 But stay! Oh whither wou'd my fury run!
9:655 What arguments I urge to be undone!
9:656 Away fond Byblis, quench these guilty flames;
9:657 Caunus thy love but as brother claims;
9:658 Yet had he first been touch'd with love of me,
9:659 The charming youth cou'd I despairing see?
9:660 Oppress'd with grief, and dying by disdain?
9:661 Ah no! too sure I shou'd have eas'd his pain!
9:662 Since then, if Caunus ask'd me, it were done;
9:663 Asking my self, what dangers can I run?
9:664 But canst thou ask? and see that right betray'd,
9:665 From Pyrrha down to thy whole sex convey'd?
9:666 That self-denying gift we all enjoy,
9:667 Of wishing to be won, yet seeming to be coy.
9:668 Well then, for once, let a fond mistress woo;
9:669 The force of love no custom can subdue;
9:670 This frantick passion he by words shall know,
9:671 Soft as the melting heart from whence they flow.
9:672 The pencil then in her fair hand she held,
9:673 By fear discourag'd, but by love compell'd
9:674 She writes, then blots, writes on, and blots again,
9:675 Likes it as fit, then razes it as vain:
9:676 Shame, and assurance in her face appear,
9:677 And a faint hope just yielding to despair;
9:678 Sister was wrote, and blotted as a word
9:679 Which she, and Caunus too (she hop'd) abhorr'd;
9:680 But now resolv'd to be no more controul'd
9:681 By scrup'lous virtue, thus her grief she told.

9:682 Thy lover (gentle Caunus) wishes thee
9:683 That health, which thou alone canst give to me.
9:684 O charming youth! the gift I ask bestow,
9:685 Ere thou the name of the fond writer know;
9:686 To thee without a name I would be known,
9:687 Since knowing that, my frailty I must own.
9:688 Yet why shou'd I my wretched name conceal?
9:689 When thousand instances my flames reveal:
9:690 Wan looks, and weeping eyes have spoke my pain,
9:691 And sighs discharg'd from my heav'd heart in vain;
9:692 Had I not wish'd my passion might be seen,
9:693 What cou'd such fondness and embraces mean?
9:694 Such kisses too! (Oh heedless lovely boy)
9:695 Without a crime no sister cou'd enjoy:
9:696 Yet (tho' extreamest rage has rack'd my soul,
9:697 And raging fires in my parch'd bosom roul)
9:698 Be witness, Gods! how piously I strove,
9:699 To rid my thoughts of this enchanting love.
9:700 But who cou'd scape so fierce, and sure a dart,
9:701 Aim'd at a tender, and defenceless heart?
9:702 Alas! what maid cou'd suffer, I have born,
9:703 Ere the dire secret from my breast was torn;
9:704 To thee a helpless vanquish'd wretch I come,
9:705 'Tis you alone can save, or give my doom;
9:706 My life, or death this moment you may chuse.
9:707 Yet think, oh think, no hated stranger sues,
9:708 No foe; but one, alas! too near ally'd,
9:709 And wishing still much nearer to be ty'd.
9:710 The forms of decency let age debate,
9:711 And virtue's rules by their cold morals state;
9:712 Their ebbing joys give leisure to enquire,
9:713 And blame those noble flights our youth inspire:
9:714 Where Nature kindly summons let us go,
9:715 Our sprightly years no bounds in love shou'd know,
9:716 Shou'd feel no check of guilt, and fear no ill;
9:717 Lovers, and Gods act all things at their will:
9:718 We gain one blessing from our hated kin,
9:719 Since our paternal freedom hides the sin;
9:720 Uncensur'd in each other's arms we lye,
9:721 Think then how easie to compleat our joy.
9:722 Oh, pardon and oblige a blushing maid,
9:723 Whose rage the pride of her vain sex betray'd;
9:724 Nor let my tomb thus mournfully complain,
9:725 Here Byblis lies, by her lov'd Caunus slain.

9:726 Forc'd here to end, she with a falling tear
9:727 Temper'd the pliant wax, which did the signet bear:
9:728 The curious cypher was impress'd by art,
9:729 But love had stamp'd one deeper in her heart;
9:730 Her page, a youth of confidence, and skill,
9:731 (Secret as night) stood waiting on her will;
9:732 Sighing (she cry'd): Bear this, thou faithful boy,
9:733 To my sweet partner in eternal joy:
9:734 Here a long pause her secret guilt confess'd,
9:735 And when at length she would have spoke the rest,
9:736 Half the dear name lay bury'd in her breast.

9:737 Thus as he listned to her vain command,
9:738 Down fell the letter from her trembling hand.
9:739 The omen shock'd her soul. Yet go, she cry'd;
9:740 Can a request from Byblis be deny'd?

9:741 To the Maeandrian youth this message's born,
9:742 The half-read lines by his fierce rage were torn;
9:743 Hence, hence, he cry'd, thou pandar to her lust,
9:744 Bear hence the triumph of thy impious trust:
9:745 Thy instant death will but divulge her shame,
9:746 Or thy life's blood shou'd quench the guilty flame.
9:747 Frighted, from threatning Caunus he withdrew,
9:748 And with the dreadful news to his lost mistress flew.
9:749 The sad repulse so struck the wounded fair,
9:750 Her sense was bury'd in her wild despair;
9:751 Pale was her visage, as the ghastly dead;
9:752 And her scar'd soul from the sweet mansion fled;
9:753 Yet with her life renew'd, her love returns,
9:754 And faintly thus her cruel fate she mourns:
9:755 'Tis just, ye Gods! was my false reason blind?
9:756 To write a secret of this tender kind?
9:757 With female craft I shou'd at first have strove,
9:758 By dubious hints to sound his distant love;
9:759 And try'd those useful, tho' dissembled, arts,
9:760 Which women practise on disdainful hearts:
9:761 I shou'd have watch'd whence the black storm might rise;
9:762 Ere I had trusted the unfaithful skies.
9:763 Now on the rouling billows I am tost,
9:764 And with extended sails, on the blind shelves am lost.
9:765 Did not indulgent Heav'n my doom foretell,
9:766 When from my hand the fatal letter fell?
9:767 What madness seiz'd my soul? and urg'd me on
9:768 To take the only course to be undone?
9:769 I cou'd my self have told the moving tale
9:770 With such alluring grace as must prevail;
9:771 Then had his eyes beheld my blushing fears,
9:772 My rising sighs, and my descending tears;
9:773 Round his dear neck these arms I then had spread,
9:774 And, if rejected, at his feet been dead:
9:775 If singly these had not his thoughts inclin'd,
9:776 Yet all united would have shock'd his mind.
9:777 Perhaps, my careless page might be in fault,
9:778 And in a luckless hour the fatal message brought;
9:779 Business, and worldly thoughts might fill his breast,
9:780 Sometimes ev'n love itself may be an irksome guest:
9:781 He cou'd not else have treated me with scorn,
9:782 For Caunus was not of a tygress born;
9:783 Nor steel, nor adamant has fenc'd his heart;
9:784 Like mine, 'tis naked to the burning dart.

9:785 Away false fears! he must, he shall be mine;
9:786 In death alone I will my claim resign;
9:787 'Tis vain to wish my written crime unknown,
9:788 And for my guilt much vainer to atone.
9:789 Repuls'd and baffled, fiercer still she burns,
9:790 And Caunus with disdain her impious love returns.
9:791 He saw no end of her injurious flame,
9:792 And fled his country to avoid the shame.
9:793 Forsaken Byblis, who had hopes no more;
9:794 Burst out in rage, and her loose robes she tore;
9:795 With her fair hands she smote her tender breast,
9:796 And to the wond'ring world her love confess'd;
9:797 O'er hills and dales, o'er rocks and streams she flew,
9:798 But still in vain did her wild lust pursue:
9:799 Wearied at length, on the cold earth she fell,
9:800 And now in tears alone could her sad story tell.
9:801 Relenting Gods in pity fix'd her there,
9:802 And to a fountain turn'd the weeping fair.