The Story of Cephalus and Procris
7:1001 To th' inmost courts the Grecian youths
were led,
7:1002 And plac'd by Phocus on a Tyrian
bed;
7:1003 Who, soon observing Cephalus
to hold
7:1004 A dart of unknown wood, but
arm'd with gold:
7:1005 None better loves (said he)
the huntsman's sport,
7:1006 Or does more often to the woods
resort;
7:1007 Yet I that jav'lin's stem with
wonder view,
7:1008 Too brown for box, too smooth
a grain for yew.
7:1009 I cannot guess the tree; but
never art
7:1010 Did form, or eyes behold so
fair a dart!
7:1011 The guest then interrupts him-'Twou'd
produce
7:1012 Still greater wonder, if you
knew its use.
7:1013 It never fails to strike the
game, and then
7:1014 Comes bloody back into your
hand again.
7:1015 Then Phocus each particular
desires,
7:1016 And th' author of the wond'rous
gift enquires.
7:1017 To which the owner thus, with
weeping eyes,
7:1018 And sorrow for his wife's sad
fate, replies,
7:1019 This weapon here (o prince!)
can you believe
7:1020 This dart the cause for which
so much I grieve;
7:1021 And shall continue to grieve
on, 'till Fate
7:1022 Afford such wretched life no
longer date.
7:1023 Would I this fatal gift had
ne'er enjoy'd,
7:1024 This fatal gift my tender wife
destroy'd:
7:1025 Procris her name, ally'd in charms and blood
7:1026 To fair Orythia courted by
a God.
7:1027 Her father seal'd my hopes
with rites divine,
7:1028 But firmer love before had
made her mine.
7:1029 Men call'd me blest, and blest
I was indeed.
7:1030 The second month our nuptials
did succeed;
7:1031 When (as upon Hymettus' dewy
head,
7:1032 For mountain stags my net betimes
I spread)
7:1033 Aurora spy'd, and ravish'd
me away,
7:1034 With rev'rence to the Goddess,
I must say,
7:1035 Against my will, for Procris
had my heart,
7:1036 Nor wou'd her image from my
thoughts depart.
7:1037 At last, in rage she cry'd,
Ingrateful boy
7:1038 Go to your Procris, take your
fatal joy;
7:1039 And so dismiss'd me: musing,
as I went,
7:1040 What those expressions of the
Goddess meant,
7:1041 A thousand jealous fears possess
me now,
7:1042 Lest Procris had prophan'd
her nuptial vow:
7:1043 Her youth and charms did to
my fancy paint
7:1044 A lewd adultress, but her life
a saint.
7:1045 Yet I was absent long, the
Goddess too
7:1046 Taught me how far a woman cou'd
be true.
7:1047 Aurora's treatment much suspicion
bred;
7:1048 Besides, who truly love, ev'n
shadows dread.
7:1049 I strait impatient for the
tryal grew,
7:1050 What courtship back'd with
richest gifts cou'd do.
7:1051 Aurora's envy aided my design,
7:1052 And lent me features far unlike
to mine.
7:1053 In this disguise to my own
house I came,
7:1054 But all was chaste, no conscious
sign of blame:
7:1055 With thousand arts I scarce
admittance found,
7:1056 And then beheld her weeping
on the ground
7:1057 For her lost husband; hardly
I retain'd
7:1058 My purpose, scarce the wish'd
embrace refrain'd.
7:1059 How charming was her grief!
Then, Phocus, guess
7:1060 What killing beauties waited
on her dress.
7:1061 Her constant answer, when my
suit I prest,
7:1062 Forbear, my lord's dear image
guards this breast;
7:1063 Where-e'er he is, whatever
cause detains,
7:1064 Who-e'er has his, my heart
unmov'd remains.
7:1065 What greater proofs of truth
than these cou'd be?
7:1066 Yet I persist, and urge my
destiny.
7:1067 At length, she found, when
my own form return'd,
7:1068 Her jealous lover there, whose
loss she mourn'd.
7:1069 Enrag'd with my suspicion,
swift as wind,
7:1070 She fled at once from me and
all mankind;
7:1071 And so became, her purpose
to retain,
7:1072 A nymph, and huntress in Diana's
train:
7:1073 Forsaken thus, I found my flames
encrease,
7:1074 I own'd my folly, and I su'd
for peace.
7:1075 It was a fault, but not of
guilt, to move
7:1076 Such punishment, a fault of
too much love.
7:1077 Thus I retriev'd her to my
longing arms,
7:1078 And many happy days possess'd
her charms.
7:1079 But with herself she kindly
did confer,
7:1080 What gifts the Goddess had
bestow'd on her;
7:1081 The fleetest grey-hound, with
this lovely dart,
7:1082 And I of both have wonders
to impart.
7:1083 Near Thebes a savage beast, of race unknown,
7:1084 Laid waste the field, and bore
the vineyards down;
7:1085 The swains fled from him, and
with one consent
7:1086 Our Grecian youth to chase
the monster went;
7:1087 More swift than light'ning
he the toils surpast,
7:1088 And in his course spears, men,
and trees o'er-cast.
7:1089 We slipt our dogs, and last
my Lelaps too,
7:1090 When none of all the mortal
race wou'd do:
7:1091 He long before was struggling
from my hands,
7:1092 And, e're we cou'd unloose
him, broke his bands.
7:1093 That minute where he was, we
cou'd not find,
7:1094 And only saw the dust he left
behind.
7:1095 I climb'd a neighb'ring hill
to view the chase,
7:1096 While in the plain they held
an equal race;
7:1097 The savage now seems caught,
and now by force
7:1098 To quit himself, nor holds
the same strait course;
7:1099 But running counter, from the
foe withdraws,
7:1100 And with short turning cheats
his gaping jaws:
7:1101 Which he retrieves, and still
so closely prest,
7:1102 You'd fear at ev'ry stretch
he were possess'd;
7:1103 Yet for the gripe his fangs
in vain prepare;
7:1104 The game shoots from him, and
he chops the air.
7:1105 To cast my jav'lin then I took
my stand;
7:1106 But as the thongs were fitting
to my hand,
7:1107 While to the valley I o'er-look'd
the wood,
7:1108 Before my eyes two marble statues
stood;
7:1109 That, as pursu'd appearing
at full stretch,
7:1110 This barking after, and at
point to catch:
7:1111 Some God their course did with
this wonder grace,
7:1112 That neither might be conquer'd
in the chase.
7:1113 A sudden silence here his tongue
supprest,
7:1114 He here stops short, and fain
wou'd wave the rest.
7:1115 The eager prince then urg'd him to impart,
7:1116 The Fortune that attended on
the dart.
7:1117 First then (said he) past joys
let me relate,
7:1118 For bliss was the foundation
of my fate.
7:1119 No language can those happy
hours express,
7:1120 Did from our nuptials me, and
Procris bless:
7:1121 The kindest pair! What more
cou'd Heav'n confer?
7:1122 For she was all to me, and
I to her.
7:1123 Had Jove made love, great Jove
had been despis'd;
7:1124 And I my Procris more than
Venus priz'd:
7:1125 Thus while no other joy we
did aspire,
7:1126 We grew at last one soul, and
one desire.
7:1127 Forth to the woods I went at
break of day
7:1128 (The constant practice of my
youth) for prey:
7:1129 Nor yet for servant, horse,
or dog did call,
7:1130 I found this single dart to
serve for all.
7:1131 With slaughter tir'd, I sought
the cooler shade,
7:1132 And winds that from the mountains
pierc'd the glade:
7:1133 Come, gentle air (so was I
wont to say)
7:1134 Come, gentle air, sweet Aura
come away.
7:1135 This always was the burden
of my song,
7:1136 Come 'swage my flames, sweet
Aura come along.
7:1137 Thou always art most welcome
to my breast;
7:1138 I faint; approach, thou dearest,
kindest guest!
7:1139 These blandishments, and more
than these, I said
7:1140 (By Fate to unsuspected ruin
led),
7:1141 Thou art my joy, for thy dear
sake I love
7:1142 Each desart hill, and solitary
grove;
7:1143 When (faint with labour) I
refreshment need,
7:1144 For cordials on thy fragrant
breath I feed.
7:1145 At last a wand'ring swain in
hearing came,
7:1146 And cheated with the sound
of Aura's name,
7:1147 He thought I some assignation
made;
7:1148 And to my Procris' ear the
news convey'd.
7:1149 Great love is soonest with
suspicion fir'd:
7:1150 She swoon'd, and with the tale
almost expir'd.
7:1151 Ah! wretched heart! (she cry'd)
ah! faithless man.
7:1152 And then to curse th' imagin'd
nymph began:
7:1153 Yet oft she doubts, oft hopes
she is deceiv'd,
7:1154 And chides herself, that ever
she believ'd
7:1155 Her lord to such injustice
cou'd proceed,
7:1156 'Till she her self were witness
of the deed.
7:1157 Next morn I to the woods again
repair,
7:1158 And, weary with the chase,
invoke the air:
7:1159 Approach, dear Aura, and my
bosom chear:
7:1160 At which a mournful sound did
strike my ear;
7:1161 Yet I proceeded, 'till the
thicket by,
7:1162 With rustling noise and motion,
drew my eye:
7:1163 I thought some beast of prey
was shelter'd there,
7:1164 And to the covert threw my
certain spear;
7:1165 From whence a tender sigh my
soul did wound,
7:1166 Ah me! it cry'd, and did like
Procris sound.
7:1167 Procris was there, too well
the voice I knew,
7:1168 And to the place with headlong
horror flew;
7:1169 Where I beheld her gasping
on the ground,
7:1170 In vain attempting from the
deadly wound
7:1171 To draw the dart, her love's
dear fatal gift!
7:1172 My guilty arms had scarce the
strength to lift
7:1173 The beauteous load; my silks,
and hair I tore
7:1174 (If possible) to stanch the
pressing gore;
7:1175 For pity beg'd her keep her
flitting breath,
7:1176 And not to leave me guilty
of her death.
7:1177 While I intreat she fainted
fast away,
7:1178 And these few words had only
strength to say:
7:1179 By all the sacred bonds of
plighted love,
7:1180 By all your rev'rence to the
Pow'rs above,
7:1181 By all the truth for which
you held me dear,
7:1182 And last by love, the cause
through which I bleed,
7:1183 Let Aura never to my bed succeed.
7:1184 I then perceiv'd the error
of our fate,
7:1185 And told it her, but found
and told too late!
7:1186 I felt her lower to my bosom
fall,
7:1187 And while her eyes had any
sight at all,
7:1188 On mine she fix'd them; in
her pangs still prest
7:1189 My hand, and sigh'd her soul
into my breast;
7:1190 Yet, being undeceiv'd, resign'd
her breath
7:1191 Methought more chearfully,
and smil'd in death.
7:1192 With such concern the weeping heroe told
7:1193 This tale, that none who heard
him cou'd with-hold
7:1194 From melting into sympathizing
tears,
7:1195 'Till Aeacus with his two sons
appears;
7:1196 Whom he commits, with their
new-levy'd bands,
7:1197 To Fortune's, and so brave
a gen'ral's hands.
BOOK THE EIGHTH