The Works of the English Poets: Dryden

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Now while the luftful God, with speedy pace, : Just thought to strain her in a strict embrace, He fills his arms with reeds, new rising on the place. And while he sighs his ill success to find, The tender canes were shaken by the wind ; And breath'd a mournful air, unheard before; That, much surprizing Pan, yet pleas'd him more. Admiring this new music, Thou, he said, Who canft not be the partner of my bed, At least shalt be the confort of my mind; And often, often, to my lips be join'd. He form’d the reeds, proportion'd as they are: Unequal in their length, and wax'd with care, They still retain the name of his ungrateful fair.

While Hermes pip'd, and fung, and told his tale, The keeper's winking eyes began to fail, And drowsy slumber on the lids to creep ; Till all the watchman was at length asleep. Then soon the God his voice and song supprest; And with his powerful rod confirm'd his rest: Without delay his crooked falchion drew, And at one fatal stroke the keeper New. Down from the rock fell the diffever'd head, Opening its eyes in death, and falling bled; And mark'd the passage with a crimson trail : Thus Argus lies in pieces, cold and pale ; And all his hundred eyes, with all their light, Are clos'd at once, in one perpetual night. These Juno takes, that they no more may fail, And spreads them in her peacock's gaudy tail.

Impatient 332

T R À N $ L A T I 0 N 8 Impatient to revenge her injur'd bed, She wreaks her anger on her rival's head; With furies frights her from her native home, And drives her gadding round the world to roam : Nor ceas'd her madness and her flight, before She touch'd the limits of the Pharian shore. At length, arriving on the banks of Nile, Wearied with length of ways, and worn with toil, She laid her down : and, leaning on her knees, Invok'd the cause of all her miseries : And cast her languishing regards above, For help from heaven, and her ungrateful Jove. She ligh’d, the wept, she low'd ; 'twas all the could ; And with unkindness seeni’d to tax the God. Last, with an humble prayer, she begg'd repose, Or death at least to finish all her woes. Jove heard her vows, and, with a flattering look, In her behalf to jealous Juno spoke. He cast his arms about her neck, and said: Dame, rest secure ; no more thy nuptial bed This nymph Mall violate; by Styx I swear, And every oath that binds the Thunderer. The Goddess was appeas'd : and at the word Was lo to her former shape restor d. The rugged hair began to fall away ; The sweetness of her eyes did only stay, Though not lo large; her crooked horns decrease ; The wideness of her jaws and nostrils cease : Her hoofs to hands return, in little space; The five long taper fingers take their place ;,

And

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And nothing of the heifer now is seen,
Beside the native whiteness of her skin.
Erected on her feet she walks again,
And two the duty of the four fustain.
She tries her tongue, her silence softly breaks,
And fears her former lowings when she speaks :
A Goddess now through all th' Egyptian state;
And serv'd by priests, who in white linen wait.

Her son was Epaphus, at length believ'd
The son of Jove, and as a God receiv’d.
With facrifice ador’d, and public prayers,
He common temples with his mother shares.
Equal in years, and rival in renown
With Epaphus, the youthful Phaëton,
Like honour claims, and boasts his fire the sun.
His haughty looks, and his assuming air,
The son of Isis could no longer bear :
Thou tak'st thy mother's word too far, said he,
And halt ufurp'd thy boasted pedigree.
Go, base pretender to a borrow'd name!
Thus tax’d, he blush'd with anger, and with shame;
But same repress’d his rage : the daunted youth
Soon seeks his mother, and enquires the truth :
Mother, said he, this infamy was thrown
By Epaphus on you, and me your

son. He spoke in public, told it to my face; Nor durft I vindicate the dire disgrace : Ev'n 1, the bold, the sensible of wrong, Restrain'd by shame, was forc'd to hold my tongue. To hear an open Nander, is a curse: But not to find an answer, is a worse,

The Transformation of Daphine into a Laurel

The Transformation of Io into an Heifer

323

The Eyes of Argos transformed into a Peacock's