Metamorphoses (Books I-XIV)
The Eyes of Argus transform'd into a Peacock's Train
1:922 Now Jove no longer cou'd her suff'rings bear;
1:923 But call'd in haste his airy messenger,
1:924 The son of Maia, with severe decree
1:925 To kill the keeper, and to set her free.
1:926 With all his harness soon the God was sped,
1:927 His flying hat was fastned on his head,
1:928 Wings on his heels were hung, and in his hand
1:929 He holds the vertue of the snaky wand.
1:930 The liquid air his moving pinions wound,
1:931 And, in the moment, shoot him on the ground.
1:932 Before he came in sight, the crafty God
1:933 His wings dismiss'd, but still retain'd his rod:
1:934 That sleep-procuring wand wise Hermes took,
1:935 But made it seem to sight a sherpherd's hook.
1:936 With this, he did a herd of goats controul;
1:937 Which by the way he met, and slily stole.
1:938 Clad like a country swain, he pip'd, and sung;
1:939 And playing, drove his jolly troop along.
1:940 With pleasure, Argus the musician heeds;
1:941 But wonders much at those new vocal reeds.
1:942 And whosoe'er thou art, my friend, said he,
1:943 Up hither drive thy goats, and play by me:
1:944 This hill has browz for them, and shade for thee.
1:945 The God, who was with ease induc'd to climb,
1:946 Began discourse to pass away the time;
1:947 And still betwixt, his tuneful pipe he plies;
1:948 And watch'd his hour, to close the keeper's eyes.
1:949 With much ado, he partly kept awake;
1:950 Not suff'ring all his eyes repose to take:
1:951 And ask'd the stranger, who did reeds invent,
1:952 And whence began so rare an instrument?
The Transformation of Syrinx into Reeds
1:953 Then Hermes thus: A nymph of late there was
1:954 Whose heav'nly form her fellows did surpass.
1:955 The pride and joy of fair Arcadia's plains,
1:956 Belov'd by deities, ador'd by swains:
1:957 Syrinx her name, by Sylvans oft pursu'd,
1:958 As oft she did the lustful Gods delude:
1:959 The rural, and the woodland Pow'rs disdain'd;
1:960 With Cynthia hunted, and her rites maintain'd:
1:961 Like Phoebe clad, even Phoebe's self she seems,
1:962 So tall, so streight, such well-proportion'd limbs:
1:963 The nicest eye did no distinction know,
1:964 But that the goddess bore a golden bow:
1:965 Distinguish'd thus, the sight she cheated too.
1:966 Descending from Lycaeus, Pan admires
1:967 The matchless nymph, and burns with new desires.
1:968 A crown of pine upon his head he wore;
1:969 And thus began her pity to implore.
1:970 But e'er he thus began, she took her flight
1:971 So swift, she was already out of sight.
1:972 Nor stay'd to hear the courtship of the God;
1:973 But bent her course to Ladon's gentle flood:
1:974 There by the river stopt, and tir'd before;
1:975 Relief from water nymphs her pray'rs implore.
1:976 Now while the lustful God, with speedy pace,
1:977 Just thought to strain her in a strict embrace,
1:978 He fill'd his arms with reeds, new rising on the place.
1:979 And while he sighs, his ill success to find,
1:980 The tender canes were shaken by the wind;
1:981 And breath'd a mournful air, unheard before;
1:982 That much surprizing Pan, yet pleas'd him more.
1:983 Admiring this new musick, Thou, he said,
1:984 Who canst not be the partner of my bed,
1:985 At least shall be the confort of my mind:
1:986 And often, often to my lips be joyn'd.
1:987 He form'd the reeds, proportion'd as they are,
1:988 Unequal in their length, and wax'd with care,
1:989 They still retain the name of his ungrateful fair.
fable1:990 While Hermes pip'd, and sung, and told his tale,
1:991 The keeper's winking eyes began to fail,
1:992 And drowsie slumber on the lids to creep;
1:993 'Till all the watchman was at length asleep.
1:994 Then soon the God his voice, and song supprest;
1:995 And with his pow'rful rod confirm'd his rest:
1:996 Without delay his crooked faulchion drew,
1:997 And at one fatal stroke the keeper slew.
1:998 Down from the rock fell the dissever'd head,
1:999 Opening its eyes in death; and falling, bled;
1:1000 And mark'd the passage with a crimson trail:
1:1001 Thus Argus lies in pieces, cold, and pale;
1:1002 And all his hundred eyes, with all their light,
1:1003 Are clos'd at once, in one perpetual night.
1:1004 These Juno takes, that they no more may fail,
1:1005 And spreads them in her peacock's gaudy tail.
1:1006 Impatient to revenge her injur'd bed,
1:1007 She wreaks her anger on her rival's head;
1:1008 With Furies frights her from her native home;
1:1009 And drives her gadding, round the world to roam:
1:1010 Nor ceas'd her madness, and her flight, before
1:1011 She touch'd the limits of the Pharian shore.
1:1012 At length, arriving on the banks of Nile,
1:1013 Wearied with length of ways, and worn with toil,
1:1014 She laid her down; and leaning on her knees,
1:1015 Invok'd the cause of all her miseries:
1:1016 And cast her languishing regards above,
1:1017 For help from Heav'n, and her ungrateful Jove.
1:1018 She sigh'd, she wept, she low'd; 'twas all she cou'd;
1:1019 And with unkindness seem'd to tax the God.
1:1020 Last, with an humble pray'r, she beg'd repose,
1:1021 Or death at least, to finish all her woes.
1:1022 Jove heard her vows, and with a flatt'ring look,
1:1023 In her behalf to jealous Juno spoke,
1:1024 He cast his arms about her neck, and said,
1:1025 Dame, rest secure; no more thy nuptial bed
1:1026 This nymph shall violate; by Styx I swear,
1:1027 And every oath that binds the Thunderer.
1:1028 The Goddess was appeas'd; and at the word
1:1029 Was Io to her former shape restor'd.
1:1030 The rugged hair began to fall away;
1:1031 The sweetness of her eyes did only stay,
1:1032 Tho' not so large; her crooked horns decrease;
1:1033 The wideness of her jaws and nostrils cease:
1:1034 Her hoofs to hands return, in little space:
1:1035 The five long taper fingers take their place,
1:1036 And nothing of the heyfer now is seen,
1:1037 Beside the native whiteness of the skin.
1:1038 Erected on her feet she walks again:
1:1039 And two the duty of the four sustain.
1:1040 She tries her tongue; her silence softly breaks,
1:1041 And fears her former lowings when she speaks:
1:1042 A Goddess now, through all th' Aegyptian State:
1:1043 And serv'd by priests, who in white linnen wait.
1:1044 Her son was Epaphus, at length believ'd
1:1045 The son of Jove, and as a God receiv'd;
1:1046 With sacrifice ador'd, and publick pray'rs,
1:1047 He common temples with his mother shares.
1:1048 Equal in years, and rival in renown
1:1049 With Epaphus, the youthful Phaeton
1:1050 Like honour claims; and boasts his sire the sun.
1:1051 His haughty looks, and his assuming air,
1:1052 The son of Isis could no longer bear:
1:1053 Thou tak'st thy mother's word too far, said he,
1:1054 And hast usurp'd thy boasted pedigree.
1:1055 Go, base pretender to a borrow'd name.
1:1056 Thus tax'd, he blush'd with anger, and with shame;
1:1057 But shame repress'd his rage: the daunted youth
1:1058 Soon seeks his mother, and enquires the truth:
1:1059 Mother, said he, this infamy was thrown
1:1060 By Epaphus on you, and me your son.
1:1061 He spoke in publick, told it to my face;
1:1062 Nor durst I vindicate the dire disgrace:
1:1063 Even I, the bold, the sensible of wrong,
1:1064 Restrain'd by shame, was forc'd to hold my tongue.
1:1065 To hear an open slander, is a curse:
1:1066 But not to find an answer, is a worse.
1:1067 If I am Heav'n-begot, assert your son
1:1068 By some sure sign; and make my father known,
1:1069 To right my honour, and redeem your own.
1:1070 He said, and saying cast his arms about
1:1071 Her neck, and beg'd her to resolve the doubt.
1:1072 'Tis hard to judge if Clymene were mov'd
1:1073 More by his pray'r, whom she so dearly lov'd,
1:1074 Or more with fury fir'd, to find her name
1:1075 Traduc'd, and made the sport of common fame.
1:1076 She stretch'd her arms to Heav'n, and fix'd her eyes
1:1077 On that fair planet that adorns the skies;
1:1078 Now by those beams, said she, whose holy fires
1:1079 Consume my breast, and kindle my desires;
1:1080 By him, who sees us both, and clears our sight,
1:1081 By him, the publick minister of light,
1:1082 I swear that Sun begot thee; if I lye,
1:1083 Let him his chearful influence deny:
1:1084 Let him no more this perjur'd creature see;
1:1085 And shine on all the world but only me.
1:1086 If still you doubt your mother's innocence,
1:1087 His eastern mansion is not far from hence;
1:1088 With little pains you to his Leve go,
1:1089 And from himself your parentage may know.
1:1090 With joy th' ambitious youth his mother heard,
1:1091 And eager, for the journey soon prepar'd.
1:1092 He longs the world beneath him to survey;
1:1093 To guide the chariot; and to give the day:
1:1094 From Meroe's burning sands he bends his course,
1:1095 Nor less in India feels his father's force:
1:1096 His travel urging, till he came in sight;
1:1097 And saw the palace by the purple light.
BOOK THE SECOND
Metamorphoses (Books I-XIV)
The Eyes of Argus transform'd into a Peacock's Train
1:922 Now Jove no longer cou'd her suff'rings bear;
1:923 But call'd in haste his airy messenger,
1:924 The son of Maia, with severe decree
1:925 To kill the keeper, and to set her free.
1:926 With all his harness soon the God was sped,
1:927 His flying hat was fastned on his head,
1:928 Wings on his heels were hung, and in his hand
1:929 He holds the vertue of the snaky wand.
1:930 The liquid air his moving pinions wound,
1:931 And, in the moment, shoot him on the ground.
1:932 Before he came in sight, the crafty God
1:933 His wings dismiss'd, but still retain'd his rod:
1:934 That sleep-procuring wand wise Hermes took,
1:935 But made it seem to sight a sherpherd's hook.
1:936 With this, he did a herd of goats controul;
1:937 Which by the way he met, and slily stole.
1:938 Clad like a country swain, he pip'd, and sung;
1:939 And playing, drove his jolly troop along.
1:940 With pleasure, Argus the musician heeds;
1:941 But wonders much at those new vocal reeds.
1:942 And whosoe'er thou art, my friend, said he,
1:943 Up hither drive thy goats, and play by me:
1:944 This hill has browz for them, and shade for thee.
1:945 The God, who was with ease induc'd to climb,
1:946 Began discourse to pass away the time;
1:947 And still betwixt, his tuneful pipe he plies;
1:948 And watch'd his hour, to close the keeper's eyes.
1:949 With much ado, he partly kept awake;
1:950 Not suff'ring all his eyes repose to take:
1:951 And ask'd the stranger, who did reeds invent,
1:952 And whence began so rare an instrument?
The Transformation of Syrinx into Reeds
1:953 Then Hermes thus: A nymph of late there was
1:954 Whose heav'nly form her fellows did surpass.
1:955 The pride and joy of fair Arcadia's plains,
1:956 Belov'd by deities, ador'd by swains:
1:957 Syrinx her name, by Sylvans oft pursu'd,
1:958 As oft she did the lustful Gods delude:
1:959 The rural, and the woodland Pow'rs disdain'd;
1:960 With Cynthia hunted, and her rites maintain'd:
1:961 Like Phoebe clad, even Phoebe's self she seems,
1:962 So tall, so streight, such well-proportion'd limbs:
1:963 The nicest eye did no distinction know,
1:964 But that the goddess bore a golden bow:
1:965 Distinguish'd thus, the sight she cheated too.
1:966 Descending from Lycaeus, Pan admires
1:967 The matchless nymph, and burns with new desires.
1:968 A crown of pine upon his head he wore;
1:969 And thus began her pity to implore.
1:970 But e'er he thus began, she took her flight
1:971 So swift, she was already out of sight.
1:972 Nor stay'd to hear the courtship of the God;
1:973 But bent her course to Ladon's gentle flood:
1:974 There by the river stopt, and tir'd before;
1:975 Relief from water nymphs her pray'rs implore.
1:976 Now while the lustful God, with speedy pace,
1:977 Just thought to strain her in a strict embrace,
1:978 He fill'd his arms with reeds, new rising on the place.
1:979 And while he sighs, his ill success to find,
1:980 The tender canes were shaken by the wind;
1:981 And breath'd a mournful air, unheard before;
1:982 That much surprizing Pan, yet pleas'd him more.
1:983 Admiring this new musick, Thou, he said,
1:984 Who canst not be the partner of my bed,
1:985 At least shall be the confort of my mind:
1:986 And often, often to my lips be joyn'd.
1:987 He form'd the reeds, proportion'd as they are,
1:988 Unequal in their length, and wax'd with care,
1:989 They still retain the name of his ungrateful fair.
fable1:990 While Hermes pip'd, and sung, and told his tale,
1:991 The keeper's winking eyes began to fail,
1:992 And drowsie slumber on the lids to creep;
1:993 'Till all the watchman was at length asleep.
1:994 Then soon the God his voice, and song supprest;
1:995 And with his pow'rful rod confirm'd his rest:
1:996 Without delay his crooked faulchion drew,
1:997 And at one fatal stroke the keeper slew.
1:998 Down from the rock fell the dissever'd head,
1:999 Opening its eyes in death; and falling, bled;
1:1000 And mark'd the passage with a crimson trail:
1:1001 Thus Argus lies in pieces, cold, and pale;
1:1002 And all his hundred eyes, with all their light,
1:1003 Are clos'd at once, in one perpetual night.
1:1004 These Juno takes, that they no more may fail,
1:1005 And spreads them in her peacock's gaudy tail.
1:1006 Impatient to revenge her injur'd bed,
1:1007 She wreaks her anger on her rival's head;
1:1008 With Furies frights her from her native home;
1:1009 And drives her gadding, round the world to roam:
1:1010 Nor ceas'd her madness, and her flight, before
1:1011 She touch'd the limits of the Pharian shore.
1:1012 At length, arriving on the banks of Nile,
1:1013 Wearied with length of ways, and worn with toil,
1:1014 She laid her down; and leaning on her knees,
1:1015 Invok'd the cause of all her miseries:
1:1016 And cast her languishing regards above,
1:1017 For help from Heav'n, and her ungrateful Jove.
1:1018 She sigh'd, she wept, she low'd; 'twas all she cou'd;
1:1019 And with unkindness seem'd to tax the God.
1:1020 Last, with an humble pray'r, she beg'd repose,
1:1021 Or death at least, to finish all her woes.
1:1022 Jove heard her vows, and with a flatt'ring look,
1:1023 In her behalf to jealous Juno spoke,
1:1024 He cast his arms about her neck, and said,
1:1025 Dame, rest secure; no more thy nuptial bed
1:1026 This nymph shall violate; by Styx I swear,
1:1027 And every oath that binds the Thunderer.
1:1028 The Goddess was appeas'd; and at the word
1:1029 Was Io to her former shape restor'd.
1:1030 The rugged hair began to fall away;
1:1031 The sweetness of her eyes did only stay,
1:1032 Tho' not so large; her crooked horns decrease;
1:1033 The wideness of her jaws and nostrils cease:
1:1034 Her hoofs to hands return, in little space:
1:1035 The five long taper fingers take their place,
1:1036 And nothing of the heyfer now is seen,
1:1037 Beside the native whiteness of the skin.
1:1038 Erected on her feet she walks again:
1:1039 And two the duty of the four sustain.
1:1040 She tries her tongue; her silence softly breaks,
1:1041 And fears her former lowings when she speaks:
1:1042 A Goddess now, through all th' Aegyptian State:
1:1043 And serv'd by priests, who in white linnen wait.
1:1044 Her son was Epaphus, at length believ'd
1:1045 The son of Jove, and as a God receiv'd;
1:1046 With sacrifice ador'd, and publick pray'rs,
1:1047 He common temples with his mother shares.
1:1048 Equal in years, and rival in renown
1:1049 With Epaphus, the youthful Phaeton
1:1050 Like honour claims; and boasts his sire the sun.
1:1051 His haughty looks, and his assuming air,
1:1052 The son of Isis could no longer bear:
1:1053 Thou tak'st thy mother's word too far, said he,
1:1054 And hast usurp'd thy boasted pedigree.
1:1055 Go, base pretender to a borrow'd name.
1:1056 Thus tax'd, he blush'd with anger, and with shame;
1:1057 But shame repress'd his rage: the daunted youth
1:1058 Soon seeks his mother, and enquires the truth:
1:1059 Mother, said he, this infamy was thrown
1:1060 By Epaphus on you, and me your son.
1:1061 He spoke in publick, told it to my face;
1:1062 Nor durst I vindicate the dire disgrace:
1:1063 Even I, the bold, the sensible of wrong,
1:1064 Restrain'd by shame, was forc'd to hold my tongue.
1:1065 To hear an open slander, is a curse:
1:1066 But not to find an answer, is a worse.
1:1067 If I am Heav'n-begot, assert your son
1:1068 By some sure sign; and make my father known,
1:1069 To right my honour, and redeem your own.
1:1070 He said, and saying cast his arms about
1:1071 Her neck, and beg'd her to resolve the doubt.
1:1072 'Tis hard to judge if Clymene were mov'd
1:1073 More by his pray'r, whom she so dearly lov'd,
1:1074 Or more with fury fir'd, to find her name
1:1075 Traduc'd, and made the sport of common fame.
1:1076 She stretch'd her arms to Heav'n, and fix'd her eyes
1:1077 On that fair planet that adorns the skies;
1:1078 Now by those beams, said she, whose holy fires
1:1079 Consume my breast, and kindle my desires;
1:1080 By him, who sees us both, and clears our sight,
1:1081 By him, the publick minister of light,
1:1082 I swear that Sun begot thee; if I lye,
1:1083 Let him his chearful influence deny:
1:1084 Let him no more this perjur'd creature see;
1:1085 And shine on all the world but only me.
1:1086 If still you doubt your mother's innocence,
1:1087 His eastern mansion is not far from hence;
1:1088 With little pains you to his Leve go,
1:1089 And from himself your parentage may know.
1:1090 With joy th' ambitious youth his mother heard,
1:1091 And eager, for the journey soon prepar'd.
1:1092 He longs the world beneath him to survey;
1:1093 To guide the chariot; and to give the day:
1:1094 From Meroe's burning sands he bends his course,
1:1095 Nor less in India feels his father's force:
1:1096 His travel urging, till he came in sight;
1:1097 And saw the palace by the purple light.
BOOK THE SECOND