Metamorphoses (Books I-XIV)
Boreas in Love
6:1054 Erechtheus next th' Athenian sceptre sway'd,
6:1055 Whose rule the state with joynt
consent obey'd;
6:1056 So mix'd his justice with his
valour flow'd,
6:1057 His reign one scene of princely
goodness shew'd.
6:1058 Four hopeful youths, as many
females bright,
6:1059 Sprung from his loyns, and
sooth'd him with delight.
6:1060 Two of these sisters, of a lovelier air,
6:1061 Excell'd the rest, tho' all
the rest were fair.
6:1062 Procris, to Cephalus in wedlock
ty'd,
6:1063 Bless'd the young silvan with
a blooming bride:
6:1064 For Orithyia Boreas suffer'd
pain,
6:1065 For the coy maid sued long,
but sued in vain;
6:1066 Tereus his neighbour, and his
Thracian blood,
6:1067 Against the match a main objection
stood;
6:1068 Which made his vows, and all
his suppliant love,
6:1069 Empty as air and ineffectual
prove.
6:1070 But when he found his soothing flatt'ries
fail,
6:1071 Nor saw his soft addresses
cou'd avail;
6:1072 Blust'ring with ire, he quickly
has recourse
6:1073 To rougher arts, and his own
native force.
6:1074 'Tis well, he said; such usage
is my due,
6:1075 When thus disguis'd by foreign
ways I sue;
6:1076 When my stern airs, and fierceness
I disclaim,
6:1077 And sigh for love, ridiculously
tame;
6:1078 When soft addresses foolishly
I try,
6:1079 Nor my own stronger remedies
apply.
6:1080 By force and violence I chiefly
live,
6:1081 By them the lowring stormy
tempests drive;
6:1082 In foaming billows raise the
hoary deep,
6:1083 Writhe knotted oaks, and sandy
desarts sweep;
6:1084 Congeal the falling flakes
of fleecy snow,
6:1085 And bruise, with ratling hall,
the plains below.
6:1086 I, and my brother-winds, when
joyn'd above,
6:1087 Thro' the waste champian of
the skies we rove,
6:1088 With such a boist'rous full
career engage,
6:1089 That Heav'n's whole concave
thunders at our rage.
6:1090 While, struck from nitrous
clouds, fierce lightnings play,
6:1091 Dart thro' the storm, and gild
the gloomy day.
6:1092 Or when, in subterraneous caverns
pent,
6:1093 My breath, against the hollow
Earth, is bent,
6:1094 The quaking world above, and
ghosts below,
6:1095 My mighty pow'r, by dear experience,
know,
6:1096 Tremble with fear, and dread
the fatal blow.
6:1097 This is the only cure to be
apply'd,
6:1098 Thus to Erechtheus I should
be ally'd;
6:1099 And thus the scornful virgin
should be woo'd,
6:1100 Not by intreaty, but by force
subdu'd.
6:1101 Boreas, in passion, spoke these huffing
things,
6:1102 And, as he spoke, he shook
his dreadful wings;
6:1103 At which, afar the shiv'ring
sea was fan'd,
6:1104 And the wide surface of the
distant land:
6:1105 His dusty mantle o'er the hills
he drew,
6:1106 And swept the lowly vallies,
as he flew;
6:1107 Then, with his yellow wings,
embrac'd the maid,
6:1108 And, wrapt in dusky clouds,
far off convey'd.
6:1109 The sparkling blaze of Love's
prevailing fire
6:1110 Shone brighter as he flew,
and flam'd the higher.
6:1111 And now the God, possess'd
of his delight,
6:1112 To northern Thrace pursu'd
his airy flight,
6:1113 Where the young ravish'd nymph
became his bride,
6:1114 And soon the luscious sweets
of wedlock try'd.
6:1115 Two lovely twins, th' effect of this embrace,
6:1116 Crown their soft labours, and
their nuptials grace;
6:1117 Who, like their mother, beautiful,
and fair,
6:1118 Their father's strength, and
feather'd pinions share:
6:1119 Yet these, at first, were wanting,
as 'tis said,
6:1120 And after, as they grew, their
shoulders spread.
6:1121 Zethes and Calais, the pretty
twins,
6:1122 Remain'd unfledg'd, while smooth
their beardless chins;
6:1123 But when, in time, the budding
silver down
6:1124 Shaded their face, and on their
cheeks was grown,
6:1125 Two sprouting wings upon their
shoulders sprung,
6:1126 Like those in birds, that veil
the callow young.
6:1127 Then as their age advanc'd,
and they began
6:1128 From greener youth to ripen
into man,
6:1129 With Jason's Argonauts they
cross'd the seas,
6:1130 Embark'd in quest of the fam'd
golden fleece;
6:1131 There, with the rest, the first
frail vessel try'd,
6:1132 And boldly ventur'd on the
swelling tide.
BOOK THE SEVENTH
Metamorphoses (Books I-XIV)
Boreas in Love
6:1054 Erechtheus next th' Athenian sceptre sway'd,
6:1055 Whose rule the state with joynt
consent obey'd;
6:1056 So mix'd his justice with his
valour flow'd,
6:1057 His reign one scene of princely
goodness shew'd.
6:1058 Four hopeful youths, as many
females bright,
6:1059 Sprung from his loyns, and
sooth'd him with delight.
6:1060 Two of these sisters, of a lovelier air,
6:1061 Excell'd the rest, tho' all
the rest were fair.
6:1062 Procris, to Cephalus in wedlock
ty'd,
6:1063 Bless'd the young silvan with
a blooming bride:
6:1064 For Orithyia Boreas suffer'd
pain,
6:1065 For the coy maid sued long,
but sued in vain;
6:1066 Tereus his neighbour, and his
Thracian blood,
6:1067 Against the match a main objection
stood;
6:1068 Which made his vows, and all
his suppliant love,
6:1069 Empty as air and ineffectual
prove.
6:1070 But when he found his soothing flatt'ries
fail,
6:1071 Nor saw his soft addresses
cou'd avail;
6:1072 Blust'ring with ire, he quickly
has recourse
6:1073 To rougher arts, and his own
native force.
6:1074 'Tis well, he said; such usage
is my due,
6:1075 When thus disguis'd by foreign
ways I sue;
6:1076 When my stern airs, and fierceness
I disclaim,
6:1077 And sigh for love, ridiculously
tame;
6:1078 When soft addresses foolishly
I try,
6:1079 Nor my own stronger remedies
apply.
6:1080 By force and violence I chiefly
live,
6:1081 By them the lowring stormy
tempests drive;
6:1082 In foaming billows raise the
hoary deep,
6:1083 Writhe knotted oaks, and sandy
desarts sweep;
6:1084 Congeal the falling flakes
of fleecy snow,
6:1085 And bruise, with ratling hall,
the plains below.
6:1086 I, and my brother-winds, when
joyn'd above,
6:1087 Thro' the waste champian of
the skies we rove,
6:1088 With such a boist'rous full
career engage,
6:1089 That Heav'n's whole concave
thunders at our rage.
6:1090 While, struck from nitrous
clouds, fierce lightnings play,
6:1091 Dart thro' the storm, and gild
the gloomy day.
6:1092 Or when, in subterraneous caverns
pent,
6:1093 My breath, against the hollow
Earth, is bent,
6:1094 The quaking world above, and
ghosts below,
6:1095 My mighty pow'r, by dear experience,
know,
6:1096 Tremble with fear, and dread
the fatal blow.
6:1097 This is the only cure to be
apply'd,
6:1098 Thus to Erechtheus I should
be ally'd;
6:1099 And thus the scornful virgin
should be woo'd,
6:1100 Not by intreaty, but by force
subdu'd.
6:1101 Boreas, in passion, spoke these huffing
things,
6:1102 And, as he spoke, he shook
his dreadful wings;
6:1103 At which, afar the shiv'ring
sea was fan'd,
6:1104 And the wide surface of the
distant land:
6:1105 His dusty mantle o'er the hills
he drew,
6:1106 And swept the lowly vallies,
as he flew;
6:1107 Then, with his yellow wings,
embrac'd the maid,
6:1108 And, wrapt in dusky clouds,
far off convey'd.
6:1109 The sparkling blaze of Love's
prevailing fire
6:1110 Shone brighter as he flew,
and flam'd the higher.
6:1111 And now the God, possess'd
of his delight,
6:1112 To northern Thrace pursu'd
his airy flight,
6:1113 Where the young ravish'd nymph
became his bride,
6:1114 And soon the luscious sweets
of wedlock try'd.
6:1115 Two lovely twins, th' effect of this embrace,
6:1116 Crown their soft labours, and
their nuptials grace;
6:1117 Who, like their mother, beautiful,
and fair,
6:1118 Their father's strength, and
feather'd pinions share:
6:1119 Yet these, at first, were wanting,
as 'tis said,
6:1120 And after, as they grew, their
shoulders spread.
6:1121 Zethes and Calais, the pretty
twins,
6:1122 Remain'd unfledg'd, while smooth
their beardless chins;
6:1123 But when, in time, the budding
silver down
6:1124 Shaded their face, and on their
cheeks was grown,
6:1125 Two sprouting wings upon their
shoulders sprung,
6:1126 Like those in birds, that veil
the callow young.
6:1127 Then as their age advanc'd,
and they began
6:1128 From greener youth to ripen
into man,
6:1129 With Jason's Argonauts they
cross'd the seas,
6:1130 Embark'd in quest of the fam'd
golden fleece;
6:1131 There, with the rest, the first
frail vessel try'd,
6:1132 And boldly ventur'd on the
swelling tide.
BOOK THE SEVENTH