| |
| THESE 1 some old Man sees wanton in the Air, | |
| And praises the unhappy constant Pair. | |
| Then to his Friend the long-neck’d Corm’rant shews, | |
| The former Tale reviving others Woes: | |
| That sable Bird, he cries, which cuts the Flood | 5 |
| With slender Legs, was once of Royal Blood; | |
| His Ancestors from mighty Tros proceed, | |
| The brave Laomedon, and Ganymede, | |
| (Whose Beauty tempted Jove to steal the Boy) | |
| And Priam, hapless Prince! who fell with Troy. | 10 |
| Himself was Hector’s Brother, and (had Fate | |
| But giv’n this hopeful Youth a longer Date) | |
| Perhaps had rival’d warlike Hector’s Worth, | |
| Tho’ on the Mother’s side of meaner Birth; | |
| Fair Alyxothoe, 2 a Country Maid, | 15 |
| Bare Æsacus by stealth in Ida’s Shade. | |
| He fled the noisy Town, and pompous Court, | |
| Lov’d the lone Hills, and simple rural Sport, | |
| And seldom to the City would resort. | |
| Yet he no rustick Clownishness profest, | 20 |
| Nor was soft Love a Stranger to his Breast: | |
| The Youth had long the Nymph Hesperie woo’d, | |
| Oft thro’ the Thicket or the Mead pursu’d: | |
| Her haply on her Father s Bank he spy’d, | |
| While fearless she her silver Tresses dry’d; | 25 |
| Away she fled: Not Stags with half such Speed, | |
| Before the prowling Wolf, scud o’er the Mead; | |
| Not Ducks, when they the safer Flood forsake, | |
| Pursu’d by Hawks, so swift regain the Lake. | |
| As fast he follow’d in the hot Career; | 30 |
| Desire the Lover wing’d, the Virgin Fear. | |
| A Snake unseen now pierc’d her heedless Foot; | |
| Quick thro’ the Veins the venom’d Juices shoot: | |
| She fell, and ’scaped by Death his fierce Pursuit. | |
| Her lifeless Body, frighted, he embrac’d, | 35 |
| And cry’d, Not this I dreaded, but thy Haste: | |
| O had my Love been less, or less thy Fear! | |
| The Victory thus bought is far too dear. | |
| Accursed Snake! Yet I more curs’d than he! | |
| He gave the Wound; the Cause was giv’n by me. | 40 |
| Yet none shall say, that unreveng’d you dy’d. | |
| He spoke; then climb’d a Cliff’s o’er-hanging Side | |
| And, resolute, leap’d on the foaming Tide. | |
| Tethys receiv’d him gently on the Wave; | |
| The Death he sought deny’d, and Feathers gave. | 45 |
| Debarr’d the surest Remedy of Grief, | |
| And forc’d to live, he curst th’ unask’d Relief. | |
| Then on his airy Pinions upward flies, | |
| And at a second Fall successless tries; | |
| The downy Plume a quick Descent denies. | 50 |
| Enrag’d, he often dives beneath the Wave, | |
| And there in vain expects to find a Grave. | |
| His ceaseless Sorrow for th’ unhappy Maid | |
| Meager’d his Look, and on his Spirits prey’d. | |
| Still near the sounding Deep he lives; his Name | 55 |
| From frequent Diving and Emerging came. | |
