Whom Delphi and the Delian isle obey,
Andraemon loved; and bless’d in all those charms
That pleased a god, succeeded to her arms.
“A lake there was, with shelving banks around,
Whose verdant summit fragrant myrtles crown’d.
Those shades, unknowing of the Fates, she sought,
And to the Naiads flowery garlands brought;
Her smiling babe (a pleasing charge) she press’d
Between her arms, and nourish’d at her breast.
Not distant far a watery lotus grows;
The spring was new, and all the verdant boughs,
Adorn’d with blossoms, promised fruits that vie
In glowing colours with the Tyrian die.
Of these she cropp’d, to please her infant son,
And I myself the same rash act had done,
But, lo! I saw (as near her side I stood)
The violated blossoms drop with blood;
Upon the tree I cast a frightful look,
The trembling tree with sudden horror shook:
Lotis the nymph (if rural tales be true),
As from Priapus’ lawless love she flew,
Forsook her form; and fixing here became
A flowery plant, which still preserves her name.
“This change unknown, astonish’d at the sight,
My trembling sister strove to urge the flight;
Yet first the pardon of the nymphs implored,
And those offended sylvan powers adored:
But when she backward would have fled, she found
Her stiff’ning feet were rooted to the ground:
In vain to free her fasten’d feet she strove,
And as she struggles only moves above;
She feels the encroaching bark around her grow
By slow degrees, and cover all below.
Surprised at this, her trembling hand she heaves
To rend her hair; her hand is fill’d with leaves;
Where late was hair, the shooting leaves are seen
To rise, and shade her with a sudden green.
The child Amphisus, to her bosom press’d,
Perceived a colder and a harder breast,
And found the springs, that ne’er till then denied
Their milky moisture, on a sudden dried.
I saw, unhappy, what I now relate,
And stood the helpless witness of thy fate:
Embraced thy boughs, the rising bark delay’d,
There wish’d to grow, and mingle shade with shade.
“Behold Andraemon and the unhappy sire
Appear, and for their Dryope inquire;
A springing tree for Dryope they find,
And print warm kisses on the panting rind;
Prostrate, with tears their kindred plant bedew,
And close embraced, as to the roots they grew;
The face was all that now remain’d of thee;
No more a woman, nor yet quite a tree:
Thy branches hung with humid pearls appear,
From every leaf distils a trickling tear;
And straight a voice, while yet a voice remains,
Thus through the trembling boughs in sighs com plains:
“ ‘If to the wretched any faith be given,
I swear by all the unpitying powers of heaven,
No wilful crime this heavy vengeance bred,
In mutual innocence our lives we led.
If this be false, let these new greens decay,
Let sounding axes lop my limbs away,
And crackling flames on all my honours prey.
Now from my branching arms this infant bear,
Let some kind nurse supply a mother’s care;
Yet to his mother let him oft be led,
Sport in her shades, and in her shades be fed;
Teach him, when first his infant voice shall frame
Imperfect words, and lisp his mother’s name,
To hail this tree, and say with weeping eyes,
“Within this plant my hapless parent lies:”
And when in youth he seeks the shady woods,
O, let him fly the crystal lakes and floods,
Nor touch the fatal flowers; but, warn’d by me,
Believe a goddess shrined in every tree.
My sire, my sister, and my spouse, farewell!
If in your breasts or love or pity dwell,
Protect your plant, nor let my branches feel
The browsing cattle, or the piercing steel.
Farewell! and since I cannot bend to join
My lips to yours, advance at least to mine.
My son, thy mother’s parting kiss receive,
While yet thy mother has a kiss to give.
I can no more, the creeping rind invades
My closing lips, and hides my head in shades:
Remove your hands; the bark shall soon suffice,
Without their aid, to seal these dying eyes.’
She ceased at once to speak, and ceased to be,
And all the nymph was lost within the tree:
Yet latent life through her new branches reign’d,
And long the plant a human heat retain’d.”
Iolaus Restored to Youth
Hebe, at the request of Hercules, renews the youth of her son Iolaus.
While Iole the fatal change declares,
Alcmena’s pitying hand oft wiped her tears.
Grief too stream’d down her cheeks; soon sorrow flies,
And rising joy the trickling moisture dries,
Lo Iolaus stands before their eyes.
A youth he stood, and the soft down began
O’er his smooth chin to spread, and promise man.
Hebe submitted to her husband’s prayers,
Instill’d new vigour, and restored his years.
Prophecy of Themis
The events and consequences of the Theban war are foretold by Themis.
Now from her lips a solemn oath had pass’d,
That Iolaus this gift alone should taste,
Had not just Themis thus maturely said
(Which check’d her vow, and awed the blooming maid):
“Thebes is embroil’d in war. Capaneus stands
Invincible, but by the Thunderer’s hands.
Ambition shall the guilty brothers4 fire,
Both rush to mutual wounds, and both expire.
The reeling earth shall ope her gloomy womb,
Where the yet breathing bard shall find his5 tomb.
The son6 shall bathe his hands in parents’ blood,
And in one act be both unjust and good.
Of home and sense deprived, where’er he flies,
The Furies, and his mother’s ghost, he spies.
His wife the fatal bracelet shall implore,
And Phegeius stain his sword in kindred gore.
Callirhoe shall then with suppliant prayer
Prevail on Jupiter’s relenting ear.
Jove shall with youth her infant sons inspire,
And bid their bosoms glow with manly fire.”
Debate of the Gods
The gods are forbidden by Jupiter to renew the youth of those mortals whom they favour.
When Themis this with prescient voice had spoke,
Among the gods a various murmur broke;
Dissension rose in each immortal breast,
That one should grant what was denied the rest.
Aurora for her aged spouse complains,
And Ceres grieves for Jason’s freezing veins;
Vulcan would Erichthonius’ years renew;
Her future race the care of Venus drew,
She would Anchises’ blooming age restore;
A diff’rent care employ’d each heavenly power:
Thus various interests did their jars increase,
Till Jove arose: he spoke; their tumults cease.
“Is any rev’rence to our presence given,
Then why this discord ’mong the powers of heaven?
Who can the settled will of fate subdue?
’Twas by the Fates that Iolaus knew
A second youth.
