Sire, who aye lov’d her with a constant will,
herself she shows as to the Trojan swain
she showed of old on Ida’s bosky hill.
If her the Hunter who the form of man
lost, seeing Dian in the glassy rill,
had seen, he ne’er had died by rav’ening hound,
erst slain by a sorer and a surer wound.
36
Wander’d the crispy threads of wavy gold
adown a bosom shaming virgin snow:
Her milk-hued breasts with ev’ry movement roll’d
where Love lay sporting but did nowhere show:
Flames with far-flashing fire the Zone’s white fold
wherewith the Boy gar’d ev’ry heart to glow:
while round those columns’ polisht curves were climbing
Desires, like ivy parent-trunk entwining.
37
A filmy Cendal26 winds around her waist,
which del’icate sense conceals by modest veiling;
and yet not all conceal’d, nor all confest,
the veil, red-blushing lilies oft revealing:
With warmer fondness still to ’flame his breast
she woos his sight with secret charms assailing:
Now all Olympus shakes with jealous jars,
rage burneth Vulcan, Love inflameth Mars.
38
The while her angel-semblance showeth blended
with smiles a sadness in the sweetest way;
like some fair Ladye by rude swain offended
incautious rough while playing am’orous play;
who laughs and laughing pouts with wrath pretended
passing withouten pause from grave to gay;
thus she, the Goddess who no rival heedeth,
softer than sad before her Father pleadeth.
39
“Aye had I deemèd, mighty Father mine,
in whatsoe’er my loving breast preferrèd,
to find thee kind and affable and benign,
e’en though of hostile heart the hate were stirrèd:
But as I see thine ire to me incline,
ire undeserv’ed—to thee I ne’er have errèd—
let Bacchus triumph with his wicked will;
while in his weal I sit and wail mine ill.
40
“This Folk, these Sons of me, for whom I pour
the tear that trickleth bootless ’fore thy sight,
whose woe, since wish’d them well, I work the more
when my good wishes but thy wrath excite:
For them I weep, for them thine aid implore,
and thus, in fine, with adverse fate I fight:
But now, because my love ill-fortune bears,
I will to will them ill and weal be theirs.
41
“Yet thus to perish by that wild-beast race,
for I have been”27 * * * Whereon, all lovely flows
the burning tear-drop beading down her face,
as pearled with rory dew fresh shines the Rose:
Silent awhile, as though her plea for grace
the portals of her teeth list not disclose
she had pursued; but ere a word she said
the potent Thund’erer further plaint forbade:
42
And, moved to pity by such gentle powers,
pow’ers made to move the heart of Tyger dure,
with beaming smile, as when the sky that lowers
waxeth serene, and clears the lift obscure;
he dries his Daughter’s welling tears, and showers
warm kisses on her cheeks and neck snow-pure;
in mode that had the place been lere and lone
a pair of Cupids had Olympus known.
43
And, face approaching to the face he prizèd,
whereat the sobbing tears the faster flow;
e’en as some yeanling by the nurse chastisèd
weepeth caresst with louder feint of woe:
To soothe her troubled bosom he devisèd
the future fortunes of her sons to show,
unripping thus from Fate’s impregnate womb
He opes the mysteries of the things to come:—
44
“Thou fairest Daughter mine! throw far thy fear
lest to thy Lusians happen harm indign;
nor deem my spirit holdeth aught so dear,
as the sad waters of these sov’reign eyne:
Thou shalt behold, my Daughter, hear me swear,
the Greek and Roman dimm’d of all his shine,
by Gestes illustrious this thy Hero-race
Shall dare and do in Eastern dwelling-place.
45
“If glib Ulysses e’er to flee was fated
a life-long slav’ery on Ogygia-shore;
and if Antenor’s fortune penetrated
Illyric bays, Timavus’ fount t’ explore;
e’en if thy pious Aeneas navigated
where seas round Scylla and Charybdis roar;
thy nobler scions higher grade shall win,
shall add new worlds to worlds of older men.
46
“Valvartes and cities and the tow’ering wall
built by their valour, Daughter, thou shalt see:
Shalt see the Turk, deem’ed bravest brave of all,
from their dread prowess forcèd aye to flee:
Shalt see of Inde the freeborn monarchs fall
and own their mightier King’s supremacy:
And when, in fine, they wield the full command
shall dawn a Higher Law28 for every land.
47
“Him shalt thou see, who now in hurrièd flight
fares distant Indus through such fears to find,
make vasty Neptune tremble with affright,
and crisp his wavy waste sans breath of wind.
Oh Chance ne’er seen! Oh wonder-teeming Sight!
this Quake of Water with plat calm combin’d!
Oh valiant race, with loftiest thought inbred,
whom Earth’s four El’ements must regard with dread!29
48
“This Land, that water hath to them denied,
shalt see affording surest Hythe, where spent
by their long voyaging, shall rest and ride
Argosies bound from utmost Occident.
In fine, this seaboard all, that futile tried
death-snare to weave, shall pay obedient
toll, tithe, and tribute, knowing vain it were
to beard the Lusian Lyon in his lair.
49
“Shalt see King Erythras’ far-famèd Main
permute his nat’ural red to Fear’s pale dye:
eke shalt thou see the haughty Hormuz-reign
twice taken, prostrate in their presence lie:
There shalt thou see the furious Moorman slain
pierced by his own deflected archery;30
till all ken clearly who thy Sons oppose
by their own deed become their deadliest foes.
50
“Shalt see of Diu31 th’ inexpugnable wall,
two sieges braving, while thy sons defend;
there shall their val’orous worth be shown to all
with feats of arms that every feat transcend:
Envy shalt see in Mars majestical
of Lusian fierceness none shall dare offend:
There shall they sight the Moor with voice supreme
before high Heaven false Mahound blaspheme.
51
“Thou shalt see Góa from the Muslim tane,
and in near future raised to queenly place,
Ladye of Orient land sublimely vain
of triumphs wrested by thy conqu’ering Race.
There, with superb, high, haughtiest disdain
the Gentoo louting low to idols
