Be gods of your own rest imperial.
Not even I, for one whole month, will pry
Into the hours that have pass'd us by,
Since in my arbour I did sing to thee.
O Hermes! on this very night will be
A hymning up to Cynthia, queen of light;
For the soothsayers old saw yesternight
Good visions in the air, whence will be-
fall,
830

As
say these sages, health perpetual
To shepherds and their flocks; and further-
more,

In Dian's face they read the gentle lore: Therefore for her these vesper-carols are. Our friends will all be there from nigh and far.

Many upon thy death have ditties made; And many, even now, their foreheads shade With cypress, on a day of sacrifice.

New singing for our maids shalt thou devise, And pluck the sorrow from our huntsmen's brows.

840

Tell me, my lady-queen, how to espouse This wayward brother to his rightful joys! His eyes are on thee bent, as thou didst

poise

His fate most goddess-like. Help me, I

pray,

To lure - Endymion, dear brother, say What ails thee?' He could bear no more, and so

Bent his soul fiercely like a spiritual bow, And twang'd it inwardly, and calmly said: 'I would have thee my only friend, sweet maid!

My only visitor! not ignorant though, 850 That those deceptions which for pleasure go

'Mong men, are pleasures real as real may be:

But there are higher ones I may not see,
If impiously an earthly realm I take.
Since I saw thee, I have been wide awake
Night after night, and day by day, until
Of the empyrean I have drunk my fill.
Let it content thee, Sister, seeing me
More happy than betides mortality.
A hermit young, I'll live in mossy cave, 860
Where thou alone shalt come to me, and
lave

Thy spirit in the wonders I shall tell. Through me the shepherd realm shall prosper well;

For to thy tongue will I all health confide.
And, for my sake, let this young maid abide
With thee as a dear sister. Thou alone,
Peona, mayst return to me.
I own
This may sound strangely: but when, dear-
est girl,

Thou seest it for my happiness, no pearl Will trespass down those cheeks. Companion fair!

870

Wilt be content to dwell with her, to share This sister's love with me?' Like one resign'd

And bent by circumstance, and thereby blind

In self-commitment, thus that meek unknown:

Aye, but a buzzing by my ears has flown, Of jubilee to Dian:- truth I heard! Well then, I see there is no little bird, Tender soever, but is Jove's own care. Long have I sought for rest, and, unaware,

leaves,

He saw not the two maidens. smiles,

Wan as primroses gather'd at m

nor their

idnight 970

Endymion!' said Peona, we are What wouldst thou ere we all a bier?'

here!

re laid on

ave com

Then he embraced her, and his lady's hand
Press'd, saying: 'Sister, I would h:1
mand,

If it were heaven's will, on our sad
At which that dark-eyed strange

fate.' r stood

Thou shouldst, my love, by some unlook'dfor change

Be spiritualized. Peona, we shall range These forests, and to thee they safe shall be As was thy cradle; hither shalt thou flee To meet us many a time.' Next Cynthia bright

Peona kiss'd, and bless'd with fair good night:

Her brother kiss'd her too, and knelt adown Before his goddess, in a blissful swoon. 999 She gave her fair hands to him, and behold, Before three swiftest kisses he had told, They vanish'd far away! — Peona went Home through the gloomy wood in won derment.