University of Virginia Library

Where Babylon's proud Walls, erected high
By fam'd Semiramis, ascend the Sky,
Dwelt youthful Pyramus, and Thisbe fair;
Adjoining Houses held the lovely Pair.
His perfect Form all other Youths surpass'd;
Charms such as hers no Eastern Beauty grac'd.
Near Neighbourhood the first Acquaintance drew,
An early Promise of the Love t'ensue.
Time nurs'd the growing Flame; had Fate been kind,
The Nuptial Rites their faithful Hands had join'd;
But with vain Threats, forbidding Parents strove
To check the Joy; they cou'd not check the Love.
Each captive Heart consumes in like Desire;
The more conceal'd, the fiercer rag'd the Fire.
Soft Looks, the silent Eloquence of Eyes,
And secret Signs, secure from Houshold Spies,
Exchange their Thoughts; the common Wall, between
Each parted House, retain'd a Chink, unseen
For Ages past. The Lovers soon espy'd
This small Defect, for Love is Eagle-ey'd,
And in soft Whispers soon the Passage try'd.
Safe went the murmur'd Sounds, and every Day
A thousand amorous Blandishments convey;
And often, as they stood on either side,
To catch by turns the flitting Voice, they cry'd,
Why, envious Wall, ah! why dost thou destroy
The Lovers Hopes, and why forbid the Joy?
How shou'd we bless thee, wou'dst thou yield to Charms,
And, opening, let us rush into each others Arms;
At least, if that's too much, afford a space
To meeting Lips, nor shall we slight the Grace;
We owe to thee this Freedom to complain,
And breathe our Vows, but Vows, alas! in vain.
Thus having said, when Evening call'd to Rest,
The faithful Pair on either side imprest
An intercepted Kiss, then bade Good-night;
But when th'ensuing Dawn had put to flight
The Stars; and Phœbus, rising from his Bed,
Drank up the Dews, and dry'd the flow'ry Mead,
Again they meet, in Sighs again disclose
Their Grief, and last this bold Design propose;
That in the Dead of Night, both wou'd deceive
Their Keepers, and the House and City leave;
And lest, escap'd, without the Walls they stray
In pathless Fields, and wander from the Way,
At Ninus' Tomb their meeting they agree,
Beneath the shady Covert of a Tree;
The Tree well-known near a cool Fountain grew,
And bore fair Mulberries of snowy Hue.
The Project pleas'd; the Sun's unwelcome Light,
(That slowly seem'd to move, and slack his Flight)
Sunk in the Seas; from the same Seas arose the sable Night;
When, stealing thro' the Dark, the crafty Fair
Unlock'd the Door, and gain'd the open Air;
Love gave her Courage; unperceiv'd she went,
Wrapp'd in a Veil, and reach'd the Monument.
Then sat beneath th'appointed Tree alone;
But, by the glimmering of the shining Moon,
She sat not long, before from far she spy'd
A Lioness approach the Fountain-side;
Fierce was her Glare, her foamy Paws in Blood
Of slaughter'd Bulls besmear'd, and foul with Food;
For reeking from the Prey, the Savage came,
To drown her Thirst within the Neighb'ring Stream.
Affrighted Thisbe, trembling at the sight,
Fled to a darksom Den; but in her Flight
Her Veil dropp'd off behind. Deep of the Flood
The Monster drank, and, satiate, to the Wood
Returning, found the Garment as it lay,
And, torn with bloody Teeth, dispers'd it in her Way.
Belated Pyramus arriv'd, and found
The Mark of savage Feet along the sandy Ground:
All pale he turn'd, but soon as he beheld
The crimson'd Vesture scatter'd o'er the Field,
One Night, he cry'd, two Lovers shall destroy!
She worthy to have liv'd long Years of Joy,
But mine's the forseit Life; unhappy Maid!
'Twas I that slew thee, I th'Appointment made;
To Places full of Death, thy Innocence betray'd,
And came not first my self—O hither haste,
Ye Lions all, that roam this rocky Waste!
Tear my devoted Entrails, gnaw, divide,
And gorge your Famine in my open'd Side!
But Cowards call for Death!—Thus having spoke,
The fatal Garment from the Ground he took,
And bore it to the Tree; ardent he kiss'd,
And bath'd in flowing Tears the well-known Vest.
Now take a second Stain, the Lover said,
While from his Side he snatch'd his sharpen'd Blade,
And drove it in his Groin; then from the Wound
Withdrew the Steel, and stagg'ring fell to Ground:
As when, a Conduit broke, the Streams shoot high,
Starting in sudden Fountains thro' the Sky,
So spouts the living Stream, and sprinkled o'er
The Trees fair Berries with a Crimson Gore,
While, sapp'd in purple Floods, the conscious Root
Transmits the Stain of Murder to the Fruit.

The Fair, who fear'd to disappoint her Love,
Yet trembling with the Fright, forsook the Grove,
And sought the Youth, impatient to relate
Her new Adventure, and th'avoided Fate.
She saw the vary'd Tree had lost its White,
And doubting stood if that could be the right,
Nor doubted long; for now her Eyes beheld
A dying Person spurn the sanguine Field.
Aghast she started back, and shook with Pain,
As rising Breezes curl the trembling Main.
She gaz'd awhile intranc'd, but when she found
It was her Lover welt'ring on the Ground,
She beat her lovely Breast, and tore her Hair,
Clasp'd the dear Corpse, and frantick in Despair,
Kiss'd his cold Face, supply'd a briny Flood
To the wide Wound, and mingled Tears with Blood.
Say, Pyramus, Oh say, what Chance severe
Has snatch'd thee from my Arms?—
'Tis thy own Thisbe calls, look up and hear!
At Thisbe's Name he lifts his dying Eyes,
And, having seen her, clos'd 'em up, and dies.
But when she knew the bloody Veil, and spy'd
The Iv'ry Scabbard empty by his side,
Ah! wretched Youth, said she, by Love betray'd!
Thy hapless Hand guided the fatal Blade.
Weak as I am, I boast as strong a Love;
For such a Deed, this Hand as bold shall prove.
I'll follow thee to Death; the World shall call
Thisbe the Cause, and Partner of thy Fall;
And e'en in Death, which cou'd alone disjoin
Our Persons, yet in Death thou shalt be mine.
But hear, in both our Names, this dying Pray'r,
Ye wretched Parents of a wretched Pair!
Let in One Urn our Ashes be confin'd,
Whom mutual Love, and the same Fate have join'd.
And thou, fair Tree, beneath whose friendly Shade,
One lifeless Lover is already laid,
And soon shalt cover Two; for ever wear
Death's sable Hue, and purple Berries bear!
She said, and plunges in her Breast the Sword,
Yet warm, and reeking from its slaughter'd Lord.
Relenting Heav'n allows her last Request,
And Pity touch'd their mournful Parents Breast.
The Fruit, when ripe, a purple Dye retains;
And in One Urn are plac'd their dear Remains.