The poetical and dramatic works of Sir Charles Sedley Collected and Edited from the Old Editions: With a preface on the text, explanatory and textual notes, an appendix containing works of doubtful authenticity, and a bibliography: By V. de Sola Pinto |
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| CXXI. | CXXI THE EIGHTH PASTORAL |
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 | The poetical and dramatic works of Sir Charles Sedley |  |
180
CXXI
THE EIGHTH PASTORAL
Damon, Alph[e]sibæus
Sad Damon's and Alph[e]sibæus Muse,
At which the Herd admiring, did refuse
Their needful Food, amaz'd the Lynxes stood,
And the chang'd River sto[p]p'd its rapid Flood,
The melancholly and the magic Strains
Of these we'll sing, that charm'd the wond'ring Plains.
And thou who do'st our rough Timavus awe,
Or o'er th' Illyrian Seas extend thy Law,
Shall ever come that Day's auspicious Date,
When I thy glorious Actions shall relate?
It shall, and I o'er all the World disperse
Thy Praise, fit only for the tragic Verse
Of Sophocles, take from my willing Hand,
What now derives its Birth from thy Command;
And 'round thy Temples let thy Ivy twine,
And there with thy victorious Laurels joyn,
For first and last my Labours shall be thine.
Now scarcely from the dawning Skies withdrew
The Shades of Night, and left expos'd to view,
The tender Grass o'erspread with grateful Dew;
When on a blasted Olive as reclin'd,
Thus Damon utter'd his despairing Mind.
Damon
Haste Lucifer! the ling'ring Day constrain,
While of false Nisa injur'd I complain,
And call the Gods to testify my Woe;
And tho' in vain my Rage and Grief I show,
Unhelp'd, yet must I to my latest Hour
Invoke them still, and blame Love's cruel Pow'r.
While of false Nisa injur'd I complain,
And call the Gods to testify my Woe;
And tho' in vain my Rage and Grief I show,
Unhelp'd, yet must I to my latest Hour
Invoke them still, and blame Love's cruel Pow'r.
Begin with me, while injur'd I complain,
My mournful Flute! a soft Menalian Strain.
My mournful Flute! a soft Menalian Strain.
Menalus has its Groves and speaking Pines,
It ever to the Lover's Moans inclines;
The shepherds['] kindly hears, great Pan is there,
Who makes the tuneful Pipe his constant Care.
It ever to the Lover's Moans inclines;
The shepherds['] kindly hears, great Pan is there,
Who makes the tuneful Pipe his constant Care.
Begin with me, while injur'd I complain,
My mournful Flue! a soft Menalian Strain.
My mournful Flue! a soft Menalian Strain.
181
Nisa to Mopsus is in Wedlock joyn'd,
What may not Lovers now expect to find?
Now Mares may match with Griffins void of Fear,
And in succeeding Ages shall appear
Mingling to drink, the Hound and tim'rous Deer.
Haste, Mopsus! haste, and with officious Care
Oh happy Man! the Marriage Rites prepare,
Scatter the Nuts, thy Bride is present, see,
And th' Evening Star do's Æta quit for thee.
What may not Lovers now expect to find?
Now Mares may match with Griffins void of Fear,
And in succeeding Ages shall appear
Mingling to drink, the Hound and tim'rous Deer.
Haste, Mopsus! haste, and with officious Care
Oh happy Man! the Marriage Rites prepare,
Scatter the Nuts, thy Bride is present, see,
And th' Evening Star do's Æta quit for thee.
Begin with me, while injur'd I complain,
My mournful Flute! a soft Menalian Strain.
My mournful Flute! a soft Menalian Strain.
Of what a worthy Man art thou the Bride?
Proud Maid? so full of Scorn for all beside,
Who hate my Pipe and Goats, and so are scar'd
At my rough Lip, and long bristly Beard.
And think the Gods thy Business will allow,
Nor more regard each mortal thing than thou.
Proud Maid? so full of Scorn for all beside,
Who hate my Pipe and Goats, and so are scar'd
At my rough Lip, and long bristly Beard.
And think the Gods thy Business will allow,
Nor more regard each mortal thing than thou.
Begin with me while injur'd I complain,
My mournful Flute! a soft Menalian Strain.
My mournful Flute! a soft Menalian Strain.
I call to mind once with your Mother you
Came to our Orchard; there I first did view
Thy growing Charms, was your Conductor too.
Then twelve Years old! my tender Arms cou'd stretch.
Up to the Boughs, and nearest Apples reach,
I gaz'd and dy'd! what Error did betray
My Soul, and steal me from myself away?
Came to our Orchard; there I first did view
Thy growing Charms, was your Conductor too.
Then twelve Years old! my tender Arms cou'd stretch.
Up to the Boughs, and nearest Apples reach,
I gaz'd and dy'd! what Error did betray
My Soul, and steal me from myself away?
Begin with me, while injur'd I complain,
My mournful Flute! a soft Menalian Strain.
My mournful Flute! a soft Menalian Strain.
Now know I what is Love, the rugged North
In Mountains, Rocks, or Desarts brought him forth;
Or Ismarus, or [Rh]odope, sure fed
Him young, or farthest Garamentes bred:
His Birth or Breeding here he cou'd not find;
Nor is he of our Blood or gentle Kind.
In Mountains, Rocks, or Desarts brought him forth;
Or Ismarus, or [Rh]odope, sure fed
Him young, or farthest Garamentes bred:
His Birth or Breeding here he cou'd not find;
Nor is he of our Blood or gentle Kind.
Begin with me, while injur'd I complain,
My mournful Flute! a soft Menalian Strain.
My mournful Flute! a soft Menalian Strain.
Oh savage Love! by thy Instruction led,
Her own dear Childrens Blood a Mother shed;
This in the Mother was a cruel Deed,
And impious Love the Cruelty decreed,
Which of the two did most pernicious prove?
Was she more cruel, or more impious Love?
Impious was Love the Mother cruel too,
Each in Extreme, and neither did out-do!
Her own dear Childrens Blood a Mother shed;
This in the Mother was a cruel Deed,
And impious Love the Cruelty decreed,
Which of the two did most pernicious prove?
Was she more cruel, or more impious Love?
182
Each in Extreme, and neither did out-do!
Begin with me, while injur'd I complain,
My mournful Flute! a soft Menalian Strain.
My mournful Flute! a soft Menalian Strain.
From Sheep let Wolves now fly possess'd with Fear,
Let Oranges on rugged Oaks appear,
And ev'ry Alder the Narcissus bear.
Let from mean Shrubs the choicest Honey flow,
And hideous Owls of Swans the Rivals grow;
Let rustic Tityrus Orpheus! change to thee;
Let ev'ry Wood in him an Orpheus see,
And let him with the Dolphins an Orion be.
Let Oranges on rugged Oaks appear,
And ev'ry Alder the Narcissus bear.
Let from mean Shrubs the choicest Honey flow,
And hideous Owls of Swans the Rivals grow;
Let rustic Tityrus Orpheus! change to thee;
Let ev'ry Wood in him an Orpheus see,
And let him with the Dolphins an Orion be.
Begin with me, while injur'd I complain,
My mournful Flute! a soft Menalian Strain.
My mournful Flute! a soft Menalian Strain.
O'er all things let th' unbounded Ocean flow:
Adieu, ye Woods! with sudden speed I'll go,
And from some Mountain plunge into the Sea;
Take thou this last and dying Legacy.
Adieu, ye Woods! with sudden speed I'll go,
And from some Mountain plunge into the Sea;
Take thou this last and dying Legacy.
Now cease with me, for I no more complain,
Cease, my sad Flute! thy soft Menalian Strain.
Thus, Damon his unhappy Fortune mourn'd,
And what Alphesibæus then return'd,
Ye Muses! to my Memory recall;
For all things cannot be perform'd by all.
Cease, my sad Flute! thy soft Menalian Strain.
Thus, Damon his unhappy Fortune mourn'd,
And what Alphesibæus then return'd,
Ye Muses! to my Memory recall;
For all things cannot be perform'd by all.
Alph[e]sibæus
Bring Water forth, and 'round this Altar twine
Green Ivy, and the tender springing Vine,
To these male Frankincense and Vervin joyn.
That my lost Husband, I by Magic Skill
May gain, and turn his Sences to my Will,
Reduce the Wand'rer to his Nuptial Vow,
All needful Things but Charms are present now.
Green Ivy, and the tender springing Vine,
To these male Frankincense and Vervin joyn.
That my lost Husband, I by Magic Skill
May gain, and turn his Sences to my Will,
Reduce the Wand'rer to his Nuptial Vow,
All needful Things but Charms are present now.
Bring from the Town my mighty magic Charms!
Bring Daphnis home to my forsaken Arms.
Bring Daphnis home to my forsaken Arms.
The mighty Force of magic Charms can make
Ev'n the Moon her heav'nly Sphere forsake
Circe by Charms transform'd Ulysses Friends,
Their Force the deadly Snake to pieces rends.
Ev'n the Moon her heav'nly Sphere forsake
Circe by Charms transform'd Ulysses Friends,
Their Force the deadly Snake to pieces rends.
Bring from the Town my mighty magic Charms!
Bring Daphnis home to my forsaken Arms.
This Ribbon of three divers Hues I wind
Three times about, then to thee first, thus bind,
And 'round this Altar thrice this Image bear;
Odd Numbers to the God delightful are.
Bring Daphnis home to my forsaken Arms.
183
Three times about, then to thee first, thus bind,
And 'round this Altar thrice this Image bear;
Odd Numbers to the God delightful are.
Bring from the Town my mighty magic Charms!
Bring Daphnis home to my forsaken Arms.
Bring Daphnis home to my forsaken Arms.
Make Amaryllis! make immediately,
Three Knots of various Colours each, and cry,
I th' everlasting Bonds of Venus tye.
Three Knots of various Colours each, and cry,
I th' everlasting Bonds of Venus tye.
Bring from the Town my mighty magic Charms!
Bring Daphnis home to my forsaken Arms.
Bring Daphnis home to my forsaken Arms.
As now by one and the same Fire this Clay
Grows harder, and this Wax dissolves away,
Such thorough me, let perjur'd Daphnis prove,
So let him harden and dissolve with Love;
Besprinkle Meal, and then with Brimstone fire
These Laurel Leaves, as magic Rites require;
Daphnis inflames my Soul, and in return
Against false Daphnis, I this Laurel burn.
Grows harder, and this Wax dissolves away,
Such thorough me, let perjur'd Daphnis prove,
So let him harden and dissolve with Love;
Besprinkle Meal, and then with Brimstone fire
These Laurel Leaves, as magic Rites require;
Daphnis inflames my Soul, and in return
Against false Daphnis, I this Laurel burn.
Bring from the Town my mighty magic Charms!
Bring Daphnis home to my forsaken Arms.
Bring Daphnis home to my forsaken Arms.
As a stray Bullock thro' the Woods do's go
Weary and wand'ring, and oppress'd with Wo;
At last in vain attempting many Ways,
Himself despairing on the Grass, he lays,
By frequent Lowings mourns his lost Estate,
Not knowing whither to return, tho' late.
Let wand'ring Daphnis such Distress endure,
Nor from my Hands obtain a needful Cure.
Weary and wand'ring, and oppress'd with Wo;
At last in vain attempting many Ways,
Himself despairing on the Grass, he lays,
By frequent Lowings mourns his lost Estate,
Not knowing whither to return, tho' late.
Let wand'ring Daphnis such Distress endure,
Nor from my Hands obtain a needful Cure.
Bring from the Town my mighty magic Charms!
Bring Daphnis home to my forsaken Arms.
Bring Daphnis home to my forsaken Arms.
These Garments (sometimes worn) perfidious he
Dear Pledges of himself bequeath'd to me,
These now beneath this Threshold I bestow
In thee, oh Earth! these Pledges Daphnis owe.
Dear Pledges of himself bequeath'd to me,
These now beneath this Threshold I bestow
In thee, oh Earth! these Pledges Daphnis owe.
Bring from the Town my mighty magic Charms!
Bring Daphnis home to my forsaken Arms.
Bring Daphnis home to my forsaken Arms.
This Poison, and these Herbs that vastly grow
In Pontus, Mæris did on me bestow;
By such a Wolf I've seen him oft become,
Then hide in Woods, and from the dismal Tomb,
The ghastly Scepter often make appear,
And often Fields of Corn with Fury rear,
And into other Fields transplanting bear.
In Pontus, Mæris did on me bestow;
By such a Wolf I've seen him oft become,
Then hide in Woods, and from the dismal Tomb,
184
And often Fields of Corn with Fury rear,
And into other Fields transplanting bear.
Bring from the Town my mighty magic Charms!
Bring Daphnis home to my forsaken Arms.
Bring Daphnis home to my forsaken Arms.
Bring Ashes Amaryllis! forth with speed,
Then mark which way the flowing Stream do's lead,
And with it backwards cast them o'er thy Head.
Look not behind; thus Daphnis, I'll surprize,
He scorns the Gods, and all my Charms defies!
Then mark which way the flowing Stream do's lead,
And with it backwards cast them o'er thy Head.
Look not behind; thus Daphnis, I'll surprize,
He scorns the Gods, and all my Charms defies!
Bring from the Town my mighty magic Charms!
Bring Daphnis home to my forsaken Arms.
Bring Daphnis home to my forsaken Arms.
See, of their own accord (while I delay
To bear them hence) the Coals new Flames display,
Which trembling from the Altar now ascend,
It shou'd, I think, some prosp'rous thing portend:
I know not certainly the Meaning; hark,
Our Hylax at the Door begins to bark;
Do we vain Lovers, but ourselves deceive
By Dream, or may I what I wish believe?
To bear them hence) the Coals new Flames display,
Which trembling from the Altar now ascend,
It shou'd, I think, some prosp'rous thing portend:
I know not certainly the Meaning; hark,
Our Hylax at the Door begins to bark;
Do we vain Lovers, but ourselves deceive
By Dream, or may I what I wish believe?
Now cease! now cease! my mighty magic Charms!
Daphnis returns to my desiring Arms.
Daphnis returns to my desiring Arms.
| The poetical and dramatic works of Sir Charles Sedley | |