University of Virginia Library

ACT. I.

Jupiter, at a distance, Mercury.
JUPITER.
How am I tir'd, thus vainly to pursue
A Nymph, I cannot keep in view?
I daily through Arcadia rove,
O're every Hill, through every Grove,
But in her Ears to Sigh my Love;
And may as well the Shades and Ecchoes chace;
The Shades I easier can embrace,
Which grieves me too, whilst I this Maze have trod,
There's none to pity a dispairing God.

Mer.
In these Arcadian Woods I've lost my Heart;
[Aside.
Whilst I the Nymph, by whom I smart,
Pursue, some little Ease to get;
This Jove I've oft a wandring met:
He makes my Jealousie grow strong;
What does he do out of his Heav'n so long?
I'm sure on some fair Nymph he has Design,
And all my fear is, lest it should be mine.
Can no soft Beauty be Embrac'd,
But he must still desire a Tast?
That the Old Titans from his Throne had hurl'd
This general grievance of the World;
But I too soon to rage am won,
Perhaps there is no injury done;
Another Nymph has snatcht his Eye,
I'le go discourse with him, and try.

Jupiter discovers him.
Jup.
Ah! Mercury! What Fortune brought thee here?
Thou faithful Envoy of the Gods, Come near;
Plung'd deep in sorrow, with despair opprest:
I now was wishing for some Breast,
Where I my Secrets might repose,
And Fate has sent the best I could have chose.

Mer.
—What wondrous pain
Is it can make the King of Gods complain?

Jup.
My old Affliction Love!

Mer.
What do I hear!
[Aside.
This News I did not vainly fear.
Now dare not I what Nymph he loves enquire,
Lest we should both of us the same admire.

Jup.
Thou seem'st disturb'd, what does thy passion move?

Mer.
—Only my Loyalty for Jove:
And Rage at the Tyrannick Boy,
That dares great Jove's Repose destroy;
His Boldness Jove too mildly bears,
Though us poor Vassal Gods he dares
Into his Chains and Fetters bring,
He is too sawcy with our King.
You ought to make his very Godhead cease,
For yours and Heav'ns universal Peace.

Jup.
—Oh let thy vain Discourses dye!
Loves is delightful Tyranny:
There is more pleasure in his pains,
Than all the Joys our Heav'n contains:
If Love I out of Heav'n should chace,
It would appear so dull a place,
My self and all the Gods would be,
even tir'd with Immortality.

Mer.
—I own these Joys, sometimes I try,
To pass away Eternity:
But are they not for Jove too low.

Jup.
—The World must not the Secret know.
We boast great things to be ador'd and sought;
(There is some Pleasure to be happy thought)
But for all Joys of our abode,
From Earth I would not move;
Nor be content to be a God,
To be depriv'd of Love.
Without that Joy Two vast Extreams would joyn;
Things without Sense would equal things Divine:
'Twixt us and Plants there would be little odds,
And sawcy Mortals be more Bless'd than Gods.

Mer.
Oh! let not Jove submit to such a Fate
Poorly to envy things he does Create.

Jup.
No, if to Mortals I present Delight,
I to the Feast will still my self invite.

Mer.
—Yes Yes, we know Joves Appetite;
[Aside.
E're quite abstain from Loves sweet Feasts,
Hee'l humbly dine with Birds and Beasts.

Jup.
—I still provide with care,
We Gods in all Delights should share;
Besides the Loves by us embrac'd
Would kill a poor weak Mortal, but to tast,
We know what pleasure Love affords,
To Heavy Beasts and Mettled Birds;
Here and there at will we fly,
Each step of Natures Pearch we try;
Down to the Beast, and up again
To the more fine delights of Man:
We every sort of pleasure try;
So much advantage has a Deity.

Mer.
Nay, if Jove Rents the World to Man and Beast,
He may preserve the Royalty at least,
And freedom take to Hunt in any Grounds;
The Pleasures of great Jove should have no Bounds:
This distant talk still keeps me sweating here,
In Agonies of Jealousie and Fear;
And if I do not put an end,
[Aside.
The day he thus will gladly spend:
I'le not torment my self in vain,
I'le boldly ask and end my pain.
All Joys the World must own their Sovereigns due;
But yet the Story does untold remain,
What Beauty did the Glory gain,
Once more the Worlds great Ruler to subdue.

Jup.
Oh! Mercury! the fairest Nymph of Humane Race!
All former Loves of mine she does so far surpass,
I them for Beauties scarce allow,
And never truly lov'd till now.

Mer.
Astonishment!

Jup.
Did they all live again,
I would not take the pain,
To vex my self into a shape,
For all the pleasure of a Rape;
Except it were to sharpen my desire,
And to return to her with greater fire.

Mer.
What should she be? and where does she remain?

Jup.
Oh! that's my grief, she's one of cold Diana's Train.

Mer.
Oh! I am stabb'd! my fear prophetick proves,
I am assured, it is my Nymph he loves.

[Aside.
Jup.
—Thou know'st what ills of late were done,
In Heav'n and Earth, by Phœbus Frantick Son:
I from high Heav'n descending to survey
The half-burnt World, and with a God-like care
All ruin'd places to repair,
Came here to view my lov'd Arcadia.
As I in every place did pass,
To cloath the wither'd Fields with Grass,
To all the Woods new Leaves and Shades to bring,
Set Rivers running, fill each empty Spring:
—I chanc'd to spy
This Young and Beautious Nymph trip often by.

Mer.
And has great Jove her Name yet ever heard;

Jup.
No opportunity I yet have got,
She swiftly by like some bright Meteor shot
Dazled my Eye, and streight she disappeard.

Mer.
And whither ran the vanishing Vision still?

Jup.
—Or to the Woods, or o're some Hill,
To Hunt some Dear, or swifter Roe,
Still in her Hand a Dart or Bow:
Her Garbe did negligence express;
For oh! she had no need of dress:
Conceal'd, I oft pursued her, but in vain;
For still at last she mixt with chast Diana's Train.

Mer.
Can she be gain'd?

Jup.
By no Inchantment can,
She flies the very Shadow of a Man:
She thinks it does her Vertue stain,
If she but sleep where one has lain;
That she is of some purity beguil'd.
If she but tast the Air, the Breath of one defil'd;
If any wandring Loves by chance
T'approach her be so bold,
Away the naked Cupids dance,
She makes them shake with Cold.

Mer.
This in my Soul does some small comfort breed,
What then to gain her will ye do?

Jup.
—I do not know,
It does the skill of one poor God exceed.
But ha! I see 'em come from yonder Grove,
Diana all the Train, this way they move.

Mer.
They are preparing for this Mornings Chace.

Jup.
Let's hide our selves in Clouds apace,
Lest we our being here betray,
And quickly chace 'em all away.

Exit.
Mer.
But as they pass I'le watch your Eye,
And your lov'd Nymph that way discry.

Exit.

Scene II.

Diana, Calisto, Nyphe, Psecas, Attendants.
DIANA.
Come! Come away my Nymphs, too long we have repos'd,
The Morning has her Golden Doors enclos'd,
And there stands blushing on us!—Come away,
Let us not loose the gentlest part of day;
Princess Calisto, most admir'd belov'd,
The Fairest, Chastest, most approv'd
Of all that ever grac'd my Virgin Throng,
You, who of great and Royal Race are sprung,
Born under Golden Roofs, and bred to ease,
To every kind of soft delight,
To Glory, Power, and all that might
A Royal Virgin please.
What could your tender Years to pain so soon enure?
And how can you this hard and toilsom life endure?

Cal.
Divinest power! Can any pleasures be
Compar'd to Innocence and Chastity?
From Toyls of greatness I discharge my mind,
And only in these Shades true ease I find.

Pse.
Oh! with what pride! and feign'd neglect of Art
[Aside.
This Royal Favourite storms our Goddess Heart,
Conquers it too, and rules her Power Divine,
Whilst all our Merits unregarded shine.

Dia.
I never such a Victim had before,
Crown Beauty, Youth what all the World Adore,
You bring at once in Sacrifice to me,
The Offering exceeds the Deity.

Pse.
Our poor deluded Goddess is undone;
[Aside.
This Favourite has her Heart and Empire won.

Ny.
How am I pleas'd my Sisters praise to hear,
Though like a little Star I near appear,
[Aside.
Nature and Friendship do enough prefer
My Name to Honour, whilst I shine in her.

Cal.
The Crown and Glory at your feet I throw,
Are for your favour offering too low;
And giving only what I scorn and hate,
I gain your Service at too cheap a rate.

Pse.
Oh! how for praise she spreads a spatious Net?
Not one regard to us can passage get:
[Aside.
Our Vertues will not go for Vertues long;
I neither will, nor ought to bear this wrong.

Dia.
You Princess! do adorn, enrich my Shade,
Ne're was so great, so early Triumphs made
At once o're Beauty, Glory, Youth and Ease
All of 'em fair delightful Provinces.
None e're so young such Courage did express;
The Macedonian Victories were less.
And better to Adorn and Guard my Groves,
This fair young Warriour, 'gainst Ease and Loves,
You bring to Train up here,—before whose Eye
I see already vanquish'd Cupids flie,
With Wounds a bleeding, and with broken Bows,
A fair Comparison in Arms you chose.

Ny.
She to much Honour me, in this prefers;
And though my Courage cannot equal hers,
None to your Service shall more zealous be,
Nor still to love a greater Enemy.

Pse.
Hark how they bandy Praise, and Flattery round!
[Aside.
Each takes her turn to catch it at rebound;
Whilst we desertless Fools must patience feign,
And Praise our selves, if any praise wee'l gain.
Our Youth I find we wisely wast,
and are to mighty purpose chast;
Since these our kind rewards must prove,
I will in pure Revenge go love.
A God-like Youth, and Vassal to my Eyes,
Has long with patience born my Tyranies.
The Humble Slave each Moment I torment,
And Rage which others slight, on him I vent:
But now his Sufferings I'le requite,
I'le go and Love him out of spight.

Dia.
Now Nymphs before the Rosy Morning fades,
And the dayes Fury chase us to the Shades:
Let's Hunt the nimble Dear without delay,
We have decreed the Martyrs of the day,
And what you all shall kill together bring,
And meet when Sun declines at yonder Spring.

Ex. Di. Ma. Pse.
Pse.
—No, I'le about another care,
I'le seek my Love, discover me who dare;
On the whole Train the shame shall fall;
I'le swear we are Dissemblers all.
From Men we only seem to fly,
To meet 'em with more privacy:
That I sincerity approve,
And boldly own to all the World I Love.

Exit.

Scene V.

Jupiter, Mercury.
MERCURY.
Thanks to the Fates! my Heart is now at ease!
Two different Nymphs our Inclinations please.

[Aside.
Jup.
Ah! Mercury! what Beauty have I seen?

Mer.
I have with Jove in equal Raptures been.

Jup.
I in so hot an Agony did stay
The Cloud, in which I hidden lay,
Dropt, and Melted half away:
That she such Beauty should on Shades bestow,
And careless Love should let her scape his Bow.

Mer.
And is it she?

Jup.
Why dost thou so enquire?

Mer.
Because I one of the same Train admire.

Jup.
Art thou by these Cold Beauties wounded then?

Mer.
—Yes, by the scornful'st of the Train:
Your Nymph is yielding, if compar'd to mine;
Yours hates she knows not why, mine with design;
Yours only flyes you, mine returns and fights;
Yours lets you dye, but mine to kill delights:
You have but One Aversion to subdue,
I Thousands have, which every Hour renew.

Jup.
Poor Hermes! how are we by Love opprest?
Two wounded Gods here desolate appear,
Each with an Arrow sticking in his Breast,
Goes wandring round the Woods he knows not where;
Chacing his Nymph, some little ease to find,
And may as well pursue the Fleeting Wind.

Mer.
Pursue the Wind? rather a Storm I chace,
Which turns to dash her Fury in my Face,
Not in wild shapes, but in all Beauty drest,
That ever did a Humane Shape adorn.
I've met my Nymph, and have my Love exprest,
And never any thing obtain'd, but scorn.
She meets me, (true!) but 'tis to mock me still,
And if she ever smiles, it is to kill.

Jup.
Oh! Hermes! you your self may happy call;
When Maids shew scorn, they oft are near to yield,
And they who venture once to fight, may fall;
But mine will not be drawn into the Field:
Could I intice her thither any way,
I only for a little scorn would pray.
I'le not to Heaven, till I obtain some ease,
Let Jealous Juno watch me as she please.

Mer.
What will ye do? you no attempt must dare.

Jup.
Prithee, what God or Mortal can forbear?
T'enjoy such Beauty I'de no Shape refuse:
Nay, if I knew what form most pleas'd her Eye,
I'de not deny
To be that thing, and my whole Godhead loose.

Mer.
—O wondrous power of Love!
Too hard for Jove!
I wonder not he baffles my defence,;
He is too Mighty for Omnipotence!

Jup.
Hermes I've thought! I can my self relieve.

[Starts.
Mer.
What new Minerva does Joves Brain conceive?

Jup.
A sure and pleasant Ambush I will lay;
I'le in Diana's shape the Nymph betray:
My wanton Kisses then she'l ne're suspect,
Nor my design detect.
No Vice but for a Vertue may escape,
If it be acted in a Holy Shape.
Disguis'd like her, I'le Kiss, Embrace, be free.

Mer.
Yes, and perswade her too, 'tis Chastity.
All Actions finely guilded o're succeed;
Men still the Doers mind, and not the Deed:
The Nymph will all Diana does allow;
Nay think she liv'd in some mistake till now.

Jup.
'Tis Sacred Truth; then firmly I decree,
I will serve her, as all Mankind serves me.
When on the World they would impose some Cheat,
Most strict Devotion they will counterfeit:
Look grave on all Men, and then whine to me,
With such absurd and apish Mimickry:
I scarce from Laughter, spight of Rage forbear,
And take Diversion in the Villains Prayer:
This Trick of Mortals shall be learnt by me;
I to serve Love will mimick Chastity.
What Form wilt thou assume for thy design?

Mer.
What better Form than one that is Divine?
In Humane shape no more to her I'le go;
My own true Form I thus attir'd will shew,
When she perceives it is a God does Love,
Perhaps Ambition the proud Nymph may move.
This satisfaction too I shall enjoy:
'Tis not a shape embraces her, but I,
Whilst our delights we in disguises chuse,
We half the pleasure of Enjoyment loose.

Jup.
I like thy plot, thy Thoughts agree with mine,
Come let us each with speed to his designe.
Now vanish from my Thoughts all vexing cares,
And rule of Humane, or Divine Affairs.
Let Gods and Mortals what they will pursue,
And Fate and Fortune their own Business do.
Let wrengling Eliments contend their fill,
And all the Wheels of the Worlds Frame stand still;
Let toyling Nature if she please go sleep,
Or for her sport a general Revel keep.
Let trembling Mortals now go curse or pray,
Be good or wicked, which they will today,
I care not what disorders there shall be;
Let Heaven and Earth slide into Anarchy.
All politick Cares of every kind
I'le from my Breast remove;
And will to day perplex my mind,
With never a Thought but Love.

Enter Strephon, Corydon, Daphne, Sylvia. Cho. of Shepheards.
Str.
Hark , Hark, I hear the merry Hunters Horn.

Cory.
The Sound from yonder Hill by Winds is born.

Daph.
Diana, and her Nymphs are all that way
A Hunting gone.

Syl.
So soon e're break of day?

Chor.
Let 'em, let e'm go.
Lovers, better pleasures know.

Stre.
Let the cold Nymphs run dubling in the Dew,
Kind Love to warmer Pleasures us invites.

Daph.
I do not envy their Delights,
Whilst my dear Strephon does continue true.

Cor.
Whilst thus severe my Sylvia does remain,
I envy not the Hunters, but the Slain.

Sylv.
Poor Corydon, thy Flame remove,
I pity thee, but cannot love.
Yet I own, I have something in every Vein,
Which moves me to Love, could I meet with a Swain,
Who were to my mind, and would love me again.

Stre.
See Shepheards, the day is begun:
Come, with our Sports let's welcom the Sun.

An Entry of Basques.
Sylv.
Kind Lovers, Love on,
Least the World be undone,
And Mankind be lost by Degrees:
For if all from their Loves
Should go wander in Groves,
There soon would be nothing but Trees.

Chor.
Kind Lovers, Love on, &c.

Exeunt omnes.