Such signs of passion in contempt I hold :-
But there's substantial proof of love-in gold.
I know you fancy me an easy fool,
Raw, and undisciplined in Venus' school;
A thoughtless victim, whom a song could move,
And each fond lay inspire with throbs of love :
Deluded swains; but vain do ye opine-
Know, the whole science of intrigue is mine.
A dame, experienced in the mystic art,
Taught me to play with ablest skill my part;
Taught me to laugh at songs, and empty strains;
And taught how Cupid shone-in golden chains.
My sister too, and all her am'rous train,
Tutor'd my youth,-nor were their lessons vain.
Full oft her suitors hath she frankly told,
"Your aim is beauty, sirs, and mine is-gold:
Each other's wants let's mutually supply."-
'Twas thus my sister spoke,-and thus speak I.
With her, I laugh at Cupid's batter'd name,
With her, I mock what fools call gen'rous flame ;
With her, my theme's to value gold aright,
And scorn a passion while its gifts are light.
EPISTLE XV.* THE FORCE OF LOVE
APHRODISIUS TO LYSIMACHUS.
Love, or of force, or of persuasion,
Avails him as best suits th' occasion :
And all, who've felt his tingling dart,
Will own its conquest o'er the heart.
Love can the thirst of blood assuage,
And bid the battle cease to rage;
Quell the rude discord, and compose
To peace the most determined foes.
Vain is the lance, and vain the shield,
And vain the wide embattled field;
Vain the long military train,
And Mars with all his terrors vain.
Cupid his stubborn angry soul
Can with a little shaft control.
Each champion, who with fury brave
Would stem war's most destructive wave,
Epistle XV.] A narrative.
Without a stroke, to Love will yield,
And quit at once his useless shield.—
T' insure your credit to my text,
A case in point is here annext.
Two cities of no mean estate,
Miletus this, and Myus that,
Had long in mutual conflicts bled,
While commerce droop'd with languid head.
And only while Miletus kept
Diana's feast, the contest slept :
A solemn truce was then allow'd :—
At Dian's shrine each city bow'd.
And, till the festive revels cease,
'Twas naught but harmony and peace.
Then gleams the hostile blade again,
And reeking gore manures the plain.
But Venus little could sustain
That Discord should eternal reign;
So closed for ever their dispute :
And thus she found the means to do't.
From Myus to Miletus came
A girl (Piëria was her name,)
Bright as the morn she was by nature,
And Venus now retouch'd each feature.
Then, at what time the sacred train
Attended at Diana's fane,
The prince of the Miletians came,
And saw the maid, and felt the flame.
And soon the prince his love address'd,
"Speak, charmer, speak thy first request?
Whate'er thy wish, whate'er thy want,
Be't mine to make a double grant."
But thee, fair maid, supreme in mind,
As well as charms, o'er womankind,
No idle choice seduced aside,
No giddy wish, no hurtful pride:
Thee could no costly gem insnare,
No trinket to adorn thy hair :
No Carian slave didst thou request,
No precious chain, no Tyrian vest.
But long didst stand with downcast eye,
As hesitating to reply;
Essaying, but in vain, to speak,
While blushes dyed thy modest cheek.
At last thy falt'ring tongue with fear
Thus utter'd faintly in his ear,
"Prince, to these walls give access free,
At all times, for my friends and me.'
Phrygius full well perceived her drift,
Yet nobly ratified his gift.
A peace was soon proclaim'd around,
And mighty Love the treaty bound:
A more sufficient guarantee,
Than any bonds or oaths could be.
And this example well may prove
That naught's so eloquent as Love:
For oft had orators, whose style was
Mellifluent as the seer's of Pylos,*
Convened, debated, and return'd,
While still the rage of battle burn'd,
But Cupid's sweeter elocution
Brought matters quick to a conclusion.
And hence the Ionian maids deduce
Th' expression now so much in use,
"May we such noble presents have,
As erst the princely Phrygius gave !
And may our lords as faithful be,
As thine, Piëria, was to thee."
EPISTLE XVI.† THE BASHFUL LOVER.
IN secret pining thus I sigh'd,
"Love, thou alone my flame dost know,
Who didst the fatal arrow guide,
And Venus, who prepared thy bow.
"Not to my friend, to her much less
Dare I my hopeless flame disclose;
And love conceal'd burns to excess,
And with redoubled ardour glows.
Seer of Fylos.] Nestor, famous in Homer for his eloquence: + Epistle XVI. A lover, who long had feared to disclose his passion, at length describes to his friend the circumstances of success.
"Me, Cupid, hast thou robb'd of rest;
Wound too the maid whose love I seek;
But pierce with lighter shaft her breast,
Lest grief make wan that blooming cheek."
Sweet did she speak, and sweetly smile,
When lately I admittance had,
Yet seem'd she so reserved the while,
The inconsistence made me mad.
Her snowy hands, her lovely face,
I view'd, with admiration fill'd :
Her easy negligence of dress,
Her bosom, seat of bliss, reveal'd!
Still dared I not my love make known,
But silently to Cupid pray'd,
"Grant that she first her passion own !"—
The powerful archer lent his aid.
Sudden she seized my hand-her eyes
With am'rous elocution speak-
Instant her wonted rigour flies,
And Love sits dimpling on her cheek.
Intoxicated with desire,
Her panting neck she did incline;
And kiss'd me with such life and fire,
I thought her soul would blend with mine.
-Description can no further go,
T'express our happiness too weak
But well did half-form'd accents show,
Our joys were more than we could speak.
EPISTLE XVII.* THE HAUGHTY BEAUTY.
XENOPEITHES TO DEMARETUS.
YES, she is cold!-oh! how severely cold !—
That breast Love's gentle taper ne'er could warm.
Who could believe a heart of savage mould
Was e'er enshrined within so bright a form?
Epistle XVII.] From a lover complaining of the pride and insen bility of his mistress.
Yet not unnoticed in the fields of Love
Have I sustain'd full many a brisk campaign: For many a trophy strove,-nor vainly strove,— While maids, and wives, and widows own'd my reign. But now, alas! that idle boast expires;
And Daphnis wears the laurels I had won. Now Xenopeithes pines with new desires, And all his fame in one defeat is flown.
Yes-she is every way replete with wiles
Loves she?-'tis silence.-Is she loved?-'tis scorn.
Flattery she hates; at proffer'd gifts she smiles.—
As law, must her imperious will be borne.
Laughs she? her lips alone that laughter own;
No smiling dimples on her cheeks are spread;
And once I ventured to reprove her frown,
And told her, "Charms should love inspire, not dread.”
As well might I have spoken to the air,
Or to an ass have touch'd the melting lute.
But still-The falling drop the stone will wear,
And still I'll ply my disappointed suit.
With more delusive baits my hook I'll gild—
Still on my line the slipp'ry prize shall play.
And 'tis Love's grand distinction not to yield,
But toil and toil, although he lose the day.
Ten years could vanquish heaven-defended Troy.
And oh! do thou, my friend, assist my aim-
(For thou hast felt the all-destructive boy)—
The same our labours, as our skiff the same.t
EPISTLE XVIII.‡ EXCUSES.
CALLICÆTA TO MEIRACIOPHILA.
UNNUMBER'D pleasures are your own,
Who youth and beauty prize alone—
• The falling drop, &c.] An ancient proverb.
Nonne vides etiam guttas in saxa cadentes,
Humoris longo spatio pertundere saxa.
66 'Hard bodies, which the lightest stroke receive,
In length of time will moulder and decay;
And stones with drops of rain are wash'd away.'
The same our labours, &c.] Another Greek proverb.
In eâdem es navi.-
CIC. Epist. il
Epistle XVIII.] A panegyric on a dainty courtesan.
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