Part 5 (1/2)

(_to the nymphs_)

Quick bring my car,--we will ascend to heaven, Deserting Earth, till by decree of Jove, Eternal laws shall bind the King of h.e.l.l To leave in peace the offspring of the sky.

_Ascal._ Stay, Ceres! By the dread decree of Jove Your child is doomed to be eternal Queen [24]

Of Tartarus,--nor may she dare ascend The sunbright regions of Olympian Jove, Or tread the green Earth 'mid attendant nymphs.

Proserpine, call to mind your walk last eve, When as you wandered in Elysian groves, Through bowers for ever green, and mossy walks, Where flowers never die, nor wind disturbs The sacred calm, whose silence soothes the dead, Nor interposing clouds, with dun wings, dim Its mild and silver light, you plucked its fruit, You ate of a pomegranate's seeds--

_Cer._ Be silent, Prophet of evil, hateful to the G.o.ds!

Sweet Proserpine, my child, look upon me.

You shrink; your trembling form & pallid cheeks Would make his words seem true which are most false[.]

Thou didst not taste the food of Erebus;-- Offspring of G.o.ds art thou,--nor h.e.l.l, nor Jove Shall tear thee from thy Mother's clasping arms.

_Pros._ If fate decrees, can we resist? farewel!

Oh! Mother, dearer to your child than light, Than all the forms of this sweet earth & sky, [25]

Though dear are these, and dear are my poor nymphs, Whom I must leave;--oh! can immortals weep?

And can a G.o.ddess die as mortals do, Or live & reign where it is death to be?

Ino, dear Arethuse, again you lose Your hapless Proserpine, lost to herself When she quits you for gloomy Tartarus.

_Cer._ Is there no help, great Jove? If she depart I will descend with her--the Earth shall lose Its proud fertility, and Erebus Shall bear my gifts throughout th' unchanging year.

Valued till now by thee, tyrant of G.o.ds!

My harvests ripening by Tartarian fires Shall feed the dead with Heaven's ambrosial food.

Wilt thou not then repent, brother unkind, Viewing the barren earth with vain regret, Thou didst not shew more mercy to my child?

_Ino._ We will all leave the light and go with thee, In h.e.l.l thou shalt be girt by Heaven-born nymphs, Elysium shall be Enna,--thou'lt not mourn Thy natal plain, which will have lost its worth Having lost thee, its nursling and its Queen.

_Areth._ I will sink down with thee;--my lily crown Shall bloom in Erebus, portentous loss [26]

To Earth, which by degrees will fade & fall In envy of our happier lot in h.e.l.l;-- And the bright sun and the fresh winds of heaven Shall light its depths and fan its stagnant air.

(_They cling round Proserpine; the Shades of h.e.l.l seperate and stand between them._)

_Ascal._ Depart! She is our Queen! Ye may not come!

Hark to Jove's thunder! shrink away in fear From unknown forms, whose tyranny ye'll feel In groans and tears if ye insult their power.

_Iris._ Behold Jove's balance hung in upper sky; There are ye weighed,--to that ye must submit.

_Cer._ Oh! Jove, have mercy on a Mother's prayer!

Shall it be nought to be akin to thee?

And shall thy sister, Queen of fertile Earth, Derided be by these foul shapes of h.e.l.l?

Look at the scales, they're poized with equal weights!

What can this mean? Leave me not[,] Proserpine[,]

Cling to thy Mother's side! He shall not dare Divide the sucker from the parent stem.

(_embraces her_)

_Ascal._ He is almighty! who shall set the bounds [27]

To his high will? let him decide our plea!