Volume III Part 14 (1/2)

[201] Not in Isham copy or ed. A.

[202] ”Volturis in ramis et _strigis_ ova tulit.”

[203] Old eds. ”thy.”

ELEGIA XIII.

Ad Auroram ne properet.

Now o'er the sea from her old love comes she That draws the day from heaven's cold axletree.

Aurora, whither slid'st thou? down again!

And birds for[204] Memnon yearly shall be slain.

Now in her tender arms I sweetly bide, If ever, now well lies she by my side.

The air is cold, and sleep is sweetest now, And birds send forth shrill notes from every bough.

Whither runn'st thou, that men and women love not?

Hold in thy rosy horses that they move not. 10 Ere thou rise, stars teach seamen where to sail, But when thou com'st, they of their courses fail.

Poor travellers though tired, rise at thy sight, And[205] soldiers make them ready to the fight.

The painful hind by thee to field is sent; Slow oxen early in the yoke are pent.

Thou coz'nest boys of sleep, and dost betray them To pedants that with cruel lashes pay them.

Thou mak'st the surety to the lawyer run, That with one word hath nigh himself undone. 20 The lawyer and the client hate thy view, Both whom thou raisest up to toil anew.

By thy means women of their rest are barred, Thou settst their labouring hands to spin and card.

All[206] could I bear; but that the wench should rise, Who can endure, save him with whom none lies?

How oft wished I night would not give thee place, Nor morning stars shun thy uprising face.

How oft that either wind would break thy coach, Or steeds might fall, forced with thick clouds' approach. 30 Whither go'st thou, hateful nymph? Memnon the elf Received his coal-black colour from thyself.

Say that thy love with Cephalus were not known, Then thinkest thou thy loose life is not shown?

Would t.i.thon might but talk of thee awhile!

Not one in heaven should be more base and vile.

Thou leav'st his bed, because he's faint through age, And early mount'st thy hateful carriage: But held'st[207] thou in thy arms some Cephalus, Then would'st thou cry, ”Stay night, and run not thus.” 40 Dost punish[208] me because years make him wane?

I did not bid thee wed an aged swain.

The moon sleeps with Endymion every day; Thou art as fair as she, then kiss and play.

Jove, that thou should'st not haste but wait his leisure, Made two nights one to finish up his pleasure.

I chid[209] no more; she blushed, and therefore heard me, Yet lingered not the day, but morning scared me.

FOOTNOTES:

[204] So Dyce for ”from” of the old eds.

[205] This line is omitted in ed. A.

[206] Isham copy and ed. A ”This.”

[207] Isham copy and ed. A ”had'st.”

[208] Isham copy and ed. A ”Punish ye me.”

[209] So the Isham copy. The other old eds. ”chide.”