THE FABLE OF DRYOPE. S you a HE faid, and for her loft Galanthis fighs, When the fair Confort of her son replies. Since fervant's ravish'd form bemoan, And kindly figh for forrows not your own, Let me (if tears and grief permit) relate A nearer woe, a fister's stranger fate. No nymph of all Oechalia could compare For beauteous form with Dryope the fair, Her tender mother's only hope and pride, (Myself the offspring of a second bride.) This Nymph compress'd by him who rules the day, Whom Delphi and the Delian isle obey, NOTES. fwers with a relation of those of her own family, in particular the Transformation of her filter Dryope, which is the subject of the enfuing Fable. P. 5 15. 24 Excipit Andraemon; et habetur conjuge felix. Eft lacus, acclivi devexo margine formam Littoris efficiens: fummum myrteta coronant. Veneret huc Dryope fatorum nescia; quoque Indignere magis, Nymphis latura coronas. Inque finu fuerum, qui nondum impleverat annum, Dulce ferebat onus; tepidique ope lactis alebat. 20 Haud procul a ftagno, Tyrios imitata colores, In fpem baccarum florebat aquatica lotos. Carpferat hinc Dryope, quos oblectamina nato Porrigeret, flores: et idem factura videbar; Namque aderam. vidi guttas e flore cruentas Decidere; et tremulo ramos horrore moveri. Scilicet, ut referunt tardi nunc denique agreftes, Lotis in hanc Nymphe, fugiens obscoena Priapi, Contulerat verfos, fervato nomine, vultus. 30 Nefcierat foror hoc; quae cum perterritaretro 35 Andræmon lov'd; and, blefs'd in all thofe charms A lake there was, with fhelving banks around, The spring was new, and all the verdant boughs The trembling tree with fudden horror fhook. 30 As from Priapus' lawless luft fhe flew, This change unknown, astonish'd at the fight 35 Ire, et adoratis vellet difcedere Nymphis, 40 Nec quidquam, nifi fumma, movet. succrefcit ab imo, Totaque paulatim lentus premit inguina cortex. nebant. 45 At puer Amphiffos (namque hoc avus Eurytus illi bam, Crefcentem truncum ramofque amplexa, morabar; Et (fateor) volui fub eodem cortice condi. Ecce vir Andraemon, genitorque miferrimus, adfunt ; Et quaerunt Dryopen: Dryopen quaerentibus illis Oftendi loton. tepido dant ofcula ligno: 60 grow And firft the pardon of the nymphs implor'd And those offended fylvan pow'rs ador'd: But when the backward would have fled, fhe found Her ftiff'ning feet were rooted in the ground: 40 In vain to free her faften'd feet fhe ftrove, And, as she struggles, only moves above; She feels th' encroaching bark around her By quick degrees, and cover all below: 44 Surpriz'd at this, her trembling hand she heaves To rend her hair; her hand is fill'd with leaves : Where late was hair the shooting leaves are seen To rife, and fhade her with a fudden green. The child Amphiffus, to her bofom prest, Perceiv'd a colder and a harder breast, 50 And found the springs, that ne'er 'till then deny'd And stood the helpless witness of thy fate, Behold Andræmon and th' unhappy fire And print warm kiffes on the panting rind. 60 |