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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.

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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.

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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.

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Nefcierat foror hoc; quae cum perterritaretro 35

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Andræmon lov'd; and, blefs'd in all thofe charms
That pleas'd a God, fucceeded to her arms. 14

A lake there was, with fhelving banks around,
Whofe verdant fummit fragrant myrtles crown'd,
These shades, unknowing of the fates, the fought,
And to the Naiads flow'ry garlands brought;
Her smiling babe (a pleafing charge) fhe preft
Within her arms, and nourish'd at her breast. 20
Not diftant far a watry Lotos grows,

The spring was new, and all the verdant boughs
Adorn'd with bloffoms promis'd fruits that vie
In glowing colours with the Tyrian dye :
Of these she crop'd to please her infant fon, 25
And I myself the fame rash act had done :
But lo! I faw, (as near her fide I ftood,)
The violated bloffoms drop with blood;
Upon the tree I caft a frightful look ;

The trembling tree with fudden horror fhook. 30
Lotis the nymph (if rural tales be true)

As from Priapus' lawless luft fhe flew,
Forfook her form; and fixing here became
A flow'ry plant, which still preserves her name.

This change unknown, astonish'd at the fight 35
My trembling fifter ftrove to urge her flight:

Ire, et adoratis vellet difcedere Nymphis,
Haefurunt radice pedes. convellere pugnat:

40

Nec quidquam, nifi fumma, movet. succrefcit ab imo,

Totaque paulatim lentus premit inguina cortex.
Ut vidit, conata manu laniare capillos,
Fronde manum implevit, frondes caput omne te-

nebant.

45

At puer Amphiffos (namque hoc avus Eurytus illi
Addiderat nomen) materna rigefcere fentit
Ubera: nec fequitur ducentem lacteus humor. 50
Spectatrix aderam fati crudelis; opemque
Non poteram tibi ferre, foror: quantumque vale-

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
Their milky moisture, on a sudden dry'd.
I saw, unhappy! what I now relate,

And stood the helpless witness of thy fate,
Embrac'd thy boughs, thy rifing bark delay'd, 55
There wish'd to grow, and mingle shade with
fhade.

Behold Andræmon and th' unhappy fire
Appear, and for their Dryope enquire ;
A springing tree for Dryope they find,

And print warm kiffes on the panting rind. 60

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