And how Deïdamia, maiden coy,

Found her girl bedmate was a wicked boy,

LYCIDAS.

The herdsman, Paris, on an evil day,
To Ida bore the lovely Helena.

Enone grieved; and Lacedemon raged,
And all th' Achæans in the feud engaged:
Hellenes, Elians, and Mycenians, came,
And brave Laconians, to retake the Dame.
When Greece her battle led across the deep,
Himself at home no warrior then might keep.
Achilles only went not then, indeed,

Hid with the daughters of king Lycomede.
A seeming virgin with a virgin's bloom,
Instead of arms his white hand plied the loom.

No virgin of them all had airs more fine,

A rosier cheek, or step more feminine :

He veiled his hair; but Mars and fiery Love,

That stings young manhood, all his thoughts did move.

He lingered by Deïdamia's side,

Close as he could, from morn till eventide :

Often he kissed her hand, and often raised

Her broidered work: her work and fingers praised.

Of all the maids his only messmate she;

And he would fain his bedmate have her be.

And thus he sued with furtive meaning deep :—

"With one another other sisters sleep;

In station, love, and age, we twain are one,

Why should we, maidens both, each sleep alone? Since we together are all day, I wonder

Why we are made at night to sleep asunder?"

IDYL VIII.

TO THE EVENING STAR.

HESPER! Sweet Aphrodite's golden light!
Hesper bright ornament of swarthy Night,
Inferior to the Moon's clear sheen as far,
As thou outshinest every other star;
Dear Hesper, hail! and give thy light to me,
Leading the festive shepherd company.

For her new course to-day began the moon,
And is already set-O much too soon!

'Tis not for impious theft abroad I stir,
Nor to way-lay the nightly traveller:

I love; and thou, bright star of love! shouldst lend The lover light-his helper and his friend.

IDYL IX.

LOVE RESISTLESS.

BRIGHT Cypris! goddess ever meek and mild,
Of mightiest Zeus and loveliest sea-nymph child,
Why with Immortals and our mortal kind
Art thou so wroth? what stung thy gentle mind
To bring forth Love? who wills at all to strike,
His cruel heart his person how unlike !

Winged and far-darter why didst make him, why,
That we the cruel one can never fly?

IDYL X.

FRIENDSHIP.

HAPPY is love or friendship when returned

The lovers whose pure flames have equal burned.
Happy was Theseus, e'en in Tartarus,

With his true heart-friend, good Pirithous.
His Pylades Orestes lorn did bless
Amid th' inhospitable Chalybes.

Blest was Achilles in a friend long tried;

Him living loved, for his sake gladly died!