Prop'd on his staff, and stooping as he goes,
A painted mitre shades his furrow'd brows.
The God in this decrepit form array'd,
The gardens enter'd, and the fruit survey'd;
And "Happy you! (he thus address'd the maid)
"Whose charms as far all other nymphs out-shine,
" As other gardens are excell'd by thine!"
Then kiss'd the fair; (his kisses warmer grow
Than fuch as women on their sex bestow.)
Then plac'd befide her on the flowery ground,
Beheld the trees with autumn's bounty crown'd.
An elm was near, to whose embraces led,
The curling vine her swelling clusters spread:
He view'd her twining branches with delight,
And prais'd the beauty of the pleasing fight.
Yet this tall elm, but for his vine (he faid)
Had stood neglected, and a barren shade;
Innitens baculo, positis ad tempora canis,
Adfimulavit anum: cultosque intravit in hortos;
Pomaque mirata est: Tantoque potentior, inquit.
Paucaque laudatae dedit ofcula: qualia nunquam
Vera dedisset anus: glebaque incurva refedit,
Sufpiciens pandos autumni pondere ramos.
Ulmus erat contra, spatiosa tumentibus uvis :
Quam socia poftquam pariter cum vite probavit;
At si staret, ait, coelebs, fine palmite truncus,
Nil praeter frondes, quare peteretur, haberet.
VOL. I.
And this fair vine, but that her arms furround
Her marry'd' elm, had crept along the ground.
Ah! beauteous maid, let this example move
Your mind, averse from all the joys of love.
Deign to be lov'd, and every heart fubdue !
What nymph could e'er attract fuch crouds as you? 70
Not she whose beauty urg'd the Centaur's arms,
Ulyffes' Queen, nor Helen's fatal charms.
Ev'n now, when filent scorn is all they gain,
A thousand court you, though they court in vain,
A thousand fylvans, demigods, and gods,
That haunt our mountains, and our Alban woods.
But if you'll profper, mark what I advise,
Whom age and long experience render wife,
And one whose tender care is far above
All that these lovers ever felt of love,
Haec quoque, quae juncta vitis requiefcit in ulmo, 65
Si non nupta foret, terrae adclinata jaceret.
Tu tamen exemplo non tangeris arboris hujus ;
Concubitusque fugis: nec te conjungere curas.
Atque utinam velles! Helene non pluribus esset
Sollicitata procis: nec quae Lapitheïa movit
Proelia, nec conjux timidis audacis Ulyssei.
Nunc quoque, cum fugias averserisque petentes,
Mille proci cupiunt; et semideique deique,
Et quaecunque tenent Albanos numina montes.
Sed tu, fi fapies, fi te bene jungere, anumque
Hanc audire voles, (quae te plus omnibus illis
(Far more than e'er can by yourself be guefs'd)
Fix on Vertumnus, and reject the rest.
For his firm faith I dare engage my own;
Scarce to himself, himself is better known.
To distant lands Vertumnus never roves;
Like you, contented with his native groves;
Nor at first fight, like most, admires the fair;
For you he lives; and you alone shall share
His last affection, as his early care.
Besides, he 's lovely far above the rest,
With youth immortal, and with beauty blest.
Add, that he varies every shape with ease,
And tries all forms that may Pomona please.
But what should most excite a mutual flame,
Your rural cares and pleasures are the fame.
To him your orchard's early fruit are due,
(A pleasing offering when 'tis made by you)
Plus quam credis, amo) vulgares rejice taedas:
Vertumnumque tori focium tibi selige: pro quo
Me quoque pignus habe, neque enim fibi notior ille eft,
Quam mihi, nec toto paffim vagus errat in orbe.
Haec loca fola colit; nec, uti pars magna procorum,
Quam modo vidit, amat. tu primus et ultimus illi
Ardor eris; solique suos tibi devovet annos.
Adde, quod est juvenis: quod naturale decoris
Munus habet; formasque apte fingetur in omnes:
Et, quod erit jussus (jubeas licet omnia) fiet.
Quid, quod amatis idem? quod, quae tibi poma co
He values these; but yet (alas!) complains,
That still the best and dearest gift remains.
Not the fair fruit that on yon' branches glows
With that ripe red th' autumnal fun bestows;
Nor tasteful herbs that in these gardens rife,
Which the kind foil with milky fap fupplies;
You, only you, can move the God's defire:
Oh, crown so constant and so pure a fire!
Let soft compaffion touch your gentle mind;
Think, 'tis Vertumnus begs you to be kind;
So may no frost, when early buds appear,
Destroy the promise of the youthful year;
Nor winds, when first your florid orchard blows,
Shake the light blossoms from their blasted boughs!
This when the various God had urg'd in vain,
He strait affum'd his native form again;
Such, and so bright an aspect now he bears,
As when through clouds th' emerging fun appears, 115
Primus habet; laetaque tenet tua munera dextra?
Sed neque jam foetus defiderat arbore demtos,
Nec, quas hortus alit, cum fuccis mitibus herbas; 100
Nec quidquam, nifi te. miferere ardentis: et ipfum,
And thence exerting his refulgent ray,
Dispels the darkness, and reveals the day.
Force he prepar'd, but check'd the rash design;
For when, appearing in a form divine,
The Nymph furveys him, and beholds the grace
Of charming features, and a youthful face;
In her foft breast consenting passions move,
And the warm maid confefs'd a mutual love.
Evicit nubes, nullaque obstante reluxit.
Vimque parat: fed vi non eft opus: inque figura
Capta Dei Nympha est, et mutua vulnera fentit.
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