Chapter XIV: Book III (3)

'It is the renown of your wisdom, which extends near and far, discreet and gallant shepherds, that brings these shepherds and myself to beg you to consent to be judges of a graceful contest that has arisen between these two shepherds; and it is that, the feast being over, Francenio and Lauso, who are here, found themselves in a company of fair shepherdesses, and in order to pass without tedium the leisure hours of the day amongst them, they set on foot, amongst many other games, the one which is called 'themes.' It happened then that, the turn to propose and begin coming to one of these shepherds, fate would have it that the shepherdess at his side and on his right hand was, as he says, the treasurer of his soul's secrets, and the one who was, in the opinion of all, accounted the most discreet and most in love. Approaching then her ear, he said to her:

"Hope doth fly and will not stay."

The shepherdess, without being at a loss, went on, and, each one afterwards repeating in public what he had said to the other in secret, it was found that the shepherdess had capped the theme by saying:

"With desire to check its flight."

The acuteness of this reply was praised by those who were present; but the one to extol it most was the shepherd Lauso, and it seemed no less good to Francenio, and so each one, seeing that the theme and the reply were verses of the same measure, offered to gloss them. After having done so, each one claims that his gloss excels the other's, and to have certainty in this, they wished to make me judge of it, but, as I knew that your presence was gladdening our banks, I counselled them to come to you, to whose consuminate learning and wisdom questions of greater import might well be trusted. They have followed my opinion, and I have gladly taken the trouble to make this garland that it may be given as a prize to him whom you, shepherds, decide to have glossed the better.'

Arsindo was silent and awaited the shepherds' reply, which was to thank him for the good opinion he had of them and to offer themselves to be impartial judges in that honourable contest. With this assurance straightway Francenio once more repeated the verses and recited his gloss, which was as follows:

_Hope doth fly and will not stay,
With desire to check its flight._

_GLOSS._

When to save myself I think,
In the faith of love believing,
Merit fails me on the brink,
And the excesses of my grieving
Straightway from my presence shrink;
Confidence doth die away,
And life's pulse doth cease to beat,
Since misfortune seems to say,
That, when fear pursues in heat,
_Hope doth fly and will not stay_.

Yes, it flies, and from my pain
With it takes away content,
And the keys of this my chain
For my greater punishment
In my enemy's power remain;
Far it rises to a height
Where 'twill soon be seen no more,
Far it flies, so swift and light
That it is not in my power
_With desire to check its flight_.

Francenio having recited his gloss, Lauso began his, which was as follows:

In the hour I saw thee first,
As I viewed thy beauty rare,
Straightway did I fear and thirst;
Yet at last I did so fear,
That I was with fear accursed;
Feeble confidence straightway,
When I see thee, leads astray,
With it comes a coward's fear.
Lest they should remain so near,
_Hope doth fly and will not stay_.

Though it leaves me and doth go
With so wondrous a career,
Soon a miracle will show
That the end of life is near,
But with love it is not so.
I am in a hopeless plight,
Yet that I his trophy might
Win, who loves but knows not why,
Though I could, I would not try
_With desire to check its flight_.

As Lauso ceased reciting his gloss, Arsindo said:

'Here you see declared, famous Damon and Thyrsis, the cause of the contest between these shepherds; it only remains now that you should give the garland to him whom you should decide to deserve it with better right; for Lauso and Francenio are such friends, and your award will be so just that, what shall be decided by you, they will count as right.'

'Do not think, Arsindo,' replied Thyrsis, 'that, though our intellects were of the quality you imagine them to be, the difference, if there be any, between these discreet glosses can or ought to be decided with such haste. What I can say of them, and what Damon will not seek to contradict, is that both are equally good, and that the garland should be given to the shepherdess who was the cause of so curious and praiseworthy a contest; and, if you are satisfied with this judgment, reward us for it by honouring the nuptials of our friend Daranio, gladdening them with your pleasing songs, and giving lustre to them by your honourable presence.'

The award of Thyrsis seemed good to all, the two shepherds approved it and offered to do what Thyrsis bade them. But the shepherdesses and shepherds, who knew Lauso, were astonished to see his unfettered mind entangled in the net of love, for straightway they saw, from the paleness of his countenance, the silence of his tongue, and the contest he had had with Francenio, that his will was not as free as it was wont to be, and they went wondering among themselves who the shepherdess might be who had triumphed over his free heart. One thought it was the discreet Belisa, another that it was the gay Leandra, and some that it was the peerless Arminda, being moved to think this by Lauso's usual practice to visit the huts of these shepherdesses, and because each of them was likely by her grace, worth, and beauty, to subdue other hearts as free as that of Lauso, and it was many days ere they resolved this doubt, for the love-sick shepherd scarce trusted to himself the secret of his love. This being ended, straightway all the youth of the village renewed the dances, and the rustic instruments made pleasing music. But seeing that the sun was already hastening his course towards the setting, the concerted voices ceased, and all who were there determined to escort the bridal pair to their house. And the aged Arsindo, in order to fulfil what he had promised to Thyrsis, in the space there was between the square and Daranio's house, to the sound of Erastro's pipe went singing these verses:

ARSINDO.
Now let Heaven tokens show
Of rejoicing and of mirth
On so fortunate a day,
'Midst the joy of all below
Let all peoples on the earth
Celebrate this wedding gay.
From to-day let all their mourning
Into joyous song be turning,
And in place of grief and pain
Pleasures let the myriads gain,
From their hearts all sorrow spurning.

Let prosperity abound
With the happy bridal-pair,
Who were for each other made,
On their elms may pears be found,
In their oak-groves cherries rare,
Sloes amid the myrtle glade,
Pearls upon the rocky steep.
May they grapes from mastic reap,
Apples from the carob-tree.
May their sheepfolds larger be,
And no wolves attack their sheep.

May their ewes that barren were,
Fruitful prove, and may they double
By their fruitfulness their flock.
May the busy bees prepare
'Midst the threshing floor and stubble,
Of sweet honey plenteous stock.
May they ever find their seed,
In the town and in the mead,
Plucked at fitting time and hour,
May no grub their vines devour,
And their wheat no blighting weed.

In good time with children twain,
Perfect fruit of peace and love,
May the happy pair be blest.
And when manhood they attain,
May the one a doctor prove,
And the other a parish priest.
May they ever take the lead
In both wealth and goodly deed.
Thus they gentlemen will be,
If they give security
For no gauger full of greed.

May they live for longer years
E'en than Sarah, hale and strong,
And the sorrowing doctor shun.
May they shed no bitter tears
For a daughter wedded wrong,
For a gambling spendthrift son.
May their death be, when the twain
Shall Methusaleh's years attain,
Free from guilty fear; the date
May the people celebrate
For ever and aye, Amen.

With the greatest pleasure Arsindo's rude verses were listened to, and he would have gone on further with them, had not their arrival at Daranio's house hindered it. The latter, inviting all who came with him, remained there, save that Galatea and Florisa, through fear lest Teolinda should be recognised by Thyrsis and Damon, would not remain at the wedding banquet. Elicio and Erastro would fain have accompanied Galatea to her house, but it was not possible for her to consent to it, and so they had to remain with their friends, and the shepherdesses, wearied with the dances of that day, departed. And Teolinda felt more pain than ever, seeing that at Daranio's solemn nuptials, where so many shepherds had assisted, only her Artidoro was wanting. With this painful thought she passed that night in company with Galatea and Florisa, who passed it with hearts more free and more dispassionate, until on the new day to come there happened to them what will be told in the book which follows.