Chapter LXI

God, on verdurous Helicon
Dweller, child of Urania,
Thou that draw'st to the man the fair
Maiden, O Hymenaeus, O
Hymen, O Hymenaeus: 5

Wreathe thy brows in amaracus'
Fragrant blossom; an aureat
Veil be round thee; approach, in all
Joy, approach with a luminous
Foot, a sandal of amber. 10

Come, for jolly the time, awake.
Chant in melody musical
Hymns of bridal; on earth a foot
Beating, hands to the winds above
Torches oozily swinging. 15

Such, as she that on Idaly
Venus dwelleth, appear'd before
Him, the Phrygian arbiter,
So with Mallius happily
Happy Junia weddeth. 20

Like some myrtle of Asia
Bright in airily blossoming
Boughs, the wood Hamadryades
Nurse with showery dew, to be
Theirs, a tender plaything. 25

So come to us in haste; away,
Leave thy Thespian hollow-arch'd
Rock, muse-haunted, Aonian,
Drench'd in spray from aloft, the cold
Drift of Nymph Aganippe. 30

Homeward summon a sovereign
Wife most passionate, holden in
Love fast prisoner: ivy not
Closer closes an elm around,
Interchangeably trailing. 35

You too with him, O you for whom
Comes as joyous a time, your own.
Virgins stainless of heart, arise.
Chant in unison, Hymen, O
Hymen, O Hymenaeus. 40

That, more readily listening,
Whiles your song to familiar
Duty calls him, he hie apace,
Lord of fair paramours, of youth's
Fair affection uniter. 45

Who more worthy than he to list
Lovers wearily languishing?
Bends from heaven a sovereign
God adorabler? Hymen, O
Hymen, O Hymenaeus. 50

You the father in years for his
Child beseecheth; a virginal
Zone falls slackly to earth for you,
You half-fear in his hankering
Lists the groomsman approaching. 55

You from motherly lap the bright
Girl can sever; your hand divine
Gives dominion, ushering
Warm the lover. O Hymen, O
Hymen, O Hymenaeus. 60

Nought delightful, if you be far,
Nought unharmed of envious
Tongues, Love wins him: if you be near
Much he wins him. O excellent
God, that hath not a rival. 65

Houses cannot, if you be far,
Yield their children, a babe renew
Sire or mother: if you be near,
Comes renewal. O excellent
God, that hath not a rival. 70

If your great ceremonial
Fail, no champion yeomanry
Guards the border. If you be near
Arms the border. O excellent
God, that hath not a rival. 75

Fling the portal apart. The bride
Waits. O see ye the luminous
Torch-flakes ruddily flickering?
. . . . . . .
. . . . . . 80

. . . . . . .
. . . . . .
. . . . . .
Nought she hears us: her innocent (80)
Eyes do weep to be going. 85

Weep not, lady; for envious
Tongue no lovelier owneth, Au-
Runculeia; nor any more
Fair saw rosily bright the dawn (85)
Leave his chamber in Ocean. 90

Such in many a flowering
Garden, trimm'd for a lord's delight,
Stands some delicate hyacinth.
Yet you tarry. The day declines. (90)
Forth, fair bride, to the people. 95

Forth, fair bride, to the people, if
So it likes you, a-listening
Words that please us. O eye ye yon
Torches ruddily flickering? (95)
Forth, fair bride, to the people. 100

Husband never of yours shall haunt
Stained wanton, a mutinous
Fancy shamefully following,
Tire not ever, or e'er from your (100)
Dainty bosom unyoke him. 105

He more lithe than a vine amid
Trees, that, mazily folded, it
Clasps and closes, in amorous
Arms shall close thee. The day declines. (105)
Forth, fair bride, to the people. 110

Couch of pleasure, _O odorous
Couch, whose gorgeous apparellings,
Silver-purple, on Indian
Woods do rest them; adown_ the bright
Feet in ivory glisten; 115

When thy lord in his hour attains,
What large extasy, while the night (110)
Fleets, or noon the meridian
Passes thoro'. The day declines.
Forth, fair bride, to the people. 120

Lift the torches aloft in air,
Boys: the fiery veil is here. (115)
Come, to measure your hymn rehearse.
Hymen, O Hymenaeus, O
Hymen, O Hymenaeus. 125

Nor withhold ye the countryman's
Ribald raillery Fescenine. (120)
Nor if happily boys declare
Thy dominion attaint, refuse,
Youth, the nuts to be flinging. 130

Fling, O womanish youth; the boys
Ask thee charity. Time agone (125)
Toys and folly; to-day begins
Our high duty, Talassius.
Hasten, youth, to be flinging. 135

Thou didst surely but yestereve
Mock the women, a favourite (130)
Far above them: anon the first
Beard, the razor. Alack, alas!
Hasten, youth, to be flinging. 140

You, whom odorous oils declare
Bridegroom, swerve not; a slippery (135)
Love calls lightly, but yet refrain.
Hymen, O Hymenaeus, O
Hymen, O Hymenaeus. 145

Lawful only did e'er delight
You, we know; but it is not, O (140)
Husband, lawful as heretofore.
Hymen, O Hymenaeus, O
Hymen, O Hymenaeus. 150

Bride, thou also, if he demand
Aught, refuse not, assent, obey. (145)
Love can angrily pipe adieu.
Hymen, O Hymenaeus, O
Hymen, O Hymenaeus. 155

Look! thy mansion, a sovereign
Home most goodly, by him to thee (150)
Given. Reign as a queen within,
Hymen, O Hymenaeus, O
Hymen, O Hymenaeus. 160

Still when hoary decrepitude,
Shaking wintery brows benign, (155)
Nods a tremulous Yes to all.
Hymen, O Hymenaeus, O
Hymen, O Hymenaeus. 165

With fair augury smite the blest
Threshold, sunnily glistening (160)
Feet: yon ivory door approach,
Hymen, O Hymenaeus, O
Hymen, O Hymenaeus. 170

See one seated, a banqueter.
'Tis thy lord on a Tyrian (165)
Couch: his spirit is all to thee.
Hymen, O Hymenaeus, O
Hymen, O Hymenaeus. 175

Not less surely in him than in
Thee love lighteth a bosoming (170)
Flame; but deeper, a fire within.
Hymen, O Hymenaeus, O
Hymen, O Hymenaeus. 180

. . . . . . .
. . . . . .
. . . . . .
. . . . . . .
. . . . . . 185

Thou, whose purple her arm, the slim
Arm, props happily, boy, depart. (175)
Time the bride be at entering.
Hymen, O Hymenaeus, O
Hymen, O Hymenaeus. 190

You in chastity tried the long
Years, good women of agedest (180)
Husbands, lay ye the bride to-night.
Hymen, O Hymenaeus, O
Hymen, O Hymenaeus. 195

Husband, stay not: a bride within
Coucheth ready, the flowering (185)
Spring less lovely; a countenance
White as parthenice, beyond
Yellow poppy to gaze on. 200

Thou, so help me the favouring
Gods immortal, as heavenly (190)
Fair art also, adorned of
Venus' bounty. The day declines.
Come nor tarry to greet her. 205

Not too slothfully tarrying,
Thou art here. Benediction of (195)
Venus help thee, a man without
Shame of blameless, a love that is
Honest frankly revealing. 210

Dust of infinite Africa,
Stars that sparkle, a myriad (200)
Host, who measureth, your delights
He shall tell them, ineffable,
Multitudinous, over. 215

Make your happy delight, renew'd
Soon in children. A glorious (205)
Name and olden is ill without
Children, unto the first a new
Stock as goodly begetting. 220

Some Torquatus, a beauteous
Babe, on motherly breasts to thee (210)
Stretching, father, his innocent
Hands, smile softly from inchoate
Lips half-open a welcome. 225

Like his father, a Mallius
New presented, of every (215)
Eyeing stranger allowed his own;
Mother's chastity moulded in
Features childly revealing. 230

Glory speak of him issuing
Child of mother as excellent (220)
She, as only that age-renown'd
Wife, whose story Telemachus
Blazons, Penelopea. 235

Virgins, close ye the door. Enough
This our carol. O happiest (225)
Lovers, jollity live with you.
Still that genial youth to love's
Consummation attend ye. 240