But if you cast my words unto the wind,

Or piqued to anger murmur in your mind,

Why dost thou trouble me? I for thy sake, And thy much scorn, myself will straight betake, Where the gold apples their sweet fragrance spread, To Cerberus, the keeper of the dead.

Then freed from love, and all its anxious pain,

E'en at thy call, I could not come again.

IDYL XXX.

THE DEATH OF ADONIS.

CYPRIS, when she saw Adonis

Cold and dead as any stone is,
All his dark hair out of trim,
And his fair cheek deadly dim,
Thither charged the Loves to lead
The cruel boar that did the deed.
And they, swiftly overflying

All the wood where he was lying,
Soon the hapless creature found,
And with cords securely bound.
One the captive dragged along,
Holding at its end the thong;
While another with his bow

Struck behind and made him go.

Path of fear they made him tread-
Aphrodite was his dread.

Him the goddess thus addrest:

"Of all beasts thou wickedest !

Thou didst thou this white thigh tear? Didst thou smite my husband dear?" Fearfully, then, answered he:

"Cypris! I do swear to thee

By thyself and husband dear,

By

the very bonds I wear,

By these huntsmen, never I

Meant to tear thy husband's thigh;

Thinking there a statue stood,

In the fever of my blood,

I was mad a kiss to press

On the naked loveliness:

But my long tusk pierced the boy :
Punish these, and these destroy,

Tusks that worse than useless prove―

What had they to do with love ?

And if this suffice not, pray,

Cypris cut my lips away

What had they to do with kissing?"
Cypris, then, her wrath dismissing,
Pitied him that knew no better;

And she bade them loose his fetter.
The boar, from that time of her train,
Went not to the wood again;
But, approaching to the fire,
Fairly burned out his desire.