Here Beauty's day doth never cease, Day is abstracted here, And varied in a triple sphere. Hero, Alcmane, Mya, so outshine thee, Ere thou come here let Thetis thrice refine thee. Rise, youths! Love's right claims more than banquets; rise! Now the bright marygolds, that deck the skies, Love paints his longings in sweet virgins' eyes: Rise, youths! Love's right claims more than banquets; rise! ye hold Rise, virgins! let fair nuptial loves infold Your fruitless breasts: the maidenheads Are not your own alone, but parted are, Part in disposing them your parents' share, And that a third part is: so must you save Your loves a third, and you your thirds must have. Love paints his longings in sweet virgins' eyes: Rise, youths! Love's right claims more than banquets; rise! Herewith the amorous spirit, that was so kind Out of their sights: the turning of her back But much wrung Hero stood Hell's blackest dart: THE ARGUMENT OF THE SIXTH SESTYAD. Leucote flies to all the winds, And from the Fates their outrage blinds, Her torch blown out: grief casts her down HERO AND LEANDER. THE SIXTH SESTYAD. No longer could the Day nor Destinies Delay the Night, who now did frowning rise Into her throne; and at her humorous breasts, Visions and Dreams lay sucking: all men's rests Fell like the mists of death upon their eyes, Day's too long darts so kill'd their faculties. The winds yet, like the flowers, to cease began; For bright Leucote, Venus' whitest swan, That held sweet Hero dear, spread her fair wings, Like to a field of snow, and message brings From Venus to the Fates, t' entreat them lay Their charge upon the winds their rage to stay, That the stern battle of the seas might cease, And guard Leander to his love in peace.' The Fates consent, (aye me! dissembling Fates) They show'd their favours to conceal their hates, And draw Leander on, lest seas too high Should stay his too obsequious destiny: Who like a fleering slavish parasite, In warping profit or a traiterous sleight, Hoops round his rotten body with devotes, And pricks his descant face full of false notes; |