HERO AND LEANDER.

SECOND SESTYAD.

The Argument of the Second Sestyað.

Hero of love takes deeper sense,

And doth her love more recompense:

Their first night's meeting, where sweet kisses
Are th' only crowns of both their blisses.

He swims to' Abydos and returns :
Cold Neptune with his beauty burns;
Whose suit he shuns, and doth aspire
Hero's fair tower, and his desire.

HERO AND LEANDER.

THE SECOND SESTYAD.

By this, sad Hero, with love unacquainted,
Viewing Leander's face fell down and fainted.
He kiss'd her, and breath'd life into her lips,
Wherewith, as one displeas'd, away she trips;
Yet as she went, full often look'd behind,
And many poor excuses did she find

To linger by the way, and once she stay'd,
And would have turn'd again, but was afraid,

In offering parley, to be counted light:

So on she goes, and, in her idle flight,

Her painted fan of curled plumes let fall,
Thinking to train Leander therewithal.

He, being a novice, knew not what she meant,
But stay'd, and after her a letter sent;

Which joyful Hero answer'd in such sort,
As he had hope to scale the beauteous fort
Wherein the liberal Graces lock'd their wealth,
And therefore to her tower he got by stealth.
Wide open stood the door; he need not climb;
And she herself, before th' appointed time,

Had spread the board, with roses strew'd the room,
And oft look'd out, and mus'd he did not come.-
At last he came; O who can tell the greeting
These greedy lovers had at their first meeting!
He ask❜d-she gave—and nothing was denied;
Both to each other quickly were affied:

Look how their hands, so were their hearts united,
And what he did, she willingly requited.

(Sweet are the kisses, the embracements sweet,
When like desires and like affections meet;
For from the earth to heaven is Cupid rais'd,
Where fancy is in equal balance pais'd. *)
Yet she this rashness suddenly repented,
And turn'd aside, and to herself lamented:
As if her name and honour had been wrong'd,
By being possess'd of him for whom she long'd;
Aye, and she wish'd, albeit not from her heart,
That he would leave her turret and depart.

*From the French verb peser.