D

DRYOPE IN ARBOREM.

IQ

IXIT: et, admonitu veteris commota miniftrae, Ingemuit; quam fic nurus eft adfata dolentem: Te tamen, o genitrix, alienae fanguine vestro Rapta movet facies. quid fi tibi mira fororis Fata meae referam? quamquam lacrymaeque dolorque Impediunt, prohibentque loqui. fuit unica matri (Me pater ex alia genuit) notiffima forma Oechalidum Dryope: quam virginitate carentem, Vimque Dei paffam, Delphos Delonque tenentis, Excipit Andraemon; et habetur conjuge felix. Eft lacus, acclivi devexo margine formam Littoris efficiens: fummum myrteta coronant. Veneret huc Dryope fatorum nefcia; quoque Indignere magis, Nymphis latura coronas. Inque finu puerum, qui nondum impleverat annum, Dulce ferebat onus; tepidique ope lactis alebat. 20

15

Haud

THE FABLE OF DRYOPE.

HE faid, and for her loft Galanthis fighs,

SHE

When the fair Confort of her fon replies. Since you a fervant's ravish'd form bemoan, And kindly figh for forrows not your own, Let me (if tears and grief permit) relate A nearer woe, a fifter's ftranger fate. No nymph of all Oechalia could compare For beauteous form with Dryope the fair, Her tender mother's only hope and pride, (Myself the offspring of a second bride.) This Nymph comprefs'd by him who rules the day, Whom Delphi and the Delian ifle obey,

Andraemon lov'd; and, bless'd in all those charms That pleas'd a God, fucceeded to her arms.

5

ΙΟ

A lake there was, with fhelving banks around, 15 Whofe verdant fummit fragrant myrtles crown'd. Thefe fhades, unknowing of the fates, fhe fought, And to the Naiads flow'ry garlands brought; Her fmiling babe (a pleasing charge) fhe prest Within her arms, and nourish'd at her breast.

NOTES.

20

Not

DRYOPE.] Upon occafion of the death of Hercules, his mother Alcmena recounts her misfortunes to Iole, who anfwers with a relation of those of her own family, in particular the transformations of her fifter Dryope, which is the subject of the enfuing fable.

P.

Haud procul a stagno, Tyrios imitata colores,
In fpem baccarum florebat aquatica lotos.
Carpferat hinc Dryope, quo oblectamina nato
Porrigeret, flores: et idem factura videbar;
Namque aderam. vidi guttas e flore cruentas
Decidere; et tremulo ramos horrore moveri.

24

30

Scilicet, ut referunt tardi nunc denique agreftes,

Lotis in hanc Nymphe, fugiens obfcoena Priapi,
Contulerat verfos, fervato nomine, vultus.
Nefcierat foror hoc; quae qum perterrita retro 35
Ire, et adoratis vellet difcedere Nymphis,
Haefurunt radice pedes. convellere pugnat:

40

Nec quidquam, nisi summa, movet. fuccrefcit ab imo,
Totaque paulatim lentus premit inguina cortex.
Ut vidit, conata manu laniare capillos,

Fronde manum implevit, frondes caput omne tenebant.
At puer Amphiffos (namque hoc avus Eurytus illi
Addiderat nomen) materna rigefcere fentit
Ubera: nec fequitur ducentum lacteus humor.

50

Spectatrix

Not distant far a watry Lotos grows,

The spring was new, and all the verdant boughs
Adorn'd with blossoms promis'd fruits that vie
In glowing colours with the Tyrian dye :
Of these she crop'd to please her infant fon,
And I myself the fame rash act had done:
But lo! I faw, (as near her fide I stood,)
The violated bloffoms drop with blood;
Upon the tree I caft a frightful look;

The trembling tree with fudden horror shook.
Lotis the nymph (if rural tales be true)
As from Priapus' lawless luft fhe flew,
Forfook her form; and fixing here became

25

30

A flow'ry plant, which still preserves her name.
This change unknown, astonish'd at the fight, 35
My trembling fifter ftrove to urge her flight:
And first the pardon of the nymphs implor'd
And those offended fylvan pow'rs ador'd:

But when the backward would have fled, fhe found
Her stiff'ning feet were rooted in the ground:

In vain to free her fasten'd feet she strove,
And, as she struggles, only moves above;
She feels th' encroaching bark around her grow
By quick degrees, and cover all below:

40

Surpriz'd at this, her trembling hand fhe heaves 45
To rend her hair; her hand is fill'd with leaves;
Where late was hair the fhooting leaves are feen
To rife, and fhade her with a fudden green.

The

Spectatrix aderam fati crudelis: opemque

Non poteram tibi ferre, foror: quantumque valebam>
Crefcentem truncum ramofque amplexa, morabar:
Et (fateor) volui fub eodem cortice condi.

Ecce vir Andraemon, genitorque miferrimus, adfunt;
Et quaerunt Dryopen: Dryopen quaerentibus illis
Oftendi loton. tepido dant ofcula ligno:
Adfufique fuae radicibus arboris haerent.

60

Nil nifi jam faciem, quod non foret arbor, habebas,
Cara foror. lacrymae verfo de corpore factis
Irrorant foliis ac, dum licet, oraque praeftant 65
Vocis iter, tales effundit in aëra queftus:

Si qua fides miferis, hoc me per numina juro
Non meruiffe nefas. patior fine crimine poenam.

Viximus

NOTES.

VER. 69. If to the wretched] This tranflation is faulty. To clear herself from the imputation of falling under this judgment of heaven, by any crime of her's, fhe bears witnefs to the behaviour of her husband and father, equally at leaft with her own; but why that introduction, "Si qua fides," believe me? And by what figure