For now the sacred festival appear'd,
By pious Sestians annually rever'd,
At Venus' fane to pay the rites divine,
And offer incense at Adonis' shrine.
Vast crowds from all the sea-girt isles repair,
The day to rev'rence, and the feast to share.
From flowery Cyprus, circled by the main,
And high Hæmonia, hastes the youthful train; 70
Not one remain'd of all the female race
Thy towns, Cythera, and thy groves to grace;
Afar from spicy Libanus advance

The throngs unnumber'd, skill'd to lead the
dance;

From Phrygian plains they haste in shoals away,
And all Abydos celebrates the day.

To Sestos all the mirthful youths repair,

80

All that admire the gay, the young, the fair;
For amorous swains, when rumour'd feasts invite,
Joy at the news, and follow with delight,
Not to the gods to pay the rites divine,
Or offer incense at some sacred shrine;
Few are their offerings, and concise their prayer,
Who give their whole devotion to the fair.

As through the temple pass'd the Sestian
maid,

Her face a soften'd dignity display'd;
Thus silver Cynthia's milder glories rise,
To glad the pale dominion of the skies.
Her lovely cheeks a pure vermilion shed,
Like roses beautifully streak'd with red;
A flowery mead her well-turn'd limbs disclose,
Fraught with the blushing beauties of the rose :
But when she mov'd, in radiant mantle drest,
Flowers half unveil'd adorn'd her flowing vest,
And numerous graces wanton'd on her breast.
The ancient sages made a false decree,

90

Who said, the Graces were no more than three;
When Hero smiles, a thousand graces rise,
Sport on her cheek, and revel in her eyes.

140

Thus spoke the general voice; the train apart
Conceal the wound deep rankling in the heart. 131
But when Leander saw the blooming fair,
Love seiz'd his soul instead of dumb despair;
Resolv'd the lucky moments to improve,
He sought occasion to reveal his love;
The glorious prize determin'd to obtain,
Or perish for those joys he could not gain.
Her sparkling eyes instilling fond desire
Entranc'd his soul, and kindled amorous fire.
Such radiant beauty, like the pointed dart,
With piercing anguish stings th' unguarded heart:
For on the eye the wound is first imprest,
'Till by degrees it rankles in the breast.
Now hope and confidence invade his soul;
Then fear and shame alternately control:
Fear through his bosom thrill'd; a conscious shame
Confess'd the passion which it seem'd to blame:
Her beauties fix'd him in a wild amaze;
Love made him bold, and not afraid to gaze.
With step ambiguous, and affected air,
The youth advancing fac'd the charming fair:
Each amorous glance he cast, tho' form'd by

art,

150

160

Yet sometimes spoke the language of his heart;
With nods and becks he kept the nymph in play,
And tried all wiles to steal her soul away.
Soon as she saw the fraudful youth beguil'd,
Fair Hero, conscious of her beauty, smil'd;
Oft in her veil conceal'd her glowing face,
Sweetly vermilion'd with the rosy grace;
Yet all in vain to hide her passion tries,
She owns it with her love-consenting eyes.
Joy touch'd the bosom of the gentle swain,
To find his love was not indulg'd in vain.
Then, while he chid the tedious lingering day,
Down to the west declin'd the solar ray;
And dewy Hesper shone serenely bright,
In shadowy silence leading on the night.

Such various beauties sure conspir'd to prove 100 Soon as he saw the dark involving shade,

The priestess worthy of the queen of love.
Thus as she shone superior to the rest,
In the sweet bloom of youth and beauty drest,
Such softness temper'd with majestic mien,
The earthly priestess match'd the heav'nly queen.
The wondering crowds the radiant nymph admire,
And every bosom kindles with desire;

Eager each longs, transported with her charms,
To clasp the lovely virgin in his arms;
Where'er she turns, their eyes, their thoughts pur-

sue,

110

They sigh, and send their souls at every view.
Then thus some ardent youth bespoke the rest,
Cast a fond look, and open'd all his breast:

"I oft at Sparta wond'ring have beheld
Young maids contending in the listed field,
Sparta, that boasts the emulated prize
Of fairest virgins, and of brightest eyes;
Yet ne'er till now beheld a nymph so fair,
Such beauty blended with such graceful air:
Perhaps (for sure immortal is her race)
Beneath the priestess Venus hides a Grace.
My dazzled eyes with constant gazing tire,
But my fond fancy ever could admire.
O! make me, Venus, partner of her bed,
Though Fate that instant strike the lover dead :
Let but my love the heavenly Hero crown,
I on the gods will look superior down.
Should you this boon deny, O queen! decree,
To bless my days, a nymph as fair as she!"

120

Th' embolden'd youth approach'd the blooming maid;

170

Her lily hand he seiz'd, and gently prest,
And softly sigh'd the passion of his breast:
Joy touch'd the damsel, tho' she seem'd displeas'd,
And soon withdrew the lily hand he sciz'd.
The youth perceiv'd, through well-dissembled
wiles,

A heart just yielding by consenting smiles;
Then to the temple's last recess convey'd
The unreluctant, unresisting maid :
Her lovely feet, that seem'd to lag behind,
But ill conceal'd her voluntary mind.
She feign'd resentment with an angry look,
And, sweetly chiding, thus indignant spoke:
"Stranger, what madness has possess'd thy brain,
To drag me thus along the sacred fane?

180

Thus chid the maid, as maids are wont to do,
And show'd her anger, and her fondness too:
The wily youth, as thus the fair complain'd,
Too well perceiv'd the victory was gain'd:
For nymphs enrag'd the more complying prove,
And chidings are the harbingers of love.
He kiss'd her snowy neck, her fragrant breast:
And thus the transport of his soul exprest:

211

"O lovely fair, in whom combin'd are seen 200
The charms of Venus, and Minerva's mien !
For sure no virgin of terrestrial race
Can vie with Hero in the bloom of face:
I deem your lineage from the gods above,
And style you daughter of Saturnian Jove.
Blest is the father from whose loins you sprung,
Blest is the mother at whose breast you hung,
Blest, doubly blest, the fruitful womb that bore
This heavenly form for mortals to adore.
"Yet, beauteous Hero, grant a lover's prayer,
And to my wishes prove as kind as fair:
As Venus' priestess, just to Venus prove,
Nor shun the gentle offices of love.
Olet us, while the happy hour invites,
Propitious, celebrate the nuptial rites.
No maid can serve in Cytherea's fane;
Her eyes delight not in the virgin-train.
But would fair Hero secret rites explore,
The laws of Venus, and her pleasing lore,
Those rites are practis'd in the bridal bed,
And there must Hero, yet a maid, be led:
Then, as you fear the goddess to offend,
In me behold your husband and your friend,
Ordain'd by Cupid, greatest god above,
To teach you all the mysteries of love:
As winged Mercury, with golden wand,
Made Hercules, with distaff in his hand,
To every task of Omphale submit;

220

230

Thus Love, more powerful than the god of wit,
Sent me to you. 'Tis needless to relate
The chaste Arcadian Atalanta's fate;
Who from th' embraces of Milanion fled,
Her faithful lover, and the nuptial bed:
But vengeful Venus caus'd the nymph to burn
With equal flame, and languish in her turn.
O let example warn you to revere
The wrathful goddess, and your lover hear!"
Thus spoke the youth-his magic words con-
trol

Her wavering breast, and soften all her soul.
Silent she stood, and, rapt in thought profound,
Her modest eyes were fix'd upon the ground: 241
Her cheeks she hid, in rosy blushes drest,
And veil'd her lily shoulders with her vest:
On the rich floor, with Parian marble laid,
Her nimble foot involuntary play'd.
By secret signs a yielding mind is meant;
And silence speaks the willing maid's consent.
Now had the wily god's envenom'd dart
Diffus'd the pleasing poison to her heart;
Leander's form, instilling soft desire,
Woo'd her pleas'd eyes, and set her soul on fire.

250

While on the ground fair Hero fix'd her sight,
Leander view'd, with exquisite delight,
Her swelling breast, and neck as ivory white.
At length her face with lovely blushes spread
She rais'd, and thus in sweet confusion said:
"Stranger, thy words such magic sounds con-
vey,

With soft compassion rocks would melt away.
Who form'd thy tongue with such persuasive art,
260
To pour delightful ruin on the heart?
Ah! tell me, who thus taught thee to explore
My lone retirement on the Thracian shore?
Thy speech, tho' pleasing, flow'd to me in vain :
How can a stranger Hero's love obtain?
Should I in public give to thee my hand,
My parents would forbid the nuptial band.
And should'st thou here in close concealment
stay,

270

Our secret passion would itself betray;
For soon the voice of scandal-spreading Fame
The deed of silence would aloud proclaim.
But, gentle youth, thy name, thy country tell;
For mine, alas! by thee are known too well.
In yon high tower, which close to Sestos stands,
And all the roaring Hellespont commands,
With one attending damsel I remain ;
For so my parents and the Fates ordain!
No nymphs coeval to sweet Music's sound
Lead the smooth dance, or lightly beat the ground;
But stormy winds eternal discord keep,
Aud blustering bellow through the boundless
280
deep."
Thus spoke the priestess, and, with modest grace,
Conceal'd the new-boru beauties of her face;
For on her cheeks the roseate blush that hung
Seem'd to condemn the language of her tongue.
Meanwhile Leander feeds the hidden fire,
Glows in each vein, and burns with fierce desire:
But anxious doubt his musing breast alarms;
How shall he gain admittance to her charms?
Nor long he paus'd, for Love in wiles abounds,
Well-pleas'd to heal the bosoms which he wounds:
'Twas he, whose arrows men and gods control,
That heal'd Leander's love-afflicted soul;
Who thus, while sighs upheav'd his anxious breast,
The nymph with artful eloquence addrest:

292

"For thee, dear object of my fond desire,
I'll cross the ocean, though it flame with fire:
Nor would I fear the billows' loud alarms,
While every billow bore me to thy arms;
Uncheck'd, undaunted by the boisterous main,
Tempestuous winds should round me roar in

vain:

But oft as night her sable pinions spread,

300

I through the storm would swim to Hero's bed:
For rich Abydos is the home I boast,
Not far divided from the Thracian coast.
Let but my fair a kindly torch display,
From the high turret, to direct my way;
Then shall thy daring swain securely glide,
The bark of Cupid, o'er the yielding tide,
Thyself my haven, and thy torch my guide:
And, while I view the genial blaze afar,
I'll swim regardless of Boötes' car,
Of fell Orion, and the Northern Wain,
That never bathes his brightness in the main:
Thy star, more eminently bright than they,
Shall lead the lover to his blissful bay.
But let the torch, O nymph divinely fair!
My only safety, be thy only care;

310