The Works of Alexander Pope Part 22

If in your b.r.e.a.s.t.s or love or pity dwell, Protect your plant, nor let my branches feel 90 The browzing cattle or the piercing steel.

Farewell! and since I cannot bend to join My lips to yours, advance at least to mine.

My son, thy mother's parting kiss receive, While yet thy mother has a kiss to give. 95 I can no more; the creeping rind invades My closing lips,[15] and hides my head in shades; Remove your hands, the bark shall soon suffice Without their aid to seal these dying eyes.

She ceased at once to speak, and ceased to be; 100 And all the nymph was lost within the tree; Yet latent life through her new branches reigned, And long the plant a human heat retained.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 1: Upon occasion of the death of Hercules, his mother Alcmena recounts her misfortunes to Iole, who answers with a relation of those of her own family, in particular the transformation of her sister Dryope, which is the subject of the ensuing fable.--POPE.]

[Footnote 2: Alcmena. Galanthis was one of her female servants.]

[Footnote 3: Iole was not the consort of Alcmena's son, Hercules, but of her grandson, Hyllus.]

[Footnote 4: Out of jealousy that Alcmena should bear a child to Jupiter, Juno employed Lucina to hinder the birth of Hercules. The malevolence of the G.o.ddess was defeated through the ingenuity of Galanthis, who was straightway turned into a weasel by the baffled and irritated Lucina.]

[Footnote 5: Sandys' translation:

Of all the Oechalides For form few might with Dryope compare.]

[Footnote 6: This flowing couplet he has transferred into more places than one of his version of Homer.--WAKEFIELD.]

[Footnote 7: Dryden, aen. iii. 54:

The violated myrtle ran with gore.--WAKEFIELD.]

[Footnote 8: "As" is put for "as though."]

[Footnote 9: Cowley's transformation of Lot's wife, Davideis, iii. 254:

No more a woman, nor yet quite a stone.--WAKEFIELD.]

[Footnote 10: Dryden's Virg. Ecl. x. 20:

And hung with humid pearls the lowly shrub appears.--WAKEFIELD.]

[Footnote 11: Sandys' translation:

If credit to the wretched may be giv'n, I swear by all the pow'rs embowered in heav'n.]

[Footnote 12: This translation is faulty. "Patior sine crimine, et viximus innocuae," is but one and the same person,--a testimony of her own innocence, but not of the mutual concord between her relations.--BOWYER.]

[Footnote 13: "New greens," from its equivocal meaning, is a burlesque expression. "Sounding" is a feeble epithet to be applied to the axe by Dryope, who was thinking of the wounds it would inflict upon her; and it is still more inappropriate to make her call her transformation, "my honours," when she regarded the metamorphose with dismay. How superior to Pope's diluted version is the brief and simple language of the original,--"et caesa securibus urar." Sandys is better than Pope in the same proportion that he is more literal:

Or if I lie, may my green branches fade; And felled with axes on the fire be laid.]

[Footnote 14: It is worth quoting the parallel line of Sandys, to show how much more touching are the household words "husband" and "father"

than the "sire" and "spouse" subst.i.tuted by Pope:

Dear husband, sister, father, all farewell.]

[Footnote 15: Dryden's version of Ovid, Met. viii.:

At once th' encroaching rinds their closing lips invade.--WAKEFIELD.]

VERTUMNUS AND POMONA.[1]

FROM THE FOURTEENTH BOOK OF OVID'S METAMORPHOSES.

The fair Pomona flourished in his reign;[2]

Of all the virgins of the sylvan train, None taught the trees a n.o.bler race to bear, Or more improved the vegetable care.[3]

To her the shady grove, the flow'ry field, 5 The streams and fountains no delights could yield; 'Twas all her joy the ripening fruits to tend, And see the boughs with happy burthens bend.

The hook she bore instead of Cynthia's spear, To lop the growth of the luxuriant year, 10 To decent form the lawless shoots to bring, And teach th' obedient branches where to spring.

Now the cleft rind inserted graffs receives, And yields an offspring more than nature gives; Now sliding streams[4] the thirsty plants renew, 15 And feed their fibres with reviving dew.

These cares alone her virgin breast employ, Averse from Venus and the nuptial joy.

Her private orchards, walled on ev'ry side, To lawless sylvans all access denied. 20 How oft the satyrs and the wanton fauns, Who haunt the forests, or frequent the lawns, The G.o.d[5] whose ensign scares the birds of prey, And old Silenus, youthful in decay, Employed their wiles, and unavailing care, 25 To pa.s.s the fences, and surprise the fair?

Like these, Vertumnus owned his faithful flame, Like these, rejected by the scornful dame.

To gain her sight a thousand forms he wears; And first a reaper from the field appears; 30 Sweating he walks, while loads of golden grain O'ercharge the shoulders of the seeming swain.

Oft o'er his back a crooked scythe is laid, And wreaths of hay his sun-burnt temples shade: Oft in his hardened hand a goad he bears, 35 Like one who late unyoked the sweating steers.

Sometimes his pruning-hook corrects the vines, And the loose stragglers to their ranks confines.

Now gath'ring what the bounteous year allows, He pulls ripe apples from the bending boughs. 40 A soldier now, he with his sword appears; A fisher next, his trembling angle bears; Each shape he varies, and each art he tries, On her bright charms to feast his longing eyes.

A female form at last Vertumnus wears, } 45 With all the marks of rev'rend age appears, } His temples thinly spread with silver hairs; } Propped on his staff, and stooping as he goes, A painted mitre[6] shades his furrowed brows.

The G.o.d in this decrepid form arrayed, } 50 The gardens entered, and the fruit surveyed; } And "Happy you!" (he thus addressed the maid) } "Whose charms as far all other nymphs outs.h.i.+ne, As other gardens are excelled by thine!"

Then kissed the fair; (his kisses warmer grow 55 Than such as women on their s.e.x bestow[7]); Then placed beside her on the flow'ry ground, Beheld the trees with autumn's bounty crowned.

An elm was near, to whose embraces led, The curling vine her swelling cl.u.s.ters spread: 60 He viewed her twining branches with delight, And praised the beauty of the pleasing sight.

Yet this tall elm, but for his vine (he said) Had stood neglected, and a barren shade; And this fair vine, but that her arms surround 65 Her married elm, had crept along the ground.

Ah! beauteous maid, let this example move Your mind, averse from all the joys of love.

Deign to be loved, and ev'ry heart subdue!

What nymph could e'er attract such crowds as you? 70 Not she whose beauty urged the Centaur's arms,[8]

Ulysses' queen, nor Helen's fatal charms.

Ev'n now, when silent scorn is all they gain, A thousand court you, though they court in vain, A thousand sylvans, demiG.o.ds, and G.o.ds, 75 That haunt our mountains and our Alban woods.

But if you'll prosper, mark what I advise, Whom age and long experience render wise, And one whose tender care is far above All that these lovers ever felt of love, 80 (Far more than e'er can by yourself be guessed) Fix on Vertumnus, and reject the rest.

For his firm faith I dare engage my own; Scarce to himself, himself is better known.

To distant lands Vertumnus never roves; 85 Like you, contented with his native groves: Nor at first sight, like most, admires the fair; } For you he lives; and you alone shall share } His last affection, as his early care. } Besides, he's lovely far above the rest, 90 With youth immortal, and with beauty blest.

Add, that he varies ev'ry shape with ease, And tries all forms that may Pomona please.

But what should most excite a mutual flame, Your rural cares and pleasures are the same: 95 To him your orchards' early fruits are due, (A pleasing off'ring when 'tis made by you;) He values these; but yet, alas! complains, That still the best and dearest gift remains.

Not the fair fruit that on yon branches glows 100 With that ripe red th' autumnal sun bestows; Nor tasteful herbs that in these gardens rise, Which the kind soil with milky sap supplies; You, only you, can move the G.o.d's desire: Oh crown so constant and so pure a fire! 105 Let soft compa.s.sion touch your gentle mind; Think, 'tis Vertumnus begs you to be kind!

So may no frost, when early buds appear, Destroy the promise of the youthful year; Nor winds, when first your florid orchard blows, 110 Shake the light blossoms from their blasted boughs!

This, when the various G.o.d had urged in vain, He straight a.s.sumed his native form again; Such, and so bright an aspect now he bears, As when through clouds th' emerging sun appears, 115 And thence exerting his refulgent ray, Dispels the darkness and reveals the day.

Force he prepared, but checked the rash design; For when, appearing in a form divine, The nymph surveys him, and beholds the grace 120 Of charming features, and a youthful face, In her soft breast consenting pa.s.sions move, And the warm maid confessed a mutual love.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 1: This fragment was first published in 1712, in Lintot's Miscellany.]

[Footnote 2: The reign of Procas, one of the fabulous kings of Alba Longa.]