The Sonnets, Triumphs, and Other Poems of Petrarch Part 99

Oh, may that glorious privilege be mine, Till dust to dust the final stroke resign!

My courage they inspired to claim the wreath-- Immortal emblem of my constant faith To her whose name the poet's garland bears!

Yet nought from her, for long devoted years, I reap'd but cold disdain, and fruitless tears.-- But soon a sight ensued, that, like a spell, Restrain'd at once my pa.s.sion's stormy swell: But this a loftier muse demands to sing, The hallow'd power that pruned the daring wing Of that blind force, by folly canonized And in the garb of deity disguised.

Yet first the conscious muse designs to tell How I endured and 'scaped his witching spell; A subject that demands a muse of fire, A glorious theme, that Phoebus might inspire-- Worthy of Homer and the Orphean lyre!

Still, as along the whirling chariot flew, I kept the wafture of his wings in view: Onward his snow-white steeds were seen to bound O'er many a steepy hill and dale profound: And, victims of his rage, the captive throng.

Chain'd to the flying wheels, were dragg'd along, All torn and bleeding, through the th.o.r.n.y waste; Nor knew I how the land and sea he pa.s.s'd, Till to his mother's realm he came at last.

Far eastward, where the vext aegean roars, A little isle projects its verdant sh.o.r.es: Soft is the clime, and fruitful is the ground, No fairer spot old ocean clips around; Nor Sol himself surveys from east to west A sweeter scene in summer livery drest.

Full in the midst ascends a shady hill, Where down its bowery slopes a streaming rill In dulcet murmurs flows, and soft perfume The senses court from many a vernal bloom, Mingled with magic; which the senses steep In sloth, and drug the mind in Lethe's deep, Quenching the spark divine--the genuine boast Of man, in Circe's wave immersed and lost.

This favour'd region of the Cyprian queen Received its freight--a heaven-abandon'd scene.

Where Falsehood fills the throne, while Truth retires, And vainly mourns her half-extinguish'd fires.

Vile in its origin, and viler still By all incentives that seduce the will, It seems Elysium to the sons of l.u.s.t, But a foul dungeon to the good and just.

Exulting o'er his slaves, the winged G.o.d Here in a theatre his triumphs show'd, Ample to hold within its mighty round His captive train, from Thule's northern bound To far Taprobane, a countless crowd, Who, to the archer boy, adoring, bow'd.

Sad fantoms shook above their Gorgon wings-- Fantastic longings for unreal things, And fugitive delights, and lasting woes; The summer's biting frost, and winter's rose; And penitence and grief, that dragg'd along The royal lawless pair, that poets sung.

One, by his Spartan plunder, seal'd the doom Of hapless Troy--the other rescued Rome.

Beneath, as if in mockery of their woe, The tumbling flood, with murmurs deep and low, Return'd their wailings; while the birds above With sweet aerial descant fill'd the grove.

And all beside the river's winding bed Fresh flowers in gay confusion deck'd the mead, Painting the sod with every scent and hue That Flora's breath affords, or drinks the morning dew, And many a solemn bower, with welcome shade, Over the dusky stream a shelter made.

And when the sun withdrew his slanting ray, And winter cool'd the fervours of the day, Then came the genial hours, the frequent feast And circling times of joy and balmy rest.

New day and night were poised in even scale, And spring awoke her equinoctial gale, And Progne now and Philomel begun With genial toils to greet the vernal sun.

Just then--O hapless mortals! that rely On fickle fortune's ever-changing sky-- E'en in that season, when, with sacred fire, Dan Cupid seem'd his subjects to inspire, That warms the heart, and kindles in the look, And all beneath the moon obey his yoke-- I saw the sad reverse that lovers own, I heard the slaves beneath their bondage groan; I saw them sink beneath the deadly weight And the long tortures that forerun their fate.

Sad disappointments there in meagre forms Were seen, and feverish dreams, and fancied harms; And fantoms rising from the yawning tomb Were seen to muster in the gathering gloom Around the car; and some were seen to climb, While cruel fate reversed their steps sublime.

And empty notions in the port were seen, And baffled hopes were there with cloudy mien.

There was expensive gain, and gain that lost, And amorous schemes by fortune's favour cross'd; And wearisome repose, and cares that slept.

There was the semblance of disgrace, that kept The youth from dire mischance on whom it fell, And glory darken'd on the gloom of h.e.l.l; Perfidious loyalty, and honest fraud, And wisdom slow, and headlong thirst of blood; The dungeon, where the flowery paths decoy; The painful, hard escape, with long annoy.

I saw the smooth descent the foot betray, And the steep rocky path that leads again to day.

There in the gloomy gulf confusion storm'd, And moody rage its wildest freaks perform'd; And settled grief was there; and solid night, But rarely broke with fitful gleams of light From joy's fantastic hand. Not Vulcan's forge, When his Cyclopean caves the fumes disgorge; Nor the deep mine of Mongibel, that throws The fiery tempest o'er eternal snows; Nor Lipari, whose strong sulphureous blast O'ercanopies with flames the watery waste; Nor Stromboli, that sweeps the glowing sky With red combustion, with its rage could vie.-- Little he loves himself that ventures there, For there is ceaseless woe and fell despair: Yet, in this dolorous dungeon long confined, Till time had grizzled o'er my locks, I pined.

There, dreaming still of liberty to come, I spent my summers in this noisome gloom; Yet still a dubious joy my grief controll'd, To spy such numbers in that darksome hold.

But soon to gall my seeming transport turn'd, And my ill.u.s.trious partner's fate I mourn'd; And often seem'd, with sympathising woe, To melt in solvent tears like vernal snow.

I turn'd away, but, with inverted glance, Perused the fleeting shapes that fill'd my trance; Like him that feels a moment's short delight When a fine picture fleets before his sight.

BOYD.

THE TRIUMPH OF CHASt.i.tY.

_Quando ad un giogo ed in Un tempo quivi._

When to one yoke at once I saw the height Of G.o.ds and men subdued by Cupid's might, I took example from their cruel fate, And by their sufferings eased my own hard state; Since Phoebus and Leander felt like pain, The one a G.o.d, the other but a man; One snare caught Juno and the Carthage dame (Her husband's death prepared her funeral flame-- 'Twas not a cause that Virgil maketh one); I need not grieve, that unprepared, alone, Unarm'd, and young, I did receive a wound, Or that my enemy no hurt hath found By Love; or that she clothed him in my sight, And took his wings, and marr'd his winding flight; No angry lions send more hideous noise From their beat b.r.e.a.s.t.s, nor clas.h.i.+ng thunder's voice Rends heaven, frights earth, and roareth through the air With greater force than Love had raised, to dare Encounter her of whom I write; and she As quick and ready to a.s.sail as he: Enceladus when Etna most he shakes, Nor angry Scylla, nor Charybdis makes So great and frightful noise, as did the shock Of this (first doubtful) battle: none could mock Such earnest war; all drew them to the height To see what 'mazed their hearts and dimm'd their sight.

Victorious Love a threatening dart did show His right hand held; the other bore a bow, The string of which he drew just by his ear; No leopard could chase a frighted deer (Free, or broke loose) with quicker speed than he Made haste to wound; fire sparkled from his eye.

I burn'd, and had a combat in my breast, Glad t' have her company, yet 'twas not best (Methought) to see her lost, but 'tis in vain T' abandon goodness, and of fate complain; Virtue her servants never will forsake, As now 'twas seen, she could resistance make: No fencer ever better warded blow, Nor pilot did to sh.o.r.e more wisely row To shun a shelf, than with undaunted power She waved the stroke of this sharp conqueror.

Mine eyes and heart were watchful to attend, In hope the victory would that way bend It ever did; and that I might no more Be barr'd from her; as one whose thoughts before His tongue hath utter'd them you well may see Writ in his looks; "Oh! if you victor be Great sir," said I, "let her and me be bound Both with one yoke; I may be worthy found, And will not set her free, doubt not my faith:"

When I beheld her with disdain and wrath So fill'd, that to relate it would demand A better muse than mine: her virtuous hand Had quickly quench'd those gilded fiery darts Which, dipp'd in beauty's pleasure, poison hearts.

Neither Camilla, nor the warlike host That cut their b.r.e.a.s.t.s, could so much valour boast Nor Caesar in Pharsalia fought so well, As she 'gainst him who pierceth coats of mail; All her brave virtues arm'd, attended there, (A glorious troop!) and marched pair by pair: Honour and blushes first in rank; the two Religious virtues make the second row; (By those the other women doth excel); Prudence and Modesty, the twins that dwell Together, both were lodged in her breast: Glory and Perseverance, ever blest: Fair Entertainment, Providence without, Sweet Courtesy, and Pureness round about; Respect of credit, fear of infamy; Grave thoughts in youth; and, what not oft agree, True Chast.i.ty and rarest Beauty; these All came 'gainst Love, and this the heavens did please, And every generous soul in that full height.

He had no power left to bear the weight; A thousand famous prizes hardly gain'd She took; and thousand glorious palms obtained.

Shook from his hands; the fall was not more strange Of Hannibal, when Fortune pleased to change Her mind, and on the Roman youth bestow The favours he enjoy'd; nor was he so Amazed who frighted the Israelitish host-- Struck by the Hebrew boy, that quit his boast; Nor Cyrus more astonish'd at the fall The Jewish widow gave his general: As one that sickens suddenly, and fears His life, or as a man ta'en unawares In some base act, and doth the finder hate; Just so was he, or in a worse estate: Fear, grief, and shame, and anger, in his face Were seen: no troubled seas more rage: the place Where huge Typhoeus groans, nor Etna, when Her giant sighs, were moved as he was then.

I pa.s.s by many n.o.ble things I see (To write them were too hard a task for me), To her and those that did attend I go: Her armour was a robe more white than snow; And in her hand a s.h.i.+eld like his she bare Who slew Medusa; a fair pillar there Of jasp was next, and with a chain (first wet In Lethe flood) of jewels fitly set, Diamonds, mix'd with topazes (of old 'Twas worn by ladies, now 'tis not) first hold She caught, then bound him fast; then such revenge She took as might suffice. My thoughts did change And I, who wish'd him victory before, Was satisfied he now could hurt no more.

I cannot in my rhymes the names contain Of blessed maids that did make up her train; Calliope nor Clio could suffice, Nor all the other seven, for th' enterprise; Yet some I will insert may justly claim Precedency of others. Lucrece came On her right hand; Penelope was by, Those broke his bow, and made his arrows lie Split on the ground, and pull'd his plumes away From off his wings: after, Virginia, Near her vex'd father, arm'd with wrath and hate.

Fury, and iron, and love, he freed the state And her from slavery, with a manly blow; Next were those barbarous women, who could show They judged it better die than suffer wrong To their rude chast.i.ty; the wise and strong-- The chaste Hebraean Judith follow'd these; The Greek that saved her honour in the seas; With these and other famous souls I see Her triumph over him who used to be Master of all the world: among the rest The vestal nun I spied, who was so bless'd As by a wonder to preserve her fame; Next came Hersilia, the Roman dame (Or Sabine rather), with her valorous train, Who prove all slanders on that s.e.x are vain.

Then, 'mongst the foreign ladies, she whose faith T' her husband (not aeneas) caused her death; The vulgar ignorant may hold their peace, Her safety to her chast.i.ty gave place; Dido, I mean, whom no vain pa.s.sion led (As fame belies her); last, the virtuous maid Retired to Arno, who no rest could find, Her friends' constraining power forced her mind.

The Triumph thither went where salt waves wet The Baian sh.o.r.e eastward; her foot she set There on firm land, and did Avernus leave On the one hand, on th' other Sybil's cave; So to Linternus march'd, the village where The n.o.ble Africane lies buried; there The great news of her triumph did appear As glorious to the eye as to the ear The fame had been; and the most chaste did show Most beautiful; it grieved Love much to go Another's prisoner, exposed to scorn, Who to command whole empires seemed born.

Thus to the chiefest city all were led, Entering the temple which Sulpicia made Sacred; it drives all madness from the mind; And chast.i.ty's pure temple next we find, Which in brave souls doth modest thoughts beget, Not by plebeians enter'd, but the great Patrician dames; there were the spoils display'd Of the fair victress; there her palms she laid, And did commit them to the Tuscan youth, Whose marring scars bear witness of his truth: With others more, whose names I fully knew, (My guide instructed me,) that overthrew The power of Love: 'mongst whom, of all the rest, Hippolytus and Joseph were the best.

ANNA HUME.

THE SAME.

When G.o.ds and men I saw in Cupid's chain Promiscuous led, a long uncounted train, By sad example taught, I learn'd at last Wisdom's best rule--to profit from the past Some solace in the numbers too I found, Of those that mourn'd, like me, the common wound That Phoebus felt, a mortal beauty's slave, That urged Leander through the wintry wave; That jealous Juno with Eliza shared, Whose more than pious hands the flame prepared; That mix'd her ashes with her murder'd spouse.

A dire completion of her nuptial vows.

(For not the Trojan's love, as poets sing, In her wan bosom fix'd the secret string.) And why should I of common ills complain, Shot by a random shaft, a thoughtless swain?

Unarm'd and unprepared to meet the foe, My naked bosom seem'd to court the blow.

One cause, at least, to soothe my grief ensued; When I beheld the ruthless power subdued; And all unable now to tw.a.n.g the string, Or mount the breeze on many-colour'd wing.

But never tawny monarch of the wood His raging rival meets, athirst for blood; Nor thunder-clouds, when winds the signal blow, With louder shock astound the world below; When the red flash, insufferably bright, Heaven, earth, and sea displays in dismal light; Could match the furious speed and fell intent With which the winged son of Venus bent His fatal yew against the dauntless fair Who seem'd with heart of proof to meet the war; Nor Etna sends abroad the blast of death When, wrapp'd in flames, the giant moves beneath; Nor Scylla, roaring, nor the loud reply Of mad Charybdis, when her waters fly And seem to lave the moon, could match the rage Of those fierce rivals burning to engage.

Aloof the many drew with sudden fright, And clamber'd up the hills to see the fight; And when the tempest of the battle grew, Each face display'd a wan and earthy hue.

The a.s.sailant now prepared his shaft to wing, And fixed his fatal arrow on the string: The fatal string already reach'd his ear; Nor from the leopard flies the trembling deer With half the haste that his ferocious wrath Bore him impetuous on to deeds of death; And in his stern regard the scorching fire Was seen, that burns the breast with fierce desire; To me a fatal flame! but hope to see My lovely tyrant forced to love like me, And, bound in equal chain, a.s.suaged my woe, As, with an eager eye, I watch'd the coming blow But virtue, as it ne'er forsakes the soul That yields obedience to her blest control, Proves how of her unjustly we complain, When she vouchsafes her gracious aid in vain In vain the self-abandon'd s.h.i.+ft the blame Upon their stars, or fate's perverted name.

Ne'er did a gladiator shun the stroke With nimbler turn, or more attentive look; Never did pilot's hand the vessel steer With more dexterity the shoals to clear Than with evasion quick and matchless art, By grace and virtue arm'd in head and heart, She wafted quick the cruel shaft aside, Woe to the lingering soul that dares the stroke abide!

I watch'd, and long with firm expectance stood To see a mortal by a G.o.d subdued, The usual fate of man! in hope to find The cords of Love the beauteous captive bind With me, a willing slave, to Cupid's car, The fortunes of the common race to share.

As one, whose secrets in his looks we spy, His inmost thoughts discovers in his eye Or in his aspect, graved by nature's hand, My gestures, ere I spoke, enforced my fond demand.

"Oh, link us to your wheels!" aloud I cried, "If your victorious arms the fray decide: Oh, bind us closely with your strongest chain!

I ne'er will seek for liberty again!"-- But oh! what fury seem'd his eyes to fill!

No bard that ever quaff'd Castalia's rill Could match his frenzy, when his shafts of fire With magic plumed, and barb'd with hot desire, Short of their sacred aim, innoxious fell, Extinguish'd by the pure ethereal spell.

Camilla; or the Amazons in arms From ancient Thermodon, to fierce alarms Inured; or Julius in Pharsalia's field, When his dread onset forced the foe to yield-- Came not so boldly on as she, to face The mighty victor of the human race, Who scorns the temper'd mail and buckler's ward.

With her the Virtues came--an heavenly guard, A sky-descended legion, clad in light Of glorious panoply, contemning mortal might; All weaponless they came; but hand in hand Defied the fury of the adverse band: Honour and maiden Shame were in the ban, Elysian twins, beloved by G.o.d and man.

Her delegates in arms with them combined; Prudence appear'd, the daughter of the mind; Pure Temperance next, and Steadiness of soul, That ever keeps in view the eternal goal; And Gentleness and soft Address were seen, And Courtesy, with mild inviting mien; And Purity, and cautious Dread of blame, With ardent love of clear unspotted fame; And sage Discretion, seldom seen below, Where the full veins with youthful ardour glow; Benevolence and Harmony of soul Were there, but rarely found from pole to pole; And there consummate Beauty shone, combined With all the pureness of an angel-mind.

Such was the host that to the conflict came, Their bosoms kindling with empyreal flame And sense of heavenly help.--The beams that broke From each celestial file with horror struck The bowyer G.o.d, who felt the blinding rays, And like a mortal stood in fix'd amaze; While on his spoils the fair a.s.sailants flew, And plunder'd at their ease the captive crew; And some with palmy boughs the way bestrew'd, To show their conquest o'er the baffled G.o.d.

Sudden as Hannibal on Zama's field Was forced to Scipio's conquering arms to yield; Sudden as David's hand the giant sped, When Accaron beheld his fall and fled; Sudden as her revenge who gave the word, When her stern guards dispatch'd the Persian lord; Or like a man that feels a strong disease His s.h.i.+vering members in a moment seize-- Such direful throes convulsed the despot's frame.

His hands, that veil'd his eyes, confess'd his shame, And mental pangs, more agonising far, In his sick bosom bred a civil war; And hate and anguish, with insatiate ire, Flash'd in his eyes with momentary fire.-- Not raging Ocean, when its billows boil; Nor Typhon, when he lifts the trembling soil Of Arima, his tortured limbs to ease; Nor Etna, thundering o'er the subject seas-- Surpa.s.s'd the fury of the baffled Power, Who stamp'd with rage, and bann'd the luckless hour Scenes yet unsung demand my loftiest lays-- But oh! the theme transcends a mortal's praise.

A sweet but humbler subject may suffice To muster in my song her fair allies; But first, her arms and vesture claim my song Before I chant the fair attendant throng:-- A robe she wore that seem'd of woven light; The buckler of Minerva fill'd her right, Medusa's bane; a column there was drawn Of jasper bright; and o'er the snowy lawn And round her beauteous neck a chain was slung, Which glittering on her snowy bosom hung.

Diamond and topaz there, with mingled ray, Return'd in varied hues the beam of day; A treasure of inestimable cost, Too long, alas! in Lethe's bosom lost: To modern matrons scarcely known by fame, Few, were it to be found, the prize would claim.

With this the vanquish'd G.o.d she firmly bound, While I with joy her kind a.s.sistance own'd; But oh! the feeble Muse attempts in vain To celebrate in song her numerous train; Not all the choir of Aganippe's spring The pageant of the sisterhood could sing: But some shall live, distinguished in my lay, The most ill.u.s.trious of the long array.-- The dexter wing the fair Lucretia led, With her, who, faithful to her nuptial bed, Her suitors scorn'd: and these with dauntless hand The quiver seized, and scatter'd on the strand The pointless arrows, and the broken bow Of Cupid, their despoil'd and recreant foe.-- Lovely Virginia with her sire was nigh: Paternal love and anger in his eye Beam'd terrible, while in his hand he show'd Aloft the dagger, tinged with virgin blood, Which freedom on the maid and Rome at once bestow'd.-- Then the Teutonic dames, a dauntless race, Who rush'd on death to shun a foe's embrace;-- And Judith chaste and fair, but void of dread, Who the hot blood of Holofernes shed;-- And that fair Greek who chose a watery grave Her threaten'd purity unstain'd to save.-- All these and others to the combat flew, And all combined to wreak the vengeance due On him, whose haughty hand in days of yore From clime to clime his conquering standard bore.

Another troop the vestal virgin led, Who bore along from Tyber's oozy bed His liquid treasure in a sieve, to show The falsehood of her base calumnious foe By wondrous proof.--And there the Sabine queen With all the matrons of her race was seen, Renown'd in records old;--and next in fame Was she, who dauntless met the funeral flame, Not wrong'd in Love, but to preserve her vows Immaculate to her Sidonian spouse.

Let others of aeneas' falsehood tell, How by an unrequited flame she fell; A n.o.bler, though a self-inflicted doom, Caused by connubial Love, dismiss'd her to the tomb.-- Picarda next I saw, who vainly tried To pa.s.s her days on Arno's flowery side In single purity, till force compell'd The virgin to the marriage bond to yield.

The triumph seem'd at last to reach the sh.o.r.e Where lofty Baise hears the Tuscan roar.

'Twas on a vernal morn it touch'd the land, And 'twixt Mount Barbaro that crowns the strand And old Avernus (once an hallow'd ground); For the c.u.maean sibyl's cell renown'd.

Linterno's sandy bounds it reach'd at last, Great Scipio's favour'd haunt in ages past; Famed Africa.n.u.s, whose victorious blade The slaughterous deeds of Hannibal repaid, And to his country's heart a b.l.o.o.d.y pa.s.sage made.

Here in a calm retreat his life he spent, With rural peace and solitude content.

And here the flying rumour sped before, And magnified the deed from sh.o.r.e to sh.o.r.e.

The pageant, when it reach'd the destined spot, Seem'd to exceed their utmost reach of thought.

There, all distinguish'd by their deeds of arms, Excell'd the rest in more than mortal charms.

Nor he, whom oft the steeds of conquest drew, Disdained another's triumphs to pursue.

At the metropolis arrived at last, To fair Sulpicia's temples soon we pa.s.s'd, Sacred to Chast.i.ty, to ward the pest With which her sensual foes inflame the breast; The patroness of n.o.ble dames alone-- Then was the fair plebeian Pole unknown, The victress here display'd her martial spoils, And here the laurel hung that crown'd her toils: A guard she stationed on the temple's bound-- The Tuscan, mark'd with many a glorious wound Suspicion in the jealous breast to cure: With him a chosen squadron kept the door.

I heard their names, and I remember well The youthful Greek that by his stepdame fell, And him who, kept by Heaven's command in awe, Refused to violate the nuptial law.

BOYD.