IDYL XIII.

HYLAS.

FRIEND! not for us alone was love designed,

Whoe'er his parent of immortal kind;
Nor first to us fair seemeth fair to be,
Who mortal are, nor can the morrow see.
But e'en Amphitryon's brazen-hearted son,
Who stood the lion's rage, did dote upon
The curled and lovely Hylas - made his joy
To train him as a father would his boy,
And taught him all whereby himself became
A minstrel-praised inheritor of fame;

Nor left him when the sun was in mid-air,

Or Morn to Jove's court drove her milk-white pair; Or when the twittering chickens were betaking

Themselves to rest, her wings their mother shaking,

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Perched on the smoky beam; that, trained to go
In the right track, he might a true man grow.

When Jason sailed to find the golden fleece,
And in his train the choicest youth of Greece;
Then with the worthies from the cities round,
Came Hercules, for patient toil renowned,
And Hylas with him: from Iölcos they,
In the good Argo ploughed the watery way.
Touched not the ship the dark Cyanean rocks,
That justled evermore with crashing shocks,

But bounded through, and shot the swell o' the flood,
Like to an eagle, and in Phasis stood:
Thence either ridgy rock in station lies.

But at what times the Pleiades arise:
When to the lamb the borders of the field
(The spring to summer turning) herbage yield;
The flower of heroes minded then their sailing;
And the third day, a steady south prevailing,
They reached the Hellespont; and in the bay
Of long Propontis hollow Argo lay:

Their oxen for Cianians dwelling there

The ploughshare in the broadening furrow wear.

They land at eve; in pairs their mess they keep;
And many strow a high and rushy heap:
A meadow broad convenient lay thereby,
With various rushes prankt abundantly.
And gold-tressed Hylas is for water gone
For Hercules and sturdy Telamon,

Who messmates were: a brazen urn he bore,
And soon perceived a fountain straight before.
It was a gentle slope, round which was seen
A multitude of rushes, parsley green,

And the close couch-grass, creeping to entwine
Green maiden-hair, and pale-blue celandine.
Their choir the wakeful nymphs, the rustics dread,

In the mid sparkle of the fountain led;

Malis, and young Nachæa looking spring,

And fresh Eunica. There the youth did bring,

And o'er the water hold his goodly urn,

Eager at once to dip it and return.

The nymphs all clasped his hand; for love seized all,
Love for the Argive boy; and he did fall
Plumping at once into the water dark,

As when a meteor glides with many a spark
Plumping from out the heavens into the seas

And then some sailor cries: "a jolly breeze,
Up with the sail, boys!" Him upon their knees
The nymphs soft held; him dropping many a tear
With soft enticing words they tried to cheer.

Anxious Alcides lingered not to go,

Armed like a Scythian with his curved bow.
He grasped his club; and thrice he threw around
His deep, deep voice at highest pitch of sound;
Thrice called on Hylas; thrice did Hylas hear,
And from the fount a thin voice murmured near ;
Though very near, it very far appeared:

As when a lion, awful with his beard,

Hearing afar the whining of a fawn,

Speeds to his banquet from the mountain-lawn;
In suchwise, Hercules the boy regretting,

Off at full speed through pathless brakes was setting.

Who love, much suffer: what fatigue he bore!

What thickets pierced! what mountains clambered o'er ! What then to him was Jason's enterprise?

With sails aloft the ship all-ready lies;

Midnight they sweep the decks and oft repeat,
"Where, where is Hercules ?" Where'er his feet